Air Wales & Swansea airport...

[jetstream7]

Apparently Air Wales will make Swansea their main base (flights from Cardiff to Cork will continue).

In addition to this they will start flights to Dublin from Swansea (x3 Mon-Fri, x2 Sun)

Don't know when this service will start, but I hope they've done their homework on this as no-one has done anything out of Swansea before as far as I know
Got a concern too since Swansea airport is not easy get to for the pax as roadlinks to it are lousy, You may get to Cardiff more quickly although it's further away, plus the advantages of additional facilities will make it a more attractive proposition together with Ryanair's fares and BA's flight frequency?

Good luck to Air Wales all the same !

[The Guvnor]

Considering FR fly CWL-DUB for a mere £1 at present, can you really see anyone wanting to pay £199 for a seat in a DO228?

Sounds like another bright JHE idea! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

There's also another slight problem insofar as SWS isn't certified for pax operations - especially with the added security required for RoI and NI operations - so I suspect that their plans may well come to a grinding halt!

Add to that that they still don't have a CRS or anyone with any commercial/marketing expertise and you can see that forecasts for their longevity are probably on a par with those of Osama bin Laden! :eek:

[The Groover]

Guv - Get your facts straight.
Swansea IS certified for pax operation, they are currently operating with adequate fire cover for this type of operation.

Secondly they are meeting current regulations for flights to both RoI and NI, and am sure that if this operation were to go ahead it would be tightened even further.

Have you got an axe to grind with Air Wales, or is it that they have Aircraft, and you do not ????
Dont reply to this with the usual Bull, we have heard it all many many many times before (yawn)

TG

[Ops Bangle]

Memories

Didn't Severn Air try out of Swansea with some DH Dove's in the late 70's? and didn't Air Anglia route NWI/BHX/SWS with PA31's?

Ah those were the days

[LTN man]

Swansea has seen scheduled services before. Here is an extract from Swansea Airports 1965 Official handbook.

In 1956 Swansea was managed by Cambrian Airways. In 1959 Swansea Corporation took over the running of the airport. At that time there was no regular scheduled service but on 1st December 1959, a London Gatwick– Swansea - Brawdy service was started on a twice weekly basis. The service was operated by Morton Air Services and was the forerunner of what has turned out to be a most successful venture, now modified to a London- Swansea- London service. From 1st January 1962, it has operated on an all-year-round, five days a week basis. The same company also operates a service between Swansea and Exeter. Cambrian Airways have taken a keen interest in the development of services from Swansea and on 9th April 1960, they commenced a Cardiff- Swansea –Channel Island service on Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays. The company also operates between Swansea and Dublin. The first regular scheduled service from Swansea to a Continental airport was inaugurated by Derby Airways (now BMI) on 1st July 1961, the destination being Ostend.

Also on the back cover is an Advert for a Swansea- Isle of Man service operated by Dan-air

[The Guvnor]

Judging by the pics, it certainly hasn't changed much since 1965 either! And I thought PIK was really retro! :rolleyes: :eek: :rolleyes:

Lucky AW only use a 15 seater (4 seats removed for baggage apparently) ... I don't think you'd be able to get a lot more than 15 pax in there! :D :D :D

http://www.swanseaairport.com/images/aboutus.gif

Press release from SWS about the new service:

GOING INTERNATIONAL

SWANSEA Airport is going international with the launch of a three-times-a-day service to Dublin. And it could just be the start, with many more European destinations in the pipeline.

Sixteen jobs have already been created and 15 more are to follow. The announcement comes 17 months after city business couple Martin and Louisa Morgan took over the airport at Fairwood, in Gower, and has been warmly welcomed by the business community.

It is a small but welcome bit of good news for the airlines industry which is in crisis following the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Mr Morgan said: "I hope the people of West Wales will really get behind this route and that it will be the start of many more from Swansea. "We are on the first rung of the ladder as a scheduled airport. "We are a very viable airport which could, in the future, have routes to Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London."

Mr Morgan has ambitions to carry 300,000 passengers a year — Cardiff International has 1.5 million. The Dublin flights, which begin
on October 16, will cost from £99 return and use two 19-seater Dornier 228 aircraft.

The Air Wales service will take 55 minutes to arrive in Dublin, compared with the nearly 10 hours it takes the Swansea-Cork ferry to cross the Irish Sea. Air Wales to Ireland will operate three times a day Monday to Friday, twice on Sunday with no flights on Saturday.

The new service was welcomed by city business chiefs, including DVLA chief executive Clive Bennett, and Dennis Cann, manager of EDS. Mr Cann said: "A functioning airport is vital to the economic future of the area and will undoubtedly act as a huge draw to businesses." Air Wales deputy chairman captain John Evans said: "Dublin is the first step. By next year the transition to a 50-seater aircraft is planned and will open the way to extending the route to places like Amsterdam, Paris and Glasgow."

