Cardiff Airport - General Thread

[Aviador]

Personally i'd be surprised if they were new but even refurbished second hand ones that are fully working and adjustable will be a big plus. People do seem to see them as a positive thing even though especially at CWL the walk to the aircraft can be quite short.

Well they cost in the region of £500,000 to £1m each to buy them from new. I can't imagine airports having them lying around to be able to sell Cardiff second hand ones but it maybe something they have promised Qatar Airways as part of their deal to come to Cardiff.

 

[Jerry]

Well they cost in the region of £500,000 to £1m each to buy them from new. I can't imagine airports having them lying around to be able to sell Cardiff second hand ones but it maybe something they have promised Qatar Airways as part of their deal to come to Cardiff.

Well i don't know if they had any but MAN T2 could be a possible source?
The airport is spending about £4 million on refurbishing the terminal so they could be included in the cost and they may well have been part of Qatar's conditions as i doubt they would want economy to head through business class.

 

[Jerry]

Something different at the airport! The Organised Kaos Youth Circus performed an aerial display interpretation at the airport as part of Art @ the airport.
With a nice big advert for Qatar flights to Sydney in the background as well!
https://www.aviationwales.com/organised-kaos-youth-circus-performs-cardiff-airport/

 

[Jerry]

As reported on the Humberside thread Superbreak.com will be offering a 4 night flight and hotel package from Cardiff Airport to Seville. Departing on Monday 26th March 2018 and returning Friday 30th March 2018.
http://www.superbreak.com/themeparks-attractions/authentic-andalucia-from-cardiff-airport

 

[Jerry]

News

20 OCTOBER
Art comes to the Airport


Guests from the South Wales business and arts communities gathered yesterday in a unique setting to see a spectacular one-off performance by Organised Kaos Youth Circus.

Art @ the Airport is the latest in a series of events delivered by Arts & Business Cymru, designed to bring all those who benefit from its work together in a unique setting, to discover more about the arts in Wales and build valuable business relationships.

The terminal was brought to life with a performance called COCH, specially devised by the contemporary circus company for Art @ the Airport. It depicted an aerial interpretation of the welsh myth of the battle between the white and red dragons.

Deb Barber, CEO of Cardiff Airport, said: “As a national asset we love nothing more than opening our doors to events as unique as this. We’re always delighted to be able to offer our surroundings to celebrate and nurture the Welsh arts industry.

Arts & Business Cymru is an excellent organisation that brings businesses together in a new and exciting way. We were honoured to be involved and look forward to strengthening our relationship further in the future.”

Arts & Business Cymru Chief Executive Rachel Jones added: “By taking performance into unusual settings across Wales, we aim to make the arts truly inclusive and accessible to all.

It has been a huge pleasure to work in close partnership with two of our valued members to deliver this special event. Huge thanks are due to all at Cardiff Airport for their vision and support in allowing us to take over their terminal in such a creative way!”

Many congratulations to Organised Kaos for producing such an incredible, inspiring performance.”

BACK TO NEWS

https://www.cardiff-airport.com/news/2017/10/20/art-comes-to-the-airport/

 

[Jerry]

News

25 OCTOBER
Education Programme takes off
Cardiff Airport has today officially launched its brand new Education Programme. A community-focused initiative that will offer children and young people the opportunity to explore and learn more about life at an airport.

The programme, which has been developed in partnership with education specialists, focuses around a busy one day agenda with staff from all areas of the airport getting involved to lead tours and interactive sessions.

Each visit offers an insight into different areas of the airport operation – ranging from a simulated check in experience with passports, to the airport security process, airfield operations and working with our on-site emergency services.

Aimed at children who are at level Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 4 of learning, the new Education Programme is open to schools and community groups like scouts and brownies who are looking for an educational trip with a difference.

A suite of online resources has also been created for the use of teachers and pupils. These resources have been developed in partnership with teachers to bridge the link between airport operations and the national curriculum key stage subjects including English, Citizenship, Geography, History, Maths, Science, and Business-related subjects.

