What is your view on Knock Airport charging everyone a tenner to leave it?

Red Kev

Mars Bar wrote: »

It's there and it's excellent because those ten euros help keep it there. Pay the feckin' €10 like the rest of us do.

Just let me know in advance and I'll pay it, better still add it to my bill when I buy the ticket and save the hassle.

Geuze

Red Kev wrote: »

Just let me know in advance and I'll pay it, better still add it to my bill when I buy the ticket and save the hassle.

The airlines refuse to add it to their fares, AFAIK.

Graham

Geuze wrote: »

The airlines refuse to add it to their fares, AFAIK.

Odd, airlines generally pay the airports directly and include the charges in the ticket price. Why do the airlines refuse to pay Knock?

flazio

Graham wrote: »

Odd, airlines generally pay the airports directly and include the charges in the ticket price. Why do the airlines refuse to pay Knock?

It may (and I emphasize MAY) be that the airlines don't pay the airport fast enough to keep the creditors happy and keep the head above water.

ScumLord

Red Kev wrote: »

Just let me know in advance and I'll pay it, better still add it to my bill when I buy the ticket and save the hassle.

I would say you were told you just didn't pay attention to the details. If you weren't told it's really the airlines fault for not passing on the information as they're advised to.

Just checked flight to Stanstead next Friday morning. If I flew from Dublin it would cost €76.99 and the total journey (driving) from my home to Stanstead airport would be 6 1/4 hrs.

Flight from Knock €52.99 (including tenner development fee) and total journey time 4 hrs.

The cost of petrol and tolls would make the Dublin option even more expensive so no brainer really. I am more than happy to pay the tenner if it means people in the west have access to cheap flights all over Europe.

Grayson

flazio wrote: »

It may (and I emphasize MAY) be that the airlines don't pay the airport fast enough to keep the creditors happy and keep the head above water.

I doubt that. Airlines work on such a tight margin that they probably have it factored in for years in advance.

It's a stupid fee. i realise people are saying the airport needs it etc, etc... but can you imagine turning up at a train station and being told you have to pay €10 to get to your train?

Grayson

Carson10 wrote: »

Look at all the people working in the UK from Sligo who can pop home for the weekend with Knock Airport.

all 10 of them

ScumLord

Grayson wrote: »

It's a stupid fee. i realise people are saying the airport needs it etc, etc... but can you imagine turning up at a train station and being told you have to pay €10 to get to your train?

The thing is it's a necessary fee and it's a fee you pay in every airport they just hide it into ticket costs. It's either pay ten euro when you fly, or have no local airport. I'm happy to pay the fee if it keeps knock running. Knock is genuinely one of the most pleasant airports I've ever been through.

Grayson

ScumLord wrote: »

The thing is it's a necessary fee and it's a fee you pay in every airport they just hide it into ticket costs. It's either pay ten euro when you fly, or have no local airport. I'm happy to pay the fee if it keeps knock running. Knock is genuinely one of the most pleasant airports I've ever been through.

I get that they need the money bit it should be tacked on somewhere else then. I can't imagine being told at a port, bus station or train station that I have to pay extra money to pass through the building.

Graham

flazio wrote: »

It may (and I emphasize MAY) be that the airlines don't pay the airport fast enough to keep the creditors happy and keep the head above water.

That may (and I emphasise MAY) be absolute nonsense unless you can link to evidence that Knock airport has major and permanent cash flow problems.

ScumLord

Grayson wrote: »

I get that they need the money bit it should be tacked on somewhere else then. I can't imagine being told at a port, bus station or train station that I have to pay extra money to pass through the building.

I think it's better upfront like it is rather than hidden away in some other expense. Imagine you were bringing a friend to the airport and the charge was hidden in the car park fees, you'll end up paying towards your friends use of the airport. They could up the price of food but that will just encourage people not to bother with the food. The other thing about hiding the cost in something else is that they can put that price up whenever they feel like it and you'd be none the wiser. At least this way it's up front, you know what you're paying for and only the people traveling pay for the services their using.

