Ryanair - 2

[Charlie Roy]

This article says that Porto in Portugal will soon be a base of Ryanair.
http://www.fabricadeconteudos.com/?lop=artigo&op=a87ff679a2f3e71d9181a67b7542122c&id=dcf93581c45810065ea36f30086ec37f

Wouldn't have been my first guess though...
From reading various news articles the last few months I would expect the next base to be in Poland, probably Krakow. Ryanair bosses have also visited Murcia to see how construction of the new terminal is proceeding, Hamburg Lubeck is still waiting in the wings, Madrid is the surprise hot new favourite to be Ryanair's next base, and an Oslo Torp base wouldn't surprise me in the slightest as Ryanair can't get enough of the place recently.

Some interesting months ahead... :O

[Ananda]

Any news regarding eventual Ryanair operations to Greece?

[airhumberside]

When will the final DUB schedule be released and will HUY be dropped (which is unfortuantely expected)?

[Charlie Roy]

airhumberside

:( Unfortunately Humberside is currently the only destination from Dublin that is not bookable for winter. You never know though... Malmo and Goteburg were only added today. Maybe they still have to add Humberside in the next day or two.

[fredtheanorak]

Seems like Ryanair are getting pretty hacked off with TOM's expansion down at BOH and having taken them on with Pisa are looking to duplicate other TOMMY routes? Anyone know what's cookin down there? Seems EZY are also gettin in on the act this autumn.

[phil_2405]

Seems like Ryanair are getting pretty hacked off with TOM's expansion down at BOH and having taken them on with Pisa are looking to duplicate other TOMMY routes?

What makes you say that?

[Evileyes]

Moderator pruning. Old Ryanair thread is still available but is now read-only.

[Charlie Roy]

This is an interesting article on how the low cost airline explosion in Poland is putting enormous pressure on Poland's small regional airports that are so well loved by Ryanair.

http://www.pulsbiznesu.pl/content.aspx?sid=6938&guid=794843FF-DF2F-4DEB-88D8-517640B1B1EE
"Lodz airport noted record increases and had nearly 82,000 passengers while in the same period of last year it was below 1,000"

[EI-MICK]

just about travel if anyone can help,do ryanair accept provisional driving licenses for ID?? flying from Ireland and my friend wants to know for definite.

[Shanwickman]

The Ryanair website states "driving licence", it does not state that it has to be a full licence. It must of course have a photo. A driving licence is only acceptable for flights within Ireland or between Ireland and UK.
Also if you use web checkin you MUST show your passport at security and when boarding the aircraft, regardless of whether the flight in within Ireland or not.

[Charlie Roy]

Prestwick - Eindhoven
Prestwick - Riga
Hahn - Balaton
Hahn - Biarritz
Hahn - Nantes
Hahn - Valencia

Are these routes to replace routes possibly being dropped from Prestwick and Hahn?

[XSBaggage]

All current routes seem to be operating as normal from PIK and HHN in the winter 06 season. I dont know for certain, but it appears some of the "sun" routes frequencies are being cut back slightly to allow these new routes to operate. PIK-EIN appears to be simply there to drive Transavia off the PIK-AMS route.

On a similar topic, I always had Ryanair down for providing high frequencies to stimulate demand. Recently they seem to have been veering from this model. For their sake, I hope it doesn't backfire in the long run. But if you are not really catering for business traffic I dont suppose daily is necessary on STN-SUF and PIK-MJV for example.

XSB

[brian_dromey]

Is the Ryanair business model really viable in the long term? My thoughts would be no. I just dont see how you can continue to treat your customers like an inconvenience and still enjoy repeat business.

If I may atke my recent FR experience....
At check-in we presented three large suitcases for check-in (at Dubai they wieghed 57 kilos, we were allowed 60kg in total(15 x4). Two bags were overwight, the charge would have come to €180 had I not packed an extra bag. We then had to go through the unnecessary stress of repacking our bags and we then sent four bags under.

At the gate I noticed an older lady who had trouble even getting up from her chair...did FR offer her a wheelchair to the aircraft. No, they made her queue up with everyone else and then fight for a seat on the aircraft.

The aircraft itself was fine, the Cork based crew were not. Very poorly turned out, awful attitude and most were chewing gum. Apparently passengers are only there to be flogged inedible snacks at shocking prices.

Fair enough my ticket was about €25 return. But what about the people who booked a few days in advance, it would have cost them almost €500. This level of serivce surely isnt good enough for those kind of fares?

My basic question is why do FR have so many hidden charges( baggage, overweight baggage, and phantom taxes???) Why are they so bloody inflexable and why in Gods name cant they assign a seat. Its not that difficult.

Actually my basic question is why bother? Will people eventually get sick of being screwed for cash at everypossible oppertunity?

And befor anyone says it, I would complain to FR, but I wouldn't waste the price of a stamp, or my time.

[onion]

I think Ryanair have bitten off more than they expected with the 737-800s. They are starting to struggling to make them pay on some routes such as Dublin to Durham Tees Valley. This must be due to the fact that the 738 has 189 seats. When you compare this to other low cost carriers that generally operate 150 seat aircraft you can see the difference and it becomes clear why Ryanair are having to push seats at such low prices. This in turn reduces the yield. The deal they got from Boeing may have been the steal of the century but I think it may start to hurt them. Hopefully they have realised this and change some of the options they have into 737-700s.

[essexboy]

A 737-700 is no cheaper to run than a 737-800.

[onion]

Essexboy are you sure? Yes full it probably is cheaper to run than a 738, but running half full it won't be. Remember a 738 is heavier than a 737-700 so fuel costs should be more.

[Cyrano]

A 737-700 is no cheaper to run than a 737-800.
I beg to differ. I don't have up-to-date detailed numbers to hand but here's a US starting point:
http://www.unisys.com/micro/images/content/transportation/scorecard3_charts/fig6.gif
This is from a Unisys report (http://www.unisys.com/transportation/insights/articles/articles.htm?insightsID=88374) which is a few years old but which gives a rough idea. Of course fuel costs, landing fees etc will have changed, but not the fact that there's a difference in operating costs (on a plane-mile basis) between the -700 and -800. You can see from the chart above that for the airlines flying both -700s and -800s (e.g. Continental, Alaska) there's an appreciable difference.
C.

[Looooong haul]

Reading the graph correctly for the ASM the 737-700 and 800 are similar in cost using Alaska as the figure to compare.

On a mile basis the 700 is cheaper as it should be. In Europe the figure is different due to landing fees and overflight costs that are MTOW related..

[johnrizzo2000]

Any news on the DUB-ORK route? Any idea of loads? I think FR 737-700's would be a good idea! I've noticed a lot of new routes are 3/4 weekly, as a 738 is to much capacity for a lot of routes! Flying a 738 from Dub to Durham and Humberside is overkill!

[HH6702]

Is NCL to Milan been pulled also

[essexboy]

Cyrano, from your graph if you take the continental figures the difference between 700 and 800 is quite small. This is due to the fact that the 800 has a very efficient cruise wing among other things. Now if you couple this to the low cost model which says that 20% of the passengers pay for 80% of the flight this difference is quickly eroded. Sure I accept that on an individual flight where pax numbers are low the smaller aircraft will be slightly cheaper. One less cabin crew member for one but the airline varies its schedule maximise loads and if it stopped getting that last 20% or part there of it would have to make more changes than just buying smaller aircraft.

Another factor that this doesn’t account for is that Ryanair by committing to a single type has managed to reduce both the purchase cost and the maintenance cost of the fleet. This means that each aircraft doesn’t need to produce such high revenue in order to be in profit. If your graph showed £1 profit per mile per aircraft I think it might tell a different story. Nice graph though.

[Cyrano]

Essexboy:

You're quite right, and I think we're actually in agreement: in practice the commonality benefits of a single-type fleet will considerably outweigh the operating cost advantages of the -700 on lighter sectors. My purpose in posting the graph was just to illustrate that there *is* an operating cost difference between the two variants.

Contrary to what some other posters have suggested, I don't think it would make sense for Ryanair to get -700s: sure, they'd optimise load factors in some cases, but they can no longer swap aircraft around as they want or they'd end up with overbooked flights. The complexity of their operation would go up - and all in order to save a relatively small % of operating cost on thinner routes.

To my mind, the conclusion to be drawn from these lower-load-factor routes of Ryanair's is not that they should be buying 737-700s but that they perhaps shouldn't be flying the routes. There are going to be some routes that can't just profitably be operated with a 737-800. (There will be others where the load factor is lower than average but the yields are good enough to make things worthwhile).

I recall a few years ago someone from Cathay Pacific (anyone remember who?) described the secret of their success as "the creative misuse of aircraft". He was referring to - for example - flying 747s on the one-hour sector from Hong Kong to Taipei in between intercontinental flights. The plane wasn't really optimised for that, but it made money and improved asset utilisation. I think that some of Ryanair's routes may be like that on a smaller scale.

C.

[Charlie Roy]

More evidence of an imminent annonuncement of a new Ryanair base in Madrid:

http://www.presstur.com/site/news.asp?news=6632
"A Ryanair pretende operar a partir de Madrid para Roma, Milão ou Bruxelas."

So the list of potential destinations from Madrid Barajas currently stands at:

Granada
Canary Islands :ok:
Rome
Milan
Brussels :}

[essexboy]

Cyrano it’s interesting what you say: there is a rumour in Ryanair at the moment that we are getting B777s. I am sure you are laughing as much as I did when I heard it but taking your “creative misuse of aircraft" quote and the use of the 747 by Cathay perhaps it’s not so daft. MOL is the master of taking someone else’s idea and making it his own.

[aeulad]

Does anyone know if Ryanair's recently introduced Dublin-Humberside route is continuing for the winter? It seems to be the only route ex-DUB not on sale on their website. Pax figures have been OK but fall short of what FR wanted for the route.

Regards

Mike

[Cyrano]

Cyrano it’s interesting what you say: there is a rumour in Ryanair at the moment that we are getting B777s. I am sure you are laughing as much as I did when I heard it but taking your “creative misuse of aircraft" quote and the use of the 747 by Cathay perhaps it’s not so daft. MOL is the master of taking someone else’s idea and making it his own.

Hmm, interesting. As the Italians say, "se non e vero, e ben trovato" (essentially, "if it's not true, it's a good story anyway!").

Just purely hypothetically, what could FR do with a high-density 777? Yes, of course they could do long-haul, but I'm wondering more about what their densest European sectors are in terms of number of daily flights. DUB-STN? Are there others which are dense enough for them to credibly replace several 738 flights by one 777 flight? It seems to me that relatively few routes on the existing network have this density. Or would they just launch a higher-density operation e.g. from STN to Malaga, Faro and Marseille?

C.

[Charlie Roy]

I see that Ryanair are operating a limited number of flights on Sunday December 24th and Sunday December 31st, finishing the day around 4pm.
No flights Christmas day which is normal enough since most airports it operates to close that day, and also there is the question of staffing, and would there be many customers Christmas day... ?

Also on Tuesday the 26th of December again limited services with the first flights around 2pm...

[Charlie Roy]

From Luton to Morocco (Fez and Marrakech).
From Shannon to Bournemouth and Edinburgh.
From Stansted to TWO NEW DESTINATIONS: Deauville (North Western France) and Pula in Croatia.

Check out the route map on their site!!!

[egnxema]

Charlie Roy

THis is pretty much standard practice in most western airlines. Try working in LHR terminals on Christmas Day - a lonely experience. Only flights from/to countries where Christams is not a major holiday bar a few exceptions.

[sawtooth]

Ryanair today dropped NOC - LGW, hardly 2 weeks since hounding Easyjet off the route, so 2 become none.

The service was apparently doing well. SNN - LGW also. This sort of competition dose no one any good, definitely not the passengers in the south of England who use on these routes. Protecting the home market I suppose.

http://www.irelandwestairport.com/news.asp?ID=142&dbtype=News

[jabird]

I don't see why FR would want to operate from MAD, however good the deal - isn't that airfield far too large for their type of operation?

