Continuation of: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...231075&page=17


All gone quiet again now! Excel gone, My Travel gone, Baby on their winter program (down by midnight).

Anyone heard whether ThomsonFly are putting in a 737 Classic or NG next summer?

Rumour has it Aviance are going to be given the push aswell, airport is said to be fedup with Servisair, who I believe have the ground handling contract, subcontracting it out, they have to take it in-house. :suspect:

Hey Phil...

Not seen you in a while.. Where you been???

There was a rumour around that Aviance had a 90 day notice recently... Nothing official though.

Just to clarify... Aviance are the only ground agents to work airside - baggage etc so we handle everything that you see ( as an engineer )... As said Subed by servisair on their contracts. So any deficit is down to us on that part! But to clarify what I read some time ago, Aviance took over Airway Handling... And now we have the same stucture and managers as they did.. So in effect, Airway took Aviance over!!! We currently run exactly the same way, one year on, as Airway did.

But hold on there..... There's a new kid in town!!! Yep, we got ourselves a 'project manager', here to sort us out!! Not wanting to post any names, but, he used to be station manager for swissport at BHX...!

Some changes have been implemented, though relatively small so far, being end of season. But many more, and more significant changes are on the way ' apparently ' to make Aviance at CWL an ' Aviance ' operation.... Which it certainly isn't at the moment.

So watch this space!! I for one hope it gets better for all of us, coz this summer has been the worst ever!!

Saying that, looking at the weather, possible de-icing Thursday morn if Mr Frost makes an appearence!! And guess what??? WE ARE NOT READY!!! Oooh days off are nice!!!!

So Phil, I hope for yours and our sake, things do get better!!! And don't always blame the guy in charge on the ground, as he can only work with the number of men he's got on a team and to the time he was told about it!!! Generally when it's on approach!!!!

Shocking summer... I hope all that deal with us, and myself have a better winter!!

Cheers

AvUK

Despite the romours Air Southwest are still flying from CWL in Summer 2007, although the flight times etc remain the same.

Looks like www.cwlfly.com has had a make over, doesn't look too bad :ok:

Bit foggy here the last day or so, I assume thats the reason theres an Easy 737 down the bottom? (Std 12 is it?)

AvUK, you got a PM :)

Unsure which version of the site i prefer at the moment. Looks good though.

The fog has caused havoc again today. Majority of flights ending up in BRS.
The Easy A319 on 12 is there as it missed the BRS runway curfew Sunday night. This looks to be a regular thing until march!

FOG
 

Two days running now!! Fairly quiet on the apron!! Though of course, not for pax services!!

Winter isn't supposed to be this quiet is it??!!

Yep, we are now receiving BRS rejects!! We've had EZY and KLM here. The BA A319 seems to be a Heathrow overnight parker?? Comes here empty to park and goes off to Heathrow the next day to operate? A regular thing it would seem??!!

New website looks nice, though the 'live info' could do with extending it's 'range' as it did before... A little too short sighted for my liking!!!!!

TOM
 

Any idea when (if) the new s07 routes suggested for TOM will go on sale?

Re Tom
 

Thomsonfly haven't released their full programme yet. More will be added soon, probably Dec - from what I've heard CWL will get more, although nothing to get too excited about.

MB

Well TOM have just realeased the schedule for s07 and NO BCN! despite promises, its only from Coventry. Though Jersy is back for next year, no real suprises. Funchal is not there but Faro is. Any news to come as it looks like theyve completed the summer 07 schedule to me?

FNC is being operated by FCA during S07, TOM are advertising it for W07/08.
No real surprises because most of the schedule has been up for weeks and word about new routes spread quite fast, its only FAO, JER, FNC and BCN that hadn't been released.
I'm still pretty confident they will eventually release BCN. Otherwise they will have a/c sitting around doing nothing.
Why would TOM only operate BCN from Coventry? When it advertises DSA, CVT, BOH and CWL as its low-fares bases. Its not like TOM to operate one single route.

FAO and JER are already bookable on their webpage, its just FNC and BCN that are yet to be announced:confused:

Hows the RE service to Dublin doing? EI should have jumped in there when FR pulled out!

