Closing Galway airport

phanley

The government are shouldn't have to put up funds for something like Galway airport.
In my opinion, 1. you either close it down and forget about it. or 2. Give permission for an extension of the runway and let someone like easyJet/ryanair run the airport if they were interested. 'Galways Easy Port' has nice ring to it! lol

I can't imagine it would cost much to grant permission and the land for an extension of the runway and then tell whoever wants to take over the thing that they will have to pay for it themselves.

I can see a larger Galway airport taking flights from Shannon and Knock (an airport who's location I think was madness, another 'gift' from the church to the Irish people). Galway is similar to the likes of Edinburgh for attracting stag and hen nights, never mind the American tourists that would come to visit the legendary Connemara if they had easier access to the city.

I'd love to see it stay open but in its current form it simply doesn't make sense to do that.

Used to work for Fortis out in Parkmore and the airport was used all the time.

phanley

phanley wrote: »

The government are shouldn't have to put up funds for something like Galway airport.
In my opinion, 1. you either close it down and forget about it. or 2. Give permission for an extension of the runway and let someone like easyJet/ryanair run the airport if they were interested. 'Galways Easy Port' has nice ring to it! lol

I can't imagine it would cost much to grant permission and the land for an extension of the runway and then tell whoever wants to take over the thing that they will have to pay for it themselves.

I can see a larger Galway airport taking flights from Shannon and Knock (an airport who's location I think was madness, another 'gift' from the church to the Irish people). Galway is similar to the likes of Edinburgh for attracting stag and hen nights, never mind the American tourists that would come to visit the legendary Connemara if they had easier access to the city.

I'd love to see it stay open but in its current form it simply doesn't make sense to do that.

expansion is no longer possible for galway airport

ted2767

Close it now it makes now economic sense to keep it open. IMO people who think it should be kept open are deluding themselves plain and simple. Shannon is an hour down the road why built Galway up or pour more money into it when it (Shannon) is so close?
So get over it close Galway airport and plan for the future.
And while they're at it the train line to Limerick, is that raelly viable?

ben.schlomo

ted2767 wrote: »

Close it now it makes now economic sense to keep it open. IMO people who think it should be kept open are deluding themselves plain and simple. Shannon is an hour down the road why built Galway up or pour more money into it when it (Shannon) is so close?
So get over it close Galway airport and plan for the future.
And while they're at it the train line to Limerick, is that raelly viable?

As viable as your spelling.:rolleyes:

Lapin

Deleted User wrote: »

expansion is no longer possible for galway airport

Why ?

ted2767

ben.schlomo wrote: »

As viable as your spelling.:rolleyes:

Is that the best you can do?

Bosco boy

By the way does anyone know where our local ( formerly vocal ) government TD's are, Animal farm comes to mind! Fair play to Denis Naughton he stood up for his constituants in Roscommon, this is the thin end of the wedge in terms of what is coming. The ballot box is 4 and a half years away so they don't need to answer to us because we have short memories! Seems like we replaced like with like!

ben.schlomo

ted2767 wrote: »

Is that the best you can do?

Yes, yes it was.:cool:

dell1211

Deleted User wrote: »

Used to work for Fortis out in Parkmore and the airport was used all the time.

Used to being the key word. At a guess the fantastic roads to Dublin and semi fantastic to Shannon didn't exist.

I used to work for a us multinational and traveled very regularly between our 25 european sites and very few were located 15mins from the airport so it's no huge disadvantage to Galway that business people have to travel for 50mins from shannon

Neworder79

Well it seems Irelands aviation capital Galway is to become the centre for the International Jet-set no less.

The self appointed minister for "vital, inaccessible, business, hub airstrips in the Westh" promises two new terminals on the way for Inihboffin and Clifden airports shortly.

But ever the strategists he warns that a route from Connemaras hub airport Inverin to the two new airstrips is "Vital", (yes that word again). No mention of who's paying or going to operate them, wouldn't be paddy taxpayer would it? So folks Dublin-Carnmore may be gone but you have Inverin-Cleggan to look forward to.

Galway West TD Eamon Ó Cuív said that it was vital for the success of these airstrips that there would be a service from Inverin, from where flights to the three Aran Islands are provided.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/20819-airstrip-can-turn-inishbofin-jet-set-destination

But wait there's more...

The Tribune reports that the airport strategy team think a new site should be found for Carnmore so that it can build a jet runway and compete with nearby Knock and Shannon airports (wonder how much they paid for that strategy advice). Once again an aviation expert is on hand to explain the plans...

Cllr Padraig Conneely said that the population of Galway city and county alone could sustain an airport that would accommodate jet aircraft.

