Another Ryanair Scottish base

[Findo]

Gives a whole new meaning to Blue Streak at Leuchars !!!




http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/article/0,,986-294250,00.html

[Caslance]

So that'll be "Edinburgh North" then, will it?:D :D :D :D

[LRdriver]

or Londons new international airport
25 quid for a bus transfer to Kings X:D

[Flypuppy]

Why dont Ryanair do a deal with Dundee Council and expand Dundee Airport? Or is that too obvious?

[LTN man]

Dundee's runway is only 1400 X 30m

[Anti Skid On]

Found this (http://www.thecourier.co.uk/febcourierrede/NewsStory.cfm?StoryID=23939&Today=130502) whilst browsing the BBC this evening.

BUDGET AIRLINE Ryanair confirmed last night that talks are under way which could see cut-price flights to London, Paris and Frankfurt operating out of RAF Leuchars.

But the Irish-based company, Europe’s biggest no-frills operator, said it will also listen to what officials at Dundee Airport have to say before making a decision.

With the company offering seats on its services from a few pounds each, crucial to the decision will be the landing fees levied by the airport operators, although infrastructure changes would be required in Dundee to handle continental services.

"The situation is that we have got 100 new planes coming in over the next six or seven years, and we are looking at new airports and airfields all over the country," said Scottish sales director Kathryn Munro.

"As far as an east coast airport is concerned, we would be looking at operating similar destinations to Prestwick-the likes of London, Dublin, Paris, Frankfurt and Brussels.

"In Scotland there are a limited number of possibilities at the prices we want and we are looking at other options."

Having successfully begun operating at an RAF airfield in Cornwall, the company is increasingly keen to investigate possibilities outwith the existing commercial sector.

The sales director said they had "recently started" talking to the RAF about using Leuchars, but that the discussions had not reached the "in-depth" stage.

On the possibility of using Dundee Airport, she said they would "certainly" be prepared to hold discussions with officials, adding, "as a large, expanding company we are talking to lots of people.

"It is not always possible for us to approach everybody first," she added.

Dundee City Council economic development convener Mervyn Rolfe last night said there would be room for negotiation on the issue of landing fees.

Officials responsible for the council-run site, which already boasts regular flights to London through ScotAirways, are already holding talks with a number of airlines. "I will be very eager to have discussions with Ryanair about the possible use of Dundee airport," confirmed the councillor, who is also chief executive of the area’s Chamber of Commerce.

"If we are talking about services within the UK, then Dundee Airport could certainly handle most sizes of jets, and the proposals that we have in hand at the moment for the development of Dundee airport would mean that it could handle virtually any size of jet at all."

Mr Rolfe added that he was not sure the military requirements of Leuchars would be compatible with the operation of schedule services.

Nobody was available for comment at the Ministry of Defence last night, although it is reported that they have received an "expression of interest" from the Dublin-based carrier.

Ryanair’s commitment to acquire at least 100 new Boeing 737 800 series aircraft is the largest single order of next generation 737s ever made, and will give the company Europe’s youngest fleet. The 130 ft-long planes can carry up to 189 passengers, depending on configuration.

Earlier this year The Courier reported ambitious plans to build a civil aviation terminal at Leuchars, designed to accommodate and encourage more non-military business flights. Consultants carried out a study into the potential of more civilian traffic using the north Fife centre, although it was stressed that they were "not talking about the development of a regional airport."

A Ministry of Defence source told The Courier that the RAF was looking into "irreducible spare capacity" throughout its bases, including Leuchars.

One of the things mooted was to have civil jets coming to Leuchars, "which they already do when the golf is on, as long as there was not an exercise or anything happening," said the source.

"As far as I’m aware absolutely no decision has been made on this at all. It is quite feasible in some ways, but it isn’t going to happen overnight."

