Cardiff Airport - General Thread

[Tinkerman]

I suppose it could be any of those things that you mention there.

Looks like the rest of us will just have to wait and find out in that case.

I'm personally hoping for more than QR too.

 

[Jerry]

Hey maybe the exciting news is Primera for CWL? Probably not though!

 

[Tinkerman]

Interesting you should say that because they've just launched TATL routes from BHX as of this morning.

In my opinion if this poster insists on there being exciting news coming soon, then i'm sure that it can only realistically be one of three things.
1) QR Announcement of A/C, timings and frequency which i'm sure have been decided by the upper echelons of QR management by now.
2) Terminal enhancements to accompany (1).
3) Some kind of BE expansion.

On another note this morning rail electrification to Swansea has been scrapped from Cardiff, this is not great news but at the same time it isn't exactly bad. Unfortunately, i've known this for some time, especially after the order of the Bi-Mode trains. However, positively Cardiff Parkway station has had the go-ahead this morning, with the station being backed by Investec (and the whole business park seemingly), this is excellent news for Cardiff, South Wales and inevitably Cardiff Airport. This new business park will create thousands of new jobs in the City, potentially attracting the likes of Channel 4 HQ amongst other things which can only boost CWL's passenger numbers.

When the Metro scheme gets going this station will be seamlessly linked with Cardiff Central which hopefully has a Metro (hopefully Light Rail) link to CWL.

 

[Tinkerman]

Interesting also that Primera Air have just made that move at BHX.

The article states that they wish to use their A321NEO's and B737MAX9 ER's to launch further routes in Europe in the future. CWL is not out of the realms of possibility here, those aircraft aforementioned would not be able to operate from BRS on TATL flights i believe, so potentially interesting times ahead.

 

[Jerry]

I would imagine that Qatar would be announced at the end of September, that would, depending on the launch day, give them 6 months build up and most of the summer period on sale. Any terminal upgrades could be announced at the same time.
Any expansion from BE would be great. Could be a few charter routes for the winter? Or a tie up with TOM for the summer. They are operating Salzburg for TOM out of BHX so they could do something similar with a new route for CWL. If LCY doesn't return then it's possible DUB could be operated by the Dash a lot more to free up some E jet hours.
If Primera Air looked at CWL then TATL isn't all they could look at. They could mix long haul with some short haul sun routes as well which is their Scandanavian bread and butter. Would be a good boost for CWL if they did but it would be for them a bigger gamble than many consider BHX is.

 

[Jerry]

One thing I can't stand is when people post on two different forums, under two different guises in an act to appear that they know more than they do. Isn't that right "Tinkerman"? Or should I say "Air Guru"? Enough now.

Many people post in different forums under different user names. If Tinkerman does that he's free to do so.
If he or this 'Air Guru' know something about what is potentially about to happen at CWL they may not be able to reveal it for various reasons yet may want to tell people that something is or possibly about to either happen or be announced at CWL but can't reveal the exact details. Is that what these forums are about in the end?

 

[Jerry]

20 JULY
Press release: Here comes the sun! Over 260,000 passengers expected at Cardiff Airport this summer
With term time drawing to an end, Cardiff Airport is preparing for a busy summer season with over 260,000 passengers expected to jet off in search of sunnier climes; an increase of 7% versus summer 2016*.

Wales’ national airport has celebrated significant milestones of late, including the rolling year’s passenger figures exceeding 1.4 million, in addition to June being the busiest month for passenger volume since the Airport came under ownership of the Welsh Government in 2013.

The top ten most popular destinations this summer are:

1. Palma Majorca with Vueling, Thomson and Thomas Cook
2. Amsterdam (and connecting to over 900 destinations worldwide) with KLM
3. Alicante with Vueling and Thomson
4. Malaga with Vueling and Thomson
5. Milan with Flybe
6. Dublin with Flybe
7. Faro with Flybe, Ryanair and Thomson
8. Tenerife with Thomson, Thomas Cook and Ryanair
9. Munich with Flybe
10. Barcelona with Vueling

In addition to these popular destinations, customers are enjoying new routes including Madrid with Iberia Express, Rome with Flybe and for those wanting something a little closer to home, Guernsey with Blue Islands. Flybe has also doubled its frequency to Verona this summer due to popular demand.

With school out for the summer, many Welsh holiday makers will be heading for Disneyland Paris to enjoy a family trip with a little magic, especially as direct flights from Cardiff to Charles de Gaulle Airport are daily and operate at convenient times.

Flybe’s flights to Germany offer families options for alternative summer holidays, with Tropical Islands Holiday Park just over an hour from Berlin Tegel Airport; a wealth of Bavarian holiday parks within driving distance of Munich Airport and access to cultural hotspots Cologne, Bonn and the breath-taking Schwarz Wald region thanks to weekly flights to Dusseldorf.

Customers seeking far flung adventures also have many options with KLM. With regular direct flights to Amsterdam Schiphol it’s possible to travel to long haul destinations including Dubai, Orlando, Tokyo, Sri Lanka and Mauritius via straight forward connections.

Deb Barber, CEO of Cardiff Airport, said: “The school summer holiday is always a busy time of year, and this summer is no exception – with even more customers expected than in 2016. This increase is owing to our airlines recognising the demand and offering a wider choice of popular destinations, priced at the right level and operating at convenient times.

For customers who may not have flown from Cardiff last summer, they will notice our terminal has been significantly improved with a refreshed Ritazza coffee shop, The Beer House bar and restaurant and our new look walk-through duty free store stocks the best in branded holiday essentials, fashion, cosmetics and gifts with well-priced parking also available on site. All of these services make our customer experience accessible and enjoyable – the perfect start to a summer holiday!”

