Cardiff Airport - General Thread

[aviatorconcorde]

Pandemic aside, Geography is a little unfortunate for Cardiff - for anyone in east cardiff it’s only about ten minutes further to bristol than Cardiff - for someone in Newport I would say equal distance time wise.

Cancellation of roads leading up to the airport like the M4 to five mile lane link up will not help the cause.

 

[geoff]

The link from the M4 to Five Mile Lane was seriously needed, but a lot of influential people live in the Vale, and this Government does not want to support anything which is anti-green in nature.

 

[Jerry]

Cancellation of roads leading up to the airport like the M4 to five mile lane link up will not help the cause.

Is it that a big deal? If the road access was a big factor in people choosing their holiday Bristol wouldn't be a successful airport as it's got poor access as well. Leeds Bradford is the same yet it's a relatively successful airport. If the product that people want is at the airport people will fly from there.

 

[Jerry]

The link from the M4 to Five Mile Lane was seriously needed, but a lot of influential people live in the Vale, and this Government does not want to support anything which is anti-green in nature.

It was the Vale of Glamorgan council that blocked planning permission I believe and not the Welsh government.

 

[geoff]

I think you are correct Jerry.

 

[Pontyboy]

Personally I would've said it was the pandemic!

The one single biggest reason 60 miles away which is killing Cardiff Airport

Only 123,000 passengers used the airport last year - that compares to 2.08m for Bristol

www.walesonline.co.uk

Absolute shambles of an article. I think most of us could write a better article. It’s as if the pandemic never occurred…….only time when Wizz bases a 2nd aircraft

 

[Jerry]

Absolute shambles of an article. I think most of us could write a better article. It’s as if the pandemic never occurred…….only time when Wizz bases a 2nd aircraft

It's the same old question people keep asking and can't understand the answer and that's "Why isn't Cardiff like Bristol?" As the answer isn't simple you end up with articles like this.

 

[Barry Man]

I think you will find it was the Welsh Government that blocked the link to the M4,
Cardiff Airport: M4 to A48 link road funds denied https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56470226

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Is it that a big deal? If the road access was a big factor in people choosing their holiday Bristol wouldn't be a successful airport as it's got poor access as well. Leeds Bradford is the same yet it's a relatively successful airport. If the product that people want is at the airport people will fly from there.

Just because Bristol has poor access I don’t think it’s a good benchmark for Cardiff to follow. Should always aim for the gold standard and be the best you can rather than settling for mediocre because your main competitor is.

Cardiff should always be looking to nab passengers from Bristol and the south west wherever possible and making sure those equal distance away pick Cardiff (I’m talking east cardiff and newport). Having good access is a major part of that.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

I think you will find it was the Welsh Government that blocked the link to the M4,
Cardiff Airport: M4 to A48 link road funds denied https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56470226

I think it would of happened along with the M4 relief road had Carwyn Jones still been first minister.

 

[Jerry]

Just because Bristol has poor access I don’t think it’s a good benchmark for Cardiff to follow.

Cardiff should always be looking to nab passengers from Bristol and the south west wherever possible and making sure those equal distance away pick Cardiff (I’m talking east cardiff and newport). Having good access is a major part of that.

And those passenger's will be attracted by having the airline's and destinations that people want to fly too operating from the airport. That's the key factor that will attract the passengers.

 

[Jerry]

Nice to see summer kicking in properly with 14 departures Sunday, 10 Monday, 14 Tuesday, 13 Wednesday, 8 Thursday, 11 Friday and 13 Saturday.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Just because Bristol has poor access I don’t think it’s a good benchmark for Cardiff to follow. Should always aim for the gold standard and be the best you can rather than settling for mediocre because your main competitor is.

Cardiff should always be looking to nab passengers from Bristol and the south west wherever possible and making sure those equal distance away pick Cardiff (I’m talking east cardiff and newport). Having good access is a major part of that.

That's not necessarily true. Most people will generally pick flights/holidays based on price and flight time before choice of Airport and Airport accessibility. People don't choose to fly from Heathrow, Birmingham and Gatwick just because it's a few minutes from a motorway junction, they still have to endure a 2 hour+ driver to get to that junction.
Also the quality of road access to CWL generally doesn't affect Air Travel. Most flights out of CWL are early morning, before rush hour traffic or mid afternoon departures, so people would be travelling late morning to reach CWL for check-in time.
Return flights tend to land around lunchtime and late evening into the early hours, outside of rush hour times.

What CWL really needs to be doing now is pushing the ease of access and simplicity of the terminal. BHX, LHR and LGW are now reaching the media on top of the troubles that MAN has been experiencing for many weeks. It may not influence many as most would likely already have flights and holidays booked for this summer, but it may affect peoples decisions to use those Airports where CWL could push its "Small and friendly" option for people that have experienced issues in recent weeks..... provided of course CWL is reasonably well staffed!

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

If you look at the bigger picture and take into consideration the Cardiff & BroTathan Enterprise Zone along with the business park which is next to the Holiday Inn then surely improved links to the M4 is vital.

It takes 20-25 minutes in peak traffic to reach culverhouse cross with another 5 minutes to reach the M4.

how much of a deterrent is it for major logistical companies and maybe a freight carrier to have an operation at the airport?

Cardiff Airport needs to diversify and not rely only on Passenger Traffic.

 

[Jerry]

If you look at the bigger picture and take into consideration the Cardiff & BroTathan Enterprise Zone along with the business park which is next to the Holiday Inn then surely improved links to the M4 is vital.

For cargo and business i would say it would be a big boost for the area, but considering the resistance locally and the Welsh governments aversion to new road projects it's very unlikely to happen.

 

[Jerry]

The airport has an official taxi company with a desk in arrivals. Can that company stop other taxi companies picking up from Cardiff Airport?

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

Flight Link Wales is the official operator at Cardiff Airport and I believe pay a premium for their desk in arrivals.

As for stopping other taxi companies picking up then don’t quote me but answer is no.

 

[MrFenner]

Tuesday is "duplicate day"...

- 06:00 TUI ALC / 12:10 W9 ALC / 12:45 VY ALC
- 06:00 TUI PMI / 06:05 W9 PMI
- 17:30 FR FAO / 18:25 W9 FAO

...competition is good! Keeps prices low and passengers interested.

 

[Jerry]

Tuesday is "duplicate day"...

- 06:00 TUI ALC / 12:10 W9 ALC / 12:45 VY ALC
- 06:00 TUI PMI / 06:05 W9 PMI
- 17:30 FR FAO / 18:25 W9 FAO

...competition is good! Keeps prices low and passengers interested.

When it comes to the LCCs I'd hope that they wouldn't operate on the same days, hard I know with Alicante. But it's a shame that the 4 weekly flights CWL has to Faro are on the same days and not more spread to provide people with better options but the airline's are going to do what makes them money.

 

[MrFenner]

When it comes to the LCCs I'd hope that they wouldn't operate on the same days, hard I know with Alicante. But it's a shame that the 4 weekly flights CWL has to Faro are on the same days and not more spread to provide people with better options but the airline's are going to do what makes them money.

I couldn't agree more. Differing days allow more number of nights' holidays, even more so if passengers were to book with different carriers...

But beggars can't be choosers...