Waterford to London Route

O Riain

Any news on a possible Waterford to London Route at the airport? Heard there would be some announcement coming towards Summer but have not heard anything yet.

wellboytoo

I have heard only rumours , mainly with flybe dropping 30 routes over the last 18 months any potential airline based in UK is hoovering up the cream of these rather than basing a plane and crews in Ireland,and the Minister is giving them this year to get a carrier and all bets are off after that.
As I say rumour only,

savic04

This above is fairly true.. I have heard in the past numbers of weeks that despite decent uptake of seats that Flybe could be gone from WAT altogether by mid summer..

Teebor15

Rumours, rumours, rumours...I heard the world is going to end on Friday around tea time!

The FACTS are that Flybe are in the middle of a cost-cutting and restructuring program under new management. They have already cut what they have planned to cut in the current plan and neither the Birmingham or Manchester routes were on that list. Forward bookings are very positive at the moment especially on Birmingham, with I presume many people using Birmingham to get to London. In saying that, passenger numbers are not always a reliable guide to how well a route is doing as 70 passengers paying €50 yields a less return than 40 passengers paying €100. But I'd say they are doing ok.

Talks are still on going with a number of carriers though so far its proving elusive due to the logistics of postioning and aircraft on to the route. Also the lack of carriers with suitably sized aircraft flying into the London airports. London city airport is the only airport which has these airlines/aircraft but this airport really just facilitates business travellers and would not work from Waterford. Luton is still the ideal choice followed by Stansted and then finally Southend again. Heathrow and Gatwick are non runners.

I'd still be optimistic but it is true that they would want to get something sorted out sooner rather than later though.

wellboytoo

Teebor15 wrote: »

Rumours, rumours, rumours...I heard the world is going to end on Friday around tea time!

.

Steady now I thought thats what I said?

wellboytoo

I hear planning permission will be lodged for the runway extension in the next fortnight.

ComeraghBlue

Great news if true. Ryanair have publicly stated that the runway is the only hindrance to them coming to WAT

wellboytoo

it's trwue It's trwue...
In my best Gene Wilder accent

Teebor15

Planning permission is one thing, funding is another thing altogether. Still though, its steps in the right direction, even if they are only baby ones!

Dum_Dum

wellboytoo wrote: »

I hear planning permission will be lodged for the runway extension in the next fortnight.

Is this permission for a runway to accommodate 737-800 ("Ryanair") or for the shorter one that won't?

b757

Dum_Dum wrote: »

Is this permission for a runway to accommodate 737-800 ("Ryanair") or for the shorter one that won't?

Shorter one that doesn't I believe. Let's wait and see..

wellboytoo

Dum_Dum wrote: »

Is this permission for a runway to accommodate 737-800 ("Ryanair") or for the shorter one that won't?

personally I hope its the shorter one for the Airbus, Ryanair would spell the death knell for WTD in the long run IMHO

hardybuck

Ryanair would probably advertise it as Dublin (Waterford) or Cork (Waterford)!

I doubt they'd operate there though. They've stated publicly that airports like Waterford are unviable if I remember correctly.

old gregg

I want to walk out my front door and be clubbing in Berlin 3 hours later. Is that too much to ask?:D

Dum_Dum

wellboytoo wrote: »

personally I hope its the shorter one for the Airbus, Ryanair would spell the death knell for WTD in the long run IMHO

In the long run we're all dead. In the mean time I want to fly cheaply just like the rest of Europe has been doing for the last fifteen years.

wellboytoo

Dum_Dum wrote: »

In the long run we're all dead. In the mean time I want to fly cheaply just like the rest of Europe has been doing for the last fifteen years.

That's my desire too, keep Ryanair out .
Let Easyjet in who can't come to Ireland without O Leary kicking seven shades of ****e out of them, their based in Luton we need a flight to Luton connections through their network all over Europe.simples and the added bonus being we get people from outside our natural catchment area to use Easyjet.

