Cardiff Airport - General Thread

[Jerry]

A wider look at the new bar!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158607232533221376

 

[Jarvo]

Will seating have had to be removed to accommodate the bar?
The airport desperately needed another offering to the Beer House, and a local artisanal company is just perfect!
I wonder, since they say it ends on 18th August, if the space will be available to other local companies for pop up opportunities... It'd be great to see a showcasing of Welsh products regularly on rotation

 

[Jarvo]

Actually, I can see the 18/8 deadline in the telweet is for the competition! Oops!
It does look like a temporary pop up though so it will still be interesting to see what happens to the space afterwards

 

[Pontyboy]

Nice idea!

A permanent Penderyn distillery store with tastings etc would in my opinion be a better shout here. Penderyn is progressing as an international brand in Whisky, gin and distills vodka/liquors too.

I do agree that there needs to be a second offering to the Beer House - plenty of scope to attract local breweries. There now needs to be a new restaurant to compliment what is already at the airport. If there is space where WHSmith once was - it could go there.

I wonder how much of a logistical nightmare having a pop up change over is at an airport? Security checks, new food and drink deliveries from different companies/new staff etc.

 

[Jerry]

Actually, I can see the 18/8 deadline in the telweet is for the competition! Oops!
It does look like a temporary pop up though so it will still be interesting to see what happens to the space afterwards

I wouldn't be surprised if it was just for the rest of the summer and will probably go back to seating but if it works it maybe something that they may try again next summer or with something else.

 

[Jerry]

A permanent Penderyn distillery store with tastings etc would in my opinion be a better shout here. Penderyn is progressing as an international brand in Whisky, gin and distills vodka/liquors too.

I'm pretty sure that they have a stand in the duty free shop.
It does offer something different to the Beer House. As for the logistical part I believe everything that goes airside like food and drink has to be security scanned which means a lot of handling.

With the space where the WH Smith is it would be great if a Burger King or McDonald's could be put there. I think something like that would compliment what the other outlets offer.

 

[Jerry]

With the likes of Burger King I wonder if the airport is too quiet to sustain one. Especially in the winter.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Burger King was present landside for years, up until the decline in passenger numbers. Now that passenger numbers are back up, there's no reason it wouldn't be sustainable. Also it would probably get more business and passengers are encouraged to through into departures earlier now than they were years ago.

 

[Jerry]

A wider look at the new bar!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158607232533221376

I'm curious but do people think that the new bar (even if it's probably temporary) is too pretentious for Cardiff airport? Is it appealing to customers that the airport doesn't necessarily have? More upmarket clientele than your average family off on their bucket and spade holiday.
And should CWL be using the space for things more for its main passenger core.

 

[Nuffsaid]

Nothing pretentious about the bar. It’s a great addition. You have to remember, there are a lot of people going on holiday who are treating themselves, this kind of thing would appeal. Besides, there is nothing wrong with a little aspiration and a touch of class to make Cardiff a better place.

 

[Jerry]

I do think it does offer something to a certain type of clientele and I don't think that's bad. I'd imagine that this was temporary for the next few months but I do hope it encourages them in the future to do it again maybe on a different theme. Preferably cider! Or maybe some sort of Welsh produce or drink.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Definitely not. Gin is increasingly popular lately, as are local products. A lot of gin bars are popping around the UK.
The branding is upmarket but it's still sselling spirits which will likely go down well. CWL isn't just a family holiday Airport. There are city breakers, long haul travellers even people travelling for business.

 

[StanMan]

I think this is a very welcome addition to the offering. Irrespective of whether overseas travel is business or leisure, most visitors to other countries expect to see local foods, drinks and the like being promoted and sold - and 'impulse' purchases of what may be perceived as a treat or out of curiosity can only help the airport and "brand Wales" more generally. I certainly am not comfortable with a visitor's perception of Wales' main airport to just be the Beer House!

 

[Pontyboy]

Nothing pretentious about the bar. It’s a great addition. You have to remember, there are a lot of people going on holiday who are treating themselves, this kind of thing would appeal. Besides, there is nothing wrong with a little aspiration and a touch of class to make Cardiff a better place.

Well said. There are plenty of young and old aspirational people travelling through the airport with money to spend on expensive drinks. Not everyone who flies from CWL are going £200 all inclusive to Alcudia!

 

[Jerry]

everyone who flies from CWL are going £200 all inclusive to Alcudia!

But I think for many that is all that flies from Cardiff and that is what it should stick to whereas in reality Cardiff has a more broader base of passenger just not a large base.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

If anything, I would say CWL has a strong mix of both families and older people with disposable income flying on holiday. Younger groups would probably looking at doing their own thing and flying EZY/FR, especially stag and hen groups.
But I disagree that CWL is an Airport just serving families going away on holiday, especially seeing as a large proportion of CWL's passengers are made up from city and connection routes such as AMS, DUB, EDI and CDG. In fact, in 2018, out of the top 9 routes served, the above 4 accounted for over 50% of those 9 routes (434k), and those 4 routes alone accounted for about a third of CWL's total passenger count.

 

[Jerry]

The new bar will be in place for 12 weeks.

 

[Jerry]

But I disagree that CWL is an Airport just serving families going away on holiday, especially seeing as a large proportion of CWL's passengers are made up from city and connection routes such as AMS, DUB, EDI and CDG. In fact, in 2018, out of the top 9 routes served, the above 4 accounted for over 50% of those 9 routes (434k), and those 4 routes alone accounted for about a third of CWL's total passenger count.

Every time I've used the airport it's always seemed like there is a wide demographic of people using it. From young to old to business and leisure passengers.
I think people think that because CWL lacks city routes that an airport like Bristol has and that south Wales is perceived as a poor area that only a certain type of passenger will use the airport.

 

[Jarvo]

I'm curious but do people think that the new bar (even if it's probably temporary) is too pretentious for Cardiff airport? Is it appealing to customers that the airport doesn't necessarily have? More upmarket clientele than your average family off on their bucket and spade holiday.
And should CWL be using the space for things more for its main passenger core.

Have you seen any of the prices for the new bar? Champagne at an airport sounds like the kind of thing I'd need a mortgage for!

 

[Jerry]

Have you seen any of the prices for the new bar? Champagne at an airport sounds like the kind of thing I'd need a mortgage for!

No I haven't but I did see someone on social media say they paid £12 for one particular cocktail for their wife. Whether that's a cheap one or the most expensive I don't know.