Easyjet seem far more happy with the major hubs, whereas I'd suspect FR are looking at a few bargaining chips for other Aena properites (hey, and we complain here about BAA/Ferrovial's market share), or just playing MAD off against the new Don Quixote, which might just get to call itself Madrid South, considering that 200kms by AVE will take much less time than 100kms by a crawling bus.

And according to U2's website, LGW to NOC is staying over the winter, or am I misreading this?

[Charlie Roy]

Michael O'Leary said today that Ryanair expect to announce 3 new bases by the end of this year.

http://business.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1086902006
"O'Leary said Ryanair expected to announce three new bases by the end of the year"

My money is on Madrid, Krakow and Porto. But wouldn't be surprised by Lübeck, Murcia, Beauvais, Torp, Wroclaw, Treviso, Riga, Tampere, Eindhoven, Bratislava, Weeze or Berlin.

Where do ye think the new bases are likely to be?

[Runway 31]

Charlie,
I would say that the RYR Christmas timetable is what they have done for as long as I can remember.
I would think that Poland is due to get a base. I don't believe Madrid will as yet and I think the others could be Porto and Eindhoven with Oslo Torp as an outsider.

[Eh Hello?]

So let's see. Competition comes on a route, ryan put in a service to compete and stuffs the competitor, then once the competitor throws in the towel Ryan pulls their service too, presumably after making a slight dent in their war chest of cash, sending a clear message that other airilnes should not mess with Ryanair's markets. Forget about the passengers who welcomed and supported the new service.

On the other hand, they drop routes beacuse an airport tries to increase charges, giving airports a clear message about not playing ball with Ryanairs model. try to charge more and we will move to the next gullible airfield who will hopefully play ball better.

Who's next?

[daz211]

i have never known an airline to canx so many flights due to a thunder storm, i have just had a look on ryanairs website and they have canx over 10 flights due to the weather i live 20 or so miles from stansted and have not seen a flash of lightning or heard a crack of thunder this cant be right and i bet they dont pay out any compensation as this is an act of god
i would be intrested to here what other airline canx flights into and out of stansted tonight

it seems to me that it is all so easy to canx flights and not have to pay compensation when its due to weather

i would be also be intrested to know just how long and how bad the storm was

[Charlie Roy]

daz211

It is not at all "so easy" to cancel flights. In fact it's the last thing they want to do, and costs them a lot of money even if they are not paying compensation. I would think the flights were cancelled because it was necessary to do so unfortunately :(

[Charlie Roy]

Considering the FR aircraft that are based in Bergamo, and looking at the winter timetable, then they do the same work as in summer but with the following exceptions:

Glasgow: Reduced from 7 to 4 weekly flights
Brussels: Reduced from 7 to 0 weekly flights
Hamburg: Reduced from 7 to 4 weekly flights
Liverpool: Reduced from 4 to 0 weekly flights
Newcastle: Reduced from 3 to 0 weekly flights

The Brussels reduction is explained by a Brussels aircraft taking over from the Milan one. Thus, reductions in Brussels, Glasgow and Hamburg services add up to 13 freed up rotations per week. Therefore I foresee quite a number of new route announcements for Bergamo!!! :ok:
(I suspect that Liverpool and Newcastle have not been axed, but will rather be rescheduled amid the launching of the various new routes.)


Other bases:
Shannon has launched Bournemouth and Edinburgh for winter, both on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This new capacity has materialised out of thin air, suggesting that existing Shannon schedules will be modified shortly with a number of destinations seeing a reduction in order to facilitate these new routes.
Dublin is very difficult to figure out because summer and winter timetables differ significantly on several routes. But last week the winter schedule showed a Dublin based aircraft operating a late evening service to Cork on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. This has now disappeared, but hasn't been put to use on another destination. Potential for a new route here! Meanwhile Humberside remains unscheduled (although possibly axed), and there could be a few free rotations hanging around that I have missed...
Cork winter schedule contains some time descrepencies, so the flight times are likely to see some minor modifications.
Luton has a three and half hour rotation as of yet unscheduled Monday to Friday due to the axing of the Shannon route. Probably one more route announcement to come here then.

[ped90]

i would be also be intrested to know just how long and how bad the storm was
For about an hour and a half yesterday no aircraft could take off or land from STN. The storm sat directly overhead with the terminal being hit by lightning and also the north side copped one as well.

There were several aircraft that had taxi'd and just sat waiting on the taxiway's.

11 FR and several EZY inbound aircraft were diverted to other airports (BHX, LTN, MSE, LGW) This is what caused the cancellations, as they could not operate their next rotations. Most of them did not make it back to STN until after 10pm.

It certainly was the worst storm I have witnessed in this country also some of the old hands at STN reported never seeing a storm of that force at STN.

[airhumberside]

Are there reduction at Charleroi in order to allow one of the based arcraft their to operate Bergamo?

[Charlie Roy]

airhumberside

Yes, there is a reduction in Charleroi.
At the moment there are 19 flights per week between Dublin and Charleroi. 7 using a Charleroi aircraft, 12 using Dublin aircraft. In winter Charleroi - Dublin will be reduced from 19 to 12 flights per week, with the Charleroi aircraft that normally does the evening Charleroi - Dublin now being used to do Charleroi - Bergamo...

[EI896]

.....according to U2's website, LGW to NOC is staying over the winter, or am I misreading this?

Unfortunatly jabird you are misreading it.

[RAT 5]

Madrid does not necessarily = Barajas!

[dwlpl]

RAT 5

Stumbled across this on a site:

FR1029 arrives Eindhoven 1335 from MAD
FR1031 departs Eindhoven 1400 to MAD

All flights daily starting from 29th Oct 2006.

[Charlie Roy]

RAT 5

It is Madrid BARAJAS we are talking about. Read through my posts and read the news articles I've including links to.

Ryanair's next base is Madrid Barajas :cool:

[phil_2405]

Charlie Roy

I would have to agree from what I've heard & seen recently.

[HH6702]

Can you e-mail me the website that you have found those slots on please.
I was woundering if there was anything there on a NCL-madrid flight

[airhumberside]

If its the website I think it is, it is the dutch slot coordination website which wouldnt be much use for UK-Spain flights

[EI896]

RAT 5

Stumbled across this on a site:

FR1029 arrives Eindhoven 1335 from MAD
FR1031 departs Eindhoven 1400 to MAD

All flights daily starting from 29th Oct 2006.

I was alarmed by this post when I looked at it, sorry if that came out in a bad way!!! But I have just looked up the FR website after seeingf this post and there is no indecation that Ryanair are starting from Eindhoven any time soon. Sorry in advance, EI896

[dwlpl]

If Ryanair have yet to announce routes from Madrid, be it as a base or not, then it will not be on their website until its all official.

I would expect an annnouncement by the end of August if it is going to happen.

[EI896]

Yes that's true but, Half of us don't even know what they'll pick as a base or Madrid just for new routes my point is we don't know yet.

[Charlie Roy]

EI896

I'm surprised by your surprise.
News of a Ryanair base in Madrid has been rife this last month.
Ryanair just can't get enough of Eindhoven EIN right now, with already new services this winter to Glasgow PIK and Marseille MRS. Of the existing services all are performing very well, and Pisa PSA and Milan BGY are reportedly doing extremely well!

Eindhoven has a great catchment area, being in one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. (Although the immediate surrounding area is quite green).

So why not Madrid - Eindhoven?

[Baron rouge]

More than a year ago, I anounced MRS as the first French Ryanair base...
Next French base will be LYON in a very near future...you bet!

[airhumberside]

Are Lyon building a LoCo terminal like MRS?

[Charlie Roy]

Wow, merci for that juicy titbit of news Baron Rouge.

FR at LYS :} (France's 4th busiest Airport after CDG ORY NCE)
That would be great!

http://ufcna.com/forum-actualite.html?body=388&forum=actualite
"Une toute nouvelle aérogare dédiée uniquement aux compagnies à bas coût doit ouvrir en septembre à Marseille. Pas de climatisation, des
escaliers pour accéder aux avions au lieu d'une passerelle, tout a été
pensé pour que les prestations coûtent le moins cher possible. La
redevance passager n'y sera que d'1,3 euro contre 6 euros dans un
terminal classique.
Ryanair a décidé d'y créer sa première base en France. L'aéroport compte ainsi faire passer son trafic low cost de 400.000 passagers par an à deux millions d'ici fin 2008.
Même scénario à Lyon, où l'aéroport a pour objectif 1,8 million de
passagers low cost en 2010, contre 200.000 actuellement.
L'aéroport réaménage à cet effet un vaste pavillon de 3.700m2 installé
à l'écart, où la redevance passager ne sera que de 1,5 euro. Ryanair et
EasyJet ont déjà répondu à l'appel à candidature. La décision doit être
prise cet été."

A quick translation of above ( http://babelfish.altavista.com ) gives that, yes, it appears that LYS are constructing a seperate dedicated low cost terminal/pavillion capable of handling 1.8 million passengers. Charges per passenger will be a mere €1.50, similar to the €1.30 being charged by the new Marseille low cost terminal.
Ryanair and Easyjet are currently in negotiations with Lyon, with decisions expected this summer :) Ryanair also have significant expansion plans for their new Marseille base which has even taken off yet!

I read i another article that Easyjet are almost certain to introduce 2 or 3 new routes to Lyon.

Interesting times ahead. High time someone came along shook up Air France anyway ;)

[MarkD]

No doubt AF's lawyers are warming up to block the LCC terminal at LYS...

[RAT 5]

Charlie Roy:

So why not EIN as the base then?

[Charlie Roy]

RAT 5

Ryanair wish to base 2 aircraft at Eindhoven, and add 11 destinations from there. However they will not base any aircraft there until they can be assured that they will not be impeded by the current noise :\ deal with the locals, and not until the Ministry of Traffic has changed the law about sound restrictions at Eindhoven airport. (This is happening...) I don't know too much about all the legal/noise stuff, but I've heard it should be all sorted out soon. "Soon" as definied in politics I suppose... Looking at aircraft orders etc and hearing some hotter rumours on other potential bases we might have to wait until 2008 for an Eindhoven base. It will happen though :)

http://www.brabant.nl/layouts/SISHtmlDocument.aspx?docid=20245&doctype=doc
"Het merendeel van de GLOBE-partijen staat achter de groeiplannen van Eindhoven Airport. Een aantal partijen zijn op zich niet tegen een beperkte groei van de burgerluchtvaart op Eindhoven Airport, maar willen dit afhankelijk stellen van een inkrimping van de militaire oefenactiviteiten met jachtvliegtuigen op het vliegveld.
De groeiplannen betekenen concreet dat Ryanair begin volgend jaar op Eindhoven 2 vliegtuigen en op termijn nog eens 2 vliegtuigen permanent op Eindhoven Airport wil stationeren. Daarmee kan het aantal bestemmingen binnen Europa groeien van 5 naar 16 bestemmingen."

Quick translation ( you may also use http://babelfish.altavista.com (http://babelfish.altavista.com%29:) ): "Most of the GLOBE-parties support the Eindhoven growth plans. Some are not against a limited growth in civilian aircraft movements at the airport, but wish that this should depend on the increase in military exercises using fighter jets at the airport. Ryanair have concrete plans to base 2 aircraft at Eindhoven next year (2006), expecting to increase their amount of destinations offered from 5 to 16."