That was never going to happen. They have no intrest into expanding into CWL or the UK as a whole really. They are even reducing frquncies on some UK routes. Sad really when you see what KLM have done at AMS, not really the biggest of destinations, but have a massive amount of flights to the UK. EI could have made DUB into a larger airport and a bigger airline than thay are today.:ugh: Sad considering the first commercial flight from CWL was on Aer Lingus in 1952.(Not that I was alive then;) )

john

Raw CAA pax figures on DUB-CWL-DUB sched for last four months, working backwards from October:

5020, 4652, 5317 and 4733 giving an average load in the low to mid 30s.

There is a certainly a bigger market than this if the product is there because the comparable figures for 2005 with FR were respectively 10243, 10143, 10763 and 10526.

However, Arann seem to charge on average higher fares than FR and provide better timed and more rotations than did FR, so I suppose business pax are happier with the extra flexibility of flights and timings, and the airline with the return, although of course only it will know that.

I guess those not so happy will be the leisure travellers who potentially form a significant group out of any large city airport. They will have to pay a bit more for their relaxation.

As Smile!!! points out, EI seems to be a bit unconvinced about regional UK links, albeit the airports they have pulled out of or are about to have FR competition and are not in the top eight busiest UK fields.

With no FR at CWL now, EI might have considered it but would they have gone double daily (as FR were working up to before they left - there were only two weekdays that were single daily)? You will know probably better than me that facility is often required by business pax.

FNC is available on the Thomsonfly website. It is only a winter destination for TOM details are:

Mon
Flight TOM 4703 09:00 Depart Cardiff (CWL)
12:20 Arrive Funchal (FNC)

Mon
Flight TOM 4707 13:20 Depart Funchal (FNC)
16:35 Arrive Cardiff (CWL)

BYCREWLGW:ok:

Is it likely that a Paris or Brussels route will be reintroduced soon? And also if there are any plans for Flybe to enter CWL, because it says on their website they want to open new bases soon. Is it likely they would operate at CWL, or anyone else for that matter?

Now that would be a major boost for CWL to see FLYBE making an approach to operate the remaing routes:8
Whats the temp-buliding that has been constructed on the southside next to the Air Wales hangar?anything to do with the removed airbridge??

Not a 100% sure but when I asked was told it was something to do with food production. That of course is probably 180Degrees from the truth :}

No rumours about FlyBe circulating as far as I'm aware although many of their routes would be compatible with an operation such as Cardiff, we can but dream. :8

I can't believe though that there is still no paris link, and with bmibaby looking like doing nothing in the next year it would take some other airline to introduce this one. What about Jet2 opening a base here?

Re: Southside building
 

I hear it's do do with a new catering company operating at CWL. Having seen an advert for staff in the local rag a few weeks back ( can't remember what outfit it was ), it would fit in...

From what I hear, BABY have dropped Alpha for this new operator.

Air bridge stand ten has gone away to be refurbished... Other two to follow I hear... Money better spent on air bridges that can fit more than two or three types of a/c????

Works on old pier coming along... Though after many revisions of the plans, the budget is a little over what was expected!

Also, I hear the tent will come down, stand one be closed for building works on the reclaim area. Not sure of timescale. Toilet facilities there seem to be an issue at the moment! Lack of....

Av...

I heard a long time ago that Baby had dropped Alpha aswell, however that one went quiet. Heard from an Alpha lad the other day, that Thomson had dropped them in favour of the new company - but not sure about Baby, didn't seem to think so!

Anyone have any information on the AC at CWL that had landing gear troubles (stuck up I believe), diverted to MAN in the end, I assume they got the gear down, as I've not seen anything in Romours/News or the press.

One thing I think they need to sort ASAP is the area infront of the terminal includng the road area. The Zebra crossings are very poorly lit and I'm sure a few of the staff at CWL have nearly had a passnger or two over :{. Get some lighting up there, also, why not on the road from the roundabout (by Alpha/ICAT), perhaps on the left heading towards the terminal paint a few temporary parking bays up there (where they park anyway), and move the white line dividing the two lanes up accross. Needs to be sorted as its terrible at the moment!

New Caterers at CWL
 

Is the new catering company at CWL going to be Select Service Partner, aviation catering division?

http://www.answers.com/Select%20Service%20Partner

Does anyone know when/if they are starting service on WW or TOM:confused:

Don't think its SSP mate. They do all of the landside & airside catering (BK, Food Courts & Bars) at Cardiff and other airports. Not aware that they do any airline catering as such.

