CORK - 3 [Archive] - PPRuNe Forums

Tom the Tenor

28th Jul 2006, 00:12

Yes, an utterly cynical move by FR all right. However, what it may show is that Ryanair are all over the place as regards their Cork Airport operations - is their any plan there at all? Four daily flights to Dublin is nuts when they could be making better money to Gatwick. At worst the Gatwick flights will fill and Ryanair would hold on to London market share and the yield would surely be better than Dublin which may even struggle to fill every time?

Boy, is Cork Airport gonna feel the heat on this one come November when the cash flow takes a mighty hammering from the lost revenues from all the Gatwick flights. It is back to the drawing board and it is game on again to hold the government to account on Minister Brennan's comments on the new terminal starting off debt free.

Not only does snn laugh at Cork over diversions and low visibility but now it looks like there is a bunch of control freaks in Ryanair also splitting their sides at both Cork Airport and easyJet whom gave in far too willingly - easyJet hanging on to even one flight a day to Cork with the encouragement of the CAA for the coming winter would have made all the difference in this matter.

Charlie Roy

28th Jul 2006, 08:16

Four daily flights to Dublin is nuts when they could be making better money to Gatwick.

Very true, it would indeed be more financially attractive for Ryanair to offer more Gatwick flights that Dublin flights from Cork. But that goes to show their strategy. Their priority this year at Cork was to eliminate Easyjet from the Gatwick route. Now that they have accomplished that, they are now focused on eliminating Aer Arann from the Dublin route :(

Making money from their Cork based aircraft is only a secondary longterm objective, it would seem...

EI896

28th Jul 2006, 08:19

Now in the Ryanair booking engine, if you try to book Cork to Gatwick in November, there is only ONE daily afternoon flight.

Perfect Ryanair stratagy put to work, Unfortunatly that's the way with Ryanair they want every airline on their so called "patch" out. They will be ruthless towards airlines way smaller than them until they are bigger then kick them out. I think it's stupid what Ryanair have done not only have they dissapointed passengers but may people at EICK cause in fairness they stuck at their route until the eejits at Ryanair came and took it over, I would be more than happy if easyJet came back to the Irish market and competed with Ryanair on a Luton route and they knocked Ryanair of their patch.:)

If Aer Arann were to leave the Dublin route that would be a huge blow to EICK.

asianfly

28th Jul 2006, 08:23

Making money from their Cork based aircraft is only a secondary longterm objective, it would seem...

Well, once EasyJet and Aer Arann flee ORK, the FR boys can go back to making plenty of money out of ORK with higher fares and no competition! No pesky interlopers to upset the applecart :ouch:

fanatic1

28th Jul 2006, 08:53

I doubt Aer Arann will flee Cork, they have accomplished themselves and are not afraid to take routes that are already operating.

Sure they are on top with Aerlingus in movements. They are the head and tail of EICK

ryan2000

28th Jul 2006, 11:40

Easyjet should have stayed at 2 per day at Cork. The addition of a 3rd flight last winter led to excessive capacity.

Starting a Luton service would almost certainly provoke a response from Ryanair so I can't see them venturing back here anytime soon.

Expect fares to rise now on Cork London as capacity decreases

anna_list

28th Jul 2006, 12:37

Hi,

Although I entirely understand people being upset about the recent cuts in frequency from London to ORK, SNN and NOC, it's worth keeping in mind that services have now returned (roughly) to the levels that they were at before this madness started.

Looking back at the CAA data, until 2005 (when EasyJet embarked on their suicidal mission to liberate the West of Ireland and Ryanair decided to join them by wasting some of their money too), this was the situation:

Ryanair had 3 flights a day in each direction between London and Cork (all STN-ORK)
From November, they will have 3 per day on STN-ORK and 1 daily on LGW-ORK
Ryanair had 4 flights a day in each direction between London and Shannon (all STN-SNN)
From November, they will have 3 per day on STN-SNN and 1 daily on LGW-SNN
Ryanair had 1 flight a day in each direction between London and Knock (STN-NOC)
From November, they will have 1 per day on STN-NOC and 1 daily on LTN-NOC

For a year and 9 months (considerably longer than Go lasted on Dublin - Scotland back in 2001-2), travellers between London and the West of Ireland have been the beneficiaries of a brutal fares war between the two largest LCCs in Europe. Fares have fallen and the choice of departure points and departure times has increased.

Presumably none of the additional services were making money, or they had the effect of diluting yields on existing services, otherwise Ryanair would surely have kept them. It's been said many times before, but it's always worth restating: Filling planes with punters is easy, making money by doing so is much more difficult.

Sadly we've had our fun and now it's time for frequencies to return to a more realistic, sustainable and profitable level...

EI896

28th Jul 2006, 17:18

I doubt Aer Arann will flee Cork, they have accomplished themselves and are not afraid to take routes that are already operating.

Well my other remark was a bit over the top, as I can't see Aer Arann leaving anytime in the future, Aer Arann are the main back-bones of EICK

fanatic1

28th Jul 2006, 19:59

Exactly! Exactly! Exactly!

EI896

29th Jul 2006, 08:19

Ryanair had 3 flights a day in each direction between London and Cork (all STN-ORK)
I thought Ryanair had five routes going a day going over to STN?

Basickly Ryanair have left us for dead now they operate their routes with reduced freequency and as my friend now know Aer Arann can't compete with flights on a Saturday with FR their prices are way low, there is no way a small airline like Aer Arann can compete with a huge airline like FR and win, it just doesn't make sense. But yet they seem to be.:D

ryan2000

29th Jul 2006, 09:25

Aer Arann have an extra flight departing ORK at 0700 for the winter. This was put in anticipation of FR's first departure not being untill 1000.

They have a 2nd Departure planned for 0800. This week Ryanair announced a departure for 0740, right between the 2 RE flights with fares as low as 1 cent plus tax. Aer Arann minimum is 60 euro + tax.

There's only going to be one winner here.

On the bright side there are several positive route developments expected at Cork in the near future according to reliable sources.

Further eastern european routes such as Riga, Bratislavia, Poznan and Lodz must be among the favourites.

It's surprising that Cork hasn't developed routes in Western Europe apart from Paris, Amsterdam and a few regional routes in Northern France.

Surely Scandanavia, Brussells , Frankfurt and Zurich would have a fighting chance.

In the UK a 2nd Manchester sevice should be possible given that Ryanair has reduced ORK-LPL to 4 per week. The token Saab 340 service to Glasgow will shortly be no more so a replacement will be needed there.

EI896

29th Jul 2006, 09:39

Scandinavaia would be a good one, but Brussles was operated by SN Brussles and the prices were through the roof they were expected to return for the summer this year but they were a no-show. If SAS started up from Stockholm that'd be good.

anna_list

29th Jul 2006, 11:40

I thought Ryanair had five routes going a day going over to STN?
I've re-checked the records. The pattern until 2005 was for Ryanair to operate four flights a day on STN-ORK in the Summer and three per day in the Winter.

Basicly Ryanair have left us for dead
That seems a little bit harsh. From Cork they will still be operating 3 flights a day to STN, 1 to LGW, 4 to DUB and 4 weekly to LPL. That should be worth the best part of 900,000 passengers each year.

Charlie Roy

29th Jul 2006, 13:56

Scandinavaia would be a good one... If SAS started up from Stockholm that'd be good.

I totally agree. This year I visited both Copenhagen and Stockholm. Copenhagen was a really excellent city to visit, and while there I was thinking Cork could really do with a Copenhagen route. Then I was in Stockholm last week: 10 times better!!! Fan-fecking-tastic. Really beautiful city. The expensive reputation is uncalled for. It was true 5 years ago, but lets face it guys, Cork / Ireland has now surpassed most European destinations for expensiveness. Eating out in Stockholm is cheaper than Cork. Lager is the same price as Cork. Swedes also love Irish stout!! Guinness and Murphy's are more popular in Stockholm than Dublin! Was really proud to see all these Swedes downing the Murphy's by the new time :} I was tempted to say "You know that is brewed a few hundred meters from my home"... Was also bursting with pride in Skavsta airport to see four Irish registered Ryanair aircraft bringing people to/from this beautiful city.

If SAS were to introduce Cork - Stockholm it would be excellent ;)
It would attract an enormous amount of city breakers, and I don't know, does Cork have many business links with Stockholm? Maybe the pharmaceuticals? A bit of advertising in Sweden by SAS that they now have a route to the city where Murphy's stout is brewed, would have the Swedes flocking here :) Irish and Swedish golfers alike would also be potential travellers in both directions.
I also know some Swedes living in Cork (working for Apple). An SAS route to Stockholm would also offer a whole multitude of connection possiblities: to Finland, the Baltics, Russia, and of course Scandinavia in general, given that Stockholm is SAS's second majour hub.

SAS have also recently completed an Aer Lingus style remodelling. They now offer a one way fare system. I flew with them one-way Brussels to Copenhagen Easter weekend for €40!

It's a pity the Ryanair Skavsta route from Shannon failed :( But all the more opportunity for Cork now!

Brussles was operated by SN Brussles and the prices were through the roof they were expected to return for the summer this year but they were a no-show

SN Brussels are not the cheapest airline to fly with, even if they are getting cheaper! Their prices might have been high but they still managed to almost fill every plane between Brussels and Cork to brim, which just goes to show there is a demand for the service :E

Later this year SN Brussels are to merge with low-cost rival Virgin Express, which will in effect create a brand new Brussels based airline, offering a new, cheaper, product. Hopefully this new company will look at the Cork route. Otherwise, I'd just prefer Ryanair to introduce Charleroi - Cork, let me get home for the weekend for €40 return :}

hafez

29th Jul 2006, 14:28

Well said Charlie, I myself would love to travel to both Copenhagen and Stolkholm and planned on a trip to one of them this year but was put off connecting somehwere else and the drive to shannon isn't worth it. Really dissapointed that Munich still hasn't been revived by anyone, If someone was to start frankfurt, I feel it wouldn't do as well as a Munich route as many love to visit the beautiful city and it is also a gateway to Germans. When traveling home from Heathrow a few weeks back Iwas talking to two Germans from Munich who were dissapointed that they had to make a connectting flight to visit Cork which they planned on visiting when Aer Lingus offered the route. I hope all the airlines won't focus solely on the Eastern European routes because eventually people will stop travelling on them and the Polish and Lituanians here may move back or just stay here full time. I suppose it's all in the future, let's just hope the new terminal will bring new routes

brian_dromey

29th Jul 2006, 16:07

Charlie Roy

29th Jul 2006, 16:18

Surely Scandanavia, Brussells , Frankfurt and Zurich would have a fighting chance.

ryan2000
While Zurich is a great place to visit, and also not so far from the beautiful Lake Constance (Bodensee) region, I just can't imagine it being a successful Cork route :(

The only Swiss route that would work in my opinion would be Geneva. It's proximity to the Alps and ski/golf resorts would make it a winner. It also offers convenient connections to the important French city of Lyon, as well of course to Swiss cities. EMC has a significant presence in Lausanne (near Geneva) too. I wonder are there many business trips made between Ovens and Lausanne currently? My brother-in-law's Waterford based company is regularly sending him to the Swiss cities of Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchatel and Bern (nearly always from ORK via AMS). There is a business market between Munster and Switzerland definitely.

Frankfurt, you mentioned, would however be an instance success I'm sure :ok:

hafez
I agree the Munich route was a terrible loss for Cork. I have a buddy who was going out with a girl in Munich. He often flew from Cork to Munich, and said that in the last few months, the loads were really excellent. That despite the fact that Aer Lingus didn't advertise it all that much, and not at all in Munich.
Another friend of mine who works for BMW Cork, said that BMW HQ in Munich when organising a business trip for him from Cork to Munich last January arranged for him to fly DUB - CDG - MUC. Apparently they had never even heard of Aer Lingus, not to mind of the direct route between Cork and Munich!

EI896

30th Jul 2006, 08:37

Aer Arann can sustain the brutal attack of FR on the DUB route for one reason, and one reason only....flexability. With RE you can arrive at Check-In as little as 15mins prior to departure and they'll still let you on. Try that with FR and youll be told in no uncertain terms to "F*** off",or some variation of that theme.

That is so true it's not even funny, my friend's father was travelling on Ryanair over to Liverpool from EICK to see his sick sister just after being in hospital with his sick daughter, he arrived at EICK 5mins (20mins before schedualed departure) after check-in closed,He was told to f*ck off after he pleed with them. I think this is some what descusting that someone in the circumstances that he was in was turned down, how colud one person would be like that when he/she could be in the same circumstances is just totally cruel, oh yes did I mention the flight was an hour late!!!

Runway 31

30th Jul 2006, 11:39

EI896,
For your information the following is taken from the RYR website.
Standard opening of airport check-in desks is two hours prior to scheduled departure. Early check-in is highly recommended. Check-in closes strictly 40 minutes before the scheduled time of departure. We reserve the right to cancel your reservation and to deny you boarding if you do not comply with this Check-in Deadline indicated.
Going with the times you detailed, check in was closed 20 minutes before your friend's father tried to book in. It might not be correct in your mind but the delay in letting a late passenger on will hold up not only that flight but will also have aknock on effect for the remaining flights by that aircraft throughout the day.

ryan2000

30th Jul 2006, 13:18

Furthermore, Ryanair do not have ground staff at Cork so it was probably the handling agent that refused him access.

In any event most Irish people who whinge about Ryanair continue to fly with them as Easyjet found out to their cost. Quality service doesn't seem to matter in Aviation any more.

Charlie Roy

31st Jul 2006, 08:13

"A GOVERNMENT decision on how to resolve the long-running dispute about who should pay for Cork Airport’s €160 million debt will probably be made in September, according to Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin.

But as thefinishing touches are put on the airport’s new terminal for the arrival of the first passengers tomorrow, uncertainty remains over whether the local board or the Dublin Airport Authority must bear the cost.

The row between both boards has been raging since it emerged 15 months ago that former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan’s 2003 promise that Cork Airport’s debt would be wiped out in the breakup of Aer Rianta might not be kept.

Instead of being absorbed by Dublin Airport Authority as originally planned, it is believed the Government may decide the burden should be divided equally between both airports. Any such move is being strongly opposed by local interests in Cork, including Fianna Fáil backbenchers, who fear that consequent additions to passenger charges could affect airport business and regional development.

Mr Brennan’s successor, Martin Cullen, recently received a report on the issue from consultants BDO Simpson Xavier, which he has asked to be reviewed by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Mr Martin, who is facing considerable political pressure as the local Government minister, said it is likely that a decision would be reached in September but he would not predict what it would be.

“There has been an analysis carried out by BDO, PriceWaterhouse are examining that as we speak and I would be confident that we will arrive at a solution that will respect the core principle of protecting the competitiveness of Cork Airport,” he said.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen, who was also in Cork at the weekend, asserted that the airport is in a strong position and will continue to thrive.

Asked about the wisdom of Mr Brennan’s commitment, which now appears might not be kept, Mr Martin praised his Government colleague.

“We wouldn’t have a terminal if it weren’t for Seamus Brennan because he took the bit between the teeth and raised the borrowing capacity for Aer Rianta at the time. It was a big leap of faith,” he said.

Passengers from an early flight from London tomorrow will be the first to enter the arrival hall at the new terminal.

The original terminal, which opened in 1961, will continue handling departures for another fortnight, with all business being done from the new building from August 15."

Uh :*!

EI896

31st Jul 2006, 10:42

Tom the Tenor

31st Jul 2006, 17:50

Minister Micheal Martin is trying to distract the mind's of Cork people with his ol' waffle in today's Irish Examiner about the BDO report first going to Price Waterhouse before announing our airport's fate. If there was any good news to report about the airport's debt it would be broadcast loudly in the hours and days before the new terminal opens tomorrow. In the hulabaloo of the terminal's phased opening over the next fortnight the government are guessing the subject of the debt will be somewhat sidetracked and then in September the axe will fall and the question is how much of the cost the airport will be left with to service in repayments. Just what repayments have snn had to make down the decades for all their refurbishments etc?