Meanwhile Transavia will be basing an aircraft at Eindhoven from November and introducing routes to Faro, Malaga and Alicante. All the more encouragement for Ryanair to speed up their Eindhoven base plans ;)

[Charlie Roy]

This is kind of old news but the UK Danish Embassy website was the last place I expected to find this article:

http://www.amblondon.um.dk/en/menu/TheEmbassy/News/RyanairInNegotiationsWithCopenhagenAirport.htm
"Budget airline Ryanair is in detailed negotiations with Copenhagen Airport regarding opening routes from the popular air travel hub. Copenhagen Airport was recently ranked the best in Europe for the fifth year in succession in an Aetra survey. If the negotiations have a positive outcome, Ryanair will be able to start flights from the Danish capital this autumn
Karl Högstadius, head of sales for Ryanair in Great Britain and Ireland comments: 'The Swedish government has decided to introduce a SEK 95 (USD 12.17) tax on airline tickets. When that tax comes into force we will cut down in Sweden.' From 1 July, Ryanair will close one of its two daily departures between Malmö and London as well as a new route between Malmö and Dublin.
Earlier this week, Copenhagen Airport announced that another budget airline will open a route from Copenhagen. Smart Vings, a Czech Republic airline, will start flights between Copenhagen and Prague on Mondays and Saturdays starting 5 June. In total, 10 budget airlines are now operating from Copenhagen. The news was reported by national newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
Copenhagen Airport is situated just 8 km southeast of Copenhagen city centre. The Øresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden makes a land connection close to the airport with exits from the Danish and Swedish motorway network directly into the airport areas. Copenhagen Airport's attractive location makes it a north European hub for air cargo traffic to Scandinavia, the Baltic States and the countries to the south of the Baltic Sea."

As it stands The Dublin - Malmo route has in fact not been axed, and has remained unchanged between the summer and winter timetables in the booking engine. I wouldn't be overly surprised though if there was an announcement soon, that from a certain date in the winter all Stansted and Dublin flights to Malmo are being moved to CPH...

In Denmark, you see, the opposite is happening to that in Sweden. This year both the Danish government aviation taxes and the CPH airport taxes have been reduced.

[airhumberside]

Meanwhile Transavia will be basing an aircraft at Eindhoven from November and introducing routes to Faro, Malaga and Alicante. All the more encouragement for Ryanair to speed up their Eindhoven base plans ;)
Although not at weekends when it repositions back to AMS. I think it is to do with the noise issues. Will have to sorted out because I dont think FR wil want a 5 day a week base

[EI896]

EI896

I'm surprised by your surprise.
News of a Ryanair base in Madrid has been rife this last month.
Ryanair just can't get enough of Eindhoven EIN right now, with already new services this winter to Glasgow PIK and Marseille MRS. Of the existing services all are performing very well, and Pisa PSA and Milan BGY are reportedly doing extremely well!

Eindhoven has a great catchment area, being in one of the most densely populated areas in Europe. (Although the immediate surrounding area is quite green).

So why not Madrid - Eindhoven?

Yes CharlieRoy that sounded quite rude, I know it wouldn't be a surprise but I'm surprised by Ryanair releasing nothing and then people going around with rumours from no-where. And the rumour could just be bull.

But I will give it to you I do think that Ryanair will select Madrid for a new route, but they have confirmed nothing yet.

[EI896]

Wow, merci for that juicy titbit of news Baron Rouge.

FR at LYS :} (France's 4th busiest Airport after CDG ORY NCE)
That would be great!

I thought that Toulouse was the 4th busiest Airport in France?

[shamrock7seal]

rumours for the BOH operation:

PIK to rise to 12 weekly flights (twice daily) from next spring in response to BA connect withdrawl from SOU-GLA and Flybe increasing flights from 4 to 6 daily.

If easyJet launch Milan Malpensa (as rumoured) Ryanair will immediately start Milan Bergamo.

Marseille, Stockholm, Murcia and Rome to be launched during 2007 and 2008.

[Charlie Roy]

I thought that Toulouse was the 4th busiest Airport in France?

In 2005 Lyon was in 4th position behind CDG ORY and NCE with 6.5 million passengers, Marseille was in 5th position with 5.8 million passengers and Toulouse came 6th with 5.6 million passengers.

[Charlie Roy]

PIK to rise to 12 weekly flights (twice daily) from next spring in response to BA connect withdrawl from SOU-GLA and Flybe increasing flights from 4 to 6 daily.

Nice ;)

If easyJet launch Milan Malpensa (as rumoured) Ryanair will immediately start Milan Bergamo.

Ah ha, that could be why Ryanair have not yet finalised their winter timetable for Milan, with 21 weekly flights currently unaccounted for...

Marseille, Stockholm, Murcia and Rome to be launched during 2007 and 2008.

Interesting to see Ryanair are still thinking of Stockholm in its plans. Do they expect the pending aviation tax to die a quick death? Or shall they nonetheless expand Swedish operations even if they don't get their way on this enviromental tax? ...

And so, we're are not talking about a Ryanair base at BOH? Simply other bases linking to it? If that's the case, looks like Murcia is really on the cards to become a base. Unless of course the aircraft used for MJV - BOH would be doing a W coming from a different base.

[garthicus]

On Friday the palace of Westminster – seat of the UK government – closed its doors for the annual summer break and it may be that MPs had sun, sea, sand and those summer-holiday flights on the mind.

Buried beneath the traditional rush of early-day motions filed before the house on the last day of parliament (timing surely no coincidence) was one regarding Ryanair’s complaints record in which it was stated that MPs had been lobbied by frustrated Ryanair passengers who have found it impossible to get hold of the airline’s elusive and expensive complaints desk. MPs obviously thought about this subject for quite some time before coming up with the ingenious solution of naming and shaming Caroline Green, head of customer services at Ryanair. The early-morning motion read:

“She can be contacted at [email protected] and the geographical telephone number for the company’s head office in Dublin is 00 353 1812 1212, which is cheaper than its high tariff 0871 number.”

To table an early-morning motion in the UK parliament costs around £300. One MP is quoted as saying: “Seldom, I feel, has taxpayers’ money been so splendidly spent.” Clearly, he is a Ryanair customer too!

[shamrock7seal]

I should have mentioned that Stockholm is only on the assumption that they can reach an agreement on fees and charges.

as for Murcia, it is not a base consideration in the short term but BOH-MJV is thought to be a potentially lucratrive route.

BOH-GRO might possibly see an extra one or two flights per week by 2008 (meaning ten flights per week in the summer)

[cessna l plate]

Moeny well spent I agree. But how long before that number changes??

[MyData]

From SayNoTo0870.com (a great site for finding 'real' numbers and 0800 alternatives)

Company Name - 0870 / 0871 - Geographical - Other Info
RyanAir - 0871 2460000 - +353 18121212 - Head Office, Dublin, Eire; Fax: +353 18121213;
RyanAir - 0906 2705656 - +353 12497791 - Bookings, Eire;
RyanAir - 0906 2705656 - +353 12497700 - Customer services menu - Eire;
RyanAir - 0906 2705656 - +353 18121228 - Customer services; Fax: +353 18121230 - Eire;
Ryanairhotel.com - 0871 2460004 - +353 12750233 - Cheaper to call direct to Eire;
Stansted Airport (STN) - 0870 0000303 - 01279 662966 - RyanAir Baggage Enquiries only; ask 'Left Luggage' for a number for other Airlines


Let them change the number - its geo equivalent will soon appear on-line somewhere.

[airhumberside]

FR used to do BHX-Murcia with a DUB based aircraft so something similar could happen at BOH

[Charlie Roy]

I'm surprised by Ryanair releasing nothing and then people going around with rumours from no-where

Between the day Ryanair begin negotiations with a prospective base, and the day an announcement is made officially on their website, a lot of people learn of the intent to open the base, what routes, what times etc.

Some employees from all of the airports involved, some employees from Ryanair, employees who work for the slot co-ordination centres for the countries / airports involved, even some people from Boeing are probably also savvy.

Then consider the wives / husbands / lovers / brothers / buddies of these people. It just takes a few posts on a few forums from a few people in the know, or some official or unofficial comments to journalists...

A new base usually takes weeks/months of planning, so still I'm not so surprised that Ryanair have already planned the exact frequency, arrival and departure times of a new Madrid - Eindhoven flight. There'll be people in Madrid Airport, in Eindhoven Airport, in the Dutch slot coordination centre (and others who have access to their website), and people in Ryanair who know this.

It is not surprising that this information can surface on the web before the official Ryanair announcement :cool:

This is a rumour forum afterall ;)

[sky_high]

Enoying the latest news/thoughts/rumours on new routes - especially those relating to south coast UK airfelds!! Keep it up one and all.

SkyHigh

[dwlpl]

Taken from todays comments on the FR website re latest financial results.

'Our new bases at Liverpool, East Midlands and Shannon continue to perform well, with strong bookings over the Summer months, albeit that fares at Shannon continue to be lower than expected. We plan to announce two new bases over the coming months with launch dates in early 2007, as well as further expansion of our existing bases.'

[airhumberside]

I take it SNN-EDI/BOH will mean reductions in frequencies to other SNN routes - is this an attempt to boost yields?

[egnxema]

I predict an EMA-BGY FR starting 27OCT

[True Blue]

Can you ever see Ryanair operating from Belfast International? They operate from other airports owned by the same group as owns Bfs, but they apparently have never been able to come to an agreement with Bfs. Is the fact that the orange machine has a large operation at Bfs a deterrent? Any views on this ?

True Blue

[Kalium Chloride]

Madrid does not necessarily = Barajas!


Quite. These are excerpts from Air Transport Intelligence, I've highlighted an interesting paragraph:



Spain clears way for completion of Don Quijote Airport
David Kaminski-Morrow, Warsaw (23May06, 11:06 GMT, 404 words)

Spanish authorities have given the go-ahead for construction to resume on the country’s first private airport, Don Quijote outside Cuidad Real, after several months’ dormancy prompted by environmental investigations.

...

Don Quijote Airport is being marketed as a potential low-cost airline base for Madrid despite being some 200km south of the capital.

....

While no customers have yet been formally signed to serve the airport, [Don Quijote marketing director] Rafael Echevarne says that discussions have been held with carriers including Irish budget airline Ryanair.

“Low-cost carriers are going to be our main target,” he states. “Airlines in major alliances are still going to go to Madrid Barajas.”

[CCR]

I heard a rumour a while back that Ryanair were talking to Belfast International but that Easyjet threatened to pull out if Ryanair were going to base aircraft there.

[Charlie Roy]

I take it SNN-EDI/BOH will mean reductions in frequencies to other SNN routes - is this an attempt to boost yields?

Indeed, which SNN routes will be reduced to facilitate the new routes to BOH and EDI?

Glasgow PIK, East Midlands EMA, and Bristol BRS are currently daily from SNN.
I expect we are liable to see Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays possibly disappearing from these routes' schedules.

They've axed LTN, so I suppose LGW and STN are safe enough... (Not holding my breath). But there's no way they'll reduce Paris BVA from daily, as I heard it's FR's best performer at SNN :cool:

[worldwidewolly]

Just copied this from the RYR website.

News Release
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

01.08.06
RYANAIR CALLS ON AER LINGUS TO END ITS SNEAKY FUEL SURCHARGE

'Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline today (1st August) called on Aer Lingus to withdraw its sneaky fuel surcharge which was introduced on 15th May at €35 per long haul ticket – but zero on short haul tickets - because Ryanair guarantees no fuel surcharges Aer Lingus cannot impose them on their short haul passengers.'


Calling today on Aer Lingus to withdraw its fuel surcharges, Peter Sherrard, Ryanair’s Head of Communications said:

“There is no justification for Aer Lingus’ fuel surcharge on long haul passengers only. There is even less justification for the recent €10 increase in Aer Lingus’ fuel surcharge.


Who wrote the first paragraph? It makes no sense whatsoever.

And Peter, you can't have even less justification than no justification.

p.s. It's old news but great to repeat it again.

Ryanair recently lost a major court case on every count against REPA/IALPA.

They were humiliated in the case, were found to have been untruthful and lost a s*** load of money.

Ha ha.....

[Cyrano]

While no customers have yet been formally signed to serve the airport, [Don Quijote marketing director] Rafael Echevarne says that discussions have been held with carriers including Irish budget airline Ryanair.
“Low-cost carriers are going to be our main target,” he states. “Airlines in major alliances are still going to go to Madrid Barajas.”

I can see that Don Quijote would be a more obvious choice for Ryanair than Barajas, but I believe it's not due to open until mid-2007 at the earliest and there seems to be a suggestion (from other posters here) that Ryanair would be starting Madrid services with effect from October 2006.