The name I was told escapes me, three letters long though...(like that helps :ouch: )

three letters. KFC?

Not LSG is it? They have the TOM contracts in most other bases.

LSG, thats the one :)

BMI Baby
 

Baby's schedule for S07 has been released. Doesnt seem to be many changes, one or two flights reduced, one or two increased.
Nothing that seems to support that 4th a/c though! :ugh:

bmibaby s07
 

Strange use of aircraft as things stand!

Currently no slot 1 use of 3rd aircraft with first dep to BFS @ 1020 ish which is not ideal for business day returns etc.

Also GLA down to 1 rotation daily at present - (seems familiar...)

More to come maybe?

Baby... Oh... Baby!!
 

What has happened here to our fourth aircraft?? Deployed somewhere else?? Well thanks a bunch!!

Seems by the news and booking engine that our fourth a/c is not to be?? Perhaps they will come up trumps, but I doubt it!!

Seriously though, as a worker, I DO NOT WANT TO WORK THERE NEXT SUMMER!! AFTER WORKING LAST SUMMER UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE... SIMPLE FACT OF ME AND MANY COLLEAGUES NOT WANTING TO UNDERGO THE **** THAT HAPPENED LAST SUMMER!!!

I'm glad CWL is expanding, I only wish that there was some communication with airport authorities, contractors, handling agents, and anyone else that has to suffer the CWL regime!!

At the mo, It's all a blur.... Imagine taking down an air bridge and not telling anyone..... Well the people who allocate stands didn't know!!! Nice one! Worth your money I'm sure:= Take a golf break and come back smiling!!!

Last I heard was of the THIRTEENTH REVISION of the plans!! LOL!! Really?? No wonder work is behind!! Airport not sure of what it wants for the future, so architects revise plans, work goes on... Even heard of one wall being built, the airport authorities demanding it be pulled down??!! What a waste of money!! Hear they are already 2 Mill over budget!!

I couldnt agree more! :ok:

The Management at CWL need a good kick up the behind!

If only they read this or actually listen when the people that use the place on a daily basis have something to say! :ugh:

Waste of money?? too right!
Its a shame when they put these walls up, E.G - then have to renovate them again because of a leak thats been there over 2 years and has never been fixed!

CWL will never expand, after this year the pax wont come back!

Roll on Summer 07!

baby 4th Aircraft
 

I do believe that the fourth ww aircraft was originaly planned for cwl. But with typical baby style things change at the last minute all the time. So the aircraft has been planned for all 4 bases at some stage. It is looking incresingly likley though that it will go to MAN with the merger of BACON and flybe they may wish to capilitize on the situatuin with more domestic flights fro MAN. Though that is not ruling out Cardiff or any other airport for that matter. The airport has not yet been realesed to the public so the schedule is not yet final.(bmibaby :rolleyes: :confused: )

It has been mentioned on the flybe thread and in referance the BRS thread, and on a different site I have seen that flybe let slip in there press realese that they were going to fly to CWL. Thought this has know been removed as they have realised there mistake with no new routes set out, so is this wrong or just information realesed early? What routes do you think BE could do, some German and French (maybe finnaly CDG) but what about WW/TOM on some of the bucket and spade routes and the competition? Is there really enough room in the S Wales market for all these flights?:confused:


In further news Aer Arann is to start a new flight to Nantes. The Cardiff to Nantes service will operate on Saturdays departing Cardiff at 12.50pm and Nantes at 11.45 am. The service will be operated by an ATR72 66 seater aircraft.
http://info.cwlfly.com/en/news/3/233...r-'07.html

So does anyone know what will happen to the Lorient route?

London Luton to Lorient hasn't been announced either so maybe it might be announced yet. The Nantes route will probably be operated by a Cork based aircraft on a w pattern.

Flybe
 

The rumour that Flybe are coming into CWL seems to be gathering apace. Apart from a (now deleted) news item on their website has anyone seen any evidence to support this move?

Also, considering the fanfare when the new cwlfly website went live why haven't the CWL maketing bods made the most of using this as a way of promoting the airport? Websites are only used if the content changes on a regular basis. Ok, they've now put details of the new Nantes service on but never made any mention of TOM Jersey flights going on sale, baby s07 fully on sale etc etc. Come on CWL Marketing - get your act together!

