Cardiff: General Airport Discussion & Updates

[rollo]

Is it because of the cargo A340's? I've read previously (BHX forum?) that they need a wider turn.

Yes they had to widen some of the taxiway fillets at BHX specifically for the A340-600 due to the types bigger wheelbase.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

With the current 2026 forecast remaining as 1.6 mppa, what do we collectively think the plan is to get to that value?

No doubt the WG funding package will assist seemingly, but the current forecast is still that which is effectively double the current value.

I believe most recent reports say that's been pushed back to at least 2028. The 2026 forecast was based on Wizz being around.
CWL really only has one hope, and that's Ryanair.

 

[Jerry]

With the current 2026 forecast remaining as 1.6 mppa, what do we collectively think the plan is to get to that value?

No doubt the WG funding package will assist seemingly, but the current forecast is still that which is effectively double the current value.

Not going to happen. 2028-2030 is probably a better time frame and a lot of that would depend on Ryanair.

 

[geoff]

I wonder whether Jet2 would consider CWL at sometime in the future, especially when BRS becomes even more crowded.

 

[Jerry]

I wonder whether Jet2 would consider CWL at sometime in the future, especially when BRS becomes even more crowded.

Probably not. Would most likely continue to expand at Bristol using bigger aircraft similar to what Easyjet is doing.

 

[Samdorob]

Probably not. Would most likely continue to expand at Bristol using bigger aircraft similar to what Easyjet is doing.

I mean they could without issue considering they’re based at Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. Unfortunately I don’t see them doing so. Pax numbers would need to be much higher to entice them.

 

[Jerry]

I mean they could without issue considering they’re based at Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. Unfortunately I don’t see them doing so. Pax numbers would need to be much higher to entice them.

Cardiff passenger numbers would have to be a lot higher but I do suspect even then Jet2 would stay focused on Bristol.

 

[Seasider]

They will have the "demographics" and if it shows people are prepared to travel to Bristol from the Cardiff area, why bother setting up a base.

I know it is not good news for Cardiff, but they need to attract an airline that is not entrenched at Bristol.

 

[Jerry]

I know it is not good news for Cardiff, but they need to attract an airline that is not entrenched at Bristol.

They've tried several times with that and its just not worked. Ryanair is there only realistic hope now.

 

[geoff]

With Luton getting 36 departures a week from Jet2, many on W pattern flights, I wonder if CWL stands any chance of W pattern flights from Easyjet or Jet2. We are like the wilderness of the air at CWL during the winter season, even though I'm sure the CWL management are trying their best to attract more trade, the increasing numbers at BRS are causing big problems for CWL.

 

[Jerry]

With Luton getting 36 departures a week from Jet2, many on W pattern flights, I wonder if CWL stands any chance of W pattern flights from Easyjet or Jet2. We are like the wilderness of the air at CWL during the winter season, even though I'm sure the CWL management are trying their best to attract more trade, the increasing numbers at BRS are causing big problems for CWL.

I think if Easyjet were interested in operating non based flights we'd have seen some by now. It'll be interesting to see how Jet2 get on with the W pattern flights at Luton and whether in the long term its something they might consider at other airports especially non base ones.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Easyjet wouldn't need to. They are big enough both at BRS and across Europe to create schedules that support based and non-based flights, and tap into the schedule gaps at BRS outside of the peak times of based aircraft.
Jet2 could go either way. Hopefully they are established enough now to read the data of how many Welsh people use them in BRS and can give TUI some competition on their monopoly.
Sadly, i'm not holding out much hope anymore. All the new route announcements and all CWL can be thankful for is that Vueling is actually returning with Malaga and a possible FR PMI announcement.

 

[Jerry]

All the new route announcements and all CWL can be thankful for is that Vueling is actually returning with Malaga and a possible FR PMI announcement.

It is a sad state of affairs where at the moment the good news is that an airline isn't leaving or dropping a route.

