Yes, it will be a great day for Knock when the first Flyglobespan aeroplane takes off on the inaugural flight to New York. I am sure Knock will have every good wish from everyone in Cork for the success of the new series of flights to New York and Boston.

The crowd in the midwest will hardly be too pleased at your welcome new US routes though so with that in mind I would advise the followers of Knock Airport to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer until the flights begin. Between now and when the first flight goes out it is important for Knock not to take her eye off the ball, not for one second.

They will shaft you if they can so like what the boy scouts motto says 'Bigi Ullamh!'

Fate is now knocking on the door of Cork Airport.

Getting the flights is one thing, filling them is another. When Slattery's put on a ORK-JFK charter inn 2005, it was warmly welcomed. However when push came to shove people booked on the cheaper scheduled flights out of Shannon.
Other lame excuses such as "my friend can't go on Thursday" and "my mothers sister wants to come back on Sunday" also led to people taking the journey to Shannon rather than supporting their local airports initiative. Best of luck to Knock but watch your back and keep Flyglobespan happy.

Well i think price will be the key. If the price is much lower than SNN or DUB then it will have a chance. Globespan are a low fares airline so i would expect this to be the case.
This is probably why the scheduled charters ex cork didn't do as well as they could have done. ie. comparable or cheaper prices avail from SNN and DUB.


This is very good news for NOC, has the Irish govt given the green light yet?

Flight with flyglobespan will originate in LPL and GLA. LPL - NOC - JFK and GLA - NOC - BOS. Both these routes are daily however will probably only go via NOC 2 or 3 times a week.

Pricing and advertising will be key to the success of GSM at Knock. Its not available for booking yet on GSM's website, which isnt great either. A lot of people are planning there summer holidays now, so GSM needs to get moving. I also would have thought that the Knock route would attract more inbound traffic, so is GSM's brand strong in the US, and will they advertise stateside?

Think you will find that Knock have thrown the kitchen sink at GSM in terms of marketing support and rebate, which probably includes stateside promotion. A shared aircraft a couple of times a week won't generate any significant additional pax, I hope therefore that Knock have kept between the lines on the EU new route support guidelines, otherwise FR and EINN will have something to say

Knock Airport to go Transatlantic
 

From RTE

Knock airport to go transatlantic

January 29, 2007 12:08
Twenty one years after it was inaugurated, Knock Airport in Co Mayo is to introduce its first scheduled transatlantic flights.

The flights will operate to and from Boston and New York and the airport board says they will bring up to 35,000 tourists to the western region.
The low cost UK carrier Flyglobespan will begin operating the flights to and from Ireland West Airport in May.

There will be three flights a week to New York and two to Boston. These flights will originate in Liverpool and Glasgow.

The airport board says the services have the potential to give the region a €28m boost in the first year of operation.

Managing director Liam Scollan said the US flights were a 'hugely significant development' for the airport.


http://www.rte.ie/business/2007/0129/knock.html

Flights are now available to book in the GSM website. Lead in one way fares inc taxes seem to start from €211 to JFK and €240 to BOS.

A welcome announcement.....don't think maths was Mr Scollan's best subject in school though. I reckon there are approx 21,000 seats available inbound from Boston and New York to Knock, Liverpool and Glasgow. Assuming 60% originate stateside that's 12,600 and a 50/50 split LPL/GLA/NOC (optimistic for Knock) the best case scenario I arrive at is 6,300 inbound figures who between them will spend €28m (megaspenders). Finally I see LPL and GLA are not being sold, probably too difficult to manage the turnaround! Hope it works!

I seem to recall, from the ORK thread, that an aircraft flying any route from Ireland to the US, needed to be Irish. I note what is said about permission from the intermediate state (and also, the deafening silence, so far, from Kildare Street), but what about the US authorities? Will they permit Ireland-US operations by a UK carrier? Is this exemption about aircraft on an intermediate stop actually written into the current Irish-US bilateral?

Wasn't there a proposal some time ago that Y2 would put an aircraft on the Irish register. I really hope this can go through, but I have a niggling suspicion that there may be trouble ahead.

That said, it could be a good ploy by the NOC authorities; will the govt - in an election year - obstruct this? They may have to say no initially, but I'm sure that there will be an "added incentive" to sort out any difficulties in the interim.

Well according to posts in the Flyglobespan thread the US DOT approved the routes, and Minister Eamonn O Cuiv launced the flights today so they have both sides in agreement. The NY Mayor Bloomberg was also involved, he met the board of IWAK last summer and is visiting again next week.