Pobal na Chorcai - tabhair aire ar an nuacht seo! Also, Mr Martin's praising of Seamus Brennan and how grateful we should be to him for taking the bit between his teeth for a new terminal for Cork is just more of the poo, poo!

They are at it again, the ducking and the diving over Cork Airport!

ryan2000

31st Jul 2006, 20:41

Isn't it ironic that Ryanair will have the honour of being the first airline into the new terminal 6 days after cutting back on Gatwick flights and seeing Easyjet off from Cork.

fonz77

1st Aug 2006, 00:16

Was at the airport a few hours ago and saw 2 CS reg private jets, I think they were both Citations, just wondering are these Netjets,
New terminal looked very impressive, best of luck to everyone today.

Global Pilot

1st Aug 2006, 08:24

fonz77

These two departed from Cork this morning,both with NJE callsigns so I guess they were the two C550s you saw land late yesterday evening:
08:03A NJE1ZQ C550 EICK EGLC
08:20A NJE7EV C550 EICK EGHI

rgds,
GP.

Danasutra

1st Aug 2006, 08:52

Sorry Runway 31, I didn't know it was such a big deal with denieing passengers, But all the same Ryanair should not be saying F*ck off to any passengers at all, and yet they do!!! And I thought that it was only 25mins before take-off check in closes???

It's a general rule that check-in closes 40 minutes before scheduled departure...has nothing to do with Ryanair....Has nothing to do with the type of passenger...has nothing to do with the passengers reasons for travel....has nothing to do wether the flight is allready delayed or not...It's the same all over the place!

It's sad though, there's no doubt about that! But at some point you just have to say stop....:=

And as Ryan2000 says the company which does the check-in/handling for Ryanair gets the bullocking/penalty if they delay the flight in any way!
Unfortunately flying is still something different then catching a bus....

Maybe it's a way of saying F*ck off to late passengers, but at least it's an honest way...I can say it with a smile and other words, but you still will get the same result: No sorry sir, but you are late for a flight, so you can't get on

If you don't wanna miss the bus...get your ass there early :cool:
D

NC2

1st Aug 2006, 12:25

Just checked the web and discovered that Cork Airport have finally updated their website with a new site! "www.corkairport.com" although "www.corkairport.ie" seemS still to be directing to the old site - probably just a small technical issue. Anyway it looks like the marketing people at the airport have started to make a visible impact, with the Radio & Press advertisements and finally with a makeover of the dreary "Aer Rianta Cork" website.

hafez

1st Aug 2006, 13:10

Was there some sort of emergency this morning? I heard it on the radio but couldn't make out exactly what was said, All I heard is that they landed on 35 and the runway was later re-opened..... Anyone have any info?

New terminal looked great on the 1pm news on RTE :ok:

eick320

1st Aug 2006, 17:09

A light aircrafts under carriage collasped on runway 35 today, the aircraft was removed at about 1000z, leaving the ei841 which was holding for approx 20 mins land. To the best of my knowledge not a major issue , looks like a 4x4 towed the aircraft off runway 35

calypso_joe

1st Aug 2006, 18:33

Expect fares to rise now on Cork London as capacity decreases

Looks like this has started - the Taxes, Fees & Charges has just gone up to 30.81 Euro for Gatwick -> Cork for Oct06 onwards which makes Stanstead cheaper than Gatwick!

fonz77

1st Aug 2006, 20:47

Thanks for the info Global Pilot
Is there any fractional ownership/subscription/netjet type of operation based at Cork permanently?
Hope today went well for all involved for the big opening.

ryan2000

1st Aug 2006, 22:09

Only biz jets based there are the 2 EMC 125's. Others are not allowed stay due to the shortage of parking stands. CAA losing a fortune in revenue by requesting biz-jets and others to park in Kerry and Shannon.

hafez

1st Aug 2006, 22:20

Dissapointed by no new route announcments today. Maybe the 15th :p

Charlie Roy

1st Aug 2006, 22:45

New site is ...good :E

I see in the terminal maps http://www.corkairport.com/airport_guide/terminal.html that landside there is only the "Red bar", with the "Sports bar" being exclusively for departing passengers...

Pity because the sports bar looks more inviting / comfy http://www.corkairport.com/business/new_terminal1.html than the red bar...

That's probably the idea though. Get the passengers through the security checks asap :ouch:

aidanf

2nd Aug 2006, 06:34

While I haven't been up yet, looking at the new maps for the terminal it would appear that one of the more unique features of Cork Airport has been lost - that is the ability of the general public to view the runway from the terminal.

In the current terminal this is possible from the large coffee-type area on the first floor and the bar - in the terminal which preceeded this it was possible to view from the bar.

Now it would appear that all airside viewing is to be restricted to those at the departure gates ..... please tell me this isn't true :{

lm06

2nd Aug 2006, 07:38

will the old building be mothballed, knocked, redeveloped ??

ryan2000

2nd Aug 2006, 08:36

No immediate plans for it but growing speculation that it will be knocked as doing so would enable the airport to have far more parking stands without having to purchase land to the north of the field.

It's possible to view the runway from the new restuarant area though there are two glass panels in the way. Red Bar is very welcoming.

Aggressive marketing strategy needed if growth is to be maintained.

Charlie Roy

2nd Aug 2006, 15:46

Indeed, huge shame about the apparent lack runway visiblity by non-passengers in the new terminal :{

Meanwhile the FR winter timetable for the Cork aircraft has changed slightly...

ORK - DUB 0740 - 0830 OK
DUB - ORK 0855 - 0945 OK
ORK - DUB 1000 - 1050 Should become 1010 - 1100
DUB - ORK 1115 - 1205 Should become 1125 - 1210
ORK - LGW 1255 - 1420 OK
LGW - ORK 1450 - 1615 OK
ORK - DUB 1725 - 1815 OK, but long break, no?
DUB - ORK 1805 - 1855 Should become 1840 - 1930
ORK - DUB 1955 - 2045 OK
DUB - ORK 2110 - 2200 OK

Also there seems to be no Sunday early morning ORK - DUB? Sleep in?

Provance

2nd Aug 2006, 17:15

perhaps AA have something up their sleves - maybe the single configuration 757 used on the SNN - BOS route may be heading to ORK-JFK, so this could just be wishful thinking on my part :}

hafez

2nd Aug 2006, 17:27

Provance

That's not the first time i heard that rumour but I think we have more of a chance of Delta/Continental to be honest

fanatic1

2nd Aug 2006, 18:56

It's possible to view the runway from the new restuarant area though there are two glass panels in the way. Red Bar is very welcoming.

Yes the red bar is welcoming and I think it is possible to view departing/arriving aircraft in the food court, even though you are not directly looking at the runway.

I like the security gates. It looks good.

lm06

2nd Aug 2006, 20:16

ryan2000

2nd Aug 2006, 21:06

Problem is that recent years saw young children being left loose all over the 2nd floor of the old terminal.

There is now an attempt being made to change the culture of Cork Airport and to remind people that it's not a children's playground.

It is now hoped that passengers will move quickly to the Departure area after checking in as happens at every other airport in the Western World and that people will say their good byes at home and not bring the extended family to see them off for a 2 week break in Majorca.

Glad to hear that we've finally got a 21st public address system. The one in the old terminal was a disgrace along with the antiquated heating system.

Any more nostalgic tales about the old terminal before it closes?

Titan Airways

2nd Aug 2006, 21:28

can never understand why airport authorities can't grasp that the punters want to watch the planes and try to make it a lucrative income stream with baubles and trinkets under their noses for sale while they watch the airfield action....

oh yeah, i forgot... it's a bureaucracy not a private enterprise. apols ! :-)

They grasped this concept in Zurich very well apparantly. On top of the terminal there is a large viewing area looking over all the airside activities that can be accessed for something as little as €2. There are organised ramp visits and visits to the intersection of the runways for photos :ooh: :ooh: There are even holes cut in the perimeter fence at convenient locations for photographers to use. But is any of this mentality seen at Cork ?? :=

I was a little disappointed to see that there was a lack of something as simple as proper toilet facilities. The main toilets are tiny, even smaller than the old terminal. Now the old terminal was designed to hold 1million and the new 5million. This doesn't seem to add up!

ryan2000

2nd Aug 2006, 22:15

I agree with Titan but again the facility was designed in the belief that passengers would spend the minimum of time landside. Airside facilities are far superior to the old terminal but the trick will be to get people to go through the Search area quickly. Other wise the landside facilities will become very congested.

buzzmebaby

3rd Aug 2006, 07:10

The capacity is 3 million not 5 million! It has said it on their own website since the very beginning. The 5 million figure is one they say they can expand to by adding a pier to the north toward the cargo terminal (who'll pay for it?!).

The factors mentioned above are all genuinely annoying things for users, but the fact that this terminal was designed for 3 million, a number they may hit this year, is the biggest scandal of the lot.

mark_heg

3rd Aug 2006, 08:47

Looks like american are pulling out of bos-snn come october. I wonder will we see a service to cork ??

Cyrano

3rd Aug 2006, 08:59

mark_heg

They've said they are taking the 757 out and replacing it with a 767 routing ORD-DUB-SNN-ORD.

aidanf

3rd Aug 2006, 11:24

While I accept that 'tis better to say ciao at home, or at the front door of the airport, to those flying out... my point was mainly about visibility of the rways for those waiting to collect arriving passengers. I tend to be up there several times a month collecting friends, business associates, etc. and it was quite nice to able to look out on the runway, watch the a/c land and then see my friends get drowned on to the run in to the baggage hall. A lot of this would now appear to be lost. I accept the points about airside facilities being better, but it's just a shame. Another opportunity flushed.

... oh, and one last thing ... I noticed on some of the press piccies that the monitors at the check-in desks appear to be of the aul CRT-type. Who the heck made that call? I thought every fecker in the world had now gone across to plasma/LCD!!! Maybe Flor Griffin did them a deal on some old stock he had out the back

Charlie Roy

3rd Aug 2006, 20:38

Com'ere, are the airport making any song and dance about the "Route Support Scheme" that they have got going? :confused:

http://www.corkairport.com/images/ORKRSS2006.pdf (http://www.corkairport.com/images/ORKRSS2006.pdf)

Like, did Cork airport go after the likes of Wizz Air and Centralwings, enticing them in with this scheme (hidden away on their airport charges page of the site: http://www.corkairport.com/business/airport_charges.html ), or was it Wizz Air and Centralwings who were the first to make contact with Cork airport?

Moreover, Ryanair :* harp on the scandalous Cork Airport charges, when in fact they could hugely benefit from this scheme (paying next to no charges) by using their Cork based aircraft to serve presently unserved destinations like Milan, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Murcia etc. instead of committing themselves to competing on the Dublin route! :eek:

I wonder to what extent this scheme has been utilised...

NC2

4th Aug 2006, 15:02

The Kinsale Road (N25) Flyover opened this morning and should help traffic flow on and off the N27 to the Airport by freeing up the bottleneck that was the Kinsale Road Roundabout (or the Magic Roundabout as it was known locally)!

There are still some minor works to be finished and the traffic signals at the end of the airport hill are not swtiched on yet. I expect that most of the rest of this work and landscaping etc. will be finished shortly.

This is good news for anybody who has had to endure the traffic on the airport hill during the busy times of the day.

Tom the Tenor

4th Aug 2006, 15:57

Bedad, was not expecting the N25 flyover to open until October! This is very good news and should help to relieve the congestion at the horrid Magic roundabout and help cut down the amount of road traffic accidents. As bad as negotiating that roundabout is in a car taking it on a motorcycle has scared the bejaychus out of me so many times I have at last given it up and use what few alternatives there are get to and from the field.

Does anyone know what the intention is with Stand 6T? Apart from 737-500, A319 & ATR parking is there a plan to lay down more concrete anywhere near where the steel concrete supports are still exposed? Also, the old baggage hall is now just a shell and if that is to be knocked shortly and more concrete is put down will Stand 6T then be able to take aircraft up to A320 and 737-800 size?

It was good to see Cork Airport's new boss man, Mr Pat Keohane, taking such a hands on interest at the new terminal last night. He was on site for some hours taking in all the goings on both landside, airside and on the forecourt area. Mr Keohane is to be commended highly for this approach to the job. His presence there helped to keep the staff on their toes be it in a kind way!

I am still gathering my thoughts on my first review of the new terminal last night. Suffice to say for now that the airside area is only magnificent in it's aspect of length and height. Yes, it is not very wide but the sheer length of the area and the feeling of space it creates it is hard to beat. The terminal has an undoubtedly first class finish and in terms of public buildings it has got to be in every way the pride of Cork.

aidanf

4th Aug 2006, 16:55

Finally got to see the inside of the terminal yesterday afternoon. Having admired the outside for so many months, it was with great anticipation that I walked (the litter-strewn) journey from the new multi-storey car park down the terminal.

This is something I really wanted to like, so it kills me to say this, but I was really underwhelmed. I concur that the quality of the finishes is superb but it's really all very .... well ..... functional! Nothing 'wow' or 'quirky', or even particularly original - it could be any of a number of dozen other airports I've seen these past few years. Arrivals to yer right, departures to yer left, up them steps to food, beer, departure gates etc. All very 'predictable' ... even though I had 'predicted' something far more exciting.

Yes, it's a feckin airport and it has to be functional first and foremost, but for what was spent, it left me a little cold. Is this really the best we could have done? (... and don't get me started on those shaggin CRT screens again!)

fanatic1

6th Aug 2006, 12:44

I know I sound silly but I like the CRT screens!

When I went to the terminal on August 1st I hated it!
Then I went on the 2nd and it was growing on me!

I now really like it!

Charlie Roy

7th Aug 2006, 10:49

en2r

7th Aug 2006, 10:53

Just seen Wizzair are introducing a fourth weekly flight to Katowice from December, and this ones an evening flight, not an early morning flight, like the rest. This should prove more popular than the 1am flights.

Charlie Roy

7th Aug 2006, 10:56

Wizzair just have a few extra flights in December and January for the Christmas period.
Indeed, that evening flight has far better times than the regular flights. Pity it's only a temporary measure. Timetables might improve for next summer hopefully...

buzzmebaby

7th Aug 2006, 21:26

The Cork Airport entry in Wikipedia has been updated to include that Hemus Air operate a Sofia to Cork route :confused:

Doesn't sound feasible?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_Airport

(Hemus Air's website has no mention of it...)

Well, someone keeps updating Wikipedia to say that the capacity of the new terminal is 5 million, with extensionising capability to 8 million. The airports own site says that it's 3 million, with potential for 5 after another pier addition. Also some gibberish about 18 airbridges! What is that about!?

ryan2000

8th Aug 2006, 00:03

Wait till people get soaked to the skin walking to and from stands 2-5 to the new terminal. Only way around it is to tow aircraft off stands 6-11 when they've off loaded their pax.

Shanwickman

8th Aug 2006, 11:03

Arrived to new terminal yesterday morning. The terminal is quite nice but services not the best. There were a few elderly people on the flight and they had difficulty negotiating the three flights of stairs from the ramp to arrivals.
There was noboldy to assist them and nobody in the area to ask.
Luggage arrived 47 minutes after we disembarked. I felt sorry for the lady duty manager in the baggage area as she bore the brunt of the pax anger.
She rightly pointed out that Servisair were responsible for baggage handling and she had requested them to try and speed things up. She said that as a Ryanair flight landed 10 mins after our flight then Servisair would not even start on our flight until they had finished with Ryanair.
From my experience baggage delivery seems to be a persistent problem in ORK.

840

8th Aug 2006, 11:18

From my experience baggage delivery seems to be a persistent problem in ORK.

I think it depends who's doing it. Last time I flew in we were parked so far from the terminal that the bags arrived before we did. But, that was an Aer Lingus flight. There does seem to be a problem with Servisair, particularly their handling of charter flights.

NC2

8th Aug 2006, 14:06

I have to agree with shanwickman and 840 that Servisair are fairly poor on handling charter flights and baggage in general.