Irishlad2014

I think with the runway extension we would be looking at an airline like Cityjet coming in. The runway will be about the same size as London City Airport.

O Riain

A lot of people here saying Ryanair would be the death of the airport, all the while, the other airport have been booming the past few years because of that same airline.

fricatus

O Riain wrote: »

A lot of people here saying Ryanair would be the death of the airport, all the while, the other airport have been booming the past few years because of that same airline.

Yeah, they've been the saviour of Shannon, non?

wellboytoo

O Riain wrote: »

A lot of people here saying Ryanair would be the death of the airport, all the while, the other airport have been booming the past few years because of that same airline.

I disagree their MO is go in shut down all competitors and then revert back to their nearest hub.

O Riain

fricatus wrote: »

Yeah, they've been the saviour of Shannon, non?

They fly all over Europe from Shannon and while Shannon may not be doing the best in respect of its prosperous past it is doing a whole lot better then our poor little airport.

Also as for Ryanair's 'MO' of moving into an airport, destroying the competitors and then abandoning the airport. They fly all over Europe from Knock and Kerry and have been doing so for years. When are they planning to pull out of those airports?

larrymiller

Where can you fly to from Waterford?

b757

larrymiller wrote: »

Where can you fly to from Waterford?

Currently, Birmingham and Manchester with FlyBe.

wellboytoo

O Riain wrote: »

Also as for Ryanair's 'MO' of moving into an airport, destroying the competitors and then abandoning the airport. They fly all over Europe from Knock and Kerry and have been doing so for years. When are they planning to pull out of those airports?

They have a PSO from Kerry and knock is lucrative for them.

Odats

Irishlad2014 wrote: »

I think with the runway extension we would be looking at an airline like Cityjet coming in. The runway will be about the same size as London City Airport.

Cityjet too dear on price and wouldn't be competitive and recreational traffic is not their core business model. Their niche is the executive market getting into the city. They wouldn't touch Waterford with a bargepole.

Odats

The only way to make a go of it is to extend the runway to cope with 737's. Other than that it is not worth the outlay of construction.

In order for the airport to be successful your price point needs to at least match or be within range of a flight and factoring in the cost of travel of a round trip to Dublin or Cork as we know people are finicky and will put the 2 hour trip to Dublin to save a few bob.

Jamie2k9

Ryanair won't ever come to the airport, if they do they will operate a flight maybe a few days a week in the middle of the day which is useless for the majority of passengers who use the route. Given the runway extinction it would heavily restrict a B738 and something FR will get board of fast as they will have bigger and better places to fly.

People should do a google search about Ryanair's view on WAT airport, it isn't good either!

Hopefully they get somebody soon.

They fly all over Europe from Shannon and while Shannon may not be doing the best in respect of its prosperous past it is doing a whole lot better then our poor little airport.

Also as for Ryanair's 'MO' of moving into an airport, destroying the competitors and then abandoning the airport. They fly all over Europe from Knock and Kerry and have been doing so for years. When are they planning to pull out of those airports?

That bubble will burst soon, it's got to when they are being charged €1 per passenger!

fricatus

wellboytoo wrote: »

I hear planning permission will be lodged for the runway extension in the next fortnight.

So, has the planning permission been lodged?

wellboytoo

fricatus wrote: »

So, has the planning permission been lodged?

No but still imminent from what I hear, I will check and report back my Teutonic friend....

BuffyBot

Well with Aer Arann taking on a franchise operation for FlyBe out of London Southend, maybe FlyBe might end up serving the London market that way.

Teebor15

So, has the planning permission been lodged?

Yes, on the 14th March, about 4 weeks ago. decision due on the 8th May.

"Phased extensions to the existing airport runway and turning circle within the airport (150m and 200m runway extensions; 350m total runway extension and 375m including turning circle) and all associated works"

Not sure what difference the 150m will make. The 375m will bring it up to 1808m if full proposal is implemented which would open up a few more doors. The runway width may still be an issue with some carriers but would probably be workable.