Galway Airport - mega merge

ted2767

I can't believe people are still bleating on about Galway airport.

When there were commercial flights from Galway these were heavily subsidised and unable to stand on their own two feet.

Shannon and Knock are both just over an hour away, both made a far better job of developing themselves and growing their services while Galway just stayed the way it was reliant on heavily subsidised services.

Therefore it's no surprise that both Shannon and Knock airports grew and became, if not completely subsidy free, far more able to stand on their own two feet that Galway could.

Dublin airport is 2.5 hrs away.

The roads to Shannon and Knock are being improved which will rule the time to travel there.

There is a regular train service to Dublin.

How much more connectivity do people really need/want/expect?

As regards the argument for business accessibility to Galway, personally that's overstated by some.

With modern communication options senior business leaders probably have to travel less than ever before.

Why? Because modern communication allows for things like conference calls which is a far more efficient way for somebody to work that sitting in a plane or airport for 15/16 hrs travelling from the west coast of the U.S. to attend a few meetings in Galway or Dublin.

To attemp to resurrect Galway as a commercial airport would be a waste of public funds.

Basically in my opinion there is no future in commercial flying from Galway and people need to accept this and move one once and for all.

joeKel73

There's a 5k race on the runway next Tuesday evening. Hope they inform the air traffic!

Aerohead

ted2767 wrote: »

I can't believe people are still bleating on about Galway airport.

When there were commercial flights from Galway these were heavily subsidised and unable to stand on their own two feet.

Shannon and Knock are both just over an hour away, both made a far better job of developing themselves and growing their services while Galway just stayed the way it was reliant on heavily subsidised services.

Therefore it's no surprise that both Shannon and Knock airports grew and became, if not completely subsidy free, far more able to stand on their own two feet that Galway could.

Dublin airport is 2.5 hrs away.

The roads to Shannon and Knock are being improved which will rule the time to travel there.

There is a regular train service to Dublin.

How much more connectivity do people really need/want/expect?

As regards the argument for business accessibility to Galway, personally that's overstated by some.

With modern communication options senior business leaders probably have to travel less than ever before.

Why? Because modern communication allows for things like conference calls which is a far more efficient way for somebody to work that sitting in a plane or airport for 15/16 hrs travelling from the west coast of the U.S. to attend a few meetings in Galway or Dublin.

To attemp to resurrect Galway as a commercial airport would be a waste of public funds.

Basically in my opinion there is no future in commercial flying from Galway and people need to accept this and move one once and for all.

I never understand why people on here are against an Airport in Galway, Shannon and Knock are an hour away and rail and road transport are available if you want to use them however lets look at other Airports, Kerry Airport is in the middle of nowhere yet Shannon and Cork are not far away.

Waterford Airport suffered the same fate as Galway now they have re-started commercial flights again yet Waterford has Cork down the road and Dublin up the road they have Motorway and Bus and Rail links also, Sligo Airport is open and its closer to Knock and Donegal Airport is also open yet not far from Derry Airport.

Galway is the third largest City in the Country and should have an Airport and I can assure you because I know there have been lots of company jets into Galway since it opened in fact they are in on a daily basis, don't forget Galway was operating very nicely until Aer Arann pulled out due to the loss of Subsidies, they are now getting them again as Stobart Aviation/Aer Lingus Rrgional to operate to Knock, Donegal, Cork and Kerry, why should Galway be deprived of an Airport when everyone else is getting cash to stay open.

JillyQ

Aerohead wrote: »

I never understand why people on here are against an Airport in Galway, Shannon and Knock are an hour away and rail and road transport are available if you want to use them however lets look at other Airports, Kerry Airport is in the middle of nowhere yet Shannon and Cork are not far away.

Waterford Airport suffered the same fate as Galway now they have re-started commercial flights again yet Waterford has Cork down the road and Dublin up the road they have Motorway and Bus and Rail links also, Sligo Airport is open and its closer to Knock and Donegal Airport is also open yet not far from Derry Airport.