A year or so ago I was on a charter flight and we had to wait on board for 20 minutes because a FR flight arrives before us and they were using the steps!! If that wasn't bad ensough when we finally disembarked our luggage took another 40 minutes as the FR flight had to be unloaded and loaded before we could be reunited with our luggage. This was not the only time that Servisair have kept me waiting for 40 minutes or more for baggage. Incidentaly on that occasion, they managed to put the luggage on the wrong conveyor belt, which only helped the humour of the tired and impatient passengers!

One of the advantages of Cork Airport, was that the time taken from landing to getting into your car in the car park was very short. No walking for endless miles through the terminal, no catching a bus to the car park. It's a pity that baggage handling can ruin that advantage.

Tom the Tenor

8th Aug 2006, 14:43

The situation with Aer Lingus was interesting enough too last Saturday night as I awaited the arrival of a guest from Barcelona off the EI869 which was a little late not arriving until around 2300 hours.

The EI897 from Faro and the EI875 from Tenerife had both landed between 2240 and 2300 and the EI725 from Heathrow landed some little while later after the Barcelona flight. Some Faro and TFS pax were still coming through and then the EI725 appeared to be unloaded first before the Barcelona flight as lots of London paxed filed through to lanside long before many of the pax from Barcelona.

Granted that Serviceair sometimes lose the plot with some charters if a scheduled flight must be handled first but EI are also a little at sea if a few of their flights arrive very close to each other for handling. Our friend from BCN eventually filed through some time after 2340 with just the one large case. A rather long wait if you have landed at 2300 hours and will the service improve because and as and from today EI are simply aping FR by charging for bags? Have my doubts about that one!

One week to go now before No Return to the old terminal!

ryan2000

8th Aug 2006, 15:05

For years they blamed the outdated old terminal for delays. No such excuses now or are the mutterings about the reduced size of the new terminal beginning to prove correct already. Isn't there a third handler at Cork now so why is everyone sticking with Servisair apart from Spanair and Flightline

fanatic1

8th Aug 2006, 18:11

So are you saying that Spanair and flightine aren't with servisair?

Is there definitly a third handling agent?

hafez

8th Aug 2006, 18:30

fanatic1

It's called Sky Handling or something like that, saw it on an iluminous vest a few weeks back

eick320

8th Aug 2006, 20:28

Yes you are correct, Sky Handling are currently handling Spanair and a couple of cargo flts. Was in the new arrivals hall over the weekend and 2 out of the 3 new baggage belts were u/s leaving every pax hanging around the 1 operating baggage belt ..... Welcome to your new building !!

fanatic1

8th Aug 2006, 22:03

Sorry I now I sound thick but what does u/s mean?

Out of Order ? , hope not !!??

:= What flights were in at the time? How many flights can one belt take?

hafez

8th Aug 2006, 22:21

fanatic1

It means Unserviceable.....

Charlie Roy

9th Aug 2006, 08:11

Ryanair's timetable for the for their Cork based aircraft is finalised now. (The times of the Dublin flights have been slightly modified).
Definitely no sign of a second aircraft then :(

The aircraft is not to be used for the first flight Sunday mornings. I see how that makes economic sense: There wouldn't be 189 pax who would want to fly to Dublin at 0740 on a Sunday morning... So could they use the aircraft for something else: Rather impossible given the short time and how the destination would only have a once a week frequency.
But is it normal then just to leave it unused?

NC2

9th Aug 2006, 15:12

Just found this on a Gilraltar news website. (ORK-GIB weekly)

"A multi-million pound plan to put Gibraltar on the airline map was unfurled yesterday. A new Gibraltar-based airline is to offer 28 scheduled flights weekly from next March to six destinations in the UK and the Irish Republic.

The airline will have two Boeing 737-300 aircraft, with a seating capacity of 148 passengers each, based at Gibraltar. Each morning they will fly out to different destinations - 11 flights weekly to London Stansted, five to Manchester, four to Bristol, another four to Birmingham, three to Dublin and one to Cork"

More info at:
http://www.panorama.gi/localnews/headlines.php?action=view_article&article=1290&offset=0

fanatic1

9th Aug 2006, 15:24

I edited wikipedia last night and got rid of all that stuff about 19 airbridges and ADDED a thing in about handling agents.

ryan2000

9th Aug 2006, 17:40

The HEMUS AIR flight to Sofia from Cork has been deleted as well. Interesting to know where that got into the public domain.

If Bulgarians flock to Ireland once they join the EU in January then Sofia flights could become a regular features at Irish Airports.

The pace of change in this business is breathtaking.

lm06

9th Aug 2006, 18:16

interesting bit on panorama or something last night saying just this point.....however big the polish influx has been, the next wave is romania and bulgaria.....thank heavens for people who work hard and work cheap !

wasn't GB Airways GIB based part of BA ??

buzzmebaby

9th Aug 2006, 20:14

I edited wikipedia last night and got rid of all that stuff about 19 airbridges and ADDED a thing in about handling agents.

Good stuff. Unfortunately what makes wikipedia great is also it's biggest flaw. The muppet who put it up in the first place will just go in and change it back to 19 or 94 airbridges or whatever they want!

Tom the Tenor

9th Aug 2006, 23:45

Am open to correction on this but I think the Irish government is planning on delaying Romanian and Bulgarian people's eligibility from immediately being allowed to work in Ireland for a few years after both countries join up to the EU next year in the same way the likes of Germany and the Netherlands have prevented the newer Eastern European countries' citizens from working in their countries over the last two years.

So, we will probably have to hold off on the Tarom 737s for a while more at Cork!

Anyone have any news on Glasgow? Is it dead to the world after Loganair pull the plug in a few weeks time? Very big piping competition in Glasgow this coming weekend. LOG must be full as many of the Carrigaline Pipe Band are outbound later this morning on the RE to Edinburgh much to the annoyance of the Glasgow loyalists amongst the band! ;)

And as for this Gibraltar rumor! Whilst I was pleasantly surprised by my one previous visit to Gibraltar I just cannot see this one coming to fruition and at one weekly it would be tought to make work and will not even qualify for any incentives with just the one sole flight per week and even that that is assuming you can surmount the Spanish government's insistence that only UK bound flights can operate from Gibraltar. Still quite a bit of needle about The Rock in some Spanish circles.

Charlie Roy

10th Aug 2006, 08:48

Am open to correction on this but I think the Irish government is planning on delaying Romanian and Bulgarian people's eligibility from immediately being allowed to work in Ireland for a few years after both countries join up to the EU next year in the same way the likes of Germany and the Netherlands have prevented the newer Eastern European countries' citizens from working in their countries over the last two years.
The enlargement of the EU to include Romania and Bulgaria is considered to be part of the same enlargement as in 2004. It is not a new enlargement, rather the final step of the current/2004 enlargement. Officially Ireland cannot apply different work permit rules to new members within the same enlargement group. Thus legally Ireland cannot (as it stands) refuse work permits to Romanians and Bulgarians once they become member states. They will have to do a lot of bending over backwards, jumping through loops and endure a lot of legal wrangling if they try any delay regarding Bulgarian and Romanian workers.

PS: I can't imagine a Gibraltar service working either unfortunately :(

lm06

10th Aug 2006, 16:01

so there might be 1960 vintage ilyushins and the like in from bucharest international earlier than we thought !

EI-MICK

11th Aug 2006, 08:01

EI896

11th Aug 2006, 08:07

EI-MICK

In fairness to Michael he can see routes/ things happening etc. in the future but half the time cause of his behaviour he just calls everybody names.

EI896

12th Aug 2006, 10:12

News tonight is that there was an accident on the ramp at Cork on Friday when a long serving EI despatcher was badly injured in a 16 ft fall as a set of steps were being pushed away from an A320. Have since heard that the injuries are not life threatening but that is hardly much comfort if you have had a big wallop in a fall. Hope the poor despatcher has a speedy recovery.

What this accident does is to highlight the whole airbridge question again at Cork. Come off it, if EI are happy to use airbridges at LHR, AMS, BCN etc, why the hell not at Cork and save pax and staff alike from possible long tumbles down steps not to mention the possiblility of it in the wind and rain of winter. One airbridge at Cork - what a joke! It would almost make you feel like chipping in €5 a man in order to make up the difference to put in a few more extra airbridges in the new terminal. We could call them something like "The People's Airbridges!"

The All Ireland Hurling Final on Sunday, 3rd September now has no less than six Ryanair return flights from Cork to Dublin for the big match to bring fans to the game at Croke Park. Saucy enough prices too to be sure! All going well should be one hell of a busy day at Cork and should break all daily records for passenger numbers at the airport.

Yes that is an extremely good point if they use them every where except EICK what is the story there some people that I know have even said that sponsership wouldn't be a bad thing for the Airbridges to keep the costs down for the DAA or CAA who ever is going to pay for it. As I said aboutthe sponsership HSBC nearly sponser every major airport I have flown into and a few others have told me they sponser alot of major airports.

About the Ryanair flights I hope we see an unusual A320 or something like we did for the Heinekan Cup Semi-Final thanks to Monarch.

Tom the Tenor

12th Aug 2006, 10:27

Oops, I had wanted to edit my post above and ended up deleting it all together! There had been a rumor going around that if EI had said they were up to using airbridges at the new terminal in Cork they would have been put in double quick time. Whilst EI are happy to use 'em at Dublin and Shannon there just has to be the usual discrimination against Cork which is typical. Even more reason for Cork to hold the line on the debt issue and not to yield an inch to the multinationals at the Dublin Airport Authority!

Tom the Tenor

12th Aug 2006, 11:11

More interesting reading to be found in today's Irish Examiner with Cork Airport saying there are no plans in the short term to turn the old terminal into a low cost terminal much to the disappointment of that other great Corkman, Mr Michael Cawley, whom is number two to Michael O'Leary at Ryanair.

Cork are saying that only informal approaches have been made by Ryanair but Mr Cawley says he wrote to the airport a year ago on the subject of using the old terminal to bring more business to Cork and that if higher charges are introduced at the new terminal Ryanair will have to consider reducing flights from Cork.

That is the problem with Ryanair though. As long as they get everything for free like they do at Shannon they will be all over you and at the same time compromise a lot of your other hard fought for business and you will end with up with something like a Ryanport with all other biz beaten off just like what happened over the loss of easyJet.

Nah, caution is needed before any arrangments are made before getting into bed with Ryanair. You might not catch anything but you might just lose a hell of a lot!

840

12th Aug 2006, 12:53

I finally got to arrive into the new terminal last night although as a hand-baggage only passenger I didn't do much waiting round there.

The area where you actually disembark reminds me of pier C in Dublin. The area round the baggage belts is roomier and better lit than the old terminal. The arrivals hall itself is great and the high ceiling gives it a much nicer atmosphere.

The one slightly irritating point was that none of the ATMs have been moved up yet, so I had to walk over to the old terminal to be able to get money for a taxi.

ryan2000

12th Aug 2006, 13:56

Ryanair appear to have delivered for Shannon but does Cork really need them?

Those clamouring for Cork to do a cut price deal with Ryanair would want to take note of the fact that Aerlingus have already built up a base at Cork with 4 A320's.

In addition WIZZ, Centralwings, BMI Baby, Jet 2, Malev and CSA operate to Cork and Aer Arann have a significant regional network there.

There is simply no point in giving incentives to Ryanair if its going to undermine the Aerlingus and Aer Arann routes and the position of the overseas carriers

Better to hold tough and let Ryanair come in if they want to on the same terms as everyone else.

MarkD

12th Aug 2006, 15:08

The difference is that with transverse parking at ORK you can use both doors. Doubt BAA would like that at T1 LHR!

EI896

12th Aug 2006, 18:22

That's fine and dandy for Ryanair but to be honest we'd be better in EICK without them, If Lufthansa came there would be a route to Hahn, if SAS started from Stockholm there would be a route from Skavsta the only airline they won't compete with is Aer Lingus cause they know that they are here to stay, easyJet start to LGW and then Ryanair do. And while I'm at it, I don't see why they didn't start a route from EICK to Cherolei when SN Brussles started up to Brussles.

There's a rumour going around about Ryanair going to build a new terminal in Midleton after they didn't get their way with the DAA with the old terminal. Saying they could bring 1.2 million passengers annually and passengers wouldn't care about it's state. Ryanair get their way in EINN, Stansted and alot of low cost airports in Europe but thankfully they haven't in EICK.

westcorkman

12th Aug 2006, 23:43

anyone read O' learys interview when announcing the new dublin routes?? he called the governments and DAA idiots and also he couldn't understand why the DAA owns 40% of birmingham airport and 50% of dusseldorf (also the great southern hotels) and the DAA still wan't cork to foot the bill of the new terminal even though they took the assets at the break up.He wreckons by selling interests abroad up to 800M can be made.That would pay for a new terminal at dublin as well as cork.
Government are a joke if they pull this one off or maybe theyl wait and clear the debt come election time,it wouldnt suprise me,it would be some stunt.Billy Kelleher can go screw himself come election time.

Re the above just in case there is any doubt - there were advance discussions as to how best to share out the Aer Rianta International assets. - such as those mentioned by EI Mick. It wasnt that the DAA took them all, NO they were given them as the quid pro quo for taking the Cork Debt. Hence the crazyness of whats going on. Maybe someone should take the DAA to the High Court. They are simply welching on the deal and the Gov has not got the guts to take them on because there is a strong political lobby in Dublin in favour of the DAA and that Political Lobby extends across Fine Gael and also Labour. Thats why none of them down here want to get embroiled- they know that there is no party support at the central (Dublin ) level of any of the Parties.:( THats why every opportunity must be continuously taken to keep the debt alive as a political issue, no one of the parties will make an issue of it so the public of Cork must keep it on the agenda.

Tom the Tenor

13th Aug 2006, 15:45

Westcorkman, the interesting but sad thing is that the general body of people in Cork know fairly well now that there are issues about the new terminal's debt and to have even arrived at this point has been an achievement. The sad part of it from my own observations is that a lot of people look on the subject as being a mild sort of joke and have not quite grasped the point how the airport will be stitched up for a long time to come if the cost is not taken up by the crowd at the DAA bearing in mind the now infamous committement given by Minister Seamus Brennan on the matter.

What Cork folk see now is a smart, bright new terminal open and working and as the new terminal settles in for the locals with departures starting from next Tuesday my fear is that the topic may go cold. However, all is by no means lost, the question of the airbridges remains and may yet be taken up as a topic again keeping the airport as a lively subject for social and political debate!

I am not overly surprised by the Fine Gael and Labour Party disinterest in Cork Airport at their Dublin HQs. You just have to note the waffle from Fine Gael's Bernard Allen the other day in the local press looking for a grand, big Ryanair presence at Cork like there is a Shannon quickly forgetting the substantial operation Cork has all ready from EI, RE and from the European alrlines with significant services to Cork. Maybe, well intentioned by Bernie Allen and others, yes but ultimately cluess on the airport as they just don't get it unless votes at next year's General Election can be directly linked to what happens at the airport.

The lack of strong local political suport has been a weakness at Cork Airport for a long, long time more so when you compare it to the popular and political support so enjoyed by Shannon for decades and now to be up against it too from the ex Aer Rianta DAA mandarins in Dublin whom have never taken Cork seriously may just be too much for even the strongest Cork Airport supporters to deal with and overcome? To be sure it is not easy.

brian_dromey

13th Aug 2006, 19:03

Its been really interesting to see the local press get all fussed over FRs threats about how charges at ORK and FR services are inversly proportional. Load of rubbish, I say.

FR will NEVER pull out of Cork-Dublin or Cork-STN. I guarantee it. Ireland-UK services are the mainstay of FRs profits, look what FR did to GO and Easyjet when they dared to 'invade' ryanair turf. OK we may not have a huge FR network at ORK, but so much the better, I say. Variety is the spice of life, and actually benifits an airport like ORK. Imaging if ORK was just carved up betwenn FR and EI, no-one would dream of comming anywhere near the place. And God knows we need new airlines&routes at ORK.