In preparation for the new passenger service, the airport has been overhauled and full air traffic control introduced. Sixteen new jobs have been created and another 15 people will also be taken on, including six to man the new reservations centre, Take Off Travel,
which will handle Dublin flight bookings. Special Branch and customs will also be based at the airport to cover security.

Today, at the official launch, Swansea West AM Andrew Davies said: "This announcement is of strategic importance to the future of Swansea. As a result Swansea will continue to attract high quality, technology-based businesses and employers."

[ 26 September 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]

[Warwick Hunt]

So how can an airport and an airline make money out of this route....Oh sorry is was profitable? 40 years ago with 9 a seat Dove!

[The Groover]

Hey Guv
Presumably this cut and paste job is your way of an apology !!
Nothing wrong with a bit of retro, but I don't suppose the cafe at SWS do square sausage !!!!!!

TG

[The Guvnor]

Indeed so, The Groover - you should know by now that I always try to be as unbiased and accurate as possible in my reporting!

The use of cut and paste makes it easy to differentiate between other people's opinions/press releases etc and my own - which is why I do it.

As for the square sausage - the Caff at MSE does! :D :D :D

[The Groover]

I can't see it comparing to the culinary delights that they serve at PIK.
I can't imagine why they think that Scotland is the most unhealthy nation in Europe..............oh pass the Iron Bru would you !!!!

TG

[GROUNDHOG]

I will not comment on the route chosen other than to say I would personally have liked to see somewhere not operated by FR but then I have not done the market research. I hope it wasn't based on the same logic as cancelling CWL/MAN though, a potentially brilliant route.

The tie up with Swansea can only be good for Air Wales and with the addition of the Morgan family travel experience, this brings the airline an oppotunity to move forward.

The staff are a truly great bunch as are the people at Swansea and they surely do deserve success. A great deal of money has been spent at Swansea and you don't do that unless you are very serious about it. Only time will tell of course but as I have banged on many times before get the marketing right guys and you CAN make it.

I wish everyone there the very best of luck with the new route/s.

Seem to have said all this before but for anyone interested see my post under jet blast.

Groundhog

[Zebedee Says Boing]

Does all of this mean that they did decide to go ahead with the purchase / lease of another Do228?


:) ZSB ;)

[Spoonbill]

I really do hope it is a success, howver I just can't see how they hope to compete with any service which is also operated from Cardiff.
On an operation with such tight profit margins, any competitor at Cardiff would only have to drop a proportion of their fares to the "low cost airline" type, and it would be the end of the road for Air Wales and probably Swansea Airport.
I hope they prove me wrong, best of luck to all at Swansea.

[humpty]

Was in Swansea recently and they're making a real effort to update the terminal. 3 proper check-in desks (a la LHR) and a whole lot of new paint. Someone's betting a pile of cash of this....

[1 2 GO]

Wishing eveyone involved the best of luck with the new flights. Swansea Airport has a huge potential and the local economy can only benefit from increased flights.
Hope this is the start of a much needed expansion. :cool:

[GROUNDHOG]

Zebedee - As you may know one aircraft is owned by Roy Thomas G-BUXT and the second G-RGDT currently leased from Islandsflug, but I think the plan is to purchase this if the price is right. I understand a third is planned but eventually if the airline is to expand they will I suspect go into something bigger but there should always be a place for the Do228 on North/South Wales for instance?

Question. Swansea, surely they need full Xray and screening equipment, don't know if this exists but I can't imagine Dublin airport would be very pleased with passengers arriving unscreened into the terminal building?

Since my cover is blown as ex MD of Air Wales I have to say Roy Thomas has my total admiration for his continued support of the airline and the man truly deserves to succeed. There is no sign of this support waining and contrary to press reports he continues to do it from his own pocket.

The 'hog now gets roasted so this is his last post - goodbye everyone and thanks and best wishes to all the fantastic staff that supported me in Air Wales during my time there. I'm back off to the potting shed or out to but some bowls.........

[Gweithio]

Sorry to See you bow out Groundhog especially as I now hear that JHE is no longer in charge at Air Wales.

Now the handbrake is off they may succeed after all... :D

[Out Of Trim]

I heard a rumour in the summer of Pembrey / London flights - using the old airfield Ex RAF Pembrey Sands - now a Formula 3 racing circuit about 15 miles from Swansea.. Don't know which operator was involved though? ;)

[Gweithio]

Think that was Air Wales in the early days, before their move to Cardiff.

[Ber Nooly]

Just saw two DO228s leaving DUB for Swansea today at about 1600Z - Red Dragon 817 and, shortly after, 812. Pilots didn't seem too confident though. First one was given a radar vector but still tried to stick to the SID (Vartry 2P). Second guy continued climb through 2000 feet SID limit after been told to follow SID. Both just didn't install too much confidence in me.