Waterford Airport.

The extended runway would not be sufficient for freight operators using A300s, 767s etc so no, that isn't going to happen. Let alone the issues that all the freight operators logistics facilities are in Dublin, not Waterford.

Not enough to make any sense whatsoever.

To replace Dublin as the main air freight hub would require being able to take all the potential airframes, not patchy bits here and there.

You don't understand how the industry works if you think that a little bit of the traffic could move.

Note that there's next to no freight cargo in Shannon with its giant airfield, dual carriageway to a motorway, etc etc. Most of what it does handle is belly cargo, in passenger aircraft.

A new freight hub would have to be able to take widebody freight aircraft. Up to 747 size to be taken seriously, albeit these are exceptionally rare visitors now.

If there was a market for a non-Dublin hub, it'd be Shannon.

Waterfords only hope for sustained passenger traffic is that having the terminal and airfield operating decent hours for someone like Ryanair doing Luton with huge incentives is that it makes it more practical for Loganair, Emerald, Eastern or similar to come in with UK regional cities; and that Ryanair will add some bucket and spade routes without needing huge incentives.

This is plausible but far from guaranteed.

Very little belly cargo in Shannon. Aer Lingus is closing its cargo unit in Shannon.

Core freight is UPS, DHL, and the others which arrive in the morning and depart in the evening.

Interesting that Dublin, Cork and Limerick are all within 160 km of Waterford. That arc looks like it contains most of the population of the state? Neither Dublin, Cork or Limerick has that same advantage?

No offence meant, but that is the logic that supports an all consuming, everything centralised, nothing any place else, Dublin.

Dystopia beckons.

I don't see freight being the main source here. Possibly aircraft maintenance and testing, that would probably generate more than freight.

Waterford already does some small freight from time to time and I feel even with a runway extension that would be the scope of it.

Aircraft maintenance, private flights and passenger services would be the hope.

A Gulfstream aircraft loading up on fuel before departure, parking fee, handling fee would most likely be worth more than a passenger operated route.

yea this now seems like a more viable approach, gutted over the freight issues, probably isnt a runner either now

…but the system is clearly dublin centric, this in turn puts pressure on all other other critical infrastructure including water, energy, telecommunications, transport etc etc, thats not good

Second airports in a single city are always a bad idea.

Waterford being close in crow flies distance does not justify it being the next place to build up. Realistically it should be Cork but the airfield is in a terrible location.

It isn't economically healthy for the country to have to subsidise Ryanair to fly to Luton, but that's what'll have to be done in WAT is to get London flights back it seems.

If other places had high speed rail connections to Dublin, they would be in a strong position to grow, by the way. Multiple small, struggling airports is not balanced regional development in any way, shape or form.

The rationing argument doesn't work, though - the airport is there.

We know that it can support flights to many locations as it is; if they were financially viable. All major UK cities, could even get to Paris; even Amsterdam if slots were available.

But there's nobody operating any of those flights, as the demand at the required cost doesn't exist.

Extending the runway will increase the number of potential operators, but need even more passengers to be viable. Just being able to use a bigger plane doesn't bring the operating costs down enough.

I was told as a child there was some plans to build it on the flat land near Moyasta in West Clare also. No idea if there's any accuracy there.

The airport is extremely limited with who they can approach now.

The only real bet at present is Emerald Airlines and they are tied in and ensuring they fullfil their contact with Aer Lingus.

Outside of emerald I don't see another airline operating in Ireland using turbo prop aircraft? Maybe I'm missing one.

Hitting Paris is doable with an ATR, but the cost of slots, landing fees at say CDG, really wouldn't make an ATR viable from Waterford to Paris, at capacity 72 people on board.

The fact is there aren't enough regional operators to service small runways and those who are still in business are struggling to remain in business, so outside of Emerald you are depending on UK based airlines such as LoganAir who only operate into the North I believe.

Having an extended runway greatly increases who they can approach, even excluding airlines chartered summer flights.

I've always said it at worse you have one airline operating one London return flight daily, that would be a huge light to Waterford and the South East and you would expect in time once the route was successfully you would see increases.

The Irish government waste money left right and centre and will continue to do so, so not developing Waterford airport is not going to see massive change anywhere else, developing Waterford airport is not going to effect projects or services anywhere else.

If it was a waste for once I would be glad to see government waste money here!

Would it though, most likely airport will give free landing charge, no fuel taking onboard at WAT, no catering or any of that at Waterford, fly in, off load passengers, onboard passengers flight back out.

DUB → LONDON → Waterford →London →Dublin only a drop in service as an example.

Airport running a split shift to ensure they have enough fire, security and operations cover.

Fill the flight airline makes their few bob, airport will still require some sort of operational state funding as do most airports here.

Really don't see the issue.

They'll raise it again; or more realistically remove it entirely.

There is no 'balanced regional development' argument that leads to significant investment in a tertiary airport.

If the free landing charge is shown to be permanently subsidised by any government money, it's state aid which is against EU rules.