Come on FRA/CPH/MXP(or LIN)/etc!!!

lm06

13th Aug 2006, 19:08

anyone know conclusively if anyone from CAA ranks reads this thread ?

as of this evening what's it like check-in wise at ORK ? am i safe rolling up an hour or less before departure like usual or is it 90-120mins

Tom the Tenor

13th Aug 2006, 20:28

I should say that you should give it an hour anyway. However, with departures from the new place beginning on Tuesday morning it might be a good idea to extend that a bit more just in case! Anyone know if the CAA types are gettin' disturbance money for moving to the new place? Afterall, something like that would be right up Public Service Street or are those days now gone?

The more I come to think about it my idea of starting a campaign to fund The People's Airbridges at Cork Airport the more I am beginning to like it! Say, €5 or even €1 per person depending on one's ability and sending off a cheque to the powers that be in support of extra airbridges for deserving Cork passengers! A functional manifestation of People Power in support of our local airport. At the very least it might shame those multinationals in the DAA so what about something like - Dear DAA, Please find enclosed my contribution of €5 cheque in support of The People's Airbridges for Cork Airport! Your faithfully, etc! :}

Does anyone know conclusively if Santy Claus visits us every year on 25th December!?

jongeman

13th Aug 2006, 23:44

Does anyone know conclusively if Santy Claus visits us every year on 25th December!?

Sorry to disappoint, but the Ireland slot is usually on the 24th December between 2330 and 2345, before moving onto the UK which takes at least half an hour.

ryan2000

14th Aug 2006, 00:03

Brian , your latest post is spot on ! Up Cork.

Tom the Tenor

14th Aug 2006, 16:15

Yes, a great post by Brian Dromey summing up the scene now at Cork which can still go a long way to attract new business of all sorts and yet not be totally dependent on the presence of Ryanair and Aer Lingus.

The Mrs and I have just returned home after giving our last salute to the old terminal today. As tempted as I am to attend in the early hours of tomorrow morning for the last outbound flight which will be the Wizz Air flight to Katowice it was good to be there this afternoon to see the old terminal at her best so full of outbound pax boarding flights to Rome, Gatwick, Alicante, Durham Tees Valley, Dublin etc. Saying that, of course, the place was in the usual mess which we have come to take for granted in the last few years but for those of us whom love Cork Airport it is the end of quite an era. Never again will Cork people be afforded what has been a long, fine local tradition of coming to our airport to greet and wave farewell to our airport's passengers from the Liberty Stream Balcony with it's excellent panoramic views of the North Ramp and of runway 17/35. We have the late Airport Manager, Mr Barry Roche to thank for that great facility and we remember him in salute today.

We have now a quality new terminal at Cork which will be fully operational from tomorrow and it is indeed great progress but the closing of the old terminal is also a time of sadness and that is the price we pay along with the ending of all the old unique Cork traditions. So, it is time to bid Adieu to our faithful old friend, the old terminal, and to thank you for all the many, many memories.

ryan2000

14th Aug 2006, 17:09

Well said Tom but in this business never say never. Who would have thought in the late 1970's and throughout the 1980's that the old terminal in Dublin would be brought back into use.

EI896

14th Aug 2006, 20:45

I never thought I'd say this but after looking at the terminal this morning and taking a few pictures it reminded me of the good times I had and bad from when I was a small child it's a shame to see it go. It closes tonight for the last time at least for a while so goodbye Cork I hope I see you open in the futture again some day.:( :sad: :{

Shanwickman

15th Aug 2006, 14:13

I cant believe that there has been no post yet on D day.
Has anybody been to see how the new departures area is functioning, check in desks etc?

Charlie Roy

15th Aug 2006, 18:23

Arrived in today on the flight from Berlin. Was impressed, but have to head back out now to get a better look. Airport was dead quiet really :( Just one noticable departure for Palma while I was there.
All backpacks didn't come out with the regular baggage but on a seperate "oversize baggage" conveyor belt.

Which mean me and about 5 Germans were left thinking our luggage had got lost.
I suppose I'll know for next time....

Flight 60% full.
Half Irish, half German, some Polish...

ryan2000

15th Aug 2006, 20:50

The large terminal certainly makes the airport appear to be quieter. The landside floor space is smaller than one might have anticipated.

The likelihood is that passengers will head airside quickly after check in as there is hardly a seat to be found apart from those in the food court and restauarant.

The Subway restuarant is the big success story so far with staff availing of it in a big way.

The develoment of a cargo area in the 40 acres and the demolition of the 3 Cargo warehouses to the north of the new terminal has gone to the top of the agenda.

Runway extension and parallel taxiways not on the horizon at present.

However a breakthrough on open skies could change that.

buzzmebaby

15th Aug 2006, 21:05

The develoment of a cargo area in the 40 acres and the demolition of the 3 Cargo warehouses to the north of the new terminal has gone to the top of the agenda.
Runway extension and parallel taxiways not on the horizon at present.
However a breakthrough on open skies could change that.

Is this inside info from management or are you saying that this is what should happen?

ryan2000

16th Aug 2006, 08:14

Open skies line is my own opinion,

The 40 acres development has been a major priority for sometime but the debt issue and the breakup of Aer Rianta have held it up.

Tom the Tenor

16th Aug 2006, 15:46

Was indisposed yesterday but have since heard that Cork's only airbridge remains out of action until at least next weekend. A part of it called the auto-leveller is down. You would have thought the CAA would have checked out something like that before the kick-off on Tuesday? Heavens, what will it ever be like if the People's Airbridges come to be installed after public subscription? Dare not think!

Did you all spot the ommission in the CAA diagram of the new terminal area in yesterday's Irish Examiner? The covered walkway between the multi-storey cark and the new terminal is left out and may help to explain in part why so many unattended cars are regularly being left in front of the new forecourt much to the consternation of the new management team at Cork. A big order is expected soon for new clamps! Who needs easyJet when you can clamp a few cars!

Cork's premier handler are having a tough time of it at the moment too as they are very much compromised as to their two way radio use. All the transmitting equipment is at the old terminal and the CAA are not too keen on any unsightly looking aerials being rigged to the new terminal. It would make you wonder what kind of business the CAA like to think from which they are making their bread and butter? Core values, please, ladies and gentlemen! It is not all car parks, charges and new clamps!

Anyway, it is gonna cost about €6,000 to put right which is a tidy sum in anyone's language. Finally, late breaking news this afternoon is that the Egypt series of flights to SSH have been cancelled by tour operator, Panorma Tours. What a pity. It would have been great for Cork to have had an exotic charters series for once to complement all the capacity there is to the Canary Islands. Another one bites the dust without getting off the ground like New York and Dubai! Do Cork people have any imagination at all or is it all Santa Ponsas and Lanzarotes!? :eek:

orkpilot

16th Aug 2006, 18:48

Havent the SSH flts been taken over by Falcon Travel now??

ryan2000

16th Aug 2006, 18:50

Interesting to know what spin will be put on this setback .

Boston 2001 blame the Foot and Mouth

Israel charters 2003 blame a skirmish about a thousand miles away!

New York 2005/6 blame the price of oil.

Egypt 2006/7, I suppose the volatile situation in Southern Lebanon would do as an excuse.

Only problem is that these events have little or no impact on long haul traffic from Shannon and Dublin.

Seriously, there is no point in launching exciting new destinations from Cork unless the tour operator's are prepared to give them time to work.

840

17th Aug 2006, 08:22

Flight 60% full.
Half Irish, half German, some Polish...

That doesn't sound like a great load for August. I hope that after it's been operating for a while there's a bit more of an uptake, but it doesn't make me optimistic.

In contrast, I flew in from Amsterdam on Friday night (only 3 spare seats on the aircraft) and back on Sunday night (only 1 spare seat). Judging by what I (or more precisely my employer) paid, the yield is pretty good there too.

Provance

18th Aug 2006, 14:10

i must say that i'm a bit shock that no airline announced any major new routes with the opening of the new terminal. I was convinced that FR, RE or EI would but alas, no such luck

Tom the Tenor

18th Aug 2006, 22:49

Saw in one of Cork's throwaway newspapers that there is speculation Cork will be left with a debt of about €60 million as it's share of the cost of the new terminal. The paper is referring to an interview it had with Mr Noel O'Flynn TD, Fianna Fail in which it is reported that he is pushing Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD to pay for the original €140 million construction costs of the new terminal and that the remaining over-run of about €60 should be paid by the CAA as a soft option lease.

This is a completely unacceptable option from my point of view as Cork will still be crippled by repayments for years and years to come with local Cork people bearing the brunt of the costs in unfairly high charges and taxes. If this is the line the government and the DAA want to take with Cork maybe the next thing should be to lay off some of the CAA staff rather than lose more passengers and airlines?

Either that or start having a real killer instinct in the business sense like Shannon has had in having many U.S. trooping flights and bizjets passing through for fuel down the years. Instead of having a loony approach of agreeing to suicide deals with the likes of Ryanair as Bernard Allen TD, Fine Gael would have Cork do by giving them the old terminal for next to nothing why not spend a small amount of cash tidying it up a bit and introduce it as a top of the range corporate/general aviation terminal and go all out as vigorously as possible to go after a share of the transatlantic bizjet traffic and even some of the military flights? Shell could get involved and maybe bear some of the developments costs etc? They all ready make a packet out of Cork anyway with their monopoly on fuel.

Back to basics now. There was a huge electrical storm in the Cork area around teatime today. The airport got a good lash of it and the lightning knocked out the VOR, the ILS to 35 along with the approach lights. Don't think the runway lights were effected and the viz remained good during the showers but a bmi baby 737 was in the hold for about 40 minutes before finally following in the Ryanair 737 from Dublin that was also in the hold for a while. At least there were no diversions this time no doubt much to the annoyance of the crowd from the midwest!

If Bernard Allen TD of Fine Gael wants to use the airport as part of his electioneering campaign for next year's General Election why not be positive and get involved in a call for a CATIII ILS, more ramp and more runway instead of waffling on about what Ryanair can offer the airport if they get everything for free like the old terminal. What is galling though is that if they wanted Ryanair could at at the drop of a hat show a gesture of good will towards Cork and very easily introduce a new British or European service from anywhere at all at around three a week. Look at how well their profile would be raised in the public's mind in Cork.

ryan2000

19th Aug 2006, 08:15

If CAA demolish the old baggage belts for outgoing passengers they could park another 738/320 type in stand 4.

At present the largest aircraft that can park there is a 733 due to IAA regulations.

lm06

19th Aug 2006, 08:22

quoting from para 3 of Tom's below.....
"Either that or start having a real killer instinct in the business sense like Shannon has had in having many U.S. trooping flights and bizjets passing through for fuel down the years. Instead of having a loony approach of agreeing to suicide deals with the likes of Ryanair as Bernard Allen TD, Fine Gael would have Cork do by giving them the old terminal for next to nothing why not spend a small amount of cash tidying it up a bit and introduce it as a top of the range corporate/general aviation terminal and go all out as vigorously as possible to go after a share of the transatlantic bizjet traffic and even some of the military flights? Shell could get involved and maybe bear some of the developments costs etc? They all ready make a packet out of Cork anyway with their monopoly on fuel."

hear hear ! TTT for CAA ceo !

EI896

19th Aug 2006, 09:01

Back to basics now. There was a huge electrical storm in the Cork area around teatime today. The airport got a good lash of it and the lightning knocked out the VOR, the ILS to 35 along with the approach lights. Don't think the runway lights were effected and the viz remained good during the showers but a bmi baby 737 was in the hold for about 40 minutes before finally following in the Ryanair 737 from Dublin that was also in the hold for a while. At least there were no diversions this time no doubt much to the annoyance of the crowd from the midwest!

If Bernard Allen TD of Fine Gael wants to use the airport as part of his electioneering campaign for next year's General Election why not be positive and get involved in a call for a CATIII ILS, more ramp and more runway instead of waffling on about what Ryanair can offer the airport if they get everything for free like the old terminal. What is galling though is that if they wanted Ryanair could at at the drop of a hat show a gesture of good will towards Cork and very easily introduce a new British or European service from anywhere at all at around three a week. Look at how well their profile would be raised in the public's mind in Cork.

Yes Tom I had my scanner on yesterday around that time and when Eirjet109 was coming in he was established for the ILS on r/w 17 when he tried to contact the tower the weird thing for me was the tower didn't answer and got a bit worried but then he contacted approach and told him about the situation, the approach cleared him to land and asked him were the lights on? If anybody know EICK you'd see that the approach is two or three levels further down which made it fairly hard for the controller to see out, Eirjet109 answered back "the full Xmas tree is on" he finally landed and then about two mins later Baby160 came on the approach the ATC told him of the conditions in EICK and he decided to hold three or four miles by NAGEL then the ILS and VOR shut out, and he was there for another good while he asked the ATC to pass on the delay to his dispatcher so he wouldn't get in trouble/ be worried are the words used by the pilot, after 10 more mins I gave up listening to him, and as Tom said he was holding for another 40mins at one stage he said to the ATC about diverting to EINN, but decided against it, when I turned my scanner back on at twenty to nine he was just departing, so like many people said it wouldn't be able to cope, and they were right.

EI896

19th Aug 2006, 09:13

Sory lads I couldn't get it out in one:O
The develoment of a cargo area in the 40 acres and the demolition of the 3 Cargo warehouses to the north of the new terminal has gone to the top of the agenda.

Runway extension and parallel taxiways not on the horizon at present.

However a breakthrough on open skies could change that.

What has been said on the official CAE forum: We won't get a r/w extension for the simple reason we don't need one. For the moment a B757 can take off and that would mean Continental or AA could come in so could United and NW though I doubt any of them will.

I don't think the cargo development is going ahead either?

Last year the paralell taxiway got turned down because if you look where the club is if any heavies come in, it'll tear the roof off, so what was suggested to me by a friend is that if the cargo development gets built that the club should beput in right next to it it makes sense cause if the light a/c come out they can just turn to the left or the right and take off, it's genius that idea and I'm surprised nobody in the DAA or CAA thought of it.

EI-MICK

19th Aug 2006, 09:45

The ILS is ALWAYS shut down in lightening conditions by ATC.The VOR was probably available.There was no damage to the ILS afterwards.

EI896

19th Aug 2006, 10:29

Oh right, but no the VOR was not available cause he asked the controller about diverting to EINN by saying "We think we might look at our options about diverting to EINN because you have no approach."

Charlie Roy

19th Aug 2006, 14:05

What is galling though is that if they wanted Ryanair could at at the drop of a hat show a gesture of good will towards Cork and very easily introduce a new British or European service from anywhere at all at around three a week. Look at how well their profile would be raised in the public's mind in Cork.

All Ryanair have to do is take advantage of the Route Support Scheme, where they could introduce NEW routes from Cork and pay significantly reduced charges for the first five years!

Charlie Roy

19th Aug 2006, 17:41

Source: Unison.ie

CORK is poised to enjoy a major Hollywood spectacular, with three leading actors, Michael Madsen, Richard Chamberlain and ex-footballer Vinnie Jones, starring in the film Strength and Honour, which begins shooting next month.
The movie, based on a script written by Irish author Mark Mahon, 38, revolves around a boxer whose friend dies following a particularly brutal bout.
It is hoped to film parts of the story in Kinsale, Douglas, and Mark Mahon's native Rochestown. Even Cork's new €200m airport terminal is scheduled as a film location.
Michael Madsen got the lead role despite strong competition from other US stars, including Matt Dillon.
Richard Chamberlain immediately signed up - and now Vinnie Jones, who splits his time between Kenmare, Co Kerry, and Los Angeles, has joined the cast.

A total of 40 Irish actors will be used in the filming schedule, which is tentatively slated to begin in mid-September.

ryan2000

19th Aug 2006, 17:51

Let's hope this is not the only new business they can attract to the new terminal.

