Cardiff Airport - General Thread

[Jerry]

Cardiff Airport's chief executive quits after four years in role

Welsh government searching for new boss for airport it bought in 2013.

www.bbc.com

CEO steps down, as already mentioned this morning on a different thread. Will be interesting to see a shake up at the top, very important they get the appointment right.

This part i find not believable
"The spokesperson added that personnel matters were operational issues for the airport and its holding company and not the Welsh government."
There's no way that the owners won't have a say in who will actually run the airport.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

This part i find not believable
"The spokesperson added that personnel matters were operational issues for the airport and its holding company and not the Welsh government."
There's no way that the owners won't have a say in who will actually run the airport.

I read that line as the WG not getting involved in the reasons as to why Spencer has left.

 

[Starflyer]

I read that line as the WG not getting involved in the reasons as to why Spencer has left.

And I wouldn't believe that for a nano-second. They are actively involved, but their involvement is channelled through the board that they appoint to act on their behalf. So although the statement is technically true, it paints a picture which could arguably be misleading.

 

[Jerry]

WalesOnline article includes a quote from MS Andrew RT Davies naturally he blames the Welsh government.
"Welsh Conservative Senedd member Andrew RT Davies said: "The chief executive leaving the pitch is a vote of no-confidence in Welsh Government’s ownership of Cardiff Airport.
Spencer Birns has always done his best at Cardiff Airport, where facilities are second to none, but the lack of direction from Welsh Government has led to a non-return of airlines and a brutal decline in passenger numbers. If we’re going to see this key economic asset gain real strength we need to see a change of ownership and better direction so talented people like Mr Birns aren’t walking away."

Cardiff Airport's chief executive has quit

Spencer Birns will 'pursue other opportunities'

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[MJC73]

Arty really is a piece of work

 

[Jerry]

Arty really is a piece of work

Whatever the Welsh government did he'd complain but at least he's consistent wanting it in private hands. What difference that would make idk and even private owners would have the same challenges and it's likely taxpayers money would still be involved in some way.

 

[Jerry]

When people look at Spencer Birns time as CEO will he be judged on the non return of Qatar Airways and the passenger numbers still below 1 million?

While he was CEO Wizz launched at the airport, Ryanair expanded to it's biggest ever schedule, Aer Lingus has expanded on Belfast, TUI keeps growing and added a 2nd based winter aircraft, regular cargo flights were achieved and 2 new airlines Volotea and Play were attracted even if for limited schedules and of course oversaw the revamping of security and the landside departure area.
Negatives are no Qatar Airways return, Wizz leaving, Vueling reducing their amount of flights but that looks to be changing, no LCC base, no LCC on Mallorca, passenger numbers below 1 million, KLM reducing flights and Loganair reducing flights.

 

[Jerry]

"We asked the Tories if their government would sell the site to a private operator – or if they would close it completely."

Tory policy has been to sell it to a private operator but they didn't answer the question about closing the airport because I suspect they can't admit that they wouldn't be able to close it. Too economically and politically damaging to close it. They'd have to keep supporting it if they failed to sell it.

Tories announce raft of new policy pledges

Emily Price The Welsh Conservatives have announced a raft of new policy pledges but have failed to explain how they would work in practice and what benefit they would bring to Wales’ economy. On Saturday (March 29) the leader of the Welsh Tories, Darren Millar, promised to cut ministerial pay...

nation.cymru

 

[Jerry]

"The First Minister said: "We have been really frustrated by some of the situation with Cardiff Airport. We were starting to get somewhere, pre-pandemic and it all fell back and trying to rebuild it since then. I think its really important for us to have an airport in Wales. I think it would be a difficult situation for us to be one of the only countries in the world without an international airport."
""We wouldn't be able to host things like the UEFA cup or the big events here in the Millennium Stadium and those things bring in a huge amount of money compared to the investment in the airport."
"I know a lot of work is being done to try attract new airlines in, it's also important for the economy in and around that area, so it's not just the tourism side of things, its really important for the economy in and around the area. I think it's important not to just focus about 'can I go on holiday from there' but I think we would all love to use Cardiff Airport more, they just need to land more airlines coming into it".

First Minister Eluned Morgan says she is 'frustrated' by Cardiff Airport

Wales' First Minister told WalesOnline it was vital we aren't one of the 'only countries in the world without an international airport'

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[geoff]

I don't think that members of our Welsh Government realise the cost of running an airport, there was a big hue and cry over CWL being granted £200million over 10 years, then you other airports in the UK, spending £400m in one year. They need to realise that you have to offer incentives to airlines, to bring them to CWL. having said that I feel that Lee Smith the Head of Business Development has had some success since his appointment. Changing the subject I see that there were two interesting executive flights from CWL today, one to Port Luis, Mauritius, and the other to Dubai.