Now I could certainly see Ryanair starting service from Barajas and then noisily stomping off to Don Quijote in a couple of years pretending to be appalled that landing fees have gone up after their introductory period (see also: BHX, SNN,...) :rolleyes: but I'm not aware of any short-term alternatives to Barajas (unless Quatro Vientos???) if they want to start Madrid services in October.

[Hirsutesme]

I've read the statement, and by Ryanair's usual lucid standard, it is gobbledygook! Whilst one might detest Ryanairs methods, their PR is usually of a high order. Most peculiar

[larshakan]

Torrejon? TOJ!

[jabird]

Cyrano, that certainly sounds like a logical plan for FR. I'm also surprised by the suggestions that they would go in anywhere as a base (eg LYS, MAD) without opening up a few inbound routes first to test the waters. Can see the logic of EIN as a base, but RTM must be closer still to the main population centres of the Ranstaad - presumably they haven't felt the need to do a deal with FR, due to heavy presence of Transavia?
Comparisons of French airport stats to UK ones never ceases to amaze me - compare their #2 city - NCE, with UK cities, and it would be lower end of the top 10.
"Can you ever see Ryanair operating from Belfast International?"
Was discussing this earlier on. Belfast seems in the unique position amongst EU cities of having two airports, but no presence of FR at either of them. Presumably local restrictions stop them from being interested in BHD (an otherwise totally un-Ryanair like airport, but if the deal was right.....) - and my understanding is that BFS management don't feel the need to do any deal making with FR, rather than any specific threats from the Orange men (which would of course be totally anti-competitive). Or is there something more political than this?

[Yak97]

Dosn't RTM still have problems with their local council and is very slot restricted (based on an overall noise rating rather than runway slots)?

[triplespool]

No one has mentioned a possible base Doncaster, it seems to be crying out for someone like ryan to be based there. Maybe TOM are putting pressure on the owners to stop this it sure would be a problem for them if a dozen 800’s turned up with routes half the cost, just a thought.
Trip

[840]

Dosn't RTM still have problems with their local council and is very slot restricted (based on an overall noise rating rather than runway slots)?
Yes

There's little chance of an increase in movements out of RTM.

Although the airport itself is situated in Rotterdam, which gave permission for an increase, the problems are caused by the neighnouring councils in Schiedam and Berkel en Rodenrijs, both of which lie under the flight paths.

It's a pity, because it would be possible to operate a nice little operation out of there. The airport itself is small, but quite pleasant.

I don't know if the fact the airport is owned by Schiphol who wouldn't welcome the competition might be a block on development there too.

[aeulad]

DSA is only 40 mins drive from the large existing FR base at NEMA, I don't see any FR aircraft being based at DSA in the near future.

Regards

Mike

[eu01]

Bremen in Germany (BRE/EDDW) will become a new FR destination in early 2007. According to Radio Bremen, the official announcement will be made next week.

[daz211]

Do you know from where ? stn ?

[eu01]

Most probably yes, from STN, although it hasn't been hinted yet.

[dwlpl]

Bremen in Germany (BRE/EDDW) will become a new FR destination in early 2007. According to Radio Bremen, the official announcement will be made next week.


Die Billigfluglinie Ryanair will künftig auch ab Bremen starten. Nach Informationen von Radio Bremen sollen in der kommenden Woche die Verträge unterschrieben werden. Die Billigflieger sollen dem Bremer Airport pro Jahr rund eine Million zusätzliche Fluggäste bescheren. Los gehen soll es im Frühjahr 2007. Welche Ziele Ryanair von Bremen aus ansteuert, ist noch offen.

Translation bitte?

[CentreFix25]

Anyone confirm the NCL/LPL - BGY has gone, it's still not bookable?

[anna_list]

Hi,

Translation bitte?
The no-frills airline Ryanair would also like to fly from Bremen in future. According to information from Radio Bremen, the contracts should be signed over the next few weeks. The budget airline would bring around a million extra passengers a year to Bremen Airport. Things should kick off early in 2007. The destinations that Ryanair will serve from Bremen are still unknown.

[jarino]

from a German newspaper this morning: Ryanair will base three aircrafts in BRE and fly to 15 destinations.
Contract could be signed within the next few days according to sources from the board of Airport Bremen. BRE invited all airlines in the EU to bid for this contract, and Ryanair won. (Obviously heavy subsidies are involved)

[cesare.caldi]

SCQ 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-PIK
OPO 1-3-5-7 replace BGY-LPL
SDR -2-4-6- replace BGY-NCL
WRO 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-LBC
KRK 1234567 replace BGY-CRL evening flight. Now operate by a CRL based plane

In BGY will be based a new 737 with this new route:

1-3-5-7
BGY-BBU-BGY-ARD-BGY-RIX-BGY

-2-4-6-
BGY-BBU-BGY-SOB-BGY-KUN-BGY

[airhumberside]

So Ryanair look to be expanding into Romania if that is true

By ARD do you mean Arad? (ARD is Alor Island in Indonesia)

[cesare.caldi]

So Ryanair look to be expanding into Romania if that is true

By ARD do you mean Arad? (ARD is Alor Island in Indonesia)

Yes ARD for me is Arad.

[Charlie Roy]

SCQ 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-PIK
OPO 1-3-5-7 replace BGY-LPL
SDR -2-4-6- replace BGY-NCL
WRO 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-LBC
KRK 1234567 replace BGY-CRL evening flight. Now operate by a CRL based plane

In BGY will be based a new 737 with this new route:

1-3-5-7
BGY-BBU-BGY-ARD-BGY-RIX-BGY

-2-4-6-
BGY-BBU-BGY-SOB-BGY-KUN-BGY

Wizzair won't be happy :\

[Ananda]

As i see Ryanair expands into the Balkans such us Pula, maybe ARD.
Any news regarding expansion into the Greek market?

[Charlie Roy]

from a German newspaper this morning: Ryanair will base three aircrafts in BRE and fly to 15 destinations.
Contract could be signed within the next few days according to sources from the board of Airport Bremen. BRE invited all airlines in the EU to bid for this contract, and Ryanair won. (Obviously heavy subsidies are involved)

A base in Bremen?? Wasn't expecting that! Had read news articles alright that Bremen had been singled out as a future Ryanair destination, but I am really shocked to hear that Bremen is to be a base. Pleased too, and I hope they introduce Bremen to Charleroi ;) Any rumours on possible destinations from the Bremen base then?

So if Ryanair are going to announce 3 bases before the end of the year, what have we then: Bremen, Madrid and...

Lyon? Porto? Krakow?

Poor Hamburg Lübeck must be disgusted that Bremen'll be a Ryanair base. Lübeck was all set to become a base there last year, but then it didn't materialise, and since there has been a noteworthy reduction in Ryanair operations there. Glasgow and Shannon axed, Milan reduced, dunno what else...

[jabird]

"Had read news articles alright that Bremen had been singled out as a future Ryanair destination, but I am really shocked to hear that Bremen is to be a base."

I would expect to see the usual "1m pa potential" hot air, but one or two inward routes first, then upgrade to a base later if they sell well.

Poor Hamburg Lübeck must be disgusted that Bremen'll be a Ryanair base.

Think local politics has got in the way here - LBC was refused permission to upgrade airfield facilities, so FR took their expansion plans elsewhere.

[phil_2405]

jabird

I believe the base at NEMA came about because LBC wasn't ready to expand.

[Devonair]

Ryanair's big expansion from Dublin
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=06&month=aug&story=rte-en-090806

[positive]

RYANAIR ANNOUNCES BIGGEST EVER EXPANSION AT DUBLIN 12 NEW EUROPEAN ROUTES START FROM DECEMBER

Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (Wednesday, 9th August 2006) unveiled a significant expansion of its European operations at Dublin Airport. From December, Ryanair will base three new aircraft in Dublin Airport, create over 200 jobs, and start services on twelve new routes from Dublin to points all over Europe. The new schedule of routes is as follows:

Destination
Starts
Frequency

Oslo (Norway)
Dec
Daily

Madrid (Spain)
Feb
Daily

Tampere (Finland)
Dec
Four Weekly

Vitoria (Spain)
Jan
Four Weekly

Billund (Denmark)
Jan
Four Weekly

Bologna (Italy)
Feb
Four Weekly

Grenoble (France)
Dec
Three Weekly

Friedrichshafen (Germany)
Dec
Three Weekly

Seville (Spain)
Jan
Three Weekly

Pula (Croatia)
Feb
Three Weekly

Almeria (Spain)
Jan
Two Weekly

Rzeszow (Poland)
Jan
Two Weekly

These new destinations start in December 2006 and will be served by Ryanair on a year round basis.


Advertising, including the sales link, editted out of this post by moderator. Please do not post press releases in their entirety. If in doubt, read the forum rules.

Cheers,
The Mods

[Vapor]

Some interesting routes out of Dublin. Is the Madrid route to Barajas? And is Billund far from Copenhagen?

[egnxema]

Yeap Madrid is to (MAD) - Barajas.

[Devonair]

Some interesting routes out of Dublin. Is the Madrid route to Barajas? And is Billund far from Copenhagen?


Billund is in Jutland which is the part of Denmark which borders Germany. Copenhagen lies on an island between Jutland and Sweden. I think Legoland is near Billund.

[dwlpl]

Also the aircraft is doing DUB-MAD-DUB, as opposed to a MAD-DUB-MAD. So, as yet, no official MAD base.

[Looooong haul]

Only difference is that Aer Lingus brings you there where you want to be :)

ps What happened to we will no expand at Dublin :rolleyes:

[jabird]

They made a big song and dance about Denmark removing its aviation tax, so this finally sees them bringing a promised new route.

Wouldn't have expected a base at MAD straight away, but FR do seem to have a few Iberian routes from Ireland (and CRL) which they don't do from the UK (also AGP, FAO).

MAD just doesn't seem to be Ryanair's "type" of airport, but do they have plenty of spare space after the new terminal opened? Or are they operating these routes because they can get decent yields due to relative lack of competition?

Either way, just goes to show that FR will go anywhere if the deal is right.

[Vapor]

I'm surprised they are going to Barajas too. I thought that it might have been that new Don Quxiote airport which is not really in Madrid at all, but will have a high speen rail link. Don't know when it will open though.

[johnrizzo2000]

It will be intersting to see what happens on the DUB-MAD route as both EI and IB are already flying it. FR are adding 12 new routes including MAD from DUB, so it will be very intersting to see what happens in the latest round of EI vs FR in DUB!!!

[johnrizzo2000]

Come on AerLingus! Launch a load of new routes, or fight back, or do something at all!!!!!!:D

[3REDS]

Move over Aer Lingus! Ryanair is now Ireland’s national airline.
I would not be happy if an airline like this bully boy represented my country.
The luck of the Irish has just run out me thinks to be sure.

[spanishflea]

Only difference is that Aer Lingus brings you there where you want to be :)

That comment doesnt really stand up to the routes announced today. All but Oslo are the main city airports, including the very surprising decision to fly to MAD for Madrid, rather than any other smaller airport.

[840]

Come on AerLingus! Launch a load of new routes, or fight back, or do something at all!!!!!!:D
I doubt they have the aircraft to do that. I think they have only two A320s still to arrive now. Any major expansion of routes would mean frequency cuts to other destinations.

[XSBaggage]

Spanishflea,

Not entirely correct - the route to Bologna uses Forli airport.

XSB

[malagajohn]

That comment doesnt really stand up to the routes announced today. All but Oslo are the main city airports, including the very surprising decision to fly to MAD for Madrid, rather than any other smaller airport.


Still waiting for Cuidad Real to open - or are they negotiating behind the scenes with AENA to open a new base in one of Europe's biggest airports?

[escortmk2]

Just booked DUB-MAD-DUB with FR in Feb. for €58 in total for two people incl. credit card charges.

[Shamrock 125]

i know i just did the same thing. out on a saturday in february and back home the next day. €29 taxes and credit card fee return. i simply couldn't resist. even if i cant go it doesnt break the bank.