840

22nd Aug 2006, 10:03

First Impressions of Departing through the new terminal

The self-service check in machines are way better located than in the old terminal. No more battling through the check-in queues to get at them
It's annoying that you have to walk through the duty free shop to get to the departures lounge. I can see the commercial thinking, but on a busy summer Sunday with loads of charters, the shop is going to be far too busy
The execitive lounge is small, but much more comfortable than the old one. However, it still doesn't have its own toilets

Also, the stand with the airbridge was occupied by the Czech Airlines 737 this morning. However, they had steps attached to the front of it. Is the airbridge still out of action or are even Czech Airlines not using it?

brian_dromey

22nd Aug 2006, 20:46

It's annoying that you have to walk through the duty free shop to get to the departures lounge.

Hi 840, I actually thought that was the case as well, but its not. After the security area to your right there is a set of doors where it is possible to get through to the boarding gate area. I suspect that most people will not see this and go straight through the 'Duty Free' area.

As Im here, I flew to Dublin last tursday and at Gate 2 the information screen read "EI000 London-LHR/Agadir" I think the departure time was about 18:00 was this just a test screen or was there actually a special charter or something?

Charlie Roy

22nd Aug 2006, 20:57

Last Thursday I saw the exact same departure displayed when in the terminal around 8pm except the destination was given as Lanzarote. A test I imagine...

ryan2000

22nd Aug 2006, 23:54

Does anyone know why GATE 2 is not being used or what's wrong with the single solitary airbridge by the Banks of the Lee?

fanatic1

23rd Aug 2006, 21:36

ryan2000

I think its because there is maintenance going on to make the airbridge
''operational'', if it is ever going to be operational.

Charlie Roy

23rd Aug 2006, 22:05

fanatic1

"Maintenance" would suggest it has already been in use a good while. You mean it's just not ready yet :suspect:

fanatic1

23rd Aug 2006, 22:13

Exactly, My bad! :=

FlyCorkInternational

25th Aug 2006, 10:19

Rumour has it that Czech Airlines are pulling off Cork-Prague effective end of January 2007. What a big loss this is. How many more are CAA going to let go....

Charlie Roy

25th Aug 2006, 11:38

FlyCorkInternational

That would be a disaster :{
What's the source of this rumour?

orkpilot

25th Aug 2006, 11:48

Originally Posted by FlyCorkInternational
Rumour has it that Czech Airlines are pulling off Cork-Prague effective end of January 2007. What a big loss this is. How many more are CAA going to let go....

Thats what I heard as well.
Before we know it, there will be thumble weed blowing across the ramp in cork and the new terminal will be like a ghost town!!!

FlyCorkInternational

25th Aug 2006, 13:04

Source is reliable airport official. It has also been on the local news (96FM) - although they have not been reporting it as definite. However rumour now around is that if CSA go - then Malev will also follow.

Whats happening at the Airport - It is an Airport we have or has it been built for some as yet unknown purpose.

Seriously tho' it is so frustrating that the board of CAA don't even appear to care.

Charlie Roy

25th Aug 2006, 13:45

However rumour now around is that if CSA go - then Malev will also follow

I can't see the logic of that :suspect: I can't imagine Malev giving 2 hoots about whether CSA stays or goes... If there's money to be made, then Malev will stay.

I suppose CSA are leaving as they have seen an impact on future passenger numbers / yields as a result of Aerlingus also going on the Prague route :*

fanatic1

25th Aug 2006, 20:57

I always loved CSA, they are a ''proper airline'', unlike ryanair and aerlingus, the low cost airlines.

fanatic1

25th Aug 2006, 21:17

Oh yeah and just out of interest, on the day of the heineken cup final (i know it was ages ago!) but when Aer Arann and other flights parked on runway 07/25 how did they get the passengers over to the terminal?

fanatic1

25th Aug 2006, 21:31

Whoops sorry, seen many posts of peoples websites before. edited.

Can anyone answer my question about the heineken cup day?

hafez

25th Aug 2006, 21:33

I'm sure they parked at like stand 2, let the passengers off then went to 07/25, then the next aircraft would have space to park etc

Charlie Roy

25th Aug 2006, 23:13

I always loved CSA, they are a ''proper airline'', unlike ryanair and aerlingus, the low cost airlines.

Proper airline they might be, but they're also in the red :\

http://atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=6185
"CSA Czech Airlines President Radomir Lasak this week reported half-year losses of CZK773 million ($35.2 million), widened from a CZK240 million loss in the first six months of 2005 but CZK20 million less than forecast, the CTK Czech News Agency reported. The carrier expects a full-year loss similar to the CZK496 million suffered last year but intends to return to the black in 2008. Revenues rose 8.9% to CZK 10.9 billion and costs increased 11.3% over the year-ago semester to CZK11.5 billion as the number of passengers climbed 6% to 2.5 million.
CSA unveiled its OK 06-08 restructuring program two months ago calling for elimination of 10%-20% of its payroll, or up to 1,000 employees. Lasak told CTK that 224 staff members have accepted a buyout so far and another 150 are expected to follow soon. The airline expects to save CZK150-CZK200 million through its turnaround measures this year and CZK500 million next year."

http://www.radio.cz/en/article/82420
"The airline is re-thinking its flight plan in view of competition from low cost airlines and considering new destinations. According to unofficial sources, flights to Moscow will be added, while flights to Edinburgh, Split, Cork and Sarajevo may be scrapped."

EI896

26th Aug 2006, 09:15

It's not looking to bright for the future in Cork Airport, CSA I thought would pull out when Aer Lingus started plans to operate that route, no proper airline can compete with a low-cost airline unless oyur service was extremely good. But then again I thought Air France service is very good and they compete with Aer Lingus out of Dublin.

But who ever said that Malev were going to pull the plug? Apparently the loads are very good and a friend travelled over a month or two ago and said the flight was full.

orkpilot

26th Aug 2006, 10:21

"But who ever said that Malev were going to pull the plug? Apparently the loads are very good and a friend travelled over a month or two ago and said the flight was full."

But sure the CSA was full as well, even some mornings it was over booked!
This is bring back memories of when Cityflyer pulled the LGW route!
I know Aer Lingus are going to operate the route but its a shame to be loosing a REAL airline.

FlyCorkInternational

26th Aug 2006, 10:46

Yes Malev are doing well, and with a lot of transfer traffic. CSA are also doing very well, again with substantial interline passengers. It had to have been one of the more successful new routes out of Cork when CSA launched it. As for the reasons for their impending withdrawal, its not yet clear what the reason is. Whether its the impending arrival of EI on the route, or its their mounting losses in the overall group - who knows. The rumours surrounding the withdrawal indicate that its not a done deal ..... YET.
So as there would still seem to be light at the end of the tunnel, the CAA (if any one of them actually has the initiative or B**LS) should do their unmost to retain CSA in Cork. Its a completely different ballgame loosing a full service flag carrier like CSA than a LoCo.
Come on CAA, hope you have someone reading these forums and you might realise you have to do something.

OltonPete

26th Aug 2006, 11:32

Although Cork is a slightly different market to Birmingham the same thing
has already happened here.

The CSA load factor hovered between 70 & 90% depending on the time of
year and then along came BMI Baby and doubled the monthly traffic
between the two cities.

CSA stuck it out for a bit but and load factor did not go down by that
much as CSA were taking business and connecting pax and Baby...well
lets say, they had a different type of pax in general of course ;) .

One assumes that it was yield that took the nosedive and CSA were
soo history. It appears that they simply cannot compete with the LCC's
on smaller markets.

Edinburgh has retained its CSA service but am I correct in thinking
GSM are about to restart, which could lead to trouble for them?

I think Glasgow had a service as well and that went at similar time
to BHX.

Manchester is a bigger market and they have retained their CSA
but I would not be surprised if Cork is not the last.

BHX is now almost under-served now on Prague with one evening
Baby averaging over 115 per flight. At least it is probably making
some money for Baby but still it was nice to have a choice while
it lasted.

Pete

FlyCorkInternational

26th Aug 2006, 15:10

Aparently Edinburgh is also in the same rumour as being for the chop as Cork has been.

lm06

26th Aug 2006, 22:26

slightly off topic (!!) but you guys are experts...
why can't u use seven-four-sevens on short routes ?
i know they're designed for transcontinental
but why not fit them with efficient engines for short routes like LHR-ORK
- are they simply NOT able for lots of cycles ??
- could they not be toughened to cope or is just not being able to change the laws of physics, jim?
ie why use A321s when you could fill a bigger plane
...apols for daft question but....
about twenty years ago, tony ryan was floating the idea of an "airbridge"
linking ireland to uk and continent....ie...lots of big planes toing and froing
never happened in that guise but i guess that's what led to ryanair.
i thought idea was you could rock up, jump on, fly off...cheap...with cargo...liek those old car-carrying things they used to run from dover to deauville in the 50s (bristols??)......

840

28th Aug 2006, 08:52

Just going back to the CSA news/rumour. While the Aer Lingus flights to Prague will have had an impact, they will have had very little time so far to assess the impact on their yields. I suspect that the route has been fairly marginal and that EI's decision to fly to Prague made the decision for them.

When the route started, it was Cork's only route to Central/Eatern Europe and as well as people going to Prague, it was popular with connecting passengers going to Poland or elsewhere. With the new flights to Warsaw, Budapest and Katowice (with more to some), there will have been a reduction in demand for the service and it may have been this general trend that is encouraging them to drop it.

If there's a positive side, it should mean that a lot of passengers for destinations not served directly will use Budapest to connect, which could shore that route up a bit. That said, CSA's presence will have encouraged Malev to launch flights and I hope that their departure doesn't cause a rethink.

ryan2000

28th Aug 2006, 14:54

The Poles were great users of the service in 2004/5 and of course EI flts to TXL and FCO would also have had an impact on connecting pax.

Also Malev's service to Budapest would have diluted their traffic to The Balkan countries.

Load factors were generally good but again the great unknown was the Yield.

It is reported that Senior Management from Cork are to travel to Prague this week to discuss the future of the service.

CSA's presence there did take Cork to a new level and may have prompted EI to look at more direct services to the Continent.

FlyCorkInternational

28th Aug 2006, 16:59

Yes I too heard that top CAA officials are travelling to CSA in Prague this week, and from what I have heard they are going there on the basis "Keep them in Cork no matter what". Hope it will go well and the result is positive.

If only they would do the same with Easyjet.

MarkD

28th Aug 2006, 19:05

lm05 - check out the 747SR they used to use in Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747-121#747SR). Bet you can't turn one in 25 minutes though. EI 747-148s used to do EIDW-EINN both ways (100 miles I think?) in the bad old days...

Tom the Tenor

29th Aug 2006, 00:16

In my absense due to family illness it sure looks like Cork is taking some blows over the last week or so - let us hope there is not any more bad news now for a while. One of my colleagues is a Czeck lady and she confirms the ongoing speculation in Prague that CSA are considering pulling out from Cork. Obviously, she is very concerned about the situation and hopes the something may be retrieved and it is good that the CAA are waking up to the gravity of the matter. Losing easyJet is bad but to lose a 2nd major operator like CSA that has brought nothing but good to Cork must be a near doomsday scenario to contemplate for the powers that be in Cork.

It has come to my attention that the likes of Sean & Mary Citizen in Cork are at last beginning to talk about what state our great new airport is in at the moment and in my experience the public are asking questions now without any prompting which is new. I feel this is telling in itself and that the airport is being found out as over the last year or so there was a lot of ducking going on with little contact by Cork with her client airlines and perhaps the airport is now paying for this kind of devil may care attitude?

Sending out the troops to Prague may be a gesture too late just to be seen to be doing something in a sense of panic but I do wish Cork well because losing a quality operation from the middle of Europe like CSA brings the future of the airport into question as to what kind of future airline they may hope to attract to Cork.

I have also heard a rumor that EI are delighted that CSA may be pulling out so will it be Malev on the block come next autumn? God forbid. If CSA are out of the picture it is impossible to see EI at near a 5 or 6 a week capacity to Prague in the future as it looks like there will be so much capacity to central Europe with flights to Prague, Wroclaw, Katowice, Krakow, Warsaw, Berlin and Budapest. It is hard to seem them all survive at much more than 2 or 3 flights a week at the very most, if that? However, in the meantime there is every chance for Malev to put up their name in lights and they may pick up some more interlining traffic which would be good all round for them and for Cork.

There is also some news from DHL. They are downsizing from the 757 to the venerable Lockheed Electra from September! A welcome return by an old friend to Cork!

Was in the upstairs restaurant last week for the first time. Very high prices and poor service by some of the newer staff. There were a lot of complaints about the restaurant too on 96FM local radio last week but missed all of that coverage. Like in the old terminal there may be issues arising with blocked drains. Not a great situation to be in for a brand new terminal!

riverrock

29th Aug 2006, 18:30

it seems to me that the idea to replace old with new at ORK hasn't worked as well as they thought it would.. how many carriers is that this year gone?? at this rate they will be moving back into the old terminal and renting the new one instead of the other way round! what exactly is the brief of the new marketing team? it certainly isn't to create traffic.. and has anybody heard the new adverts??! don't bother catching your flight, sit around and get tanked up in the bar instead! :confused: what bright spark thought that one up!!:rolleyes: SNN wont be long going after the lost business at ORK, and with far superior Route Support Schemes they are certainly in with a chance.

fanatic1

29th Aug 2006, 18:58

Riverrock

I assume you are from Shannon by the way you put down Cork and put Shannon up. Cork is busier than Shannon in movements (which is how you record how busy an airport is) and this year will probably surpass shannon in passenger figures.

Passenger figures continue to grow at Cork, unlike shannon when one year, there might be 2.4.million and the next 2.1million.

Apologies if you are not from the Shannon Region.

EI896

29th Aug 2006, 20:46

Well Fanatic Riverrock is probably right lets face it the add is crap, every month now an airline drops out, we're in great need of airlines!!!

And what's more today DHL have announced that they are going to downgrade there a/c type to a Lockheed Electra. I mean that's so old it's not even funny, I can see them changing that in a few years anyway.

fanatic1

29th Aug 2006, 21:35

Ok, the ad is crap but the advertisments on the Bill boards are good. It would be nice to see more airlines, but cork can cope. Like the likes of Aer Arann and Shamrock adding routes all the time. Wizz and centralwings.

News from my friends dad who is an airport official said that the Malev management team told the CAA that they are going to keep the service until at least 2008, then they will see if they will continue.

Oh yeah and the downgrading to a lockheed electra, whats the point in having a 757 when you can barely fill a LE? Thats why they got rid of it. It doesn't make a difference to Cork, same amount of pakages being carried by DHL.

Sorry riverrock, but I don't like when people put EICK down.

EI896

30th Aug 2006, 09:17

Well yesterday night a friend mum works for DHL and I asked her about why are they downgrading? and her reply was....

"DHL are downgrading becasue we just lost a major contract to another cargo airline."

So they could fill the B757 but not anymore. So all we're going to have on the ramp is some small freighters. Until Bluebird comes and goes in a half an hour.

fanatic1

30th Aug 2006, 10:37

News from an airport official on cork-spotters says that CSA may do a turnaround flight instead of an overnighter.

So they will continue their Cork-Prague route. (Hopefully)

840

30th Aug 2006, 11:06

fanatic1

It would save a lot on costs, but it would reduce interlining opportunities, which could be their big advantage against EI.

BTW Suggest you remove the name you used in the post.

Tom the Tenor

30th Aug 2006, 16:01

Must agree with 840 on the above that CSA would lose out too much on the interlining business if the flight no longer overnights at Cork. The CAA might as well pay a little towards the crew's hotel accommodation especially when you consider the kind of uniquely generous incentives awared by Shannon to Ryanair?

It would be better for CSA to send over an ATR-72-500 to Cork in the evening for an overnight rather than turning around a 737 in the middle of the day. They need at all costs to keep the one advantage they have with the interlining traffic.

Who knows, this whole experience may even be postive for Cork if it jolts the CAA into life to be more agressive in keeping the business they have all ready?

ryan2000

30th Aug 2006, 16:13

An ATR wouldn't stand a chance against an EI320. I hope I'm wrong but its going to take some persuasion to get CSA to reverse this decision if it has been taken at the highest level.

We might be have the best hurlers in the Country but we're only a dot on the map in the CSA headquarters.