Galway is the third largest City in the Country and should have an Airport and I can assure you because I know there have been lots of company jets into Galway since it opened in fact they are in on a daily basis, don't forget Galway was operating very nicely until Aer Arann pulled out due to the loss of Subsidies, they are now getting them again as Stobart Aviation/Aer Lingus Rrgional to operate to Knock, Donegal, Cork and Kerry, why should Galway be deprived of an Airport when everyone else is getting cash to stay open.

The main difference between galway & kerry airport is that kerry has the capability to handle a 737. An ATR (50 seater plane approximately) couldnt take off on full load, from Galway because the runway isn't long enough

ted2767

Aerohead wrote: »

I never understand why people on here are against an Airport in Galway, Shannon and Knock are an hour away and rail and road transport are available if you want to use them however lets look at other Airports, Kerry Airport is in the middle of nowhere yet Shannon and Cork are not far away.

Waterford Airport suffered the same fate as Galway now they have re-started commercial flights again yet Waterford has Cork down the road and Dublin up the road they have Motorway and Bus and Rail links also, Sligo Airport is open and its closer to Knock and Donegal Airport is also open yet not far from Derry Airport.

Galway is the third largest City in the Country and should have an Airport and I can assure you because I know there have been lots of company jets into Galway since it opened in fact they are in on a daily basis, don't forget Galway was operating very nicely until Aer Arann pulled out due to the loss of Subsidies, they are now getting them again as Stobart Aviation/Aer Lingus Rrgional to operate to Knock, Donegal, Cork and Kerry, why should Galway be deprived of an Airport when everyone else is getting cash to stay open.

The reason Galway failed is that it was never developed beyond what it was, and still is when the opportunity was there.

It was completely reliant on heavily subsidised flights from Aer Arran which once the subsidies were cut left them unprofitable.

The only airports with these flights now are Donegal and Kerry as they are in more remote parts of the country.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/government-to-continue-subsidising-regional-flight-routes-1.2015650

Also, remember Kerry is the biggest tourism centre is the country outside Dublin so there is probably good demand for flights.

If they can make flights into and out of Galway commercially viable then by all means go ahead but personally I'd be surprised if that ever happens.

notharrypotter

Galway is the third?largest City in the Country

Sorry 4th largest.
Dublin
Cork
Limerick
Galway
Waterford

I never understand why people on here are against an Airport in Galway, Shannon and Knock are an hour away and rail and road transport are available

I think you just answered it for yourself.

Sligo Airport is open

Only because of the SAR base.

Waterford Airport suffered the same fate as Galway now they have re-started commercial flights again

Waterford as far as I am aware never actually ceased all commercial operations at any stage (open to correction)and it has a SAR base too.

I know there have been lots of company jets into Galway since it opened in fact they are in on a daily basis

Care to provide proof?

Donegal Airport is also open yet not far from Derry Airport.

have a look at a map. Where is Donegal airport?
If it was any further northwest it would be in Iceland.
It is to serve a remote region hence the PSO service.

don't forget Galway was operating very nicely until Aer Arann pulled out due to the loss of Subsidies, they are now getting them again as Stobart Aviation/Aer Lingus Rrgional to operate to Knock, Donegal, Cork and Kerry, why should Galway be deprived of an Airport when everyone else is getting cash to stay open.

There are 2 PSO contracts in Ireland.
Dublin to Donegal and Dublin to Kerry.

Stobart Air do not serve Knock.

Dan_Solo

I get the feeling in this thread that the only people desperate to keep Galway airport open are pilots. The customers really aren't all that bothered.
Says it all.

dloob

I see it perhaps having a future as an air field for general aviation and corporate jets.
But commercial? No too small to have any really useful services, unless you want to sit on turboprop for ages.
Besides we have Shannon less than an hour away and when the M18 is finished it will be even handier to get to.
And Knock isn't all that far either.
Only right the third most important city should have two airports in reasonable distance :pac:

Links234

Dan_Solo wrote: »

I get the feeling in this thread that the only people desperate to keep Galway airport open are pilots. The customers really aren't all that bothered.
Says it all.