That would explain why the current airport cant fill a 60 seater turboprop so, I cant believe this was never pointed out before...

http://www.galwaynews.ie/20780-airport-urged-move-secure-future

xflyer

Actually, for once that clown Conneely is right, Galway would sustain an airport that could handle jets. The problem with the airport was that it is too short and too narrow. Even Aer Arann had to restrict the numbers of pax in their bigger ATR72s. A jet runway would allow destinations like the Canaries just like Knock has. Plus once you had Ryanair coming in. Who knows what routes would they would bring.

But that is all in realms of speculation. The airport won't be moving or expanding. Maybe the likes of Conneely were more proactive about it during the boom years it might have happened.


As for article on Inishboffin and Clifden airstrips. Yes what a laugh. Yes they would be good for visiting light aircraft. But you don't need terminals and runways for that. A shed and a nicely mowed grass strip that costs nothing to maintain is all you need. Pure fantasy!:rolleyes:

leeroybrown

It's true that a jet-capable airport might be sustainable in Galway but it would also be lunacy to spend a huge amount of money expanding it on that premise.

Sponge Bob

leeroybrown wrote: »

It's true that a jet-capable airport might be sustainable in Galway but it would also be lunacy to spend a huge amount of money expanding it on that premise.

You will never make Carnmore jet capable...not unless you tunnel the N18 UNDER a runway and expand the existing runway quite a bit eastwards where the N18 road is is today. Westwards is down in a hole and would have to be raised... a lot. Then you need to add 600-700mm to the runway whichever way you go and probably widen it all along its current length...that is possible.

It would be possible to acquire the necessary land with the Connivance of the County Council under an obscure process called a "Section 182" procedure "Consent unreasonably withheld". So if they wrote to local landowners recently looking for land that may actually be the plan. :cool:

If they cannot do that then they are going to a different site altogether and the healthy ecosystem of Galway Green/An Taisce nutjobs haven't gone away you know!!!!!

celty

Like a lot of people here, I'd imagine, I've become sick of all the moaning and groaning about Galway Airport. I did a straw poll of my office when they ended the PSO and not one had used it in the past two to three years.

If it's not viable, close it, even if it is sad that people will lose their jobs. It's a waste of Government money to keep subsidising a facility that very few people seen to want or use.

As others have pointed out, Knock and Shannon are both just an hour away and the road to Dublin has been vastly improved.

I really can't believe that a mutlinational would not base themselves in Galway just because a tiny airport which can't take jets will not stay open. Shannon is not that far away if you are flying in from the US and American businessmen could never fly direct here anyway.

Galway Airport needs a radical rethink about its future and to come up with a viable plan instead of always going to the Government with a 'begging bowl'. Today, I read that there could be some use for Carnmore to service oil and gas rigs off the coast.

As for Denis Naughton, it's that kind of 'looking after my back yard' type politics which have ruined this country's economy.

If it's not viable, taxpayers' money should not be pumped into it.

ted2767

Close it down now.
Taxpayers money should not be wasted on it any more it's not just a local issue it's a national issue and as such forget about Galway needing or deserving an airport, it doesn't make economic sense and is not an essintial service like a hospital so close it down build a bridge and get over it.

mayfly1

While it's very difficult for all the staff involved in Galway airport it's also dosent make sence for the government to continue to support it with many €'m's over the next few years, despite what local voices may state about it's viability. Airports by their very nature are expensive infrastructure assets to design, build and maintain and talk of relocating and building a new airport are very ambitious in the current environment. One has only to realise that airports across Europe with less than 1m pax all lose money, look at SHN even with 1.6m pax last year it's losses are in the millions...who would invest in a new airport in Galway?

One only has to look at the dramatic drop in pax traffic since 2008 to understand passengers are voting with their feet and using other airports. I agree with gov policy in that as both SHN and Knock have the jet infrastructure, then future investment should be focussed there, with a view to completing the road networks to both airports to make them accessable for both business and tourism traffic for the Galway region. SHN with it's US links can also be of major benefit.

nuac

Spongebob

Re "section 182 procedure" are you referring to S 182 of the Planning Act 2000?

If so this only deals with cable, wires and pipelines?

Neworder79

celty wrote: »

Like a lot of people here, I'd imagine, I've become sick of all the moaning and groaning about Galway Airport.

Better get used to it, having formed a strategy team and found out that what ever way they spin the numbers it will never work out, they are reverting to plan A, another round of begging and rattle throwing...

http://www.galwaynews.ie/20919-galway-airport-board-renew-efforts-funding

chickencurry02

if its not viable close it down

mayfly1

GALWAY AIRPORT MD TO STEP DOWN
September 5, 2011 - 4:34pm
GALWAY AIRPORT MD TO STEP DOWN
The managing director of Galway airport Joe Walsh is to step down from his position.