Best of luck to the marketing team on Friday!

lm06

30th Aug 2006, 17:11

could someone define "interlining" for this amateur

would be great if one of the airport people contributed here to rebut stuff that's said

840

30th Aug 2006, 17:23

could someone define "interlining" for this amateur

The easiest way to think of it is taking connecting flights.

So, if you want to take a return flight from Cork to Riga, a flight that leaves Cork for Prague in the morning and one that comes back in the evening gives you the maximum possibility for connnections in Prague.

The Aer Lingus Cork-Prague flights don't arrive until around 8 pm, which is far too late to connect on from Prague.

Also, not all airlines allow it e.g. Ryanair and BMIBaby don't

Currently, the connecting traffic from Cork tends to use Heathrow, Amsterdam, Paris, Prague or Budapest

orkpilot

30th Aug 2006, 19:29

All fairness TOT would you get on an ATR for a flight to Prague from Cork???
You might as well have left yesterday to arrive tomorrow. And the way the weather has been for the last few days especially over europe the ATR would have been blown back to Prague with the wind and never made Cork!!
Lets hope CSA stays

Charlie Roy

30th Aug 2006, 22:30

its going to take some persuasion to get CSA to reverse this decision if it has been taken at the highest level

Couldn't agree more!

PS - The free downloadable travel guide to Cork on Ryanair's website is available in English and Swedish. Pity though that we have no Swedish route to speak of... :(

en2r

31st Aug 2006, 21:40

Just seen Wizzair are introducing a new Katowice timetable from 30th October. Much earlier flights which should prove more popular. Does anyone know how this route is doing?
Also BMI Baby are introducing daily flights from Cork-Durham Tees Valley. Was this in anticipation of Jet2 dropping Cork-Newcastle? How will the route fare now Jet 2 have decided to continue? Also new Birmingham timetable with earlier flights which seem to place them even more directly in competition with AerLingus. Manchester also gets much earlier flights but there are now 2 flights on a sunday. It will be interesting to see how these new flight times will affect passenger numbers.

840

1st Sep 2006, 08:11

The daily flights to Durham-Tees Valley were because BMI Regional dropped Leeds-Bradford. As part of the same group, they'd have been able to anticipate that. They might not have anticipated Aer Arann going on to the route.

FlightDetent

1st Sep 2006, 08:42

Although it is quite possible you guys have more in-depth knowledge than me I have to say that as CSA employees we had been presented with official chop list for winter 06/07 and Cork is not on it.

At least the rumor says that the ski charters are awaiting.

FD.

Tom the Tenor

1st Sep 2006, 13:40

The rumor in Cork is that the ski flight to Gerona is to be operated by BMI this coming winter with an Airbus A321. Rumor only so far as it would be great to see the CSA A321 again at Cork. Time will tell.

Anyone have any news on how today's discussions in Prague are going to try and save the CSA service to Cork? It is going to be terrible if this super service is lost so let us hope for a strong performance by the Cork team.

The situation is almost as serious for Cork Airport as it is for the Cork hurling team in next Sunday's All Ireland Hurling Final against Kilkenny in Dublin. Fingers crossed for the right results!

840

1st Sep 2006, 13:57

Anyone have any news on how today's discussions in Prague are going to try and save the CSA service to Cork? It is going to be terrible if this super service is lost so let us hope for a strong performance by the Cork team.

There is an announcement on the Czech Airlines website that the route has been pulled, but it's dated August 28th. However, after they've publicly said they're leaving it, it will take some persuasion to get them to hang on.

Charlie Roy

1st Sep 2006, 14:43

Czech Airlines to discontinue its service to Cork

Prague, 28 August 2006
Czech Airlines (ČSA) has decided to discontinue its regular service between Prague and Cork, Ireland. The Czech national carrier will fly its last scheduled flight from Prague to Cork on 7 January 2007, with the return flight from Cork to Prague on 8 January 2007. As of that date, ČSA will no longer operate this flight and will use the free capacity primarily to enhance service to eastern destinations.
“Our goal is to respond flexibly to changes in the aviation market. That is why we very carefully evaluate the effectiveness of each route. From this point of view, the Cork route did not meet our expectations, and Czech Airlines’ management decided, rather, to use the airplanes in places in which it sees potential,” said Zdeněk Brettschneider, Executive Director, Sales Suppport.
The Prague – Cork – Prague route, introduced by ČSA in April 2003, has been flown six times a week, by Boeing B737-500 medium-haul planes.

Daniela Hupáková
ČSA Spokesperson

On the the CSA Ireland site.
:{

fanatic1

1st Sep 2006, 14:43

Thats weird?

The press release before the announcement of the cancelation is about the new terminal? Why talk about how great it is for CSA passengers to use it and then cancel the route.

Maybe they hadn't decided.

ryan2000

1st Sep 2006, 23:54

The simple fact is that EI will just carry low cost point to point weekenders to Prague. The loss of CSA is the most disappointing development for many years at Cork. A lot of hard painstaking work went in to attracting them here in the first place. It shows what can happen when you take your eye off the ball.

riverrock

2nd Sep 2006, 14:29

Fanatic 1 - on the contrary i am not an advocat of SNN. The point I am making is one which nobody can deny. Since last year's change in senior managment at ORK 4 carriers have left Cork Airport, the first longhaul charter service has again been cancelled and traffic looks set to be at a loss for 07. This all coupled with the move into a new terminal? I have followed the progress of ORK for many years and it is with great disappointment that I see what is happening now. When I ask what is the brief of the new Marketing team I am merely questioning the apparent shift away from route development. I am fully aware how one measures traffic through airports but if you look at predicted traffic movements for 2007 one has to assume a major drop in traffic for next year.
Easyjet - a loss of 3 flights a day
Ryanair - down to 1 flight a day to LGW, 4 flights a week to LPL, 3 flights a day to STN and 3/4 flights a day to DUB.
Czech - a loss of 6 flights a week
BMI Regional - a loss of 4 flights a week
Jet2 - down to 2 flights a week
Loganair - a loss of 5 services a week
The facts cannot be denied.:{

FlyCorkInternational

2nd Sep 2006, 17:01

I too at times wonder at the functionality of the Marketing Department, and also the whole leadership of the CAA. They do seem to have totally lost the plot and dont realise that but for Airlines and passengers they would be NO reason to be there.
Whilst I'm totally disappointed at the losses of routes and airlines, maybe it might take that to make them "WAKE UP" and see reality.
As for the losses, of course whilst any losses are totally unacceptable, you also have to look at the pluses.
Aerlingus to Birmingham, Berlin, Madrid, Prague & Tenerife (14 flts per week)
Wizz Air to Katowice & Gdansk ( 5/6 flts per week)
Centralwings to Wroclaw & Krakow (4 flts per week)
Aer Arann New flights to Galway & Leeds (10 flts per week)
Aer Arann Increase in schedules Dublin Bristol & Edinburgh (12 flts per week)
I hope there will not be any further losses and if some of the rumours I have heard are true then there might be more gains.

EI896

2nd Sep 2006, 18:14

Yes I totally agree alot of Airlines have pulled out over the summer, we have seemed to have forgoten about British Airways CitiExpress left too last year, but half of all of those routes that airlies have pulled out on I don't understand why? The Glasgow route was meant to have very good loads, so was the Prague, the East Midlands route that BMI Baby droped just last year, Jet2 should be making a profit if Newcastle airport is nearer but they aren't keeping the fares as low as you sould like, so Durham TeesVal gets the vote because it's near and the costs are low, Ryanair should be operating in there instead of Newcastle on account of be in of costs.

Lets just hope that the rumours about AA, Continental and Delta are true a daily I'm not too sure about AA but the other are meant to be in talks with the CAA which would be fantastic after our previous attempts and disapointments of T/A operations may come true and if we get a r/w extension and parralel taxiway we may get more cargo and take some traffic off EINN, that would be the main objective.

MarkD

2nd Sep 2006, 18:57

fewk lads,

I thought it was DAA doing us in when in reality we do a much better job screwing ourselves it seems!

lm06

2nd Sep 2006, 19:23

hate to state the obvious but if the marketers or the managers aren't doing their jobs...as one might expect a normal business outfit to do...it's because there is no incentive for them to do that.

how many executive staff are employed at cork - can't be more than 5 surely !...fellas in charge on the ground, not in dublin

Hawk

2nd Sep 2006, 20:46

....name names !

Not on this forum you wont.
Thank you
AA&R Moderators

mark_heg

3rd Sep 2006, 01:21

Hmmm yes it would be great to attract AA to either BOS or NY on a 757. I see that on wikipedia that northwest are commencing services to SNN and DUB as of next year on a 757 once again an interesting monoply :) DL to NY would be a great option too or CO.

EI896

3rd Sep 2006, 09:46

Well there are rumours about NW starting to Detroit next year. From EIDW and EINN but anybody can edit Wikpedia it's been edited quite alot and half of the stuff are rumours and it's really stupid, cause nothing has been confirmed and when people here things they put it down and make everybody believe what they think is true, it drives me crazy somebody edited the Cork Airport link on it and said the capacity was 5million when it's not it's only three million. Then somebody from the EICK forum had to go and edit it and make it all right again.

Well I could imagine AA starting a route in there to Boston, Continental to Newark and Delta to Atlanta, maybe after that Aer Lingus might show interest in T/A operations but at the moment they aren't really interested. But EINN will lose out on alot of routes when the Stop Over is lifted, Is the AF 747-200F that goes in every Saturday afternoon a fuel stop?

Charlie Roy

3rd Sep 2006, 13:38

It has come to my attention that the likes of Sean & Mary Citizen in Cork are at last beginning to talk about what state our great new airport is in at the moment and in my experience the public are asking questions now without any prompting which is new.

Ya, I was struck by the same thing this weekend here in Cork. My mother spontaneously started giving out about the loss of CSA, and she's the last person I'd expect to be tuned in to all that. Then the next door neighbour was telling me she flew with CSA last week, both flights full, 40% Irish, 30% Czech, 30% other (eastern) European.

I also have a number of friends affected by the withdrawal of this service. For example one guy who flies regularly Cork to Stuttgart via Prague :(

lm06

4th Sep 2006, 09:58

Excel Airways announcing this deal yesterday
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=184&si=1682189&issue_id=14600

sorry for slight off-topic (as usual)....what does he mean by a "broking airline" half way through the article

that link needs a free subscription so here's the sentence.....
" he added over the weekend that the Excel group had much more vaunted plans for its new Irish service in the years ahead. "Within five years I expect to be the top broking airline in Ireland."

Cyrano

4th Sep 2006, 10:59

what does he mean by a "broking airline" half way through the article

I assume he means a wet-lease carrier, i.e. one that sells capacity to tour operators, other airlines, etc rather than directly to Joe Public.

This is what would hitherto have been called a "charter carrier" but these days the charter boys are all relabelling themselves "leisure carriers" and selling seat-only.

His reference to being the "top broking airline in Ireland" in a couple of years thus translates as "We're going to be bigger than Eirjet and bigger than Aer Lingus's/Futura's/Flyjet's Irish charter operations."

lm06

4th Sep 2006, 11:26

would this type of outfit sub-lease their planes out to a mainline airline
who needed short term capacity or is this function done by different
people ?

hafez

5th Sep 2006, 15:39

Bad night for Cork last night with Wizzair diverting to Shannon and Aer Arann 466 (i think) diverting to Kerry. 466 was circling for 30 minutes and at 12:20 they decided to try an approach to see if the rvr would go to at leats 600 but it remained at 500 to 550 for the approach which forced them to go to Kerry. The Wizzair didn't even attempt the approach as it was only CAT1 rated (strange for an a320) and requested busses to bring pax from cork to shannon. The worst thing was that the minute 466 was handed off to Shannon the RVR went upto 600 and got better throughout the night then with callsign "K320" landing with a CAT1 approach at an rvr of 600.......

It's going to be a long winter if it stays like this. I can see Wizzair changing to Shannon fulltime if they will have to divert nearly every flight. Why did they choose a flight time of so late anyway :ugh:

ryan2000

5th Sep 2006, 21:37

Can't imagine WIZZ having to divert nearly every flight ! Amazing that the based Ryanair aircraft hasn't diverted once since 24th November last. The trick when holding at Cork is to patient as the RVR does fluctuate and rarely stays below CAT 2 limits for very long.

Aircraft which bring enough fuel to hold generally though not always get in.

Airlines which send aircraft and crews to Cork that are not CAT 2 compliant are only storing up trouble for themselves.

lm06

5th Sep 2006, 22:58

what's the diff between cat 1 and 2 and how difficult to achieve for crews ?....hours or years ?

840

6th Sep 2006, 12:41

The Czech Airlines announcement that they are pulling out of Cork has gone from the website. Wishful thinking or maybe there's some hope?

As regards the weather in Cork and airlines flying CAT I. How many days a year would you fail to get into Shannon on CAT I? The weather up there isn't exactly brilliant and while they have better navigation aids, it doesn't really matter if the airline is unable to use them.

fanatic1

6th Sep 2006, 15:09

Good news! Check the CSA booking engine, you can book flight for February and March and April and June and July and August of 2007!

Just not in september or nov, oct or dec. Its probably that they don't let you book that far ahead.

YIPPEE! YIPPEE!
Looks like they are staying after all!

Maybe they are going to try it again!

fanatic1

6th Sep 2006, 15:25

Ok I was wrong. There was a problem with the booking engine, but it still looks hopefull because they removed the press release.

Provance

7th Sep 2006, 08:47

I would get my hopes up people - i'd be very surprised if CSA went back on their original press release

orkpilot

7th Sep 2006, 09:49

Stranger things have happened before......

EI896

7th Sep 2006, 19:56

Lads what are you on about? There is no chance that CSA are returning most airlines delete there press realeases when bad news comes up, Ryanair deleted there press realease after they droped from a supposed three flights a day to one, but then again I never saw it? easyJet when they announced their press realease I saw it only to see 2 days later it was gone, same with Loganair, BA CitiExpress I didn't even here they discontinued flights, and again same with BMI Regional, BMI Baby to EMA and so on so forth, this is bull sh*t someone is spreading rumours when there is no need to.

brian_dromey

8th Sep 2006, 12:30

OK, fof those of you who dont know what an airline broker does, here goes. The broker, e.g XL, agrees to find capacity for an IT company(these are usually smaller, independant companies) and then scours the market for that capacity. XL will then contract an airline to operate these services. Air Malta charters are a good example of this, Air Malta has an agreement to supply 2x A320s to XL, it is then XLs liability to fill this capacity.

Earlier on there was mention that perhaps there were some new route announcement to be made? Can anyone elaborate?

ryan2000

8th Sep 2006, 16:23

Cork are sending 4 people to the Routes Conference in Dubai so maybe that will generate some new business.

We're looking at negative growth for 2007 if things stay as they are with Easyjet,BMI Regional, Loganair and CSA gone and Ryanair back to just one a day on Gatwick.

The 4th EI 320 based here should provide some additional capacity for the 1st six months of the year but not enough to counter the negatives.

Bearcat

9th Sep 2006, 08:02

what's the diff between cat 1 and 2 and how difficult to achieve for crews ?....hours or years ?

Its down to visibility and crew/aircraft/rwy certification. Once the vis (rvrs) drop less than 550m cat II becomes active.

Generally during low vis operations the aircraft will do an auto land so its a very much monitored approach...allas not for Cork which from a pilots perspective is a dump. The approach is very undullating that the aircraft tend to flare early and land deep if the automatics are left in so we have to disconnect at the latest 80 ft which is a crook of sh@te as it defeats the ideology of the appr in low vis. This leaves its own challenges murking round in low vis trying to get a snap shot of how close the rwy is to you before ones buries it or floats, there is a hump on the 1000ft point on 17 and then it goes away from you ....not easy when the rvrs are 300m and your in fast moving fog as in cross winds and cloud on the deck assoc with cork.

Have to say its not one of my favourite approachs.....beamish in Cork, a balti in the indian palace and treats in the english market you cant beat!:ok:

lm06

9th Sep 2006, 08:37

so as landings go it's a tough one at cork ?

what would the cost be to flatten the rwy in those offending places to then allow cat II and III equipment / conditions ?
surely not that much over 10yr period ?

so the crew have to be rated for such types of landings and not all are...have i got that right ?

