Galway Airport to lose PSO subsidies

Sponge Bob

CowboyTed wrote: »

I don't know if people understand there is a where will I place my factory/R&D facility playbook which consists of alot of boxes to tick. One Major section is access to Markets and People. The thing is it is not just about getting people out to meetings in Europe it is also about getting people in. Specialist Contractors (IT, Medical, Pharma) are also needed to provide expertise in our facilities too.

Very true Ted . Against that we have this support ecosystem landing in Stansted and training to London to do a days work...1 hour away or indeed Gatwick..same. That is how far Shannon is from Galway.

We had a vague chance to build a 737 or A320 capable runway some years back or at least Denis O Brien said he would invest in one whatever that means. We missed that chance 10 years back. We have no choice now but to make a go of Shannon and interconnect via Shannon or else develop the Dublin proposition further with Executive coaches that take 20 in comfort rather than 50 cattle class punters and who collect at the premises/hotel not in the city centre only.

Galway Airport has no future save for niche flights to and from secondary airports like itself. Way it is. I vowed never to fly from there again once they started demanding headage charges in the airport...that is pure taking the piss.

Neworder79

CowboyTed wrote: »

We are attractive to inward investment because we are close to Europe, at the moment it is quicker to get from New York to Paris than from Galway to Paris. That puts us very uncompetitive, thus looses/fails to gain jobs.

I understand the importance of Easy access, and connecting flights are convenient when they are coorinated. But that example is just not is true.

With an Aer Arann connection from GWY you'd have to leave time for GWY travel, check in 30 min flight and DUB transfer before CDG flight, so over 4 hours travel time at least to CDG.

Even if a direct ATR service were viable from GWY it would take well over 3 Hours.

Are Lingus today fly an A320 from SNN-CDG in 2:30, add an hour max drive from Galway and checkin time and your talking just over 4 hours all in. Are you saying that's excessive? It would take longer to get to Heathrow from many parts of London than Galway to Shannon with the clear motorway and that city hasn't exactly come to a halt.

GekkePrutser

CowboyTed wrote: »

As for the Seaplane, better than nothing but as far as I can remember they can't land in the dark. So starting a seaplane business in September could have problems. I wish them the best of luck and it could be a goer. Considering the port tunnel it might just work for Dublin Airport, they would also have no restraint in summer on when to take off.

I don't know much about seaplanes but I could also imagine they'd be pretty dependent on weather. Visibility for one (as the sea doesn't have runway lights or instrument landing systems). Or rough seas.

I also don't really see the big advantage of using seaplanes here, Galway Airport is 10 minutes outside the city center, does have all the facilities for bad weather landings, a comfortable bar to have your coffee before you board, baggage handling, and the queues really aren't bad (and they certainly won't be for even smaller planes).

It would be cool for the tourists though, to get to the islands, and sightseeing around the cliffs, etc. That kind of thing is weather dependent in itself anyway. And being based at the docks it would be very visible.

Cosmo Kramer

The Galway Airport management were to have met with Minister Varadkar last week regarding the future of the airport, judging by this article it must not have gone well.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0516/1224297039625.html

REGIONAL AIRPORTS in Galway, Sligo and Waterford are facing closure next year following a Government decision not to shore up their mounting losses

Does the public and political will power exist at this stage to keep the facility open?