It's understood the resignation is an amicable one, as he is moving overseas.

The airport is facing a tough time ahead as it battles to save its future.

Galway

snubbleste wrote: »

Knock ↑
Dublin →
Shannon ↓

Let's close NOC, SNN too and all move to DUB! Let's dig a big hole bury Galway and all head east.

Oh, yes I note the DART is getting an extension... of course.. it is in DUBLIN... isnt that where Leo Madman is based??

Neworder79

Galway wrote: »

Oh, yes I note the DART is getting an extension... of course.. it is in DUBLIN... isnt that where Leo Madman is based??

No it's not, they have had to cut two multi billion planned rail network projects in a capital of 1.5m people with little commuter transport options. A link to Dublin Airport with a short, cheap spur off the existing northern line is also being looked at, but even that may not happen, we're that broke and don't have the luxury of borrowing for transport projects.

Look around you, the world is heading back into an even deeper recession. The ministers have 4 more years of savings/cuts to find, just to break even. You can call that mad but it's reality. Would you rather they close the Galway rail line, cut back on city buses, ditch more Galway road projects, or take from the health budget with the hospital sinking in debt already? These are the tradeoffs that have to be made in the short term so that we can survive and grow again in the longterm.

The airport had several years notice from previous ministers that the subsides were coming to an end. Despite this they did not significantly re-structure and costs were projected to increased year on year with passenger numbers and services quickly plummeting, probably down to around 100,000 this year which isn't a sustainable number to pay for running all the services required of an modern airport. M6/8 shorter journey times and express bus and rail services have removed much of the airports raison d'être.

At the end of the day it's up to the airport, they can re-structure as a fully commercial operation with support of Galway chamber, cut all fat, and maintain a few key direct routes to the city. But if the airport is only willing to operate in self delusion, hiding under the states coat tails demanding handouts then it only has itself to blame.

ciotog

People travel from this office every week and they're not using Galway Airport - they're going to Shannon or Dublin even if it's just to the UK. I did a fair bit of travel in 2008-2010 and 2 or 3 used Galway Airport. The scheduling ended up being far too much hassle with little or no cost benefit, so a private taxi company took us to and from Shannon. The people working at the airport are fantastic so I do feel sorry for them. The airport management team need to rethink who the airport serves and what service they want to provide. If it's not commercially viable then stop propping it up - who is it being propped up for?

xflyer

Someone always has to bring in an anti Dublin slant. The fact of the matter is, this is a small country and we need to put away parochial tribal attitudes. It has five airports on the west coast and one in the East where most people live. Galway has three airports within an hour and a half's radius. Dublin people have one. Galway city has about 75,000 population. Dublin 1.1 million.

Do the maths!

Neworder is right, the cuts have only started. I wouldn't like to see Galway airport go but it has no divine right to stay either.

In terms of cuts. I personally believe that we really haven't seen the worst of it yet. The government is either pretending to itself that it can get through this is plain out lying.

mayfly1

Has anyone got sight of the report that was to be completed on the survival of the airport at the end of August last? I understood that this report would be publically aired?

Neworder79

Has anyone got sight of the report that was to be completed on the survival of the airport at the end of August last? I understood that this report would be publically aired?

Only media coverage was a short note on galwaynews.ie saying the report was expected to recommend going back to Government for more money...The airport MD announced he was leaving to move to Australia a few days later.

Rex Manning

may as well close it - i've used it a good few times and flights tend to be delayed as well as being fairly expensive. The 10e leaving town tax was the last straw.

Could spend the money a lot better on sorting out the roads or buses around town instead which would be more beneficial to more people, and more likely to attract companies to set up in Galway

Surfacezebra

If you can never have a runway that is expandable its a waste of money at the end of the day.Close it down and sort a proper train service to Shannon.

Robbo

Surfacezebra wrote: »

If you can never have a runway that is expandable its a waste of money at the end of the day.Close it down and sort a proper train service to Shannon.

It cost €106 million to restore the 36 mile section between Athenry and Ennis, where there was an existing alignment. This is far slower than a bus and every single passenger is subsidised to the tune of €50.

To run a service to Shannon would either involve a shuttle from Sixmilebridge or build a new section across land which would have to be CPO'd with money that doesn't exist. If you were to do it right, you'd also need to re-align it coming into Athenry so that the Galway train arrives facing the "right" direction and the driver doesn't have to get out and swap ends.

It would be cheaper and quicker to just provide taxis for all to Shannon. Could help free up a bit of Eyre Square too...