Deb Barber, CEO of Cardiff Airport, said: “Today’s launch is the culmination of months of careful planning and effort from the airport team to design a valuable and interactive education programme for young people across the region. We are a key national asset, but we’re also a huge part of the local community, and it is important for us - in line with our values - to include this in the next chapter of our growth.

The staff are enjoying this new programme as it’s a new way to engage with our customers and customers of the future by informing and demonstrating how a busy airport operates on a day to day basis. Who knows, we may even inspire some little ones to work in aviation when they’re older!”

To find out more and to book an Educational Visit to Cardiff Airport, please visit www.cardiff-airport.com/cardiff-airport-education-programme. Visits are available on a fortnightly basis.

Cardiff Airport gratefully acknowledges the input and support of the 12 Community First schools in Caerphilly in developing this Programme, with special thanks to Ian Timbrell, ICT Coordinator, St Gwladys School.

https://www.cardiff-airport.com/news/2017/10/25/education-programme-takes-off/

 

[Jerry]

Cardiff Airport is on the front cover of Airports of the World magazine for the November and December issue. Also their is a feature on how Cardiff won the Qatar Airways flights.
http://www.airportsworld.com/the-magazine/view-issue/?issueID=7102

 

[Jerry]

Wales Online article i found about the Iceland flights in January.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/travel/you-can-fly-iceland-cardiff-13546059

 

[TheLocalYokel]

CWL seems to have a better relationship with Trinity Mirror than BRS does. The CWL publicity blurbs are accompanied by a link to booking. Same with the Qatar story. All the Trinity Mirror Bristol people do when it comes to BRS is gleefully point out its shortcomings.

This will sell well, I have no doubt.

 

[Jerry]

Does Bristol Airport do any sponsored articles on the Bristol Post? I think sometimes CWL does sponsored articles so that could mean their relationship is different and as well it may be felt at Wales Online that CWL needs as much positive press as possible!

Well their Iceland package has led to a Seville package so hopefully they will both sell well and encourage them to offer more.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Post publishes press releases from BRS virtually unedited as it does with press releases from lots of organisations. That's a no-cost way of filling space for them. I can never remember links to booking engines and the like though even though the same press releases on the airport's own website usually contain them where appropriate.

Trinity Mirror in Wales maintains a business editor and staff who produce self-generate articles and discussion on CWL which is very useful to many members of the public, and not just those with an interest in aviation. Apart from its spoon-fed airport press releases the only self-generated airport-related stuff on the Bristol Post is when there are delays or diversions which the youngsters who are employed by this group to constantly surf the net discover. Funnily enough, they never report when BRS has inbound diversions from other airports.

Not so long ago they discovered by this constant surfing that BRS had a customer satisfaction score on Skytrax of 3 out of 10 which they highlighted with a headline above their 'report'. There was no context. Had there been they would have reported that a lot of other airports had 3/10 as well, including CWL, BHX and MAN with airports such as EMA and LBA having lower than that.

This week they found a report that criticises BRS's long stay car parks so they went to town on that.

 

[Jerry]

I did read the comments on the Bristol Post on an article about Bristol airport the other week, think it was the new car park service and to be honest i was very surprised at the large amount of negative comments about BRS and laughed at one which bemoaned that CWL had stolen BRS's Doha flights!
I wonder if it reflects where the 2 airports are? If CWL was more successful then maybe Wales Online would be more critical? Though i don't think it wouldn't do the Bristol Post harm to do some positive articles about BRS more often.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Always lots of negative comments about BRS by Bristolians. Many seem to think it should be some sort of mini Heathrow with flights around the globe and that other regional airports around the country are like that.

Anyway back to CWL, when the Welsh Government was in the process of buying CWL it received a lot of support in the local press from Sion Barry who is the business editor and his colleagues. They also published the views of aviation experts and transport academics and in so doing most of the whys and wherefores of the subject were given coverage.