I flew to London a couple of times, and I think I'd gladly fly from Galway again were the option there.

Redhairedguy

Links234 wrote: »

I flew to London a couple of times, and I think I'd gladly fly from Galway again were the option there.

I miss it for this particular reason alone. I have many friends and family in and around London, so it was really convenient to be able to hop in a plane literally 5 minutes down the road from my house.

TerrorFirmer

It's just not commercially viable. The people I often hear lamenting it's closure are the same people who regularly flew from Shannon and Dublin because it was far cheaper.

youngrun

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

It's just not commercially viable. The people I often hear lamenting it's closure are the same people who regularly flew from Shannon and Dublin because it was far cheaper.

Thats the problem, would need a massive population increase and demand for flying to justify a viable airport in Galway .
Probably not that much cheaper when you consider time cost, fuel, parking/tolls if driving to another airport , remember paying 150/160e to london return from galway , great days you could be galway to london in no time with no hassle...

I wonder when the proposals on the use of the airport will be decided on? whats the most likely to happen- retained as an air facility with various uses like helicopters/training/private jets/air corps etc or change of use to IDA park or the likes?

Chicken1

I used Galway Airport a lot of times especially to Manchester, I also took the family on holiday to Malaga from Galway and flew to Edinburgh and London from Galway so it was very handy just seven miles from the City. I worked for a US Company in Galway who regularly flew in from the states in the morning and back again in the evening so for these companies it was very handy. I hope that something can happen there in the future, having an Airport on your doorstep is something we should all be backing and not knocking it.

antoobrien

youngrun wrote: »

Thats the problem, would need a massive population increase and demand for flying to justify a viable airport in Galway .
Probably not that much cheaper when you consider time cost, fuel, parking/tolls if driving to another airport , remember paying 150/160e to london return from galway , great days you could be galway to london in no time with no hassle...

I had to travel to/from London twice last year on business.

The first time I flew into London City Airport (runway is approx the same length as Galway) from Dublin, the cost of the flights was ~250, with a night stay in a hotel in Dublin (costing €80) for a 9am meeting. Add to that buses & taxis to and from Dublin airport and the coach station.

The second time I went to Heathrow from Shannon (noon meeting, so I was able to drive down in the morning), the flights were also ~250 (no hotel costs). Add to that parking & mileage costs.

€150/€160 return sound like fantastic value and there's no reason why, if 250 is viable for Shannon/Dublin, it wouldn't it be viable for Galway.

Aerohead

antoobrien wrote: »

I had to travel to/from London twice last year on business.

The first time I flew into London City Airport (runway is approx the same length as Galway) from Dublin, the cost of the flights was ~250, with a night stay in a hotel in Dublin (costing €80) for a 9am meeting. Add to that buses & taxis to and from Dublin airport and the coach station.

The second time I went to Heathrow from Shannon (noon meeting, so I was able to drive down in the morning), the flights were also ~250 (no hotel costs). Add to that parking & mileage costs.

€150/€160 return sound like fantastic value and there's no reason why, if 250 is viable for Shannon/Dublin, it wouldn't it be viable for Galway.

Well put there anto, that's the thing that people posting here don't think about, I flew from Knock to Malaga two weeks ago, an hour and fifteen minutes drive, I had to pay 20 Euro development charge departing the Airport and when I returned it cost me 44 Euro to park there so when all these are taken into consideration there is nothing like an Airport near you like Galway.

kippy

Aerohead wrote: »

Well put there anto, that's the thing that people posting here don't think about, I flew from Knock to Malaga two weeks ago, an hour and fifteen minutes drive, I had to pay 20 Euro development charge departing the Airport and when I returned it cost me 44 Euro to park there so when all these are taken into consideration there is nothing like an Airport near you like Galway.