[airhumberside]

Can we expect STN-Billund soon?

Also can it now be confirmed that FR have pulled HUY-DUB for the winter timetable?

[initial]

Could not see Billund as a destination from STN, unless Esjberg dropped. they are only about 30 miles apart. Maybe Ryanair will play the two airports against each other and move all services to the one offering the best deal.

[Charlie Roy]

Billund is indeed right next to Legoland :E

I'm surprised that Ryanair don't make more of the fact that Forli (Bologna) is real near both Rimini and San Marino... :cool:

The as of yet unbuilt Don Quixote / Ciudad Real airport will undoubtedly be a Ryanair destination if the price is right, but it will not be promoted as a "Madrid South" sort of job, and will not cannibalise any of FR routes from the soon be announced new Madrid base.
It seems Ryanair are not going to adopt a Marseille-like base strategy here in Madrid. You know, launch a couple of routes first to see how they do, and make yourself known to the local population, before launching a base. I bet the Madrid base will be long announced before the first FR Dublin - Madrid flight ever takes off. FR simply know that Madrid is going to be a big winner for them :)

Aer Lingus route planners must have been very busy today studying the potential impact of FR's latest expansion :ouch:

I'm still not convinced that the Dublin winter timetable is fully finalised yet... Anyone do a full study of the FR aircraft usage for winter at the Dublin base?

[markmartin]

If they don´t promote Don Quixote as "Madrid South", how are they going to promote flights to this airport? (It is, in fact, in the middle of nowhere -Ciudad Real is quite a small city with not much in terms of tourism or business). I think Ryanair is flying to MAD because they cannot find an aiport close to the city that fits into their business model.

[cesare.caldi]

I bet the Madrid base will be long announced before the first FR Dublin - Madrid flight ever takes off. FR simply know that Madrid is going to be a big winner for them :)


When will be annunced new FR Madrid base?

[Charlie Roy]

FR have reserved slots at Madrid for a whole host of destinations for Winter 06/07, so if they are to launch the base within the next few months, I expect an announcement September 1st at the latest.

[cesare.caldi]

FR have reserved slots at Madrid for a whole host of destinations for Winter 06/07, so if they are to launch the base within the next few months, I expect an announcement September 1st at the latest.

For that destinations have reserved slot at MAD?

[jabird]

I'm still curious about the logic behind moving into MAD. I can see the appeal of low-cost terminals at MRS, GVA, LYS etc, but MAD is one of Europe's largest airports - not just in terms of pax numbers, but also in terms of airfield size.

MOL has regularly pointed out how little he likes MAN compared to LPL - not just because of charges, but also because of the congestion around the aprons.

FR like small airports, but they also like high yields and good deals. Eventually, as they grow, they have to start more operations from busier airports - as much due to the impact of the traffic they generate themselves. Looking at the USA, Southwwest have a major presence at large airfields like LAS, PHX, etc.

Presumably, the opportunity to get into MAD, which is a huge market with relatively few loco flights, was just too good to miss?

[markmartin]

According to an article appeared yesterday in the Spanish paper Expansión, Ryanair has applied for slots to fly domestic flights from MAD to Almería, Seville and Vitoria (all of them are already "Ryanair cities"). It also said that they are waiting to obtain from Aena (the State owned company that operates all Spanish airports) slots to flight from Madrid to London (Stansted?). The article (sorry, only Spanish):

http://www.expansion.com/edicion/expansion/empresas/transportes/es/desarrollo/678888.html

[markmartin]

jabird

I completely agree with you. We have to take into account that taxes in Spanish aiports are quite competitive. In fact, a return ticket to Dublin from Madrid just comprises a total of 24 euros in taxes. For a return ticket to Hahn you would have to pay 34.58 euros, 39.85 euros if the ticket is to Ciampino or 44.38 euros if it is to Stansted.

[Charlie Roy]

According to an article appeared yesterday in the Spanish paper Expansión, Ryanair has applied for slots to fly domestic flights from MAD to Almería, Seville and Vitoria (all of them are already "Ryanair cities"). It also said that they are waiting to obtain from Aena (the State owned company that operates all Spanish airports) slots to flight from Madrid to London (Stansted?).

The article only points out how Dublin will be linked to Almeria, Vitoria and Seville. There is no talk of Madrid routes to these Spanish cities.

From the heap of news articles I have been compiling on the new FR Madrid base, the list of routes for which slots have been applied for stands at:

Granada
Canary Islands
Rome
Milan
Brussels
Eindhoven

Anyone hear any rumours about other Ryanair destinations from Madrid?

[markmartin]

My apologies. You are right, Charlie, nothing is said in the article about flights from Madrid to those Spanish cities. Thanks for you correction :ok: .
It has been rumoured that Ryanair might be interested in flying from Gerona to Madrid. Apparently the Catalonian regional government would be considering some sort of subsidies to open this route. Spanair is also said to be interested and apparently has already applied for slots.
In any case, during the presentation of the route between Dublin and Vitoria, the sales representative of Ryanair, Caitriona Beggan, announced that they are to start domestic flights in Spain in 2007.

[OltonPete]

From another International forum - Bremen will be announced next week
as Ryanairs next German base?

Anybody out there to confirm or deny?

Not sure I if I have heard this rumour before but seems a reasonable fit
compared to their current network.

Pete

[dwlpl]

Not sure I if I have heard this rumour before but seems a reasonable fit compared to their current network.

Pete

Erm, about 30 posts previous

[OltonPete]

Erm, about 30 posts previous

:ugh: Missed that one, back from hols that day and I must admit I don't
bother with the FR thread usually due to their rather awkward
relationship (to say the least) with my local airport.

It sounds like the announcement could be sooner rather than later
and as all the talk has been about Madrid I was wondering if this is
a credible rumour.

Pete

[Coasthugger]

How delightful to see the FR business model being screwed up by new security measures - particularly their tacit encouragement of pax to carry as much hand luggage as possible - and it's clearly hitting MOL right in the pocket, from all the whingeing.

I for one will be hoping the proposed legal challenges goes down in flames...:ok:

[Outlook]

Just found this whilst trolling the news sites.

Ryanair has issued the government with a seven-day ultimatum to restore airport security measures to normal or risk being sued for compensation.
The budget airline says a larger cabin baggage allowance and fewer passenger body searches would avoid handing "extremists an enormous PR victory".

The "no frills" airline prefers to put less luggage into plane holds to maintain its low prices.

The government said it would not pay compensation or "compromise security".

A spokesman at the Department for Transport said the government does not believe it has to pay compensation under the law.

The DfT said on Friday: "The security regime in place at UK airports is necessary because of the level of security threat and is kept under constant review.

"We have no intention of compromising security levels nor do we anticipate changing our requirements in the next seven days."

Full details..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5261908.stm

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:

It is not so ironically amusing that; were Ryanair successfully to sue the government; the taxpayer would foot the amount of damages awarded the airline.:ugh:

[qwertyuiop]

Amazing that a foreign airline thinks it can dictate security issues at British airports to the British Government.

[baldenfatt]

I say "Go RyanAir". Gotta love those discount carriers...:ok:

[flowman]

He is only saying what the others are thinking.

[tailwheel76]

Thats seems a very bold statement by the company considering a recent verdict in the courts against Ryanair where the judge said the executives gave "false evidence" under oath. Would a foreign government really take this ultimatum seriously?

[J.O.]

Ryanair has built a business and revenue model on a given set of rules. Those rules have now been changed, and it's no doubt costing them money. Seems to me they're simply trying to get back what they once had. If they fail to win this fight, the passengers will simply be charged more for their checked bags.

[GreatCircle]

Ryanair has built a business and revenue model on a given set of rules. Those rules have now been changed, and it's no doubt costing them money. Seems to me they're simply trying to get back what they once had. If they fail to win this fight, the passengers will simply be charged more for their checked bags.

Exactly. Low-cost operators in the cut-throat space have very different business dynamics they have to follow in order not to plunge into red ink.

Inevitably, EZY, FR and the like - I guess even Shamrock with their recent announcement on bag policy - if the current situation doesn't change will look to pass on costs to the customers - and then they find the business model that made them money is no longer tenable, and they are in the market space of more traditional carriers....

MoL might be bombastic, and not to everyone's taste (including mine) but he's out there, calling a spade a shovel. In his chair, I'd do the same...

[Colonal Mustard]

My opinion personally is...................tell em F*** off and take away any licences the company need to operate. but then i am a C***:mad:

[howflytrg]

Another classic example that O'Leary could not give a S**T about passenger safety! The only thing that counts is money. That is certainly the message i'm getting from him. Out of Interest did Ryanair drop charges for checked bags like Flybe did last week? I would'nt be suprised if they did'nt!

[goldeneye]

My opinion personally is...................tell em F*** off and take away any licences the company need to operate. but then i am a C***:mad:

Here here, cant stand Ryanair's arrogance sometimes.

[Shamrock 125]

Amazing that a foreign airline thinks it can dictate security issues at British airports to the British Government.

Foreign = Irish just to rub it in :}

[Ametyst]

Love him or hate him, Michael O'Leary is absolutely right in what he says. Having experienced the mess at Heathrow this week and the BAA incompetence one wonders why things are so laboured going through security when people are going through with less cabin baggage.

Checking boarding cards so that 12-year olds cannot get through security without one might be a good idea. Profiling passengers is a must now no matter how some minorities might complain. It is non-sensical to single out a 65-year old grannie travelling to Palma and confiscating her shampoo and wrinkle cream!

The British & US Governments are going over the top to substantiate their war in Iraq and pro-Israeli foreign policy. MOL is right when he says the latest UK government security measures add not one jot to security.

[larshakan]

Ryanair seems to have reduced both TRF-LPL and TRF-NCL to 4 times a week!
Any idea on what route(s) they will start instead ex LPL?

[Ametyst]

BALPA has now come out in agreement with Ryanair over the UK Government's stance on security issues.

Also, although Ryanair is a "foreign" airline they contribute an awful lot of money to the UK economy in the way of APD to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and boosting local economies in Essex, Liverpool, East Midlands and Ayrshire.

[traveller5]

After seeing the Channel 4 documentary on Ryanair and now Mr Leary wanting planes away ahead of security I refuse to even consider or recommend them for travel. Low Cost means cutting corners and that's why Mr Leary is up in arms. Ryanair - cheap, very cheap.

[Ametyst]

The Channel 4 documentary was sensationalist and typical tabloid type journalism with a lot of inconsistencies and scenarios that were not even filmed on Ryanair aircraft.

Michael O'Leary is not asking for aircraft to depart ahead of security, he is merely saying that the UK Government are going way over the top and that they and the BAA are incompetent.

I have just flown around Europe on Ryanair and all bar one flight were on time, the one that was late was only so by 30 minutes. The aircraft were clean and smart and the staff very professional in their duties. A lot of anti-LCC sentiment is based on snobbery you only had to see Newsnight last night for that to be confirmed. The inference was that too many of the lower classes were travelling and should be stopped to save the economy.

One presenter said that families are separated on low-cost flights. This is just not true as both Ryanair and easyJet pre-board families so they can sit together. Whilst some highly regarded charter airlines charge for this "privilege".

[HELL FIRE]

bags over weight,were the scales working right!!!!!!!
As for the old lady did she ask for help or a wheel chair to the plane,checkin staff or boarding gate staff are not mind readers.
Any airline will charge you mad money for a last minute seat,
phamtom charges see small print on your printout or ref form,
free seats were brought in for quicker passanger seating!!!!!!!!!!!!
and last but not least you will still see the same people traveling with fr
if you looked hard enuff but there still there!!!!

[eidah]

After seeing the Channel 4 documentary on Ryanair and now Mr Leary wanting planes away ahead of security I refuse to even consider or recommend them for travel. Low Cost means cutting corners and that's why Mr Leary is up in arms. Ryanair - cheap, very cheap.

You must be joking! All the C4 documentary showed was that safety at FR must be pretty darn good: after months of investigating all those girls could find was a bit of sick on the floor!