BACK TO NEWS

 

[Red Flyer]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news...-for-£1/ar-AAoz58D?li=AAmiR2Z&ocid=spartanntp

 

[Jerry]

Ramsdens is offering 1.093 Euro to a pound and 1.274 dollars to the pound. Eurochange is offering the same. I think that article just shows don't get it at the airport!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Ramsdens is offering 1.093 Euro to a pound and 1.274 dollars to the pound. Eurochange is offering the same. I think that article just shows don't get it at the airport!

I agree. It would have to be a last minute emergency for me to buy currency at an airport.

 

[superking]

Its a well known thing not to change money at airports. Post office do good deals on money currencies ppl say they one of the best.

 

[Marko1]

I had 1.11 in Tesco the other day which given the circumstances is quite a good deal .

 

[Jerry]

Cardiff has been voted the 2nd friendliest airport and 2nd cleanest airport in the UK in a poll for Cheapflights.co.uk. In the overall standings the airport came 12th.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/n...al&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

[Jerry]

View attachment 5662 The first Celebrity Cruises flight from Cardiff Airport departed to Barcelona at 09.37 today! Operated by Titan Airways on a 737 300QC G-ZAPW.
https://twitter.com/Cardiff_Airport/status/891936242673307648

 

[Tinkerman]

Not familiar with the Celebrity Cruises product, but seems as though it's quite high end. Prosecco on arrival at the gate etc ! Something to bear in mind for future cruises - Nice Titan B733 too.

 

[superking]

Nothing against this product offered from cwl, I would rather go from Southampton with out flying to use the celebrity product offered. They do more or less the same thing starting and finish in Southampton with out flying. I do hope it works out ok as every little helps from the airport or any other as well.

 

[Jerry]

From what i saw when my ship was docked next to one of theirs in Gibraltar 2 years ago they look a bit more up market, more traditional cruise line. I was on the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas and she was much larger and basically a floating hotel resort which catered for all! An amazing ship! If i remember correctly the original airline for that wasn't Titan it was Avia? with a 50 seater so hopefully it sold better than Celebrity cruises thought so they upgraded to a 737 and it might make them consider more.
Southampton is a great place to start a cruise but if you are heading to the Med it takes 3 days of sailing to get to Gibraltar and the Bay of Biscay is pot luck with the weather, for us it was fine on the way down and rough on the way up but for my uncle and aunt rough both ways, they said next time they'll look at a fly cruise. If you are only going for a week Barcelona is a good place to start as you can get most of the Western Med and there is a dedicated transport link from the airport to the cruise terminal. I think it's a light railway. Also a Southampton we were never greeted with Prosecco on arrival!

 

[Jerry]

2018
So i decided to do a summary of how 2018 is possibly going to look for the airport with what is confirmed and what could potentially happen.
1. Long haul routes from Thomson Airways (TUI Airlines UK) will be operated with the 787 8 Dreamliner in the first part of the year with flights to Barbados and Jamaica in January, February and March. As well TOM will base 2 737 aircraft to operate short haul holiday routes as well as charter airlines like Norwegian and Eurowings and Thomas Cook will continue to base an A320 at the airport between May and October but unfortunately won't operate any long haul from the airport in 2018.

2. Qatar Airways will launch flights from Cardiff Airport to their hub in Doha from summer 2018. Though the date the route will start and frequency of flights is still pending it is believed that they will use their 787 8 Dreamliner aircraft.

3. BH Air operating for Balkan Holidays will go 2 weekly to Burgas next year for July, August and September with
1 weekly for May, June and October.
4. Vueling Airlines will operate at least 16 weekly flights from Cardiff Airport to 4 destinations and may potentially increase frequencies on routes like ALC to from 5 weekly to 7 weekly during the summer season. Their IAG partner Iberia Express is at the moment unconfirmed to return but hopefully they will come back for a full summer season with their MAD route as it is rumoured they are happy with the route so far.

5. Potential new based airline. It has been rumoured that an airline which operates 737 aircraft, potentially Ryanair, might open up a base at the airport for 2018 with an unknown amount of aircraft. Other airlines mentioned include Norwegian Airlines, Blue Air, Jet2 and Monarch. This is one to keep an eye on as it is only a rumour at the moment.

6. Terminal upgrades. With Qatar Airways launching from CWL in the summer, there is the strong possibility that the departure area, executive lounge and check in area will be expanded and that there will be work on the boarding pier which may include a new jet bridge on stand 7.

7. Flybe. 3 confirmed based aircraft 2 E195 jets and 1 Q400 turboprop with a rumoured extra E195 to be based as well. Increased frequencies on routes like BHD, CDG and DUB and there is the potential for new routes to the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe and also charters possible as well. As well LCY could also potentially make a return.

8. There will be throughout the year various sporting charters for teams and fans from all over the UK, Europe and Ireland visiting Welsh based teams in Rugby and Football and Ice Hockey and those same teams visiting teams in the UK, Europe and Ireland but with the introduction of 2 South African teams (starting in September) to what is now the Pro 14 there could be (a very slim) possibility of charters from or to South Africa as at the moment the transport arrangements are unknown.



Even if some of the above points don't happen 2018 will still be a busy and exciting year for Wales only international airport and will probably see the yearly figure break through the 1.5 million mark and if it's really successful the 1.6 million mark may be achievable as well.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If there is a based 737 operator with, say, two aircraft as well as a third Flybe E195 plus Qatar the total is going to be higher than 1.6 million for the year. It would be closer to 2 million.

 

[Jerry]

If that happens then that will be great! If the mystery 737 operator doesn't happen but the 3rd BE E195 does with Qatar it should go over the 1.6 million mark and maybe get to 1.7 million?