Of course there is nothing like an airport on your doorstep.
However it's plain to see that the one in Galway wasn't commercially viable for any number of reasons.

antoobrien

Aerohead wrote: »

Well put there anto, that's the thing that people posting here don't think about, I flew from Knock to Malaga two weeks ago, an hour and fifteen minutes drive, I had to pay 20 Euro development charge departing the Airport and when I returned it cost me 44 Euro to park there so when all these are taken into consideration there is nothing like an Airport near you like Galway.

Apparently though we are not aware that life is a zero sum game, if we have something it will deprive somebody else of their cherished toy.

Robbo

A well placed taxi driver told me that Wetherspoons are buying the bar and Top Gear are to film out of there when Steak Club is on. Saves on arguments that way.

TerrorFirmer

antoobrien wrote: »

I had to travel to/from London twice last year on business.

The first time I flew into London City Airport (runway is approx the same length as Galway) from Dublin, the cost of the flights was ~250, with a night stay in a hotel in Dublin (costing €80) for a 9am meeting. Add to that buses & taxis to and from Dublin airport and the coach station.

The second time I went to Heathrow from Shannon (noon meeting, so I was able to drive down in the morning), the flights were also ~250 (no hotel costs). Add to that parking & mileage costs.

€150/€160 return sound like fantastic value and there's no reason why, if 250 is viable for Shannon/Dublin, it wouldn't it be viable for Galway.

That's entirely anecdotal. Clearly the vast majority of people who travel to London are not flying last minute which presumably you must have been to pay 250 for flights, nor are they staying in Dublin beforehand.

It usually costs about 50-60 quid return to travel to London if you're booking in advance. Your post would suggest that 250 is the average going rate which is just nonsense. When you factor in travel even - under 30 euro return for the bus - you're still looking at under 80 quid for the average trip for the average person.

Incidentally at the moment there are also offers from Dublin to LCA for 35 euro one-way.

A handful of people vaguely reminiscing about that one time they used Galway Airport and how handy it was doesn't make it any more viable.

antoobrien

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

That's entirely anecdotal. Clearly the vast majority of people who travel to London are not flying last minute which presumably you must have been to pay 250 for flights, nor are they staying in Dublin beforehand.

It's not anecdotal, I have the records to prove it: the cost of both sets of return flights - including taxes and charges - was a little over 250.

How many days in advance is "last minute" - does 10 & 14 days count?

Now I don't know about you, but when I'm travelling on business and need to be lucid until 10pm on a Tuesday, getting a bus to Dublin at 1am on Tuesday morning is not a good idea.

Actually, even when I'm travelling for my own benefit, getting a silly o clock bus to Dublin for the sake of a cheap flight is a really bad idea.

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Incidentally at the moment there are also offers from Dublin to LCA for 35 euro one-way.

That would be the ryanair model of 3/4 seats at 35, 3/4 seats at 45 then the rest at full price.

Btw does that offer include landing charges and taxes?

ben.schlomo

antoobrien wrote: »

It's not anecdotal, I have the records to prove it: the cost of both sets of return flights - including taxes and charges - was a little over 250.

How many days in advance is "last minute" - does 10 & 14 days count?

Now I don't know about you, but when I'm travelling on business and need to be lucid until 10pm on a Tuesday, getting a bus to Dublin at 1am on Tuesday morning is not a good idea.

Actually, even when I'm travelling for my own benefit, getting a silly o clock bus to Dublin for the sake of a cheap flight is a really bad idea.



That would be the ryanair model of 3/4 seats at 35, 3/4 seats at 45 then the rest at full price.

Btw does that offer include landing charges and taxes?