EI-MICK

9th Sep 2006, 10:29

its not just smoothening a hump and putting in a piece of equipment for CAT3,its the actual airport too,there has to be CAT3 rated fire facilities,CAT3 holds on the apron etc etc the list is endless.It will never happen at cork.

asianfly

9th Sep 2006, 12:20

Thanks for that Beatcat and EI-Mick....sounds like building the airport on the top of a hill was not exactly an enlightened decision. Some things have always struck me about the airport....firstly, the way fog can descend on the airport within minutes, and then just as quickly disappear again! Secondly, the slope on the runway is quite visible from the terminal. And finally, has anyone ever noticed that they (ATC I presume) switch off the runway lights after every departure and arrival. I could understand it if there were only a few movements a day. Surely the electricity bill is not the issue:bored:

fanatic1

9th Sep 2006, 13:21

asianfly

Weird I say. On average there is a take-off or landing every 11 minutes according to world airport facts March and July 2006. Trying to save up for the money that was spent on the new terminal .
(I presume)

eick320

9th Sep 2006, 17:00

With EI about to commit a 5th overnightinging aircraft for the summer of 2007 i wonder where all these aircraft are going to park at night. Yesterday morning every stand from stand 4 to stand 15 was been used, not wanting to disappoint the pprune lovers of cork airport but our lovely new 200m building is too small already. And still even upto this evening our most valuable 1 airbridge is still hanging there idle ..... Discuss !!!!!!

ryan2000

9th Sep 2006, 17:09

CSA will be gone unless they do a U turn although Ryanair might well have a 2nd aircraft based there and I can't see them taking NO an answer from OCC .

Charters will surely be pressurised to avoid the late evening hours when parking is at a premium and as for biz jets etc, they'll be shunted off to Kerry and Shannon.

Has anyone calculated how much Cork has lost in revenue in parking fees and landing fees since it started to make it awkard for General Aviation visitors. Did it ever occur to them that what is needed is some extra concrete?

fonz77

9th Sep 2006, 18:45

Have to agree with ryan2000, you can build a terminal in Cork to handle as many pax as you want, but its irrelevant if the airside infrastucture doesnt support this.
Cork needs more stands.
What would the chances of extending taxiway Charlie through 17/35 for some remote parking to the west. Or bravo through 07/25, there seems to be alot of space there.
With regards to the parallel taxiway, the plan in the old terminal had it on the east side. As stated before there are some issues with the club that make this difficult. Why not have on the west side of the runway. Planes on the main apron could use alpha, charlie, 07/25 to access it.

Charlie Roy

9th Sep 2006, 20:09

With EI about to commit a 5th overnightinging aircraft for the summer of 2007

Where is this rumor coming from? :suspect:

Ryanair might well have a 2nd aircraft based there

Not holding my breath... :hmm:

ryan2000

10th Sep 2006, 09:26

Reports about EI putting an additional 320 in Cork have been circulating at the airport for some weeks and are firmly based .

The 2nd FR738 rumour surfaces from time to time and is a bit more difficult to assess. Many of the UK provincial cities served at present by ATR's i.e Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds are tailor made for Ryanair as are Glasgow (Loganair withdrawing), East Midlands, Bournmouth etc.

It also will be intersting if FR's decision to go head to head with EI in Dublin will be replicated at Cork or will they allow the latter to have a monopoly to Berlin, Paris ,Rome, Barcelona, Malaga, Faro, Lanzarote etc.

Of course the impact on yields at SNN will be another factor.

phil_2405

10th Sep 2006, 09:50

The 2nd FR738 rumour surfaces from time to time and is a bit more difficult to assess. Many of the UK provincial cities served at present by ATR's i.e Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds are tailor made for Ryanair as are Glasgow (Loganair withdrawing), East Midlands, Bournmouth etc.

I would expect Ryanair to give ORK-EMA a go at somepoint, possibly with their next round of expansion at EMA.

840

10th Sep 2006, 18:50

Where is this rumor coming from? :suspect:

I'd heard that one too, although it was spoken of as a strong possibility rather than the definite "about to commit".

At the moment, Nice is dropping off the winter schedule with Malaga, Alicante and Faro operating on reduced schedules, so a new aircraft could use a lot of its time bringing those routes up to last Summer's schedule, while maintaining the new Winter routes. I suspect we might see Amsterdam going back to double-daily every day (where it was in Summer 2002!).

I don't know if a fifth aircraft will bring all that many new routes.

ryan2000

10th Sep 2006, 19:54

Dubrovnik has been mentioned

Tom the Tenor

10th Sep 2006, 23:55

5th EI A320 or not who cares!? The CAA? They don't so why should we?

If easyJet and CSA could have been hung on to for next summer that would have done just fine. As it is Cork will be losing out on a quality connection to a great interlining hub in Prague from next January on CSA's departure and the marked drop in capacity to Gatwick from when easyJet quit at month's end and when FR halve their capacity on the route just you wait and see what will happen to London fare prices along with the loss of UK tourists to the Cork & Kerry areas as the UK city break travellers are fond of flying the flag and flying with one of their own carriers whenever possible. I am still convinced that with the tiniest bit of effort Cork could have saved an easyJet presence with a least one flight but what is preferred instead is another FR Cork-Dublin service. For heaven's sake!

It appears to me that the CAA do not have a clue, not an idea! Have you any idea just how sad it is to see the September issue of the easyJet inflight magazine and seeing Cork being mentioned for the final time? It broke my heart over the weekend.

Cork should be ashamed of themselves but then again they know little shame. Everything is arseways at Cork just like it has always been. Even with a few of the EI A320, a Futura or two, some Ryanairs, RE ATR and if you get them all around together the new airside areas of the terminal are still stretched as grand n' all as the new place is and the ongoing shafting of some corporate users by the banishing of some bizjets to the likes of Shannon for overnight parking it is clear that few lessons are being learnt at Cork. The limited ramp, the short runway & lack of CATIII, all the problems remain along with expensive restaurants with so many disinterested employes whom prefer to chat around with each other rather than serving customers and best of all you have the CAA busy bodies in their yellow dayglo strutting around the place like they are generals and are God's gift to airport management thinking that they know it all. International standards, how are ya! Whom do they model themselves on - is it the BAA at the London airports? That is some standard all right!

What will now happen over the debt of the new Cork terminal? Even Cullen and the shower in the Department of Transport must rethink again what the conclusions were in the consultantcy reports in the light of easyJet's imminent departure and the impending departure of CSA next January. There is now no way at all Cork can take on much of the burden for the new terminal with so much business being lost as the income will simply be not there!

Every cloud has a silver lining! Some cloud!

JDB1052

11th Sep 2006, 20:27

A business colleague told me of his unexpected cold shower this morning running along the apron to catch his flight from Cork - drenched to the skin in a downpour, along with everyone else on the aircraft, and grumbling about the farcical situation the DAA have allowed Cork to degenerate into. Surely the airlines must have some clout with the jokers who are more than capable of providing a 21st century terminal but turn a blind eye to customer facilities - no doubt they think the customers will just blame the airlines who, in reality, must be jumping up and down and being ignored by powers that be.
Dear DAA,
It rains a lot in Cork. Can we please have some cover or a bus when we need to get onto aircraft that are not parked directly outside your new terminal. If it's not TOO much to ask.
Yours damply,
A disgruntled customer (yes, we are all YOUR customers too)

Tom the Tenor

12th Sep 2006, 00:18

Heard another story from Cork this evening that there yet may be a tiny, tiny thread of hope about CSA and Prague in that the final decision regarding their intentions towards Cork is to be made some time this week. However, this seems to contradict what is showing on the CSA website for late next January which has a connection to Prague from Cork with Malev through good ol' Budapest. Either way, it looks like Cork's fate will at last be decided upon in the coming days.

To complement JDB1052's story about renewed wettings on the ramp at Cork like on Monday morning it must also be noted that the solitary airbridge continues to be out of action. What a poor impression that must give to the airlines that had expressed a willingness to try out the new facility and so between the drenched pax and the gamy airbridge Cork is once again being shown up. You can be sure such a poor state of affairs would not exist at Shannon.

There is yet another story from Cork and golly it is not for the squeamish! The story that I am hearing is that the ground and first floor of the old terminal is becoming rat infested! I am not surprised by this turn of events. The drains from the kitchen sinks that were used to wash the pots of pans are probably so choked with decades of rotting & decayed food waste which is no longer being kept down with near continuous flows of hot water the rats are able to make an appearance and until all the rotted food is used up by the rats the infestation is likely to continue.

How very sad. What it does is to sum up in a metaphor some of the story of Cork and Irish avation what between the slackness at the heart of a lot that passed for effort & lack of vision at Cork down the years and the insipid, rotten and decaying corruption of what the Shannon stopover represents for flights between Ireland and North America. In a way, the infestation of the rats in the old terminal at Cork is a kind of brutal handing down of a kind of poetic justice to the sort of national policy on aviation that has been allowed to continue for so many generations. For example, look at the performance of one time transport minister, Mary O'Rourke and her record on air transport and what her line was on the stopover.

The rats are one hell of a judgement.

N by NW

12th Sep 2006, 16:19

Don't know about EI basing a fifth aircraft at ORK. If you book for post March 07 capacity has been reduced on a number of routes (Nice and Rome x2 per week) and no booking option available for Madrid and Lanzarote.

Does anybody know if CAA are advertising in counties other than Cork. As it is now in competition with SNN, then it should be targeting Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary to persuade travellers from those counties to fly from ORK. Rather then using glossy photos of the new airport, any campaign should identify routes not served out of SNN such as Madrid, Budapest or Prague together with lowest available fares . The campaign should also draw attention to the fact that Cork based routes fly to a city's main airport thereby saving time and additional travel costs on arrival.

Charlie Roy

12th Sep 2006, 20:02

Don't know about EI basing a fifth aircraft at ORK. If you book for post March 07 capacity has been reduced on a number of routes (Nice and Rome x2 per week) and no booking option available for Madrid and Lanzarote.

Well, we should be glad really that Nice is at least being reintroduced for next summer, since it disappears for winter.
I'm really surprised that Rome is being reduced!! Rome is one of the most profitable routes from Dublin and Shannon. Are Cork people so indifferent to Italy!!?! It amazes me that the only Cork to Italy scheduled connection next summer will be Cork to Rome with Aer Lingus on Wednesdays and Sundays. (Regarding city breakers etc, I suppose Wednesday and Sunday are as good days as any when compared to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday :\ ) Up the road in Shannon they can fly to Rome, Milan and Venice :eek:

Warsaw is also set to go from 1-3-5-7 to -2-4-6-!
This the last route I expected to see reduced. Are Aer Lingus feeling the pinch since the other 4 new Polish routes have started up? (And the Berlin route is also transporting some Poles I bet). But I think Aer Lingus should fight their ground on Warsaw. -2-4-6- is not very attractive to city breakers and the like, nor the expats for that matter :ouch:

It's nice to see Heathrow going back up to 5 flights. Only natural too after the reductions from Easyjet and Ryanair on the Gatwick route.

Eitherway, it's early days yet. The schedules aren't finalised as evident by certain routes still being unscheduled, and the schedule could change again before next summer, especially if an extra aircraft is to come our way ;)

Does anybody know if CAA are advertising in counties other than Cork. As it is now in competition with SNN, then it should be targeting Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary to persuade travellers from those counties to fly from ORK. Rather then using glossy photos of the new airport, any campaign should identify routes not served out of SNN such as Madrid, Budapest or Prague together with lowest available fares . The campaign should also draw attention to the fact that Cork based routes fly to a city's main airport thereby saving time and additional travel costs on arrival.

I've driven through Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Limerick and Tipperary over the last few weeks and Cork is the only place I've seen those billboards.
I agree Cork airport should highlight the routes offered when advertising :ok: But it would be very difficult for them to selectively highlight certain routes. They would have to advertise all routes equally/proportionally so to avoid complaining by the airlines :ouch: Not so easy when you think about it...

ryan2000

12th Sep 2006, 20:29

The schedules for May are a carbon copy of last May when EI ,had only 3 aircraft based in Cork. I suspect that they haven't been updated although an extra FARO appears on Friday mornings.

Cork Manchester has also been mentioned as a distinct possibility. 2 years ago there were 5 flights per day on the route and its now down to a daily BMI Baby service. EI already compete with them on Birmingham so watch this space.

Charlie Roy

12th Sep 2006, 21:37

The schedules for May are a carbon copy of last May when EI ,had only 3 aircraft based in Cork. I suspect that they haven't been updated although an extra FARO appears on Friday mornings.

True, I didn't cop on to that.
Analysing the summer schedule was totally premature on my part then. :ouch:

Cork Manchester has also been mentioned as a distinct possibility. 2 years ago there were 5 flights per day on the route and its now down to a daily BMI Baby service. EI already compete with them on Birmingham so watch this space.

I think 5 flights a day was bordering on over capacity, even if BA used small aircraft, and the Liverpool route wasn't around at the time. I'd much prefer to see a new route introduced instead of two nice and reasonably priced airlines eating each others profits.
EI have a base at Cork so won't be going anywhere I dare presume. Baby's future in Cork on the otherhand is far more endangered and I would hate to see EI scare them away :sad:

asianfly

13th Sep 2006, 04:53

Saw this in the Irish Independent....not too sure what to make of it....is it simply a connecting service to Dublin or Cork for onward travel on a charter?

Waterford airport eyes new routes boost

WATERFORD airport is close to a deal which would see the number of international destinations it operates doubled.

Final agreement on the deal is expected soon - it will see planes taking off from Waterford and using another Irish airport as a hub before flying on to Malaga, Faro and Prague.

At present, Aer Arann operates flights between Waterford and Luton, Manchester and Lorient in France.

Yesterday, former senior management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Graham Doyle was appointed chief executive of the airport.

Chairman Nicky Fewer said talks were at an "advanced stage" with an unnamed airline to fly chartered, seasonal flights between Waterford and the three new destinations.

He said passengers had expressed an interest in new routes from the airport which are usually only accessible though Dublin and Cork airports. The new routes will start running in April 2007.

ryan2000

13th Sep 2006, 08:33

Probably a 146 of some description. Waterford came close to a similar agreement two years ago. Should work if fares are competitive with Cork and Dublin scheduled flights. Remember people's first loyalty is to their pockets as Cork Airport found out last year when it tried to launch charters to JFK. Most Cork people continued to opt for the slightly cheaper EI and CO flights out of SNN.

brian_dromey

13th Sep 2006, 10:23

The airport has purchased some billboard space on the main Cork-Dublin road. Every so often "Cork Airport-The Peoples Choice" can be seen. Hmm, thats all well and good, but unless the airport is the AIRLINES choice there will be eff all people!

The EI schedule dosent seem to be fully loaded, but this makes sense, if EI are currently considering a fifth A320. Have EI finally based flight crew at Cork, or will they still shuttle up and down from DUB? Surely this would be a serious financial and logistical challenge for FIVE a/c?
Im just guessing here, but a fifth a/c could be deployed to MXP, CPH, FRA, MAN, with the rest of the capacity taking AMS to 2x daily and CDG to 10x weekly? That fifth a/c could also do the fifth LHR run. Any thoughts?

Charlie Roy

13th Sep 2006, 10:26

Im just guessing here, but a fifth a/c could be deployed to MXP, CPH, FRA, MAN, with the rest of the capacity taking AMS to 2x daily and CDG to 10x weekly? That fifth a/c could also do the fifth LHR run. Any thoughts?

EI said yesterday that they foresee expansion into Greece, Scandinavia and Turkey, so CPH doesn't seem all that unreasonable ;)

840

13th Sep 2006, 13:35

Im just guessing here, but a fifth a/c could be deployed to MXP, CPH, FRA, MAN, with the rest of the capacity taking AMS to 2x daily and CDG to 10x weekly? That fifth a/c could also do the fifth LHR run. Any thoughts?

