Waterford Airport.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118473455#Comment_118473455

90%+ of the Waterford catchment traffic is going to Dublin. The tiny numbers that go to Cork certainly don’t warrant a government conspiracy to block Waterford airport.

Good luck with getting the airport off the ground but nobody in Cork cares one way or the other.

invara

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118474490#Comment_118474490

True to an extent with the general public. Cork airport is spending on advertising with Waterford media outlets, and it is part of their marketing presentations to airlines to include Waterford in its hinterland data (particularly for non-UK routes). So some in Cork care, and given Minister Coveney's very close relationship with Cork airport it would be odd if he has not been lobbied on the issue by them.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118474801#Comment_118474801

A small advertising budget for local radio doesn’t change the fact that it’s a tiny market for Cork. Besides Cork is owned and operated by the Dublin Airport Authority who have far more pressing concerns to lobby Government about than losing a few thousand (max) passengers a year from Cork to Waterford.

invara

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118474867#Comment_118474867

True Waterford is a tiny market for Cork airport, mainly because Cork is such a small and weak airport in terms of routes/passenger numbers. But Cork has big dreams- transatlantic etc and big political patrons.

But it is all a bit more strategic than that. DAA has a lock on the SE between Dublin and Cork, both of which have just spent crazy sums of money on capital projects. If a low-cost, private (or even non-DAA) airport moves in and snaggles a few flights from their rosters it will create price pressures on the whole DAA operation. Interestingly, the one-hour hinterland of WAT is larger than that of ORK. You can imagine how Ryanair does their negotiation in such circumstances.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118475023#Comment_118475023

Thats a Rob Cass spoof and has been widely rubbished anytime he’s brought it up. It’s like his one hour train to Dublin, completely made up.

Cork is a tiny market for Waterford because the transport links are terrible compared to Dublin and the route options and prices are a million times better out of Dublin than Cork. Even if Cork was to get its dream transatlantic schedule it would still pale in comparison to the Dublin offering and it would still connect to Waterford via a **** road with limited public transport options. Cork is an hour further away from Dublin, with a very good route selection and it still bleeds passengers to Dublin. Waterford airport would face an ever steeper challenge to change the habits of people used to €10 flights to Stansted in order to get them to pay €80 to fly to Southend

Waterford is never going to make a dent in the Cork market, never mind Dublin. Ryanair pulling a route to Tenerife would have a bigger impact. There is no Cork conspiracy. If you want to see all that Simon has done for Cork maybe read up on the Events Centre fiasco.

Valhalla90

The amount of advertising that Cork airport does in Waterford shows that they do indeed care about the market here. Dublin is more convenient now with the M9 and being honest Cork doesn't offer much in terms of destinations and the N25 through Co Cork is a pain. WAT if given the investment and chance would be something similar to Knock airport with destinations such as London, Manchester and maybe if we are lucky Amsterdam or Frankfurt. But while this government is in power its the Dublin-Cork axis of power unfortunately.

914

Would WAT be really successful if not having a carrier like Ryanair? Realistically, I believe WAT has a future to say 100k - 500k pax per year but that's it max, would the greens support this?

But say your living in Kilkenny or Dungarvan, then it's as easy to drive to Dublin or Cork for cheap fairs.

Ok I take, parking and fuel for driving into account but fact is, people don't take this into account.

If I get a flight for €10 it's €10. A bit like if I enter BlaaGiveaways for 20 weeks straight and pay €1k on competitions and win a telly for €500, I win a telly for €5.

I really want to see the airport expand but realistically at present we are a turbo prop airport, and If we can't attract emerald airlines at least then we are fecked, if we get a runway extension and a low cost carrier then we can hit 500k pax.

We hit over 100k back in 07/08 on turbo props.

Actually not sure there is a cork conspiracy here but more of a lack of proper management (airport management), what have they done or achieved to find a replacement since VLM left in 2016, and influence level at political level, without a TD we're screwed.