He didnt say you didnt pay it, he said its not the average rate, which it isnt. Example below for you, might help save you money next time you fly.;)

http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/shan/lond/150714/150714/airfares-in-july-2015.html?rtn=1&includeOnePlusStops=false&browsePrice=65&age=0

http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/snn/lond/150602/150602/airfares-from-shannon-to-london-in-june-2015.html?adults=1&children=0&infants=0&cabinclass=economy&preferdirects=false&outboundaltsenabled=false&inboundaltsenabled=false&rtn=1

JillyQ

ben.schlomo wrote: »

He didnt say you didnt pay it, he said its not the average rate, which it isnt. Example below for you, might help save you money next time you fly.;)

http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/shan/lond/150714/150714/airfares-in-july-2015.html?rtn=1&includeOnePlusStops=false&browsePrice=65&age=0

http://www.skyscanner.ie/transport/flights/snn/lond/150602/150602/airfares-from-shannon-to-london-in-june-2015.html?adults=1&children=0&infants=0&cabinclass=economy&preferdirects=false&outboundaltsenabled=false&inboundaltsenabled=false&rtn=1

He also didnt say how far out he booked it. If you are travelling for business the flights can be at short notice.

antoobrien

ben.schlomo wrote: »

He didnt say you didnt pay it, he said its not the average rate, which it isnt.

No what was said was usually the price is about 20% of what I've paid....but the post didn't specify the whens, wheres or whys of travel, just berated me post "last minute" flights that were booked over a week before flying.


The three times I've flown to London (Heathrow & City), I've paid over €200 (two business & one personal, but that's so long ago I can't remember what the details were), so either I'm the most unlucky person alive when flying to London, or the offers that are being referred to are not comparable with my trips.

And no I'm not suggesting that Galway could realistically get flights to Heathrow, just that the argument about the viability of Galway Airport is a lot less clear cut than a lot of people would like to make it seem.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

No what was said was usually the price is about 20% of what I've paid....but the post didn't specify the whens, wheres or whys of travel, just berated me post "last minute" flights that were booked over a week before flying.


The three times I've flown to London (Heathrow & City), I've paid over €200 (two business & one personal, but that's so long ago I can't remember what the details were), so either I'm the most unlucky person alive when flying to London, or the offers that are being referred to are not comparable with my trips.

And no I'm not suggesting that Galway could realistically get flights to Heathrow, just that the argument about the viability of Galway Airport is a lot less clear cut than a lot of people would like to make it seem.

No, its not, it's pretty clear cut.
Obviously it would be nice to have an airport there but it's simply not viable when there are two airports within a 60-75 minute *soon to be shorter* drive.
If anything links via public transport to either/both of these airports should be where the money is spent rather than subsidising a small and limited facility.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

No, its not, it's pretty clear cut.
Obviously it would be nice to have an airport there but it's simply not viable when there are two airports within a 60-75 minute *soon to be shorter* drive.
If anything links via public transport to either/both of these airports should be where the money is spent rather than subsidising a small and limited facility.

The your argument is that, given a 200m shorter runway, London City should not be viable as it is even more limited than Galway.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

The your argument is that, given a 200m shorter runway, London City should not be viable as it is even more limited than Galway.

Runway size wasnt part of my argument. Nonethe less if you want to comparr LCA with Galway airport, population size and density are the key factors to compare viability on.....

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

Runway size wasnt part of my argument. Nonethe less if you want to comparr LCA with Galway airport, population size and density are the key factors to compare viability on.....

No your argument was "limited facility".

If we want to go on population size, Knock is doing fine.

Aerohead

Listening to live ATC an hour ago and one French Jet and one UK aircraft had to divert from Galway due to foggy conditions , shows they are operating ok out there, cant do anything about the weather.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

No your argument was "limited facility".

If we want to go on population size, Knock is doing fine.

Limited as proven not to be able stand on its own two feet.
Knock is a bigger airport.....

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

Limited as proven not to be able stand on its own two feet.
Knock is a bigger airport.....

Well if you keep moving the goalposts you can prove anything you like.