[take-off]

can anyone shed any light on when or if fights will continue to girona from blackpool next year looking to book for march o7 and sayin no flights available, can book up to 31 jan and thats it!

[Charlie Roy]

All Girona routes operated by Girona based aircraft are only bookable up to the end of January. I expect that a new aircraft will arrive in Girona at the start of February and they will use this opportunity to review all routes, reschedule some, and of course introduce new ones :E

Wouldn't expect that we have long to wait before this February Girona expansion is announced, at which time the flights will be bookable for February and March.

[EI896]

THey must have cancelled it, I would have thought nearly all the routes going to Gerona would be more succesful from everywhere?

Or else people have discovered that Reus is closer.

[take-off]

maybe the sudden expansion of jet 2 from blackpool has made ryanair pull the route , for a long while it was the only spanish route out of blackpool ,until the arrival of monarch ,and they have pulled out what with jet2 announcing the same routes, and future routes to be announced... just a thought , im no expert thou...

[Charlie Roy]

Girona to Düsseldorf, Paris, and a whole load of other destinations (including Blackpool) are not bookable after January 31st either! So it's simply the case that we should expect the Girona based aircraft to follow a different schedule after this date.

i.e. It's not that Blackpool is suddenly not bookable after January 31st, but most Girona routes operated using Girona based aircraft are not bookable after January 31st.

[james170969]

THey must have cancelled it, I would have thought nearly all the routes going to Gerona would be more succesful from everywhere?

Or else people have discovered that Reus is closer.

Just out of curousity - how long would it take to get from both Girona and Reus Airports to the city centre in Barcelona?

[phil_2405]

Any more news on the new MAD base? When will it be announced? I have heard the base may be operational before this year is over....

[daz211]

I have heard from with-in ryanair that
mid november this year there will be
major news that will upset IBERIA and SPANNAIR
and no dout BRITISH AIRWAYS
Im still trying to get more info

[phil_2405]

I have heard from with-in ryanair that
mid november this year there will be
major news that will upset IBERIA and SPANNAIR
and no dout BRITISH AIRWAYS
Im still trying to get more info
mid Nov for an annoucement or base launch? If you've heard base launch then that matches what I have heard.

[daz211]

The insider wont say anymore than big news
that will upset some flag carriers

[Charlie Roy]

Referring to the recently announced FR expansion at Dublin, I have done a quick analysis which has proved quite interesting. The expansion will be thanks to the arrival of 3 new aircraft: one December 19th, another January 23rd, and the last one February 8th. The planes are scheduled for the following usage:

New Aircraft December 19
1-3-5-7 Tampere, Oslo (Finishes day at 20:15)
-2-4-6- Friedrichshafen, Oslo, Grenoble (Finishes day at 22:10)
Certainly, we can expect another new route with this aircraft on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays :cool:

New Aircraft January 23
1-----7 Vitoria, Billund (Finishes day at 16:00)
-2---6- Seville, Almeria (Finishes day at 21:15)
--3-5-- Vitoria, Billund, Rezeszow (Finishes day at 23:30)
---4--- Seville (Finishes day at 13:55)
This aircraft is only fully utilised on Wednesdays and Fridays! Again potential for new routes considering the gaps in the schedule :suspect:

New Aircraft February 8
1-3-5-7 Madrid, Bologna (Finishes day at 19:40)
-2-4-6- Madrid, Pula (Finishes day at 19:40)
This aircraft is free every evening to do one more rotation. Thus we could expect 1 or 2 new routes still to come with the introduction of this aircraft :ok:


Seeing as Ryanair love to maximise use of their aircraft, these gaps will definitely be filled. I suppose the may also be used to increase frequencies on certain existing routes, but a good few new routes are also likely in my opinion. Apparently Ryanair are still in negotiations with the as of yet unannounced new destinations, and/or securing pilots/staff for Dublin, and/or still thinking about what competitors' routes from Dublin they can target... :ouch:

Anyone any info?

[Charlie Roy]

From mid-January the booking system shows the Wednesday flights from Skavsta to the following airports disappearing:
Frankfurt
Brussels
Girona
Paris
Riga
Hamburg

Effectively this would mean 2 Skavsta aircraft grounded on Wednesdays :sad: What could this be?

A glitch?
Staff shortages?
An attempt to punish Sweden further?
A preferance to ground aircraft rather than fly half empty planes mid-week in winter?

[jack_essex]

Swissport strike action has been called off after Swissport offered an 11% rise over 2 years.

[take-off]

does anybody know why ryanair dont fly to malaga from more uk airports, sure they could easily shake up a number of airlines on that route, for example a route out of bpl would do well if had decent flight times unlike monarch who buggered theirs up with flying late at night then wonders why nobody books the flight then.

[jack_essex]

Also a route like STN - AGP would be hugely popular I'm sure. I just assume the fee's are too high for it to fly to from several UK airports , the same with Alicante. It flies to Murcia (Alicante) and Granada (Malaga I suppose).

[7006 fan]

Has MOL finally lost the plot, or what!
I understand from the radio news this morning that if the UK Government do not remove the baggage restrictions currently in place at UK airports Mad Mick is going to take them to Court!
I have never heard such drivel in all my life, is this guy for real or what!?
Maybe he should re-address his policy on hold baggage first!
The bloke is a complete :mad:
Michael, you have got it all wrong mate, it is Mr Bin-liner you should be sueing, as it is all his fault in the first place, or should that be George Bush?
:ugh:

[Coasthugger]

It's just more free publicity, with the added bonus of painting Ryanair as brave David standing up to the government Goliath. :ugh:

[eidah]

Just out of curousity - how long would it take to get from both Girona and Reus Airports to the city centre in Barcelona?

I think it is about an hour and a half from girona to the city center and just under an hour from reus to barcelona city center.

[ThredNedul]

It reported on the BBC news website that Ryanair are to sue the UK Government for £3.3M for losses incurred during the increased security following the recent terror plot.
I was wondering how other users on this forum feel about this ?

I have heard many comments regarding this from family, friends and colleagues who are somewhat all in agreement that this action is wholly inappropiate. The action taken to thwarte the intended actions, that could have resulted in thousands of deaths, was swift and necessary. In the event of a terrorist act actually occuring, the whole airline industry would have been severely disrupted, and traffic numbers substancially reduced for some time. This, in turn, would have cost Ryanair (and all other airlines) far more than a week or so's "inconvenience" of extra security checks. Indeed, many airlines would not have survived such losses and would surely have collapsed.

By persuing compensation, Ryanair could open the gates from other airlines for similar claims. Of course, another indirect effect could be that the government agencies may hesitate to take similar, prompt action in the future weighing up the possible risk with the cost of paying out compensation to the likes of Michael O'Leary.

So, what do other users of this forum think ? Is Ryanair right to sue for compensation, or should the losses incurred be part of the cost of running a business in the current situation ?

[bar none]

its a publicity stunt

[AlanM]

Is that Cockney rhyming slang for our little Irish whinger??!?:D

[Charlie Roy]

I think Ryanair are right to sue. The authorities went completely overboard on security for too long after the threat was revealed. I'm surprised they need to sue though. Wouldn't insurance cover these loses?

[RichT]

ThredNedul The action taken to thwarte the intended actions, that could have resulted in thousands of deaths, was swift and necessary

Swift yes. Necessary I don’t think so. Many people believe that just because action is taken it is an improvement in security. In fact the opposite is true. The security system has a limited resource. If you focus that resource in the wrong area then you have weakened the security level. At stansted extra staff were deployed to take food and water away from flight crew members and to body search them. These flight crew members all have security passes to the same level as the guards searching them. The worst case scenario is then that a terrorist is searching a terrorist. We all agree that this is ridiculous so why waste resource on it.

At the same time queues were getting longer and longer for the pax as there were not enough guards to search them. This is just one example I could bore you all day with many more. Crew were allowed to take mobile phones but not car keys with electronic fobs. Whats that all about?

Miss guided security is worse than no security.

[Charlie Roy]

Rumoured routes from the new Bremen base include:

Milan
Pisa
Dublin
Stockholm

http://www.taz.de/pt/2006/08/26/a0340.1/text
"Eine 'Riesenchance für diese Stadt', findet dagegen der Flughafen-Fan Stephan von Dellingshausen, der einen Verein der 'Freunde des Flughafens' betrieb, die Verhandlungen mit Ryanair - 15 neue Verbindungen sollen gebunden werden, darunter Linien nach Stockholm, Pisa, Mailand oder nach Dublin."

Translation: "A 'giant chance for this city', believes airport supporter Stephan von Dellingshausen, who chairs the local 'friends of the airport' association, and who was involved in the Ryanair negotiations - 15 new connections are to be launched, among them lines to Stockholm, Pisa, Milan, even Dublin."

Can't see Stockholm in the first wave of routes if this Swedish aviation tax goes ahead or remains uncertain. Not surprised by Pisa, Milan or Dublin. That just leaves 12 more routes...
My money's on Stansted, Liverpool, Paris Beauvais, Marseille, Girona, Murcia, Oslo Torp, Krakow, Gdansk, Rome, Venice Treviso and Salzburg.

[Gpik]

PIK will probably also feature as they had healthy loads on their LBC flights before they were ended...

[XSBaggage]

So where does the Bremen base leave Lubeck? I can't imagine FR going ahead with another base so close geographically (yes I know STN and LTN are close, but they have an enormous local population). Can't see the LBC base being confirmed now, hopefully won't affect the Stockholm and Dublin routes from there.

On a similar topic, Infratil airports seem to have made very poor choices both in MSE and LBC, bit of a worry for them I would imagine.

XSB

[Charlie Roy]

OPO 1-3-5-7 replace BGY-LPL
SDR -2-4-6- replace BGY-NCL


BGY - LPL and BGY - NCL are now bookable for winter, albeit super late :\
Glitch? Or has FR revised its winter plans for BGY and decided to maintain the status quo after all? Always thought it was going to be rather silly having FR operating Liverpool to Ancona, and not Liverpool to Milan :suspect:

[cesare.caldi]

Yes, the confirmations of the BGY-NCL and BGY-LPL is a very big surprise.
For me, confirm these routes so late is a move of the despair not having done in time to announce new routes to replace them, with the winter schedule now to the doors.

However to complete the winter timetable of BGY base remain to announce new routes to replace these:
1) 3x week to the place of the reduction of BGY-PIK that goes from 7 to 4x week
2) 3x week to the place of the reduction of BGY-LBC that goes from 7 to 4x week
3) 7x week to the place of the BGY-CRL evening flight that from end of October will be operated with a CRL based plane.

[Ametyst]

Ryanair are advertising services from Liverpool to both Grenoble and Salzburg from 19th December but nothing loaded up on the system yet. However, unannounced routes I have noted for sale on the Ryanair site are

East Midlands to Grenoble, East Midlands to Salzburg and Prestwick to Grenoble.

[Skipness One Echo]

Understand Prestwick to Marseilles is getting binned come November after under a year.

[Charlie Roy]

Ryanair are advertising services from Liverpool to both Grenoble and Salzburg from 19th December but nothing loaded up on the system yet. However, unannounced routes I have noted for sale on the Ryanair site are

East Midlands to Grenoble, East Midlands to Salzburg and Prestwick to Grenoble.

New Ryanair ski routes
Dublin to Turin
Brussels to Turin
Brussels to Grenoble
Standsted to Klagenfurt
East Midlands to Grenoble
East Midlands to Salzburg
Prestwick to Grenoble

:ok:

Still have to analyse which routes (if any) have been reduced from the bases involved (Stansted, Dublin, East Midlands, Prestwick, Brussels) to facilitate these new ski routes. Interesting move by Ryanair to maximise on the ski season. A bit like what Jet2 are doing.