After the initial shock of finding out about the fee it's really not a big deal. once you know it's there it's not going to put you out.

Grayson

ScumLord wrote: »

I think it's better upfront like it is rather than hidden away in some other expense. Imagine you were bringing a friend to the airport and the charge was hidden in the car park fees, you'll end up paying towards your friends use of the airport. They could up the price of food but that will just encourage people not to bother with the food. The other thing about hiding the cost in something else is that they can put that price up whenever they feel like it and you'd be none the wiser. At least this way it's up front, you know what you're paying for and only the people traveling pay for the services their using.

After the initial shock of finding out about the fee it's really not a big deal. once you know it's there it's not going to put you out.

So you'd be in favour of other places doing the same? Like Heuston station charging you to get on the platform?

ScumLord

Grayson wrote: »

So you'd be in favour of other places doing the same? Like Heuston station charging you to get on the platform?

It's not really comparable. Knock is a small regional airport that get's most it's customers during holiday seasons. It's not comparable to a busy city train station that wouldn't have the same kind of overheads and legal requirements.

If you don't want to pay the fee drive to Dublin where it's hidden from you. If you want the convenience of using a local airport it's the same as using your local corner shop over the big tescos. The small local shop is going to be more expensive but it saves you the hassle of going to the big shop which is probably nowhere near you.

Graham

ScumLord wrote: »

If you don't want to pay the fee drive to Dublin where it's hidden from you.

The point is, it's Knock airport that is hiding the cost by giving airlines a means of hiding the extra charge from the ticket price.

Use of the airport is an unavoidable and integral part of airline travel. As such it should be included in the ticket price.

To suggest that unbundling this compulsory charge provides clarity is disingenuous at best, especially considering the largest airline to fly from Knock makes no mention of it.

eisenberg1

I went to Turkey a few years ago, and they have a charge for entering the country, a tourist tax, I think it was 50 euro PP.

Macavity.

It's fierce handy if you live close by. We almost always go from Knock.

Graham

eisenberg1 wrote: »

I went to Turkey a few years ago, and they have a charge for entering the country, a tourist tax, I think it was 50 euro PP.

Big difference between an unavoidable government mandated tax (which I also think should be included) and a transfer of the airport operating costs.

There's lots of posts here from people who are happy to pay a premium to use Knock airport. If the support is so great there would be no problem including it in the ticket price like every other airport in the country.

There's only one reason to unbundle the airport charges, to hide them from the passengers until it's too late.

DainBramage

Why is there an airport in Knock?

rainbowtrout

Graham wrote: »

Big difference between an unavoidable government mandated tax (which I also think should be included) and a transfer of the airport operating costs.

There's lots of posts here from people who are happy to pay a premium to use Knock airport. If the support is so great there would be no problem including it in the ticket price like every other airport in the country.

There's only one reason to unbundle the airport charges, to hide them from the passengers until it's too late.

But it's not hidden from the customer. It's flagged to them when they are booking their flights. Not everybody lives in Dublin, and not everything revolves around Dublin.

If two flights are going to London from Dublin and Knock I can save at least €50 on petrol and tolls flying from Knock not to mind saving myself the drive to Dublin as well. I would imagine this is the way most people flying from Knock see it.

I flew from Knock to London a few weeks back and the majority of people in the terminal for the UK flights had British accents or West of Ireland accents.

I'm looking at the overall cost to me, not just the price of the flight. I just had a look on Ryanair for a random flight.

Knock - Stansted , 09:55 , 15th January 2015

Dublin - Stanstead, 08:15, 15th January 2015


Cost of Knock flight 17.99
Cost of Dublin flight 19.99

Duration of flight from Knock , 1 hr 25 mins
Duration of flight from Dublin , 1 hr 20 mins


Time to get to Knock airport carpark from my house: 35-40 mins
Time to get to Dublin airport carpark from my house: 2 hr 20 mins

Shuttle bus to airport:
Knock. No need - 2 minute walk to terminal from car park
Dublin. Yes - Wait for bus, bus to terminal - possibly 10-15 mins.