Hmmmmm
 

What my little ears have heard!!!

Sky chefs - LSG got Thomson contract, seen them operating already and perhaps baby going there soon?? Not started yet so can't confirm.

What have Alpha got left?? Winter is quiet for them now.

Stand 1 to be closed in Jan for baggage reclaim building works? Where the 'tent' is.

Servisair coming back on the ramp??

Phase 2 of building to start in Jan... 'Proper' walkway with 'new' airbridges to be built out in direction of old pier to wards then stand 2, now 12 and 17 as in the masterplan.

BAMC doing all the refits of 747 and 777 for BAs new seating hype.


Questions now!

What are the Sunday flights to Guernsey?? Perm or just once of twice?? And from memory... was there one to IOM too??? Regular or visitor???

Can CWL take an A380?? Runway, taxiways and stands? If REALLY need be??

Cheers

No Deal

There is a huge case for another airline at CWL especially a larger one like the new Flybe. I'm sick of travelling to Bristol just to get to places like Paris and Berlin which would work fine at CWL. Just because the South Wales region is close to Bristol doesn't mean a paris, brussels or berlin route won't work. I mean even Exeter and Southampton have better routes at the moment, CWL deserves more. Could we also please have a good link to Dublin with Aer Lingus. Aer Arran offer poor service, and they are putting up their prices on the route!

Zoom UK
 

With Zoom UK due to startup next year, what is the possibility of CWL having a ny route? Zoom has already stated that they will expand operations from their existing UK hubs and with the market for the route being there, surely it is time to introduce it?

Zoom have stated about using existing bases, however in my opinion i cant see them actually offering many routes. The ones they will,(possibly somewhere like SFB, SFO, JFK?) will be split with probably either LGW or BFS (as are YYZ and YVR currently)
YYZ was doing very well last year being direct, Zoom have cut the service for the winter, ending i think mid Dec, and returning mid Apr. But last year this was the case and they started up early. Who knows!?
I believe there are no direct YYZ service for S07 though. Its LGW-CWL-YYZ again.
Look at the routes offered to the South-West. EXT, BRS, SOU, and even BHX. You go further west into Wales, and nothing available until you get to DUB!! surely there must be a market that drives straight past CWL to get to BRS. I also think FlyBe is what CWL needs. Its competition for Baby, and its a chance for some decent european routes.
Great, that will be 2 stands out of use - Stand 10 and 1.
Anyone know how long each airbridge will be away for?
Hopefully they will all be back in action ready for the Rugby flights in Mar
So soon?? Was it really worth building the extra gates??
How many new airbridges are they planning? I didnt see any on the masterplan, and it shows them all going ready for 2030. Some to fit the 737's they need now.
I have to give it to the management, for once they are actually moving things along. This was all scheduled for completion in 2015!
I cant see that ever happening.
Are BA actually getting these now? There was talk W. Walsh was interested.
That would probably be the only reason an A380 would pop into CWL.

Will the new building work also start on the extension to the departure lounge - filling in the gap in the L? This is long overdue - anybody who's been here during the summer will have witnessed the caos. Real shame that they've missed the opportunity to let a bit of daylight into the place.

Couldn't agree more about FlyBe, lets hope that they are on the verge of announcing something interesting from CWL - to be fair they're spoilt for choice on the route front! Plus they could pocket a bit of support through the RDF.

I'd particularly like to see them have a go at T3 on NCL - Welsh people are too tight to pay £300 plus for a day return! Mrs MonkeyB does Newcastle about twice a month with EZY from BRS and it's packed with penny pinching Welsh people.

MB

BRS
 

Well I try to fly from CWL as much as I can, because I fly twice weekly to Paris and once to Berlin as well as the occasional Dublin trip. But not one of these happens from CWL but from BRS, and I've noticed a lot of people in these flights are from South Wales. Figures show that 30% of BRS pax are from Wales so there is a huge market for atleast a couple of basic routes from CWL which include Paris, Berlin, Brussels and perhaps something to Italy.

I 've also noticed that a lot of people have used Aer Arann but then with the considerably lower prices at BRS with Aer Lingus and Ryanair, so again CWL loses on basic routes!

What is the likelihood of Lufthansa starting some German routes next year, as was recently said in the press?