It's the dilemna for the airport. I suppose it depends on what is the priority. Sheer footfall provided by Welsh passengers going on holiday. Or connectivity with the nearby countries for business connections and inbound tourism. My suspicion is that the airport will prioritize the latter.

Once CWL became owned by the WG it was always likely to find itself in a dichotomy.

A private sector airport has one major goal: to act in the best interests of its shareholders which invariably means profitability, dividends and future sustainability. If that means most of the flights take holidaymakers abroad then that is not a particular cause for concern for the successful private sector owner. Ideally such an airport would help to boost the local economy as well, but the private sector owner is neither a government nor a charity and has no direct responsibility for the local economy.

The WG-owned Cardiff Airport company obviously wants to see its airport become profitable but the government has the dual aim of using its airport to enhance the Welsh economy, and to an extent the two aims can be conflicting.

If they can attract a Ryanair it is inevitable that most of the passengers will be flown out of the country for leisure purposes when some might have stayed at home and spent holiday money in Wales instead. It’s highly unlikely that many passengers would be flying into Wales from Alicante or Malaga either to do business in Wales or to take a holiday there.

The almost certain greatly increased footfall that these leisure travellers would bring would undoubtedly enhance the ancillary revenue spend at the airport (car parking, retail outlets for example) helping CWL along the road to profitability.

If the airport management eschews this and concentrates on business routes then there might be some benefit to the Welsh economy, although it’s always difficult to quantify, but the airport footfall is likely to be much less than for leisure flights to the sun with a resultant lower ancillary revenue stream spend and airport profitability much less certain.

Ideally, the airport would achieve both simultaneously but that is a very long shot.

If they build footfall first by sending more people to the sun that will go a long way towards the profitability goal; according to CWL's advisers giving evidence to government committees 2 mppa seems to be the magic number that tips everything into positive economy of scale in terms of airport fixed costs.

Once the airport becomes profitable more focus can be put on business connectivity which is not to say that a limited amount won’t have been achieved alongside the ‘rush to the sun’. A Ryanair base would be likely to offer at least a few routes that aren't solely leisure opportunities to the sun with Dublin an obvious very strong candidate to be one of them.

I know that CWL has had unfortunate experiences with two major scheduled airline presences in the past - bmibaby and Flybe - but I don’t consider that a reason not to put out the welcome mat to someone like Ryanair just in case they up sticks in the future. Any airport can suffer the loss of a major airline customer - for all sorts of reasons. Nearby BRS would be in considerable difficulty if easyJet ceased to exist or even if it significantly downsized there.
 
Once the airport becomes profitable more focus can be put on business connectivity which is not to say that a limited amount won’t have been achieved alongside the ‘rush to the sun’. A Ryanair base would be likely to offer at least a few routes that aren't solely leisure opportunities to the sun with Dublin an obvious very strong candidate to be one of them.
Personally i think if the airport was to strike a basing deal with Ryanair then Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Rome, Milan and maybe a German city probably Munich would in my opinion have to be included in any route network for the airport to be able to justify the spend of money to it's shareholder which is the WG as that way it can be shown that any investment provides the connections for Wales as a country. Whether Ryanair would be willing to do that only they would know.
 
Simply a case of get what you can at present if its one route great if it is three based aircraft fantastic no regional or major airport for that matter will be picking much up over the next couple of years if you can attract anything at present you have to take it yes it's a short term view but its a different ball game to 3 months ago.
 
Simply a case of get what you can at present if its one route great if it is three based aircraft fantastic no regional or major airport for that matter will be picking much up over the next couple of years if you can attract anything at present you have to take it yes it's a short term view but its a different ball game to 3 months ago.
I think depends on the amount of any incentive involved. If the airport were to give Ryanair millions and only get Dublin as a return they'd no doubt get a lot of criticism.
 
I think depends on the amount of any incentive involved. If the airport were to give Ryanair millions and only get Dublin as a return they'd no doubt get a lot of criticism.
Realistically that wouldn't happen though surely lessons were learnt with the Flybe deal. The problem is all regional airports have one major issue they can't get the airlines on the apron so are stuck to just a few carrier's making life tricky if anything goes wrong such as pulling out or like Flybe and others before them the carrier fails. It isn't a healthy situation for the airports they are at the mercy of the airlines and the airlines know it is it just best to take the approach that anything is better than nothing and if the airport gets a golden deal the airport sort of lives with it (at present) and they take the approach lets make our money through extra people coming through the door.
 
Agree - it’s like if you have no job but need to pay the bills and put food on the table then needs must. Ideally you want a well paid job, job security and nice perks. After a while if you try and manage with a state handout and then an OK zero hours contract comes along that allows you to pay the bills you might, reluctantly, have to take it as in the short term, it is the right thing to do for short term survival.

Apologies for the crass analogy.

Airlines don’t have loyalty or sentimental attachments at the moment - you only have to look at VS leaving their ‘spiritual’ home at LGW to see that and the moves BA are taking - the aviation world was changing anyway - it’s now had two big outboard motors strapped on to that change.
 
Better than nothing I suppose. Sunday flight's with the exception of extra flights on the 23rd and 30th December and 6th January.
 
Have booked to AGP on 10th as my TUI flight isn’t happening (although they haven’t told me yet). £21 each way - bargain. Never flown FR before....
 
Have booked to AGP on 10th as my TUI flight isn’t happening (although they haven’t told me yet). £21 each way - bargain. Never flown FR before....
They're good value for money and a good airline. I always enjoy flying with them. Hopefully I'll get to do it from CWL one day.
 
I am taking the plunge the air ridge will be announced on Monday 29/6 as trailed. Going until end July anyway. The flights are changeable for free. I am on list of quarantine exemptions anyway.
 
Lots of enquiries on the website pushes the prices up. Doesn't necessarily mean that they have sold lots more tickets.
 
The Welsh government has asked Ryanair not to operate it's flights on Friday to Faro and Malaga because it's 5 mile rule is still in place.
Wonder what FR will think of this then.I know its a govermment law, but it will reflect on the airport.
 
Wonder what FR will think of this then.I know its a govermment law, but it will reflect on the airport.
I'd imagine that they will say fine but you pay the compensation to the passengers!
 

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9 trips in 9 days done 70 miles walked and over 23-00 photos taken with a large number taken at 20mph or above. Heavy rain on 1 day only
5 trips done and 45 miles walked,. Also the RAF has had 4 F35B Lightning follow me yesterday and today....
My plans got altered slightly as one of the minibus companies had to cancel 3 trips and refunded me but will be getting nice discount when I rebook them.
wondering why on my "holidays" I choose to get up 2 hours earlier than when going to work. 6 trips in 6 days soon coming up with 3 more days to sort out

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