[cesare.caldi]

TRN-CRL from 19/12 3x week

CRL-TRN 13:10-14:45 2-4
TRN-CRL 15:10-16:45 2-4
CRL-TRN 18:10-19:45 6
TRN-CRL 20:10-21:45 6

TRN-DUB from 20/12 2x week

DUB-TRN 06:50-10:10 3-6
TRN-DUB 10:35-12:00 3-6

[Charlie Roy]

So Ryanair shuffled their schedules about today for a number of bases so as to introduce some winter ski routes. A good idea in general as reduced routes will be guaranteed good loads, and the new routes can hope for high yields :cool:

For example to facilitate the introduction of Brussels Charleroi - Grenoble and Turin, flights to Glasgow Prestwick and Valladolid have been reduced from 1234567 to 1-3-5-7. Grenoble and Turin are shorter rotations which is also good for pilot hours, fuel costs and yields. I'm a bit surprised though by the reductions in PIK. I thought maybe Carcassonne or Nimes would have been more obvious choices. After all, since SN Brussels axed their 10 weekly service to Glasgow earlier this year, PIK has been the only link between Ayrshire/Glasgow and Belgium :ouch:

Anyone know where the reductions have been in East Midlands, Stansted, Dublin and Prestwick? (If any?) The Ryanair press release also talked about increased frequencies :confused: and also about Luton, but no routes were announced for there today. However, it would seem for Luton that one aircraft still has one short rotation unscheduled 12345--. Maybe then Luton may also be getting an as of yet unannounced ski route? :suspect:

[flugholm]

The Winter 2006-2007 data for Niederrhein (EDLV/NRN) look like this:
STN 16x weekly (vs. Summer 2006: 12)
SNN 3 (4)
CIA 4 (7)
GRO 7 (7)
NYO 7 (7)
PIK 4 (4)
Sum: 41 (41)
No big changes for an airport that's desperate for more flights...!
:zzz:

[cesare.caldi]

With these new ski route Ryanair for first time in history open seasonal routes! It's a big change in his politics to operate route only all year round.
So next year it will be possible to introduce new seasonal routes to typical summer destinations like PMI, IBZ and MAH like Easyjet?

[FlyingV]

From RTE news this morning

Ryanair has agreed a deal with communications joint venture OnAir to fit its aircraft with technology to allow passengers to use their mobile phones on planes.

Ryanair said in a statement today that it would install the system on its entire fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft from mid-2007.


'Ryanair's passengers will be able to call, text and e-mail using their mobile phones, BlackBerrys and Treos at rates which will mirror international roaming charges,' the airline said.



Users will be charged by their mobile service providers on their monthly bills and Ryanair will receive a commission from OnAir, it said.


OnAir is a joint venture between planemaker Airbus and information technology systems provider SITA. Its ground network will be provided by Monaco Telecom.

Ryanair shares were up nine cent to €7.50 in Dublin this morning.

http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/0830/ryanair.html

[eidah]

RYANAIR PROPOSES NEW ROUTES FOR MALTA

Ryanair today (30th August) confirmed that it had submitted proposals to the Maltese Government to fly three new routes to Malta International Airport from London Luton, Pisa and Dublin. The proposal is a response to the Maltese Government’s call to low cost airlines for offers to fly routes to the Mediterranean island.
Ryanair’s plan is to launch, on a year round basis, a daily service from London Luton starting on 31st October 2006, a three times weekly service from Pisa starting on 31st October 2006 and a three times weekly service from Dublin starting on 9th February 2007.

(from the ryanair website)

[Charlie Roy]

Don't know what to make of this story:

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/story.asp?j=4561

I think the check-in girl should have gotten over the whole rules and regulations thing and just tried her best along with airport staff to find the man a wheelchair.

Then though, I think if the guy really was so sick should he have been allowed to fly... ?

[jabird]

"NEW"

Standsted to Klagenfurt

Didn't they drop route when incentive stopped (wasn't this one about five years?). No more Styrian Spirit, so who's courted who to get this one back?

[daz211]

from uk airpot news

so has it been confirmed ?

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it is launching three routes to the Malta International Airport. Starting its operations in November, the services include daily flights to Luton and three flights a week to Pisa, Italy.
In a business breakfast, the company announced that it will also run a route between Malta and Dublin, three times a week. This new service will begin in February:D

[Charlie Roy]

from uk airpot news

so has it been confirmed ?

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it is launching three routes to the Malta International Airport. Starting its operations in November, the services include daily flights to Luton and three flights a week to Pisa, Italy.
In a business breakfast, the company announced that it will also run a route between Malta and Dublin, three times a week. This new service will begin in February:D

No, it has not been confirmed at all. The business breakfast was yesterday, where they announced their proposal. "Ryanair has announced it is launching three routes to the Malta International Airport" is incorrect reporting.

This is either bad reporting/journalism by this website, or their source conveyed incorrect information to them. The Maltese government already said that the proposal analysis will take weeks not days. Ryanair are anxious to know whether the proposal will be accepted or not, so they reveal their proposal with dates and frequencies and all to get the Maltese people and others excited, and thereby pressurising the government into choosing in favour of Ryanair, and soon!

Also, Easyjet have proposed to serve Luton. I believe only one operator will be allowed to fly this route. It hasn't been decided yet who, and it is a potential stumbling block for the whole thing. If Ryanair don't get Luton they might say that they won't do any routes at all then, blah blah blah.

But it is only natural that Ryanair want this proposal analysis process sped up so bookings can start asap, or because if they do fail to be awarded the incentives, then they need to implement other scheduling plans for the Dublin, Luton and Pisa aricraft involved...

[daz211]

thats what I thought
but read it on a uk airport news site
and they even give start dates

[airhumberside]

HUY-DUB is now officially axed :{

[daz211]

charlie roy chk your (PM)

[eidah]

thats what I thought
but read it on a uk airport news site
and they even give start dates

But you cant book it on the ryanair website

from uk airpot news

so has it been confirmed ?

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it is launching three routes to the Malta International Airport. Starting its operations in November, the services include daily flights to Luton and three flights a week to Pisa, Italy.
In a business breakfast, the company announced that it will also run a route between Malta and Dublin, three times a week. This new service will begin in February:D

According to the ryanair website its just in discussions not confirmed

"NEW"

Standsted to Klagenfurt

Didn't they drop route when incentive stopped (wasn't this one about five years?). No more Styrian Spirit, so who's courted who to get this one back?

Its an old route but started up again dont know how they can call it a new route though. They have done that before they did it with Esberg last year I think as well

[Charlie Roy]

I'm flying with Ryanair tomorrow, and I've just received this email (even though it doesn't apply to me as I'm not travelling to/from the UK or Poland).

"Due to the ongoing government security restrictions passengers departing from UK and Polish airport, each passenger can carry only ONE item of HAND baggage up to 10kg and with maximum dimensions NOT exceeding 45cm (length), 35ch (width) and 16cm (depth). These dimensions include the wheels, handles, side pockets, etc.

N.B. These restricted hand baggage dimensions are smaller than our published hand baggage dimensions.

Passengers who arrive at A uk airport with hand baggage exceeding the above maximum permitted dimensions will be required to check in the bag and pay a checked bag fee of £5.00 (per bag per flight) or if they are over the maximum 20kg baggage allowance per person, pay an excess baggage fee of £5.50 per kilo."

What are they trying to say? That when you bought you agreed to the terms and conditions and were told at that moment that 10kg or free hand baggage was allowed with 55cm x 40cm x 20cm dimensions, but now if you arrive with those dimensions you have to pay!!! Force me to check it in, ya no problem, but don't make me pay for it!

Glad this doesn't apply to my travel plans this weekend, saves me from having to bring them to the small claims court...

[Charlie Roy]

This article gives more precise details of what was said during yesterday's business breakfast ;)

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=235486

[bruppy]

Quote from Charlie Roy

"Passengers who arrive at A uk airport with hand baggage exceeding the above maximum permitted dimensions will be required to check in the bag and pay a checked bag fee of £5.00 (per bag per flight) or if they are over the maximum 20kg baggage allowance per person, pay an excess baggage fee of £5.50 per kilo."

What are they trying to say? That when you bought you agreed to the terms and conditions and were told at that moment that 10kg or free hand baggage was allowed with 55cm x 40cm x 20cm dimensions, but now if you arrive with those dimensions you have to pay!!! Force me to check it in, ya no problem, but don't make me pay for it!"

WEF 01st Sept Ryanairs baggage fee's increased to £3.50 (if booked with res) or £7.00 at the airport, in addition if you use the INET check in & your hand Baggage is larger than the 45x35x16 UK Limit you get to pay the £7.00 bag fee + because you've checked in a bag you have to be issued a boarding card (not the A4 scrap of paper you've already printed) at, wait for it £12.50. an extra £19.50 on your ticket.
Of course this is hidden within the T & C's & its the H/A's that will have to enforce it or MOL's secret squirells (Mystery pax) will be on the case.
Oh deep joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Charlie Roy]

Route map showing new Milano routes ;)

[toledoashley]

This may sound stupid, but what are the new routes for BGY?

[michaelknight]

To answer the above it's WRO and GRX from BGY.

Taken from: http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/0904/Ryanair.html

"Ryanair will launch three new routes from Dublin this February. The new destinations are to Malta, Stockholm and the Canary Islands. The airline also will also increase frequencies from Dublin to Berlin, Rome, Malaga and Faro."

MK

[egnxema]

Just a quick question.

FR fly VBS to STN, but VRN to HHN - why do they use the 2 airports that are SO close together, surely it would be more economical to use either or,

well obviously it ISN'T, otherwise FR would do it, but anyone know WHY they split like this?

[jabird]

"well obviously it ISN'T, otherwise FR would do it, but anyone know WHY they split like this?"

Presumably some deal with the local operator - afaik, same 'company' manage both airports, so my guess would be that they have the capacity at VRN, and more concession will benefit, but not to the point that they'd want to move existing ops from VBS.

I presume they aren't flying to "Canary Islands East" (Laayoune), so any guesses what they mean by this - the long awaited TFN announcement, or one of Shamrock's Canaris hubs?

[toledoashley]

I think we could expect TFN and maybe LPA?/FUE? for the winter - could they also operate into La Palma?

[cesare.caldi]

To answer the above it's WRO and GRX from BGY.
MK

There is also add more frequencies from BGY to GRO from 14 to 17 x week.

[Tooloose]

Why would they want to go toTFN? Wouldn't TFS make more sense?

[toledoashley]

Going to TFS would mean that they are operating into what is already a saturated market - TFN would operate with little competition and improve links to Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Maria.

[BAforever]

Why would they want to go toTFN? Wouldn't TFS make more sense?

Because its a second rate airport, so will be cheaper!!!!!!!!!!:rolleyes:

Los Rodeos (Tenerife North) is used mainly for domestic flights despite having a longer runway (2400m) as Tenerife South (2200m) and the South is just so much more convinient for tourist than Tenerife North, which also has few daily flights.

[AlphaBravoZulu]

Bids made by Easyjet and Ryanair accepted [04/09/2006 - 15:03]

The adjudicating committee appointed by the government to review the bids submitted by airlines in response to the call for low cost carriers to operate new routes to Malta, has accepted the bids made by Easyjet and Ryanair.

Source: The Times of Malta (http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=breaking#67)

[daz211]

RYANAIR have today become the first airline
in the world to carry 4 MILLION pax in one month
that more than BA's 3 million and almost
the total population of Ireland :D :D :D

[Charlie Roy]

To answer the above it's WRO and GRX from BGY.

Taken from: http://www.rte.ie/business/2006/0904/Ryanair.html

"Ryanair will launch three new routes from Dublin this February. The new destinations are to Malta, Stockholm and the Canary Islands. The airline also will also increase frequencies from Dublin to Berlin, Rome, Malaga and Faro."

MK

sToCkHoLm :confused: Great to here it, but I am fairly surprised given the whole kerfuffle over the new Swedish aviation tax :suspect:

[johnrizzo2000]

I dont think i would like a DUB-LPA/TFS with FR! Sometimes with winds, that can be close to 5hrs! 5hrs on FR sounds like hell to me! Even 4 hrs sound bad!