I have read little criticism or negativity about CWL in the Welsh Press, unlike the local press coverage of airports at such places as Bristol and Leeds. On the other hand the BBC in Wales seems to be CWL's bete noire, at least according to some members of WAF when I was a poster there.

Have you read the CWL article in the Airports of the World magazine, Jerry? I haven't. If you or anyone has a summary would be well received I am sure.

 

[Jerry]

I haven't. I'll have a look to see if i can find it and then summarise here if I can.

 

[Silvercity]

Is the service to Anglsey (Valley) still operating , I know citywings used to operate it .?

 

[Jerry]

Is the service to Anglsey (Valley) still operating , I know citywings used to operate it .?

Yep it is. Eastern Airways now operate it with a J41 based at CWL and limited to 19 seats. It's also now bookable through Flybe.com as part of the franchise agreement.

 

[Jerry]

Not quite CWL but Wales related. Visit Wales and Gethin Jones have done a lovely video to promote Wales in the USA. As he grew up in Caernarfon in North Wales the video tends to focus on there with some great shots of Caernarfon castle and Menai Straits. Looks very beautiful and i'm thinking maybe i might go up there for Easter weekend via CWL and VLY of course!
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/amazing-video-starring-gethin-jones-13801433

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Not quite CWL but Wales related. Visit Wales and Gethin Jones have done a lovely video to promote Wales in the USA. As he grew up in Caernarfon in North Wales the video tends to focus on there with some great shots of Caernarfon castle and Menai Straits. Looks very beautiful and i'm thinking maybe i might go up there for Easter weekend via CWL and VLY of course!
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/amazing-video-starring-gethin-jones-13801433

I'm not much of a tv watcher and hadn't heard of Gethin Jones. For some reason I thought he was a former rugby player when you mentioned his name in your post.

My wife and I have enjoyed many holidays in North Wales; from the mid 60s when we were very young newly-weds (just out of our teens), with our two kids when they were growing up in the 70s, and after they had flown the nest. We haven't been for a while though and only recently we said we ought to go back. We particularly love Snowdonia and the narrow gauge railways with the Ffestiniog our favourite - mine anyway; Mrs Yokel just likes the scenery from a rail carriage and isn't too bothered which railway it is. I want to try the Welsh Highland as well. When it was derelict in the 70s we walked along the track bed in the Aberglaslyn Pass and on through the long tunnel. I recommend the area to anyone. There is so much to see and do.

The only thing that does strike though is that, as it's North Wales, visiting Americans might use MAN rather than CWL, assuming they don't use London of course.

 

[Jerry]

I'm not much of a tv watcher and hadn't heard of Gethin Jones. For some reason I thought he was a former rugby player when you mentioned his name in your post

I forgot to put that he was a TV presenter! I think he did play rugby at one time but i think he started out on S4C then Blue Peter.
I haven't been for a very long time to North Wales. Been to Bangor a few times in my late teens to visit a friend who was at University there apart from that it's mostly been work and very infrequent. I've always found it breathtakingly beautiful up there. One of the memories that has always lodged in my mind is when i was driving along the A55 after coming off the ferry from Dublin at Holyhead when i came over the crest of a hill on Anglesey and saw Snowdonia rising up above Bangor and the coast. It took my breath away and has lodged in my mind ever since. I'm thinking i might go up for Easter and have a look at the castles and do some tourist stuff and if the weather is good take a walk up Snowdon.

 

[Silvercity]

Yep it is. Eastern Airways now operate it with a J41 based at CWL and limited to 19 seats. It's also now bookable through Flybe.com as part of the franchise agreement.

ok that's interesting, I have looked at the service on occasion as I have to go to South Wales for business, but to be honest driving from my home to Anglesey is a bit too far . I understand it has to fly there because it's something to do with the Welsh Assembly, but I wish it went to , or continued to Liverpool, then I would use it. The drive and the train is very slow. Manx Airlines did offer Liverpool to Cardiff once a long time ago.