Cardiff Airport Summer 2025 so far looks like this
27 destinations, 95 weekly departures and 7 airlines
Aer Lingus Regional 1 destination, 7 weekly departures
Belfast City 7 weekly
Balkan Holidays 1 destination, 1 weekly departure
Bourgas 1 weekly
KLM 1 destination, 20 weekly departures
Amsterdam 20 weekly
Loganair 1 destination, 5 weekly departures
Edinburgh 5 weekly
Ryanair 5 destinations, 13 weekly departures
Dublin 4 weekly
Alicante 3 weekly
Malaga 3 weekly
Faro 2 weekly
Tenerife South 1 weekly
TUI 22 destinations, 46 weekly departures
Palma de Mallorca 5 weekly
Tenerife South 3 weekly
Dalaman 3 weekly
Antalya 3 weekly
Enfidha 2 weekly
Bourgas 2 weekly
Larnaca 2 weekly
Paphos 2 weekly
Corfu 2 weekly
Kos 2 weekly
Rhodes 2 weekly
Zante 2 weekly
Malaga 2 weekly
Lanzarote 2 weekly
Alicante 2 weekly
Ibiza 2 weekly
Menorca 2 weekly
Heraklion 2 weekly
Reus 1 weekly
Gran Canaria 1 weekly
Kefalonia 1 weekly
Dubrovnik 1 weekly
Vueling 1 destination, 3 weekly departures
Alicante 3 weekly

Update 13/11/2024
Cardiff Airport Summer 2025 so far looks like this
27 destinations, 90 weekly departures and 7 airlines
Aer Lingus Regional 1 destination, 7 weekly departures
Belfast City 7 weekly
Balkan Holidays 1 destination, 1 weekly departure
Bourgas 1 weekly
KLM 1 destination, 14 weekly departures
Amsterdam 14 weekly
Loganair 1 destination, 5 weekly departures
Edinburgh 5 weekly
Ryanair 5 destinations, 13 weekly departures
Dublin 4 weekly
Alicante 3 weekly
Malaga 3 weekly
Faro 2 weekly
Tenerife South 1 weekly
TUI 22 destinations, 46 weekly departures
Palma de Mallorca 5 weekly
Tenerife South 3 weekly
Dalaman 3 weekly
Antalya 3 weekly
Enfidha 2 weekly
Bourgas 2 weekly
Larnaca 2 weekly
Paphos 2 weekly
Corfu 2 weekly
Kos 2 weekly
Rhodes 2 weekly
Zante 2 weekly
Malaga 2 weekly
Lanzarote 2 weekly
Alicante 2 weekly
Ibiza 2 weekly
Menorca 2 weekly
Heraklion 2 weekly
Reus 1 weekly
Gran Canaria 1 weekly
Kefalonia 1 weekly
Dubrovnik 1 weekly
Vueling 2 destinations, 5 weekly departures
Alicante 3 weekly
Malaga 2 weekly

 

[Tinkerman]

British Airways have just announced a multi-million pound investment in BAMC, adding an additional maintenance bay which will accomodate A350’s.

A little bit of good news !

British Airways makes multi-million pound aviation investment in Cardiff base

British Airways has announced a multi-million pound investment in its engineering maintenance facility at Cardiff Airport.

mediacentre.britishairways.com

 

[Jerry]

British Airways have just announced a multi-million pound investment in BAMC, adding an additional maintenance bay which will accomodate A350’s.

A little bit of good news !

British Airways makes multi-million pound aviation investment in Cardiff base

British Airways has announced a multi-million pound investment in its engineering maintenance facility at Cardiff Airport.

mediacentre.britishairways.com

Yep that's good news!

 

[Nigel B]

Yep that's good news!

Very good news.
on a different subject, does anyone know what the Aer Lingus flight from/to Dublin is in for this Wednesday 27.11.2024 EI4294/EI4295?

 

[Jerry]

Very good news.
on a different subject, does anyone know what the Aer Lingus flight from/to Dublin is in for this Wednesday 27.11.2024 EI4294/EI4295?

Probably sport related

 

[geoff]

The Aer Lingus flight is bringing the women's Irish football team for the first leg in Caediff on Friday, of the women's European Cup qualifying final, second leg to be played in Dublin the following week.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

An overview of number of flights and seats available for 2025.
This doesn't include one off charters such as Lapland, P&O Cruise and Rugby flights.
KLM E75/E90 flights are a bit sporadic so is based on one of each per day but may not be completely accurate.

 

[Jerry]

Last week members of the Senedd Public Accounts committee visited Cardiff Airport.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1880261201306976381