Monarch

[TheLocalYokel]

SFB Route

Monarch fortnightly summer service to Sanford, Florida, commenced this morning.

Reports suggest that a decent load boarded the A 330.

Unfortunately, the aircraft had to turn around when heading towards Ireland, reportedly with a weather radar problem, and went to Gatwick. The flight wasn't long delayed there and eta at Sanford is about two and a half hours behind schedule.

This is the first transatlantic regular summer charter for four years from CWL, an airport that only a few years before that had up to 3 x weekly charter departures in summer to Florida alone.

Although CWL sometimes struggles with city/business routes, the sun/sand type of route is invariably well supported so there is every reason to think that this will become a fixture in the summer schedules in the years ahead.

Perhaps the surpise is that it's taken someone so long to fill the gap - even in these times of recession - though Fly Globespan had announced a Sanford route for summer 2010 but then went out of business (not that the two were connected of course).

 

[Aviador]

Despite the hiccup it will have had warm reception at the airport. Cardiff might have had flights to Orlando in the past during the golden era but they're very lucky to have got this flight these days. I hope it works will for Monarch.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Sanford May 2012

After so much gloom surrounding the airport for so long, a bit of heartening news! The load on the outbound flight to Sanford (A330) at the end of last month was 282 which isn't at all bad (CAA stats - the return was in June).

 

[TheLocalYokel]

June 2012

The first full month of Cardiff-Sanford shows reason for optimism.

1126 passengers travelled on 2 rotations/4 legs (the route is fortnightly) giving an average load of 281, load factor 79% on the A330.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

CWL-Sanford July 2012

CAA stats show that 1360 passengers were carried on this fortnightly route in the month.

This an average load of 340 which comes out as a 95% load factor on the 358-seat Monarch A330.

These are extremely impressive figures.

The route will end early next month but is back as a weekly service next summer and for a longer season.

 

[Jordan-34092]

95% on an A330 is pretty well done, this is bound to be a good thing for CWL and if this carries on for the last few weeks and into next year it could see Monarch deciding to add more flights to other destinations which the airport does need.

 

[Em0866]

It seems that this route has been popular this year, as it used to be when there were regular flights to SFB. With a longer season next year, and weekly flights, it can only be a good thing for the airport. If Monarch did decide to include more destinations from CWL, they would have to choose them very carefully so that the locals will use them.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Good to hear from you again, E m.

Monarch to SFB was almost identical to July - 1343 passengers, average load 336, load factor 94%.

Another excellent month in terms of the loads.

Vueling is picking up but had Monarch come in on the BCN, ALC and PMI instead of Vueling there seems little doubt they would have done better from the start as they are better known in Wales. Most of the passengers on these routes emanate from Wales/neighbouring parts of England although there is a reasonable number of people from Spain on the BCN. Vueling has the advantage over Monarch of through connections at BCN but Monarch's name in the UK would have outweighed this in overall passenger numbers alone.

There were still some obvious gaps in the sea and sand sun holiday scheduled routes in summer 12 with Malaga and Faro being the obvious ones. Ibiza and Menorca would also be contenders at least in the high season so there is plenty for Vueling (or Monarch or someone else) to look at.

 

[Em0866]

Hello Local.

It will be interesting to see what Vueling will do next summer, more rotations or a few more destinations. Monarch could very well plug a few gaps on the Med routes, even alongside Vueling adding a couple more destinations like Malaga. We will see in the next few months what happens, but there is potential, I think, for improvement with both these airlines.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

E m

I've been surprised that no-one stepped in earlier than Vueling for the summer sea and sand routes when baby announced it was pulling out, and not just Palma and Alicante.

There's never a problem filling these from CWL in summer - of course we never know whether yields are a problem.

When Vueling announced ALC it was reported that Malaga was that bit too far for (in their opinion) a profitable route though the ordinary punter would look at this in puzzlement as the two are not that far apart.

 

[Em0866]

I agree that it was very slow before Vueling stepped in where bmibaby left. Odd that it took so long as it was not a big secret that they were going.

As the crow flies it is not really that far from ALC to AGP. Thomson will be doubling their flights for S13 (from 1 to 2) flights a week, so the demand is obviously there. I think Vueling were being cautious, to be fair, see how it goes for them by the end of the first season before deciding what to do next.

 

[Aviador]

This yield thing is puzzling. I have often wondered why some airlines can operate to destinations like Sharm el Sheikh at a bargain price year round, yet other routes only a quarter or a third of the distance struggle.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

This yield thing is puzzling. I have often wondered why some airlines can operate to destinations like Sharm el Sheikh at a bargain price year round, yet other routes only a quarter or a third of the distance struggle.

It does seem to be an arcane phenomenon to outsiders. Perhaps it's a science to the insiders.

I'm told that a 90% load factor with, say, Ryanair to Poland or other Eastern Europe destinations pays less well than a similar load factor to the Costas with similar fares, simply because on the latter the punters are in holiday mood and are prepared to spend money on drinks, food and other 'goodies' on the flight, whereas the Poles and their neighbours aren't keen on splashing the cash on inflight extras.

That doesn't explain why ALC was a goer for Vueling from CWL but not AGP. Does the relatively small amount of extra fuel to the Costa Del Sol really make that much difference compared with the Costa Blanca?

 

[Ray Finkle]

I've not seen anything official but I've heard Monarch have pulled flights to Orlando from both Cardiff and Newcastle for next summer. Had a quick look on Cosmos and it's showing no flights from Cardiff.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I've not seen anything official but I've heard Monarch have pulled flights to Orlando from both Cardiff and Newcastle for next summer. Had a quick look on Cosmos and it's showing no flights from Cardiff.

There seems little doubt that the Monarch CWL-SFB service next summer has been axed.

In summer 2012 it ran for a limited season at fortnightly intervals. The load factors on the 358-seat A 330 were very high at 94/95% though of course we don't know how many were at discounted prices.

It's a huge shame for the airport which at long last seems to be showing signs of small improvements in its route network.

 

[User0001]

Its been announced internally that CWL-SFB (and the NCL route) have been pulled for 2013, due to poor forward bookings.