Ryanair began its Scottish operations out of Prestwick Airport in 1994, and it remains the centre of the Irish firm’s Scottish operations. In the year up to the end of last month the company carried over 11 million passengers throughout Europe, with around nine-in-ten booking via the internet.

Services to Dublin have been established at Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports, but further branching out on the east coast has been hampered by what the company describes as prohibitive landing fees.

If Leuchars gets the nod, it will cast a shadow over Dundee Airport-the subject of capital investment worth over £10 million in the past 25 years-and its daily flights to London.

Ryanair’s services would be directed towards its hub at Stansted, 45 minutes via high-speed train link from the heart of the capital, while ScotAirways use the central London City airport.

ScotAirways began operating from Dundee Airport in April 1999, under its old name Suckling Airways, swiftly establishing itself as a favourite with commuters to London City and back.

In November 1999 the name was changed after a multi-million-pound investment by Stagecoach operators Brian Souter and Ann Gloag. Mr Soutar later became chairman and the Dundee route went from strength to strength.

Shortly after the start of the Dundee route the company added Glasgow and Edinburgh to its London City link, then came Aberdeen and Inverness. The Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh routes were withdrawn in January, but ScotAirways reaffirmed its faith in Dundee by adding an extra flight to its weekday schedule.

Any truth to it

[Nopax,thanx]

They'll probably call it Glasgow East.......:D :D :D

[Chocks Wahay]

Comments by Dundee Council indicate expansion plans to allow them to handle "most jets".

How much runway does a 737 need?

[BillyFish2]

Well regardless of name - Leuchars has a large well populated catchment area it could serve. Dundee on the doorstep, Perth not far away and centre of Edinburgh 1 hour's drive away. If MOL can make this fly, fair play to him. There's a lot of people in east central Scotland who will be very pleased indeed if he does.

[Northwest 34]

They'd need to demolish the Tay Bridge to extend the runway at Dundee!! At least they could build an airport railway station easily - the track is about 20 yards from the check in.


NW 34

[Bally Heck]

Anyone who has attended the Leuchars airshow will know how "easy" it is to travel to. From Edinburgh Aberdeen or Glasgow, it is a non starter, so don't insult us with your "Edinburgh Leuchars" nonsense Mr O'L.

From Dundee, it is feasable. Twenty minutes in a car. Dundee people don't seem too keen on using Dundee airport though, so they may have to run a bit of a loss leader to build up the business from that city.

[C-dog]

Looks like Highlands & Islands Airports are playing coy with Mr. O'Leary. This from the Aberdeen local rag.

http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=84092&command=displayContent&sourceNode=83929&contentPK=1675536

Perhaps they didn't fancy being billed as Glasgow (North) or Inverness (West) :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[bounty]

don't forget that there is a rail station at Leuchars (for St. Andrews as the sign says).... Ryanair setting up at Leuchars (or Dundee) could take budget passengers from Edinburgh..

[BillyFish2]

Bally Heck,

Sounds obvious I know, but on the day of this airshow, would the road traffic figures coming from Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Glasgow not vary significantly from more normal traffic figures? I know from personal experience that a 1 hour drive from St. Andrews to the centre of Edinburgh is entirely feasible.

So now, say Ryanair ran 2 return flights a day to each of the five destinations mentioned with 737-NG's stuffed to the gills, that would total about 3600 pax coming and going per day probably spread over about 18 hours in that day - so about 100 an hour average each way. I'll venture this is a shade less increased density experienced than on the day of the airshow...

Anyway, doesn't really matter what Leuchars is called or 're-named' at the end of the day, it's still within an hours drive of a great deal of east central Scotland.

[FlapsOne]

No doubt Ryanair will offer to hold QRA as well to try and lower the fees :cool: :cool: :cool:

[simfly]

Am I right in thinking that a few overseas destinations for Ryanair & easyjet use airports that are miles away from the city they are there to serve? I think that as long as the same places were not flown to from Edinburgh, then Leuchers could work. Having an airport dedicated (maybe at first!) to one airline could be more attractive to passengers, and with lower landing fees can help keep fares down. I know of many people who travel to Prestwick
from Aberdeen to jet off. Even a local school party bussed it to PIK to fly to Stansted, then out to Aarhus.