Irish Department of Transport Press Release
 

Cullen - proposed new air services linking Ireland West Airport Knock with the US
http://www.transport.ie/Images/spacer.gif
29 January 2007
Monday 29 January 2007: The Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen T.D. has approved, in principle, the granting of traffic rights for new air services linking Ireland West Airport Knock with the US and the UK. The new services will be operated by UK carrier Flyglobespan, and the routes in question are Liverpool to New York via Knock and Glasgow to Boston via Knock.
The Minister understands that the services are scheduled to commence in May 2007, subject to the finalisation of security arrangements at Ireland West Airport Knock. Authorisation is to be granted to the airline for an initial period of 12 months. This position will be reviewed in light of future progress towards a wider EU Open Skies agreement with the United States.
Commenting on the proposed new services, Minister Cullen said: "The Government's air services strategy promotes competitiveness, flexibility, consumer choice and diversity of product to satisfy different consumer needs. I am very pleased that Flyglobespan will be bringing new competition into the market place and introducing choice for the Irish passenger. It is a positive development that residents in the west of Ireland will be able to fly to New York and Boston from County Mayo. This presents a great opportunity to grow tourism and exploit business opportunities for the benefit of the BMW region."
The services are the first transatlantic scheduled services to be operated out of Ireland West Airport Knock.
"The Government's continued support of our regional airports plays an important role in promoting more balanced regional development and the commencement of transatlantic services at Knock would underline the value of that strategy," the Minister said.
ENDS

Here is a report from today's Irish Independent...gives some background to the airport's interesting history and the new US route. I imagine we will be hearing a lot more announcements re Irish airports in the run up to the election.

It's take-off as Knock lands first flights to the US

A PLAN for Ireland's first low-cost transatlantic flights from Knock has been unveiled.

Some two decades since Monsignor James Horan's vision for a truly international airport in Co Mayo was dismissed, the dream has finally taken wings across the Atlantic.

Msgr Horan was the founder of Knock Airport, now officially called Ireland West Airport Knock.

But critics and sceptics were confounded and 21 years later, the airport has truly come of age with the launch of three-times-a-week flights to JFK Airport in New York from May 27 and a twice-weekly service to Boston Logan International Airport from May 30.

The flights, originating in Liverpool and Glasgow, are being provided by Scottish low-cost carrier Flyglobespan, which has signed a five-year contract with the west of Ireland airport.

Prices

Return prices, including taxes, could cost as little as €460, according to airport managing director Liam Scollan.

It is estimated that the services have the potential to bring up to 35,000 US tourists and an estimated €28m spending boost to the West and North West in the current year alone.

According to Mr Scollan, this is expected to grow to more than 56,000 US tourists, with an estimated spend of up to €45m by 2008.

"We can see the floodgates opening. For 160 years, the largest emigration to the United States was from the west of Ireland so there are massive cultural and social links, particularly with the east coast of America.

"And four-fifths of all the Irish that emigrated to the US came from counties of the West," he said.

But unlike the past when no work made emigration a necessity and the ticket was usually one-way, today's traveller has a very different profile.

Weekend shopping trips to New York and Boston and holidays in Cape Cod are more likely to be the order of the day, while many of those on inbound flights will have west of Ireland blood coursing through their veins.

Tourism bodies have estimated the direct flights will boost spending in the West by up to €45m by 2008.

"These transatlantic services will connect neighbours, friends and relatives that have long been separated by a century of emigration from this region to the US," said Mr Scollan.

They would also foster the growing business links with the US in the region.

At yesterday's historic event, political, community, church and tourism leaders united to welcome what airport chairman Joe Kennedy described as a milestone in aviation history.

Anita Guidera

Summary? How long was the full thing? (The report on the website is pretty lengthy!)


I've been thinking about this, but if they sell seats on the legs between Ireland and the UK they may loose out on transatlantic passengers, such as those joining in the UK taking up the seats to NOC but may get off, leaving less opportunities for passengers from the UK through to the states if the empty seats are not taken up at Knock. Best thing to do is just skip the doubt!

Knock apron
 

What happens if the Globespan 757 arrives and there is a 738 on the ramp?

Well I'm sure they plan schedules around other services and the 757 isn't the biggest of birds. Apron space is tight but it easily fits 2 large jets and I have seen them fit a MD80, 738 and A320 on a busy day. They are planning the apron extension, pending Government investment under the NDP.

If they can do this, I dont think a 752 & B738 is a problem

http://www.connaughtaeroclub.ie/photos/bigbird.jpg

Anyway they do have a second apron that people can be forced to walk to. :}

Liam Scollan interview in Irish Indo
 

Read this morning an interesting interview in the Irish Independent with Liam Scollan , of Knock airport.

The whole mood is very upbeat and its great to see it. He said that the US routes are part of a 5 year agreement with Flyglobespan. In addition he said he doesnt expect easyjet to come back to the airport,no surprise.

All in all he outlined the broader plan for the next few year including a business park.

Next trip to US I think I will support the route and try to use it even though it means driving to the West, I've heard that the parking is much cheaper there !

He was also asked would did he not think Aer Lingus would be a better airline to market and serve the route. He said that Aer Lingus were not at all interested. I wonder will they change their mind on this if the GSM service is a success. I think it will do fine.

There’s also an article in on the development funding saying they expect a decision in the next two weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if part of the US flights agreement is dependant on some of the upgrades being in place, especially the ILS CAT II upgrade.

Cat II ILS installed within three months? Unlikely, given public procurement requirements etc. The Minister's reference to approval subject to the necessary security measures being in place seems to be the only operational hurdle to be cleared.