Like it's easier to buy into a runway extension if you presently have flights, if you don't no TD is gonna put their name to "build it and they will come" no flights since 2016, let's be real. 90 mins from Dublin and 80 mins from Cork.

Our saving grace at present is R117 and if that goes we're Galway part 2!

Masala

Wow...

”.... the next Knock...”

”...500,000 passengers...”

is it the 1st of April already?

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118478955#Comment_118478955

It's achievable but only with a low cost airline.

As I said it had over 100k in 07/08 using turbo prop aircraft and the BAE146

Which serviced, Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Lorient, Bordeaux, Faro and Malaga.

Bordeaux, Faro, Malaga only ran for two months while Lorient for three months and the airport achieved over 100k pax, so yes if you had a low cost airline 500k is very achievable.

space2ground1

I think that with the runway extension, the airport would do very well on cargo flights alone given the longer term trends in air cargo traffic. It's not just passenger flights that would make the airport sustainable.

Dunmoreroader

What happened to the investor that was going to set up an aircraft maintenance operation at WAT?

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118479743#Comment_118479743

i think this is where they should be pushing things, i just cant see passenger flights being a way forward for the airport

Dunmoreroader

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40788465.html

Valhalla90

An Bord Pleanala is clearly not accountable for anything, almost 1 year overdue on its application decision! Absolute joke!

dzilla

https://www.wlrfm.com/news/waterford-airport-granted-approval-for-runway-extension-234077

Dunmoreroader

Great news on top of the Rescue helicopter rescue!

Just need an announcement from an airline setting up some scheduled commercial flights from WAT now......

Dunmoreroader

Kev11491

Someone on the Waterford Airport Wikipedia is enjoying making size comparisons..

Valhalla90

Thankfully with Rescue 117 being at WAT it saved it from the fate that Galway airport got. If Ireland West Airport at Knock can be successful given its location, there's no reason WAT cannot be successful. A decent Ryanair or Aer Lingus network to the likes of London, Manchester, Amsterdam and a few sun destinations would be transformative for the region!

vriesmays

The only way Waterford Airport will get saved is if the Metal Man started moving and did the hucklebuck.

Masala

So.. the burning question now is : Where is the money to build????

A €12m quote in 2018 is a different animal from a 2022 quote. It has to be gone to €14m++ now.

Govt says it has €5m allocated..... is the rest ready to go?? Or are we back to a talking shop for next 10 years again.

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118504230#Comment_118504230

At least there was a decision. On a development in Donabate they could not even come to a decision.

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118586453#Comment_118586453

Yeah, interesting to hear our colossal waste of space John Cummins say today that it is important that the private funding comes through. No mention of the government funding.

If it is going to happen, I think it will have to happen without the government putting money in. Can see Micheál Martin doing all he can to stop government funding going into this.

Oscar Madison

Private funding will come from either Europe or Uncle Sam!

With the Russian Navy so close to our shores our 'Allies' will need a proper facility to land on

in case of that eventuality happening! Never say never!

FGR

https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2022/0204/1277885-wateford-airport-extension/

It's nice to share some good news for the county.

vriesmays

The Russians can land now to invade the South East.

Aquos76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590494#Comment_118590494

I am sick of your posts in the Waterford Forum you are constantly trolling, Ive banned you for a month, if I have to ban you again after that, it will be a permanent ban.

dg47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118596618#Comment_118596618

Its not easy being a mod. Thank you for taking the time. I wondered how long it would take before it happened. I fear though that he will return in some other guise.

Deiseen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118596618#Comment_118596618

How come he isn't permenantly banned already?

I saw them crying to other mods when you banned them from this forum. They have some serious issues.

Aquos76

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118597560#Comment_118597560

You are right, I was reading through his last few bans after I banned him yesterday and it should have been a permanent. Trust me, he gets no more chances of this one now.