Cost of travel to airport and back (petrol and tolls) :

Knock : approximately €15
Dublin: approximately €50

Length of time needed to get through airport security, check in, walk to flight gate:

Knock: 5-10 mins
Dublin: varies, but I usually leave 1.5 hours


Airport Development Fee
Knock: €10 to be paid at airport
Dublin: €0


Flight to London still works out cheaper from Knock with development fee included, when travel costs to airport are taken into account, and I spend less time travelling to the airport and queueing when I get there.


So if the flight suits me, I am happy to pay €10 to leave via Knock, it saves me money, lots of time not spent on the road, and no queues for anything.

mickdw

Graham wrote: »

Big difference between an unavoidable government mandated tax (which I also think should be included) and a transfer of the airport operating costs.

There's lots of posts here from people who are happy to pay a premium to use Knock airport. If the support is so great there would be no problem including it in the ticket price like every other airport in the country.

There's only one reason to unbundle the airport charges, to hide them from the passengers until it's too late.

I don't believe they can include it in the landing charge or whatever charges airlines pay to airports as ryanair bully the airports to a certain fee with threat of pulling out of the airport if there price demands are not meet .
Every other airline then include a large advert when booking about the 10 quid fee at knock. Ryanair however don't appear to make their customers aware whatsoever of the charge.
If is therefore my opinion that this is more a Ryanair issue than a knock airport issue in that the charge wouldn't exist But for ryanair policy and passengers wouldn't be blind to it except for ryanair policy.

Graham

rainbowtrout wrote: »

But it's not hidden from the customer. It's flagged to them when they are booking their flights. Not everybody lives in Dublin, and not everything revolves around Dublin.

If two flights are going to London from Dublin and Knock I can save at least €50 on petrol and tolls flying from Knock not to mind saving myself the drive to Dublin as well. I would imagine this is the way most people flying from Knock see it.

I flew from Knock to London a few weeks back and the majority of people in the terminal for the UK flights had British accents or West of Ireland accents.

I'm looking at the overall cost to me, not just the price of the flight. I just had a look on Ryanair for a random flight.

Knock - Stansted , 09:55 , 15th January 2015

Dublin - Stanstead, 08:15, 15th January 2015


Cost of Knock flight 17.99
Cost of Dublin flight 19.99

Duration of flight from Knock , 1 hr 25 mins
Duration of flight from Dublin , 1 hr 20 mins


Time to get to Knock airport carpark from my house: 35-40 mins
Time to get to Dublin airport carpark from my house: 2 hr 20 mins

Shuttle bus to airport:
Knock. No need - 2 minute walk to terminal from car park
Dublin. Yes - Wait for bus, bus to terminal - possibly 10-15 mins.

Cost of travel to airport and back (petrol and tolls) :

Knock : approximately €15
Dublin: approximately €50

Length of time needed to get through airport security, check in, walk to flight gate:

Knock: 5-10 mins
Dublin: varies, but I usually leave 1.5 hours


Airport Development Fee
Knock: €10 to be paid at airport
Dublin: €0


Flight to London still works out cheaper from Knock with development fee included, when travel costs to airport are taken into account, and I spend less time travelling to the airport and queueing when I get there.


So if the flight suits me, I am happy to pay €10 to leave via Knock, it saves me money, lots of time not spent on the road, and no queues for anything.

I don't doubt any of that. My point is the airport and airlines should be honest and up-front by including the cost in the ticket price.

If people (that know about it) are happy to pay it what is the possible justification for unbundling it from the ticket price?

rain on

There's a similar charge in Ngurah Rai airport in Bali. 200,000 rupiah which is about 13 euro.

/feels worldly

Sunny Dayz

We are about the same driving time between knock airport and Dublin airport. Have to say €10 is worth the short security queue, car park right beside the airport, no 15 minute walk/ run to the boarding gate and no mad scramble or queue for boarding. Flown out of both airports this year and found Dublin more stressful and we had the child with us in knock!

Grayson

ScumLord wrote: »

It's not really comparable. Knock is a small regional airport that get's most it's customers during holiday seasons. It's not comparable to a busy city train station that wouldn't have the same kind of overheads and legal requirements.

