Voices for improvement at Cardiff Airport

[cefncarnau]

Myself & 3 others have initiated a campaign to restore the fortunes of Cardiff Airport.

We're not anti airport or anything like that, we want to work with the airport, WAG (WG) Wales Air Network & other stakeholders.

We have an e-petition which is free

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fly-cardiff/

A facebook page

http://www.facenook.com/flycardiff

And you can follow us on twitter

Thanks John

http://www.twitter.com@flycardiff

 

[Aviador]

Welcome to Forums4airports 'cefncarnau' and I hope you can engage in discussions throughout the forum.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

This site was very popular with CWL aficionados until a couple of years ago. In fact, CWL was then the second most discussed airport after LBA.

Since then numbers have dwindled to the point where the former posters rarely if ever visit let alone post.

I notice the same thing is happening on the Dried Plum which again used to be very strong in the CWL thread.

I suspect most posters have retreated to the W A N site which is fine up to a point but that site is full of people preaching to the converted which is why it's good to see you spreading your message here and possibly on other sites as well.

It might actually be helpful and constructive to hear the views on CWL from those with an interest in civil aviation who aren't as close to the furnace as the W A N members and perhaps view the subject more dispassionately.

There seems little doubt that CWL is under-served and is under-performing, but it is by no means the only UK regional airport that has under-performed in recent years.

I detect a feeling in too many people that they believe CWL should be outperforming merely because it's the capital city of Wales. Life isn't like that and CWL must compete on its merits as a UK regional airport.

Whilst the Cardiff city region is economically vibrant and successful much of the remainder of South Wales is not which effectively reduces the size of the realistic catchment which is relatively modest overall anyway.

I sincerely wish you well with your campaign but I wonder if some of the people who have signed your petition are in danger of losing a sense of proportion as to what they think CWL ought to be.

The same thing is happening with Plymouth. I've just read an article in the local press there concerning a petition being circulated demanding the closure plans be halted with the caveat that if PLH was seriously expanded it could become a top English regional airport - that sense of proportion again, or rather a lack of it.

 

[Aviador]

It would appear the group supporting the development of aviation services from Wales is beginning to fragment under it's own weight. I did wonder if this would be the eventual outcome of the aviation society that seems to work against the airport owner rather than supporting it.

We may all get frustrated from time to time if our local airport doesn't seem to be doing as well as perhaps we think it should be doing but we must remember, It is not us that are in the driving seat, but the airport management. It's easy for people to point their finger and suggest that airport management aren't performing well enough. No matter what anybody thinks, market forces will be the ultimate decider whether or not an airport is successful.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It does seem that the campaign to improve CWL's lot is splitting into various camps.

There are several websites devoted to this aim (at least three at the last count) with rumours of another taking to cyberspace ere long.

One of the sites has an online petition demanding that Albertis, the owners of CWL, sort out the airport or get out.

I'm sure each faction is genuinely concerned about the plight of CWL but I can't help thinking the campaign would be better served if all groups came together. The current multi-group approach is liable to confuse potential supporters and have less of an impact than a concerted and focused strategy.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It's a pity the thread starter hasn't returned to give us an update.

I believe that most people who read the post are sympathetic to and supportive of the cause but it's a two-way thing.

It's not the first time that someone has asked for publicity/support for an aviation related cause on Forums4airports then disappeared without trace so far as this forum is concerned.