Vueling

[TheLocalYokel]

Summer 2013 Vueling at CWL

Looking back at recent posts I see the thread needs updating.

PMI will operate this summer (from 20 June) at 3 x weekly along with ALC (started last Saturday) at 3 x weekly, AGP at 3 x weekly and BCN at 2 x weekly (the last two start this week).

Furthermore, AGP will increase to 4 x weekly in August and September.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Vueling to fly all year round from Cardiff.

Leading Spanish airline, Vueling has today launched new winter services from Cardiff Airport which extends its flying programme to an all year round operation following a positive response from Welsh passengers.

The additional flights to Malaga and Alicante will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, extending the summer schedule. Flights are on sale from Thursday 23rd May and prices start at 39, 99€.

Full Story: http://walesairforum.wordpress.com/2013 ... m-cardiff/[/textarea]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It's good to see that Vueling seems to have confidence in its future at CWL with a year-round presence.

If the winter goes well there must be a very good chance of some more expansion from them next year.

 

[Aviador]

It's good to see that Vueling seems to have confidence in its future at CWL with a year-round presence.

If the winter goes well there must be a very good chance of some more expansion from them next year.

Even more so now that the airline is owned by IAG, the owner of British Airways.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winter 2014-2015

Still no sign of Vueling flights for the coming winter. Last winter they operated for the first time at CWL to Alicante and Malaga (both 2 x weekly), having previously been a summer-only operator at the airport.

In 2013 they announced their winter programme a year ago today but then, as now, they might be missing out on early bookers some of whom may have gone elsewhere.

 

[Em0866]

Unless they make an announcement in the next few days, I guess they won't be having a winter programme for 2014/15. If they don't then I think it is an opportunity missed. Let's sit tight for a wee bit longer and take it from there.

 

[Aviador]

That will be a real shame if they don't. Cardiff really need to be able to maintain year round services to the likes of Alicante and Malaga if it's to raise the game and attract new routes and airlines.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

That will be a real shame if they don't. Cardiff really need to be able to maintain year round services to the likes of Alicante and Malaga if it's to raise the game and attract new routes and airlines.

Absolutely but the loads in deep midwinter last year were poor. Summer loads on BCN, ALC, AGP and PMI are improving year on year but that shouldn't be a surprise because summer sun is CWL's traditional strength. Winter has usually relied on the Canaries for the high loads so it's no surprise that Ryanair is trying out TFS this coming winter. I have no doubt it will be a success so far as loads are concerned but we know that high loads with FR don't always mean acceptable yields for the airline.

It's possible that Ryanair might try some of the summer sun routes in 2015 which might prove awkward for Vueling, and Ryanair would also have to look at its BRS routes as well in case a duplicated CWL route/s dilutes them too much. Or they might switch some from BRS to CWL and use both airports for routes that don't overlap.

 

[Aviador]

Some operators do a part winter programme operating over the busiest periods. At least potential customers would still have Cardiff as a departure point if they did something like that rather than having no winter option at all from Cardiff.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Some operators do a part winter programme operating over the busiest periods. At least potential customers would still have Cardiff as a departure point if they did something like that rather than having no winter option at all from Cardiff.

Yes, running through from summer until, say, the third week in November, flights over Christmas/New Year then re-starting in mid February could be an option.

 

[Aviador]

Yes that's exactly what I was thinking. I know Jet2 have a habit of doing this from Leeds but it's better than having no winter option at all.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Vueling winter 2014-2015

CWL management told the airport consultative committee last night that they are confident that Vueling will operate its sun flights again this coming winter. Last winter they flew to Malaga and Alicante both twice weekly.

 

[Em0866]

They must have a good idea on the intentions of VY. They do seem to have a good relationship with management at CWL and see the long-term potential. Will be interesting to see how they develop services for the winter and also for S15.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

They must have a good idea on the intentions of VY. They do seem to have a good relationship with management at CWL and see the long-term potential. Will be interesting to see how they develop services for the winter and also for S15.