If you don't want to pay the fee drive to Dublin where it's hidden from you. If you want the convenience of using a local airport it's the same as using your local corner shop over the big tescos. The small local shop is going to be more expensive but it saves you the hassle of going to the big shop which is probably nowhere near you.

the point is that it's very, very unusual. I've never heard of somewhere like that charging you separately. It seems insane to think of going to a train station, buying a ticket and then buying another ticket to get on the platform.

It's definitely a "hidden" charge. There are airport fees everywhere and we all fully expect to have them paid when we buy our ticket. To be told you have to pay it again, at the airport at the time of departure, is sneaky.
It's not Dublin and every other airport that's hiding it, it's Knock.

Grayson

Grayson wrote: »

the point is that it's very, very unusual. I've never heard of somewhere like that charging you separately. It seems insane to think of going to a train station, buying a ticket and then buying another ticket to get on the platform.

It's definitely a "hidden" charge. There are airport fees everywhere and we all fully expect to have them paid when we buy our ticket. To be told you have to pay it again, at the airport at the time of departure, is sneaky.
It's not Dublin and every other airport that's hiding it, it's Knock.

It tells you about it on their home page! http://www.irelandwestairport.com/ the little screen scrolls 6 times and it's one of those screens.

Graham

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

It tells you about it on their home page! http://www.irelandwestairport.com/ the little screen scrolls 6 times and it's one of those screens.

How many people would book an airline ticket then think to themselves, you know what, I should just go and check both airports websites to see if there's any additional charges.

Even when you do go to the website, the fee is displayed for 2 seconds before rotating with 5 other banners.

Tin Foil Hat

It seems like a fantastic way to make sure that any tourist leaving Ireland, through Knock, is left with a final feeling of having been conned. Stupid, shortsighted, bullsh1t.

Graham

Graham wrote: »

How many people would book an airline ticket then think to themselves, you know what, I should just go and check both airports websites to see if there's any additional charges.

Even when you do go to the website, the fee is displayed for 2 seconds before rotating with 5 other banners.

Well I booked next years summer holiday last week using lowcostholidays.ie and chose Knock as departure airport. They advised me of the fee before I paid. So no hiding away from the fee there either.

Just pretended to book a flight with Aer Lingus - Gatwick to Knock return. You have the page with the flight times and prices and when I clicked "continue" this is what the next page dispalys clearly at the top .... Note: All passengers aged 12 years and over departing from Knock-Ireland West airport, are required to pay an airport development fee of EUR10.00 per person. This fee is payable on departure.

No hiding there either

Flybe also make reference on the prices/times page ...... PLEASE NOTE: Ireland West Airport Knock Development Fee. Ireland West Airport Knock levies a stand-alone Airport Development Fee on all departing passengers of EUR10.00 per adult and children over 12 years old that is collected by the airport prior to passengers passing through security. This fee is levied, collected and administered solely by Ireland West Airport Knock and is therefore not part of the taxes and charges incurred during the booking process.

Graham

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Well I booked next years summer holiday last week using lowcostholidays.ie and chose Knock as departure airport. They advised me of the fee before I paid. So no hiding away from the fee there either.

Just pretended to book a flight with Aer Lingus - Gatwick to Knock return. You have the page with the flight times and prices and when I clicked "continue" this is what the next page dispalys clearly at the top .... Note: All passengers aged 12 years and over departing from Knock-Ireland West airport, are required to pay an airport development fee of EUR10.00 per person. This fee is payable on departure.

No hiding there either

Flybe also make reference on the prices/times page ...... PLEASE NOTE: Ireland West Airport Knock Development Fee. Ireland West Airport Knock levies a stand-alone Airport Development Fee on all departing passengers of EUR10.00 per adult and children over 12 years old that is collected by the airport prior to passengers passing through security. This fee is levied, collected and administered solely by Ireland West Airport Knock and is therefore not part of the taxes and charges incurred during the booking process.

Any reason you skipped the airline that operates the majority of flights?