If they bring Nice, Malaga, Alicante and Faro to last Summer's level, that could eat up 7 of the 14 (presumably, although if UK routes are involved, it could be higher e.g. Birmingham 1x daily) available rotations.

My own guess is that Amsterdam would go to 2x daily and that 2 new destinations would be added at 2x weekly.

At that frequency, the more business oriented destinations (Frankfurt & Copenhagen [which is incidentally not served by Aer Lingus from Dublin]) seem unlikely.

I'd be a little surprised if they went for Dubrovnik. It is currently served only 2x weekly from Dublin, so a Cork service would seem dubious.

If I was putting a bet on it, I'd say Riga 2x weekly and Palma 2x weekly as new destinations with the other new rotations providing extra capacity on existing routes.

Then again, on the last expansion I was convinced Riga would be there and Madrid was the only destination I correctly foresaw...

N by NW

13th Sep 2006, 14:44

Point taken CR. However, regional airports are no longer attracting a broad spectrum of airlines but increasingly are becoming the homebase for one or two airlines e.g. Jet2 and BMI at Newcastle. After all FR are doing more to promote SNN than the SAA. EI unlikely to do the same for ORK. Therefore the CAA should take the lead and join forces with EI/RE and other airlines together with Cork/Kerry tourism and promote Cork abroad as a quality product e.g. fly with an upmarket LCC; use a smart looking terminal as port of entry/exit and enjoy what the region has to offer - Kinsale; food in West Cork etc.

For the local market i.e Munster, the CAA should talk up ORK's interlining options. While SNN gets you from A to B, ORK gets you further with its direct connections to user friendly hubs such as AMS; CDG and (hopefully) PRG. Again, rather than glossy photos, a world map such as currently used on the CSA website would suffice.

The CAA could be creative by rotating its marketing campaign between airlines using the airport to counter any perceived bias. I'm sure that if the CAA was willing to use part of its budget to promote airlines based at ORK, it would attract more of them.

Shanwickman

13th Sep 2006, 16:35

I see from the Slattery Sun website that for next winter their Lanzarote
programme from ORK will be using the EI scheduled service on Saturday.
The same applies from DUB.
The EI scheduled service is a gain, but with the loss of a weekly charter flight.
Off topic Slatterys have bought Stein travel.

JDB1052

13th Sep 2006, 18:29

N by NW

They would be far better off putting some of their marketing money back into the facilities by getting rid of the need to walk in the rain to the aircraft. Without that, they are wasting their time trying to promote a "quality" airport. They may get the Continental tourists once, but they wont be back for their next holiday.

asianfly

14th Sep 2006, 02:14

JDB1052

Agree on that. And whatever about one off tourists, the CAA would do well to look after regular users of the airport by providing a basic service where one does not get drenched to the skin when boarding an aircraft. Blowing money on billboard advertising is a complete waste, especially when the CAA complain they are short of resources. Spend the money on putting in a canopy or providing an airside bus, or even pouring some more concrete for biz jet parking.

840

14th Sep 2006, 07:56

To come back to the bus situation. It's my understanding that these should be provided by Servisair etc. rather than the CAA. There are even parking places for buses marked out near gates 1 and 2, but nobody is providing them.

And a walkway... It amuses me that they cover the walkway between the carpark and the terminal and not between the gates and the stands. Appear to provide a good service until someone is actually taking a plane.

Provance

14th Sep 2006, 10:50

another route lost for Cork as bmibaby decide to pull the Durham Tees Valley route - passenger numbers will be seriously damaged at Cork due to the continued loss of routes and airlines

840

14th Sep 2006, 11:11

Provance

Although, this is because of bmibaby pulling out of MME, so it's not one we can blame on airport management in Cork.

I'm growing increasingly doubtful about them as an airline, so the CAA could do well to look for a replacement on the Manchester route before they find it unserved.

Provance

14th Sep 2006, 11:15

840

No, I dont blame the Cork Airport Management team, but I agree with you about looking for another carrier for that route. I think EI could perhaps do very well on that route - with good advertising

Charlie Roy

14th Sep 2006, 15:51

another route lost for Cork as bmibaby decide to pull the Durham Tees Valley route

Sad news, especially for the guys in Durham Tees Valley :( This may motivate Jet2 to yet again increase frequency on its Newcastle route. Ryanair could also make MME work. But I imagine that Ryanair would base an aircraft at MME before they'd base another one at ORK...

fanatic1

15th Sep 2006, 15:18

For gods sake! Another route (at least its not an airline) gone.

Dissapointing stuff. What it was is BMI Baby pulled out of Durham Tees Valley because of the costs. Thats why they had to pull the Cork route.

Lets hope Jet2 will increase flights now!

EI896

17th Sep 2006, 09:30

Jet2 played this one safe and one.

It's very unfortunate that Cork has lost another route, butl ike Jet2 had fate so should BMI Baby and drop frequencies on that one too. I can see BMI Baby pulling out soon if we don't start making Cork appealing. But I doubt they will on second thought with their routes to Manchester and Birmingham doing extremely well.

And it all started off with Michael O' Leary getting rid of easyJet.

johnrizzo2000

17th Sep 2006, 14:32

I wouldnt say the Summer 07 timetables have been finalised in EI's scheduling dept, so we will probably see Rome and some other destinations with extra rotations!
I doubt ORK will see CPH service from EI, as they dropped the route from DUB. Riga, Milan, Palma, LasPalmas, and Budapest would see likely as new routes from ORK. With CSA leaving ORK, EI might increase flights to Prague. They've done a good job at driving CSA out, so they could start Budapest to drive Malev out. With TFS and ACE, LasPalmas seems logical
as so many people fly their already with charter airlines. Geneva may also be a possible route for next winter.
With very little competition on routes to Europe ex Cork, EI will probably expand, and defend its base there. With falling yeilds on routes from Dublin due to FR's competition, Cork might be the money maker EI need!

ryan2000

17th Sep 2006, 20:44

I can't see Ryanair allowing EI to expand further in Cork without reacting in some way. Looks as if the airport could be dominated by Harps and Shamrocks before too long more.

Tom the Tenor

18th Sep 2006, 00:10

Cork had some low cloud early last Saturday afternoon with RVRs down to 250 metres. Two bmi baby flights from Birmingham and Manchester ended up diverting to Shannon along with the EI825 from Nice and the final Aer Arann flight of the season from Jersey also diverted to Kerry. More much needed lost revenue for Cork amid the guffaws of derision from the airport in the midwest.

Also, the Malev winter schedule begins early this year. There are no more Friday evening flights from Budapest to Cork as the last one for this season was flown last Friday, 15th September with a Fokker 70. The schedule will now be arrivals into Cork on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays and departures for Budapest on Fridays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

Unionjet28

18th Sep 2006, 04:05

Tom,

While I thoroughly enjoy your musings, please give it up with this whole airport in the midwest lark! There arent crowds of us up here laughing just because you have a wx diversion!

;)

Tom the Tenor

18th Sep 2006, 07:54

That is the problem though and so clearly identifies what Cork has been up against - the decades of twisted, favouring patronage towards Shannon via the stopover etc by consecutive, shabby Fianna Fail governments, an equally shabby Aer Rianta and a Pontius Pilat attitude by a civil service dictating terms to an earlier Aer Lingus so enjoyed by Shannon has been nothing but a national shame, a farce, a stinking corrosion and has done nothing but to support Shannon & the midwest region whilst at the same time has done the absolute maximum damage elsewhere to aviation and to air transport policy in Ireland.

The notorious feuding gangs from the council estates of Limerick have not had to travel very far to take lessons in the black arts.

Shanwickman

18th Sep 2006, 10:16

I thought that this was an aviation forum, now we are discussing crime in
Ireland!

Yes Tom please try and adopt a more positive attitude, most of your postings are of a negative nature. Everything that happens in Cork that is not to your liking is the responsibility of Shannon, Kerry or somewhere else.

ryan2000

18th Sep 2006, 10:38

To be fair to Tom, Irish Aviation Policy has been a joke. The Shannon Stopover (a throw back to the flying boat era) has hindered long haul flights out of Ireland for decades and continues to do so even as Aerlingus is about to be privatised.

The piecemeal development of Dublin Airport is also testimony to years of neglect as is the lack of any real vision for Cork untill very recently.

Having said that an odd diversion from Cork isn't going to save many jobs at Shannon. The DAA have rightly identified the fact that Shannon's cost base is unsustainable and have correctly put an embargo on any further recruitment.

Any further withdrawals from Cork could also have serious implications for jobs there as the days of loss making state airports being bailed out appear to be an end. Servisair in particular will be affected when CSA, Easyjet and Loganair go and BMI Baby drop Durham. Also Charters are significantly down this summer as Aerlingus open more and more Sun Routes.

asianfly

18th Sep 2006, 12:19

I have to agree with JohnRizzo2000 in that Cork will simply become a Shamrocks and Harps airport, with the two battling it out. AerLingus will probably continue to put the squeeze on those smaller operators who have opened up some routes and gradually those smaller players will be forced out. Similarly, expect FR to make a big splash once they focus their guns on Cork, which I think they will eventually do. Interestingly, FR more or less have SNN to themselves on euro routes, whereas EI is the dominant player at Cork. Will Cork become a carbon copy of their battle at Dublin? Or will they leave each other alone, with FR having SNN to itself and EI having ORK. Either way, intersting times ahead.
Finally Tom the Tenor, while we all know Irish aviation policy has been a complete joke, I think it is all too easy for the gang at Cork to simply blame the SNN lobby for all their ills. Cork should concentrate on getting its own act together rather than looking enviously over the shoulder at SNN.

Unionjet28

19th Sep 2006, 02:49

ah jaysus lads, ye have me feelin sorry for poor tom now!;)

You do make the point well though, its unfair to just blame SNN for everything.. you may forget, but for many years we in SNN had to endure the trek to ORK to catch a European flight, in much the same way as the stopover lark means a trip up here for yourselves.

Additionally, although we may well have the airbridges and the long runway, those airbridges are pretty much in tatters, and the runway could do with a re-surface, so we havent exactly been getting it all our own way! In any case, the notion that we are laughing in SNN and constantly trying to get one over on ORK is nonsense.

By the way, for the record, I dont and never have agreed with the stopover policy. This place has been shored up for too bloody long and needs to stand on its own two feet.

Might I add tom, you have enough problems with Crime and gangs in ORK, just been lucky enough to avoid getting the bad name!

ryan2000

19th Sep 2006, 23:18

Conflicting reports about Cork seem to be doing the rounds. On the one hand Easyjet, CSA,Loganair and BMI Baby are either leaving or cutting back while rumours are rife that both EI and Ryanair are planning to expand from there very shortly.

Latest prediction is that the airport will not reach the 3million mark for 2006 which will be a major dissapointment.

840

20th Sep 2006, 09:48

On the subject of lost routes, Aer Arann are not operating Newquay, Nantes or Lorient for the Winter.

Hopefully, we'll see them return next summer.

Nantes is a particular pity becaue with Ryanair not operating Nantes-Shannon for a period, there was probably a bit of business to be picked up.

Tom the Tenor

20th Sep 2006, 13:47

Were any of you listening to the local radio, 96FM, in Cork this morning? I was working and missed out on it myself but the boss's wife whom heard a few minutes said there was a hell for leather discussion about the airport on the Neil Prendeville Show for a good while this morning.

There were people ringing in and texting with their stories and complaints about the new Cork Airport. Among other things some of the topics included passengers off of 3 flights on one day last week having to wait up to 1.5 hours for their baggage all of which was delivered to just one carousel. That is just a little too long?

Another was how a deaf and blind man and his wheelchair bound wife arriving from the UK were left to their own devices in the arrivals hall and only for the help of another fellow passenger they might still be there now! Now, I know the handler probably did their little bit but after that does the CAA have any other duty towards their more needy passengers or is a smile and some words of kindness just too expensive to buy at an airport whose charges are all ready on the high side?

There was a rep from bmi baby on and it seems the company are keen to try the new airbridge but they might as well be waiting until the cows come home at Cork Airport for that to happen! There were complaints from people not being able to see out to their loved ones arrive and depart like was possible in the old terminal but it is just too late now to do anything about that, isn't it?

The airside area between the boarding gates and the passageway is said to be too narrow to let people pass by up and down to other gates, the shops and the bar etc. It was suggested that there are not enough toilets in the new terminal and the lack of more men's urinals came in for special notice! You'll just have to hold your beer, men!

What galled the host of the show, Neil Prendeville, was the lack of comment from Cork Airport on the matters and the line being spun is it is not the airport's policy to discuss operational issues and from a throway newspaper in Cork this week it looks like it is deemed a security risk to discuss whether the sole airbridge is working or not!

Uniquely Cork or wha'? Does anyone know if an on-line version of this show is available? I'd say it'd be a scream to listen to!

Stone mad!

Charlie Roy

20th Sep 2006, 13:59

Does anyone know if an on-line version of this show is available?

The Neil Prendeville show is rebroadcast at night between 2am and 5am I believe... I'm not sure though. 96fm will be more than happy to tell you the exact times if you ring them up.

ryan2000

20th Sep 2006, 14:07

This weeks wet weather will help Corkonians wake up to the fact that they will continue to get drenched due to the failure of the DAA to install airbridges and walkways.

Of course there is little point in spending more money on airbridges if we can't repair and operate the one that's there.
Further more the Discount cards for the Car Parks have been out of order for almost a month. Car Park attendants couldn't be more helpful. It's most unfair that these young people listen to irate customers for something that's totally outside their control.
What are the DAA and the CAA doing about these issues? When is Cullen going to make his mind up about the debt?

It's about time that the media highlighted the worsening situation at Cork Airport.

Charlie Roy

20th Sep 2006, 14:15

Car Park attendants couldn't be more helpful. It's most unfair that these young people listen to irate customers for something that's totally outside their control.

Totally agree!
Moreover, someone with "the control" should have taken action on this situation ages ago if that's the case!

fanatic1

20th Sep 2006, 16:46

Hmm. I heard the airport has reached 2.27 million yesterday, but they still mightent reach the 3million mark. Predictions at the start of the year said that it would be 3.1million but it looks like it wont even make 3million now.

:= :(

asianfly

20th Sep 2006, 17:00

Tom - Sounds like the gang on the radio had a good natter about developments up at the airport on the hill. The point about the lack of urinals is one that particularly amuses me. Whenever I go through the airport, there is always a line of arriving pax waiting to go for a 'wazz' but thoughtfully the new airport's designers decided in their wisdom that three urinals is more than enough. An absolute disgrace, and one of many absurdities in Cork.
I think the time is fast approaching when people say enough is enough and revolt. Who is the airport being run for - the employees, the unions, or the passengers? And how long can pax be fleeced in the name of a service that quite clearly does not exist.
Re immigration, a friend recently had to go through the usual security check before boarding the AerArann to Dublin, and on arrival had to line up and go through the lenghty immigration line! The boys on duty got very offended when he told them that they should be down at the train station as well, checking arrivals off the Cork-Dublin train. Next thing we know, we will have immigration checks at the county bounds. Farcical in the extreme.
Given that the DAA (and their minnions at Cork and Shannon) are obviously incompetent in almost every aspect of running an airport, they should be relinquished of their responsibilities and the management of the airports should be contracted out to someone who is willing to at least make an effort to do the job properly.

N by NW

20th Sep 2006, 19:13

Airbridges and covered walkways are not going to be installed in the forseeable future. In any case, as the airport has been in operation for over forty years and this year will see a record number of passengers using the facility, it is hard to see how the absence of airbridges has affected its performance.

A number of airports are abandoning the use of airbridges to cater for the LoCo airlines e.g. Pier A at Dublin where FR and increasingly EI base their operations and Pier H at AMS. In most cases the walk from the terminal to the plane is the same distance as that in ORK.

Don't know if there is a study showing that tourists are avoiding the Cork region due to the absence of airbridges or covered walkways at ORK.

As the glass in the old terminal was tinted on the outside, seem to recall that passengers were unable to see their relatives frantically waving at them when boarding.