This winter may be no more than last winter but there could be some expansion next summer, perhaps in the form of additional rotations each week on the existing routes (ALC, AGP, PMI and BCN).

Apparently at last night's meeting the airport management was hopeful that Ryanair might expand in the future. I would suspect that if they did their first targets would be the summer sun routes which would put them in direct competition with Vueling.

 

[Em0866]

Well, even if it is the same as last winter, it is much better than nothing. As for summer 2015...there are other Spanish routes Ryanair could run currently not served from CWL.....e.g. Murcia which used to be served by BMIBaby. If Faro will not be served by VY next summer than Ryanair could give that a go too. I am sure there are others that could work from CWL

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Well, even if it is the same as last winter, it is much better than nothing. As for summer 2015...there are other Spanish routes Ryanair could run currently not served from CWL.....e.g. Murcia which used to be served by BMIBaby. If Faro will not be served by VY next summer than Ryanair could give that a go too. I am sure there are others that could work from CWL

I suspect that if Ryanair did decide to expand at CWL they would want the ALCs and AGPS and PMIs as part of any package as that's where the main weight of bodies on leisure routes out of the airport lies. I guess they would judge that they would become the primary carrier for these routes which would raise a question mark about Vueling's future at CWL.

The other consideration is Bristol. Ryanair operates to all the main sun routes and competes with easyJet on ALC, AGP, PMI, FAO and TFS. They'd have to judge whether any dilution of these routes was more than compensated by similar routes form CWL. The fact that Ryanair is beginning TFS from CWL this winter would tend to suggest that they don't believe that their BRS-TFS will be seriously affected.

Or it might even be some sort of trial to give them an idea whether a 'joint' Severnside base was a better option with some routes operating from CWL and others from BRS but not competing in a way that would weaken both.

Or it might be a shot across the BRS bows to get back in line after their stand to raise FR's peak hour airport charges and overnight parking.

From a passenger's viewpoint it seems that Vueling has the better product, but from the airport's perspective the greater footfall that Ryanair would engender to feed the ancillary revenue streams at CWL such as car parking and retail outlets would be a very attractive proposition.

 

[superking]

as post from another forum
routes bookable s15
alc on sale jan~june
bcn on sale march~june
agp on sale jan~june
pmi not bookable yet, but early days yet
fair play to vueling they are giving it a good go from cwl. can only think loads must be fairly good.
cwl always seem to do ok with bucket and spade routes,more so than city routes.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

As you say summer loads, especially peak summer, have always been very good at CWL on sun routes. It's been reported elsewhere that Vueling were slightly disappointed with the loads from CWL in their first season (summer 2012), but have seen a gradual improvement since.

June's loads this year were very good but it's summer and paragraph one above applies.

Last winter, the first winter for Vueling at CWL, loads were without mincing words poor, hence the concern that they might not return for the forthcoming winter. They have so must have good reason to believe that matters will improve there too.

As always we can only use loads as a measure of success or otherwise but of course that can be a false guide. Only the airline will know if it's making the sort of money it wants at an airport. There are a number of examples of Ryanair (especially) and easyJet axing routes at BRS when monthly loads have consistently been above 90%. Bratislava and Katowice are the latest examples of this with Ryanair at BRS.

It will be very interesting to see if Ryanair expands its single weekly winter Tenerife service next summer. If it does the obvious routes will be summer sun in which case it would almost certainly go head to head with Vueling on Malaga, Alicante and Palma.

 

[superking]

a mate of mine wanted to fly to bcn this winter from cwl. been told that all vueling flts from cwl are suspended for 6 weeks this winter. its in november and january.
any one knw anything. if confirmed its the last thing cwl wants.

 

[Aviador]

It isn't uncommon for airlines to suspend routes over the winter period especially year two onwards when they've gauge how well the routes yield is performing during the quieter winter season.