 

[Jerry]

then you other airports in the UK, spending £400m in one year

The problem is that money is private money. People seem to have a bigger problem when its public money even when the amounts aren't that large and part of the plan for it is economic development.

They need to realise that you have to offer incentives to airlines,

The problem is that the Welsh government is restricted in what it can do incentive wise because of the scrutiny. I suspect it's only really willing to provide incentives to a marquee airline like Qatar Airways. If it wanted to it could look at setting up a connectivity fund to encourage airlines to grow and launch routes that can be considered more connectivity type routes but that could benefit certain airlines at the airport but not others. Ideally the UK government would devolve Air Passenger Duty and the Welsh government could use that as an incentive but that's not likely to happen. If the Welsh Government want Cardiff to be Wales international airport then there going to have to potentially look at some sort of connectivity fund if they want to attract airlines and get airlines to grow important routes from Cardiff.

 

[Jerry]

Welsh government to go ahead with the £20 million a year fund. Interesting that the airport seems to come under the economy minister not transport minister.
"Developments may include facilities for aircraft maintenance, cargo handling and general aviation. Some of the investment will go towards exploring new opportunities such as possible air routes"

Welsh Government to give a further £20m to Cardiff Airport

The funding is part of government plans to give the airport £205m over the next decade, but there could be a legal challenge

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[geoff]

BRS is contemplating taking legal action over the subsidy to CWL, because of the use of public money, thereby giving it an advantage in competition with BRS. This is even though the Welsh Government has already changed the wording of the planning to prevent this taking place. The CAA has already given the plan the go ahead, although it is not legally binding. It is slightly ironic to hear this from BRS, when they have well over 10 times the number of passengers than CWL.

 

[Jerry]

BRS is contemplating taking legal action over the subsidy to CWL,

That'll be up to them there's not a lot the Welsh government can do about that like you said they've modified their plans but also a big chunk of the money is potentially more for economic development especially the non passenger side. Government's do invest in that sort of thing. I think the key part will be any money set aside for route development and what that will target. If it's just for connectivity and to promote inbound tourism and economic investment well again governments do that sort of investment.

It is slightly ironic to hear this from BRS, when they have well over 10 times the number of passengers than CWL.

Well I suspect that from BRS point of view every passenger flying from Cardiff isn't one flying from them but it does feel sometimes like a Tesco superstore launching worrying about a locally owned corner shop. If i was Bristol I'd be far more worried about a 3rd runway at Heathrow.

 

[MrFenner]

Big boys and their toys comes to mind!

They’re just being a bully. Simple as.

Let’s hope their potential new owners care more about the passenger experience than just money, money, money…

 

[Jerry]

Let’s hope their potential new owners care more about the passenger experience than just money, money, money…

Have i missed something?

 

[MrFenner]

Have i missed something?

Ha! Oh Jerry. You have! This was reported in November...

London City, Bristol and Birmingham airports reportedly for sale

Canadian pension fund said to be in talks with minority shareholders as it seeks to cash in on post-Covid revival

www.theguardian.com

 

[Jerry]

Ha! Oh Jerry. You have! This was reported in November...

London City, Bristol and Birmingham airports reportedly for sale

Canadian pension fund said to be in talks with minority shareholders as it seeks to cash in on post-Covid revival

www.theguardian.com

I knew that they'd put it up for sale but not that anything had been agreed.

 

[Red Flyer]

Interesting that you think it’s all about the money at BRS but are quite happy to see taxpayers money spent consistently with no positive results! To be honest pax moan about the distance of the walk to Gate 16 but when they get to other airports including AGP PMI or GLA to name a few they realise that BRS isn’t so bad after all! The biggest issue I hear from pax is actually the hassle of getting through immigration and the attitude of some UKBF staff!!

 

[Jerry]

taxpayers money spent consistently with no positive results!

Well there is one positive result. Wales has an international airport that's open with up to 1000 jobs onsite supported by it and more in the bigger supply chain. Without that taxpayers money Cardiff Airport would most likely have closed during the pandemic with the loss of those jobs and the loss of Wales only airport. And the airport was on a path of recovery until the pandemic hit. Unlike other airports Cardiff didn't just suffer the effects of the pandemic but the loss of the UKs biggest regional airline and as well Thomas Cook. As an airport it's had a struggle to recover from that triple whammy and it has to do that with white having a smaller pool of airlines willing to work with it and 2 of it's major routes not recovering as part of that as well.
Bristol is an excellent airport for what it does but Cardiff is no threat to it and lets be realistic it's going to be a massive challenge for Cardiff Airport to get back to 1.5 million passengers but also part of the airports challenge will be to at least break even and to do that its owner which the Welsh government is will need to continue to invest in the non passenger side of the business as well, something which will have very little effect on Bristol as it has no MRO or cargo operations.
I doubt like many you'll probably see it this way but the money the Welsh government puts in is an investment into part of the transport infrastructure of a country.