Why no Spanish or Portuguese low-cost airlines?

[Lite]

Whilst most low-cost airlines serve a variety of destinations in Spain, and with Ryanair increasing their presence in the Spanish market, there is a huge absence of Spanish and Portuguese based low cost airlines.

In Italy for example, there is a strong low-cost presence of both the major low-cos; EasyJet and Ryanair, but there are still area specific low cost airlines like WindJet and Volareweb.

There are loads of markets in the Spanish and Portuguese market where there is either a monopoly by Iberia or TAP respectively or by those operators and the flag carrier of the other country.

Why has noone chose to challenge Iberia and TAP?
Do you think we will see any Spanish or Portuguese competitors?
If so from where do you think there is a good market?
:)

[bmibaby.com]

One of the reasons that low-cost airlines have been able to prosper in markets like the UK, Italy and Germany is because there are plenty of secondary and tertiary airports that are an alternative to the main airports, and have plenty of room to expand for a growing low-cost airline, airports like Hahn, Stansted and Bergamo.

In Spain, from what I have been able to gather there are fewer of these available with no major alternative to BCN or MAD, without going way outside of Barcelona and Madrid to Girona and Vallalodid respectively, which are both quite some way out.

If Aena were to build a secondary airport for Barcelona and Madrid, I'm sure it would open more opportunities.

In Portugal the problem I presume is again airports. Lisbon and Faro are very expensive airports to fly to ,and so very low cost seats are difficult.

:\

[Lite]

I can understand that airport operating costs and charges must be quite a big problem for start up airlines in Spain.

I have also noticed on my many trips to both Barcelona and Madrid, that both of those airports where presumably their are large catchment areas, are incredibly slot congested and it is very hard to make a 30 minute turnaround.

Similarly is the reason why Go pulled out of LIS simply due to the incredibly high costs of flying to that airport and they had to do 60 minute turns? Is this still the case?

[AIRWAY]

In Portugal the problem I presume is again airports. Lisbon and Faro are very expensive airports to fly to ,and so very low cost seats are difficult.


Hello,

I would agree that Lisbon is way to expensive, but has for Faro, well you just have to look at the amount of Low Cost Airlines that flies to FAO, almost all of them go there.

Also one of the Portuguese Airlines ( Air Luxor, no its not from Egypt) has introduced a "Light Price" to its European Network, prices start at 29 Euros one way, but it´s only available to 15% of the aircraft capacity.

I heard rumours that there was going to be a Low Cost start up im Portugal, but haven´t heard anything since.

[Lite]

I also presume that the reason why Faro is a much more popular destination with the Northern European passengers in because of the warm climate and also lots of people go there on beach and golf vacations.

Although, I still am interested into why Spain and Portugal have not taken off so to speak with lots of local low-cost airlines like the Italian and German markets?

[brabazon]

Talk of a new Spanish low cost airline called A Jet to be set up in Granada - watch this space....

[FCOLOVER22]

hi guys...


YES.....The only Low cost so to say in Portugal is....


AIR LUXOR LIGHT......as already said......29 eur one way w/out taxes.....but only to some slected destinations....


you can check that out in ....www.airluxorgroup.com


thanks

[bacardi walla]

and then there is the new Spanish lo-co Vueling Airlines (http://www.vueling.com) :cool:

[aeulad]

Spanair and Air Europa offer very low fares accross their route networks, although they do not advertise as a tacky low cost airline, they offer comparable fares to the likes of U2 and Germanwings.

Regards

Mike

[Torquelink]

Coincidentally, in today's Air Letter there is an announcement of the construction of a new airport "Don Quixote" to be built 200km south of Madrid specifically to attract low-fare carriers. Even by Ryanair standards it sounds quite a long way from the city it's supposed to be serving but there is, apparently, a 45 min high speed rail connection. Supposed to open in second half of 2006.

[uy707]

In Portugal, the airport of Cintra could perhaps be reshaped for Low-Fares Airlines.
In the past, there was an airline named Air Sul. Trading in 1985 with a pair of former 737-204s purshased from BY, they served ORY and other places northward. They did not stay in business long, they were probably right too early :suspect:
Before associating with TAP by taking over most of the services to regional destinations europewide, Portugalia also challenged the flag carrier.
Problem of Portugal might be the lack of market diversity to support a venture on the long-term basis. For pretty long, the country and even Spain lacked middle-incomes to fill the gap between happy fews and laborers.
Alain