I don't beleive Dundee is an option. According to the AERAD chart infront of me (dated dec 01), it's runway is 4593 feet.

[leonbrumsack]

I for one feel that an expansion of Dundee would be very good indeed; ScotAir's fares to London are rather high, and I am sure there would be demand. Also, I think that the council would probably be very keen to attract Ryanair. Shame about the runway dimensions - any realistic changes possible at Dundee?

[dundoniandean]

Seems to be a bit of room at one end of the runway at Dundee. Have a wee look at this

Dundee Airport (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/165014/L/)

Being of Dundonian descent, I'd love to see Dundee get a big boost with a successful low cost airline. It should attract from all over Tayside and Fife and possibly even as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Edinburgh - Prestwick isn't too easy to get to from Edinburgh. The rail track to Glasgow does indeed go right past the front of the airport and this should be taken advantage of. The combined population of Tayside, Fife and Central Scotland is quite considerable.

[BEagle]

Are they really going to fly to Frankfurt now? I know that they fly to where-the-hell-is-Hahn, but I didn't know that they were planning to fly to Frankfurt.....

[Lucifer]

FlapsOne: armed Ryanair 73s? They'd love to deter the competition - any way they can!

[brabazon]

Simfly

Yep, I don't think Ryanair will try to get a 737 into Dundee - my understanding is that they generally look for at least 6000 ft to avoid any restrictions on payload etc. Anyone know which is the shortest runway they serve?

Newquay, is certainly one of the longest!!

[NorthSouth]

Should be interesting - Tornados on bingo fuel competing with Ryanairs with slot times and impossible turnarounds to meet. St Mawgan's one thing; an operational RAF fighter base is something else - and it'll be even busier when the Tornado F3 OCU moves in shortly.

Bit different from the last time Leuchars was billed as Dundee Airport, in the late 1960s - Autair Airspeed Ambassadors and Handley Page Heralds to Blackpool and Luton, operating from a wee portacabin near the 22 threshold.

[simfly]

Aberdeen runway is 6001 feet, must be one of the shortest, the charter lot still get fully laden 737-800's and A321's out as far as the Canaries. Don't think there are many places that could be used to fly from Aberdeen though, apart from the London airports which, at the moment, only Easyjet are doing, havn't heard of any Ryanair ABZ-STN's but would imagine that would generate a few travelers.

[FlyingIrishman]

Well, the shortest runway used by Ryanair is actually Lubeck in Germany with 1,800 metres or thereabouts. This is only served with -200's though. Brabazon is right, for an airport to be suitable, the runway dimensions have to be at least 2,000m x 45m (6,500' x 147') and a PCN of 45.

[Wheelybin]

Personally I think the whole thing is a non-starter. Because the RAF would become severley embarrassed when Ryanairs 737's were constantly overtaking their shiny new Typhoons!

[Firestorm]

Easyjet seem to get on very nicely at Inverness, and we get on very nicely at Stornoway (smaller aeroplane, admittadly, but do you REALLY need an ILS?). If the Ryanair management think that their pilots can't cope with a VOR cloud break, or an NDB/DME approach.... Maybe they are thinking money and time. I think the runway could cope - Continental (I think) dropped a 767 in last summer. Maybe repeated landing by a 737, followed by high speed taxy and hard breaking would have more of an impact on the runway and taxy way surfaces... And I'm not sure that the ramp area is quite big enough: indeed with a SF340, a J41 and an ATP it is quite full up.

But after all that their is no need for Ryanairs' open rudeness.

[FlapsOne]

simfly

Just a point of order. Ryanair do fly to airports miles away from the city.......Easyjet do not.

All EZ's destinations are 'exactly what it says on the tin'.