[Curious Pax]

Really? Southwest carried over 41 million passengers in the first 6 months of this year, which equates to nearly 7 million per month. Interestingly the number of passengers enplaned in the period was over 47 million, or nearly 8 million a month. Given that they had 462 737s on the 30th June 2006, compared to Ryanair's 107 this isn't a great surprise!

[daz211]

I would travel 4,8,12hrs with ryanair if I was paying £2.99 + tax

[daz211]

Sorry forgot to say on INTERNATIONALLY

[Charlie Roy]

SCQ 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-PIK
OPO 1-3-5-7 replace BGY-LPL
SDR -2-4-6- replace BGY-NCL
WRO 2-4-6 replace reductions of BGY-LBC
KRK 1234567 replace BGY-CRL evening flight. Now operate by a CRL based plane

In BGY will be based a new 737 with this new route:

1-3-5-7
BGY-BBU-BGY-ARD-BGY-RIX-BGY

-2-4-6-
BGY-BBU-BGY-SOB-BGY-KUN-BGY

The rumour about Wroclaw has come true. Santiago de Compostela seems to have lost out to Granada. Oporto and Santander will also have to remain waiting in the wings since Liverpool and Newcastle are set to continue (Newcastle at later times). Nothing yet about Krakow, nor the new aircraft, but hopefully we'll hear something over the next couple of days.

[eidah]

Any news on the DUB-ORK route? Any idea of loads? I think FR 737-700's would be a good idea! I've noticed a lot of new routes are 3/4 weekly, as a 738 is to much capacity for a lot of routes! Flying a 738 from Dub to Durham and Humberside is overkill!
Ryanair only operate 737-800 and they seem to think it is easier and cheeper to run only onr type of a/c

[Charlie Roy]

There is also add more frequencies from BGY to GRO from 14 to 17 x week.

It's now showing GRO increased from 14 to 21 weekly flights. Now it seems thus that Krakow has lost out to Girona, and that Bergamo's winter schedule has eventually been finalised.

Is this huge increase in Milan to Barcelona flights an attempt to kill off the likes of Vueling and Clickair (not to mention the flag carriers)?

PS - Clickair would also want to launch their website fairly nifftily like so that people can start booking!

[the dean]

anyone got any news about the canaries news released yesterday...to be started in february i think by ryanair.

i know it was mentioned in a thread yeaterday but nothing on the news last night...yet the fuerteventura news has it on the internet this morning but still no destination/s mentioned.

particularly interested in which islands are going to be served , frequency and from EIDW/EINN and or EICK...

any takers with the inside track....??:confused: :confused:

[cesare.caldi]

Bergamo's winter schedule has eventually been finalised.


This is definitive winter timetable of 4 plane based at BGY.

Plane 1
BGY-BVA 06:30-08:05 daily
BVA-BGY 08:30-09:55 daily
BGY-EIN 10:30-12:05 daily
EIN-BGY 12:30-14:00 daily
Pause
BGY-LPL 14:50-16:05 1-3-5-7
LPL-BGY 16:30-19:45 1-3-5-7
BGY-GRO 14:50-16:15 2-4-6 New flight
GRO-BGY 16:40-18:00 2-4-6 New flight
BGY-LBC 20:10-21:50 1-3-5-7 Change of schedule
LBC-BGY 22:15-23:50 1-3-5-7 Change of schedule
BGY-NCL 18:25-19:45 2-4-6 Change of schedule
NCL-BGY 20:10-23:30 2-4-6 Change of schedule

Plane 2
BGY-HHN 06:30-07:50 daily
HHN-BGY 08:15-09:30 daily
BGY-TRF 09:55-12:20 daily
TRF-BGY 12:45-15:10 daily
Pause
BGY-ZAZ 16:00-17:50 daily
ZAZ-BGY 18:15-20:05 daily
BGY-BVA 20:30-22:05 daily
BVA-BGY 22:30-23:50 daily

Plane 3
BGY-STN 06:40-07:45 daily
STN-BGY 08:15-11:15 daily
BGY-VLC 11:40-13:35 daily
VLC-BGY 14:05-15:55 daily
Pause
BGY-BTS 16:50-18:10 daily
BTS-BGY 18:35-19:55 daily
BGY-GRO 20:20-21:45 daily
GRO-BGY 22:10-23:30 daily

Plane 4
BGY-SVQ 07:00-09:30 daily
SVQ-BGY 09:55-12:25 daily
BGY-GRO 12:50-14:15 1-3-5-7 new flight
GRO-BGY 14:40-16:00 1-3-5-7 new flight
BGY-WRO 13.10-14.50 2-4-6 new flight
WRO-BGY 15.15-16.55 2-4-6 new flight
BGY-PIK 16:50-18:15 1-3-5-7 Change of schedule
PIK-BGY 18:40-22:05 1-3-5-7 Change of schedule
BGY-GRX 17.20-19.55 2-4-6 new flight
GRX-BGY 20.20-22.55 2-4-6 new flight

Now BGY is first Ryanair italian base by number of destinations (22) overtaking Rome CIA (21):

BGY-STN 4x daily
BGY-GRO 3x daily
BGY-CIA 3x daily
BGY-CRL 2x daily
BGY-HHN 2x daily
BGY-LTN 2x daily
BGY-BVA 2x daily
BGY-BTS 1x daily
BGY-DUB 1x daily
BGY-EIN 1x daily
BGY-TRF 1x daily
BGY-SVQ 1x daily
BGY-NYO 1x daily
BGY-VLC 1x daily
BGY-ZAZ 1x daily
BGY-PIK 4x week
BGY-LBC 4x week
BGY-LPL 4x week
BGY-SNN 4x week
BGY-GRX 3x week
BGY-NCL 3x week
BGY-WRO 3x week

[Charlie Roy]

cesare.caldi

Nice analysis. And I suppose that it is likely that the 3 new bases that Ryanair will announce before the end of the year will also have routes to Milan.

And will there be a 5th plane arriving at the Milan base during the winter?

Routes, routes, routes :ok:

[cesare.caldi]

And I suppose that it is likely that the 3 new bases that Ryanair will announce before the end of the year will also have routes to Milan.


Do you have any about new Ryanair bases? I bet on Madrid, Bremen and a city in est of Europe...

[the dean]

anyone have information on the which islands RYANAIR intend to serve in the canaries...and frequency.

i understand they intend to start services in february from EIDW .:confused: :confused:

[The_Bean_Counter]

Dublin 4 weekly to FUE

Other coming routes include MAD TFN, GRO TFN and FRO FUE

[Charlie Roy]

Dublin 4 weekly to FUE

Other coming routes include MAD TFN, GRO TFN and FRO FUE

Where is FRO?

[the dean]

thanks bean counter....thats just great.:D

charlie roy...presumably FRO is FARO ??

[Charlie Roy]

thanks bean counter....thats just great.:D

charlie roy...presumably FRO is FARO ??

Faro? Hmmmm... Faro isn't a base.
So four possiblities:

1. Faro - Fuerteventura will be operated using a Dublin based aircraft on a W. Extremely unlikely due to length of sectors!
2. Faro becomes a base
3. Fuerteventura becomes a base
4. FRO doesn't mean Faro but Frankfurt Hahn

[Shanwickman]

FRO is Flora in Norway.
We should wait until Ryanair make an official announcement as to what
airport(s) they are going to serve in the Canary Islands.
But speculation is fun I suppose!

[Chesty Morgan]

RYANAIR intend to serve in the canaries


Madeira.....:E








Running for cover......

[daz211]

6 September 2006

FREE FOR ALL OVER RYANAIR 'FREEBIE'

A FREE flights stunt by Ryanair sparked mob anger in Barcelona yesterday - and boss Sinead Finn had to be rescued by police as she was pushed over when her 500 tickets ran out.
The offer to anyone carrying placards slating Spanish rival Iberia drew 1,500 - which the budget firm called a "success"

[Eff Oh]

Faro is FAO

[cesare.caldi]

Billund Airport won more Ryanair routes

Billund airport will on Thursday present two new Ryanair low-fare routes.
This means that Billund reinforces its position as the leading airport of the country in terms of serving Europe’s largest and most aggressive low-fare operator. A month ago Ryanair also chose Billund for a new route to Dublin.

Ryanair’s Nordic manager, Wilhelm Hamilton, would not reveal the names of the new destinations – this will be kept a secret until the last minute in order to obtain the largest possible media interest.

Ryanair has discovered the Danish low-fare market after the decision to abandon the air passenger duty of DKK 75 per ticket within two years. As of January 1, 2007, the duty will be gone, and this is seen as a signal that the government wants to attract the low-fare companies..

Ryanair has made the provincial airports rather than Kastrup its first priority:

»It is not only a question of the price for flying to Kastrup, it is also a question if we can get the service we want,« Wilhelm Hamilton told Børsen’s News Service.

The three new routes from Billund will double Ryanair’s total number of Danish passengers to about 400,00 in one year. Ryanair already flies to Esbjerg and Århus from London.

Borsen.dk

[michaelknight]

I think FRO is a typo, it possibly should be GRO which would make sense.

MK

[The_Bean_Counter]

It was a typo should have been GRO

[Hew Jaz]

I think sence (sic) is a typo, it possibly should be "sense"......! ;)

[dwlpl]

Looks like the two Billund routes are Pisa (4*per week from 1st Nov) and Frankfurt Hahn (3*per week from 7th Nov).

[Shanwickman]

Ryanair booking engine shows DUB dep to MLA as 0700 and not 1225

[Charlie Roy]

New Aircraft February 8
1-3-5-7 Madrid, Bologna (Finishes day at 19:40)
-2-4-6- Madrid, Pula (Finishes day at 19:40)
This aircraft is free every evening to do one more rotation. Thus we could expect 1 or 2 new routes still to come with the introduction of this aircraft :ok:

Maybe there are even TWO new aircraft being delivered to Dublin on February 8th! Otherwise it's a bit random that Malta also seems to bit starting February 8th.

So more Dublin routes seem highly likely then :ok:

What have we so far?
Stockholm Skavsta
Feurteventura

[Provance]

Could someone tell home - How many aircraft FR have at each of their european bases ?

Dublin
Cork
Shannon
Glasgow
Liverpool
East Midlands
London Luton
London Stansted
Barcelona Girona
Marseille
Brussels Charleroi
Frankfurt Hahn
Stockholm
Milan - Bergamo
Pisa
Rome


Have i missed any ?

[anna_list]

According to the latest presentations & announcements, I make it as follows (please correct me if you know any better):

Dublin ... 15 now, 18 by Feb 07
Cork ... 1
Shannon ... 3 now, 4 by Nov 06
Glasgow PIK ... 5
Liverpool ... 5 now, 7 by Oct 06
East Midlands ... 2
London Luton ... 4
London Stansted ... 39
Barcelona GRO ... 3
Marseille ... 2 by Nov 06
Brussels Charleroi ... 4
Frankfurt Hahn ... 7 now, 9 by Oct 06
Stockholm NYO ... 4
Milan BGY ... 4
Pisa ... 2 now, 3 by Sept 06
Rome CIA ... 5

+ 4 tactical

[airhumberside]

With the new Pisa routes announced today, have any flights there been dropped or reduced in frequency?

[anna_list]

As far as I can see, PSA - DUB has been reduced to 1-3-5-7, allowing the new Seville route.

Lubeck has been reduced to 3 per week and two of the three daily STN rotations will be operated by STN based aircraft.

(All effective end of October)

[Charlie Roy]

anna_list

Poor Lubeck has seen route reductions all round :( They've gone from teacher's pet to being the forgotten son.
Are Ryanair gearing up for their Bremen base launch instead?

[Provance]

Wow thanks a million Anna_List !!!!

[Charlie Roy]

Weekly flights at Lübeck:
Dublin - remains unchanged at 7
Stansted - remains unchanged at 19
Bergamo - Reduced from 7 to 4
Pisa - Reduced from 7 to 3
Stockholm - Reduced from 7 to 6 (from mid-January)
Prestwick - Reduced from 3 to 0

Total loss: 11 weekly flights :(