Cardiff: Route Development & Rumours

[Jerry]

CWL-MAN-CWL so

It has been suggested before and was rumored as well around January time if i remember correctly and with Flybe's long haul codeshare's could be access to another hub route. I think if CWL-MAN ever happended then CWL would need Q400's based as i can't see Flybe wanting to use MAN based aircraft but we haven't had S17 released yet so there is still a remote possibilty of a MAN route!

 

[marsh.ger]

NQY is a definite no go.
It has been attempted three times since I started in 2006 if I'm correct.

Air Southwest tried the route operating a 50 seat Q300. The aircraft operated 2 x daily NQY-CWL-MAN-CWL-NQY

Isle of Scily Skybus then tried the route daily using a Twin Otter.

Air Southwest then came back in the route with the Q300 but they were swallowed up by Eastern Airways and closed down.

The Manchester flights from Cardiff haven't had a good history either.

 

[Jerry]

Your suggestion of a small Dornier would therefore be even more appropriate.

It would be Loganair then i would've guessed? Do they base at MAN?

The Manchester flights from Cardiff haven't had a good history either.

Might be different under Flybe as it could be used to connect to Flybe's network especially routes that CWL doesn't and probably won't get. Also there is Flybe's codeshares with VS and other airlines out of MAN that could make the route more viable than before.

 

[Jerry]

The Transport Licensing Authority have granted the license for Blue Islands to fly Guernsey to Cardiff. Look forward to see when they start the flights.

 

[David_itl]

Loganair's Do328 MAN service is operated as NWI-MAN-NWI rather than MAN-NWI-MAN. Other non-tag-on ops to Cardiff have been by the Do228 and J31- they may have been too small with 19 seats. 38 seats in a Do328 may be better in terms of economics.

 

[marsh.ger]

I'm unsure but did I hear previously that licenses have been granted previously that haven't been operated?

It would be interesting to see if it does operate what the frequency would be and if it would continue on to Jersey in order to free up the Flybe E195

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm unsure but did I hear previously that licenses have been granted previously that haven't been operated?

It would be interesting to see if it does operate what the frequency would be and if it would continue on to Jersey in order to free up the Flybe E195

https://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=104104&p=0

The above link leads to the licence for GCI-CWL. The conditions are basic and refer only to the need for requisite insurance. There is no minimum aircraft size requirement, no minimum number of daily or weekly flights; neither does the licence give permission for triangulating via another airport, eg Jersey.

For comparison purposes the licence for Aurigny on GCI-BRS has these conditions, inter alia:

Must be a minimum daily rotation May to September and minimum 4 x weekly October-April with an aircraft of at least 50 passenger seats. Occasional triangulating via a third point in accordance with other licences held by the operator is permissible.

And the Flybe licence for GCI-EXT states at least two rotations per day with an aircraft of a minimum of 50 passenger seats but it is permissible to triangulate via Jersey, and I think this is what Flybe does most of the time, ie a double drop.

It seems then that the licence is for just GCI-CWL-GCI.

Addendum (1.10.16)

A letter from Blue Islands to the CI regulating Authority in response to concerns that authority had over the franchise agreement between Blue Islands and Flybe appears to state categorically that the intention is to begin the GCI-CWL service in summer 2017 although no details of frequency, times etc are provided.

The latter also states that without the Flybe franchise Blue islands could not have considered such a route because of the risk factor.

The full letter can be read at this link.

http://www.channel103.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Blue-Islands-CICRA-RESPONSE-30-09-2016.pdf

 

[marsh.ger]

There is a response to a open letter online written dated 30th September from Blue Islands that has stated they are announcing Cardiff to Guernsey for Summer 2017.

No frequency indicated but it did stipulate that this route would never have been possible without using the Flybe distribution channels.

This route will likely be announced when Flybe announce their Summer 2017 schedule. If their clever they will announce it separately and therefore have double the coverage.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

There is a response to a open letter online written dated 30th September from Blue Islands that has stated they are announcing Cardiff to Guernsey for Summer 2017.

No frequency indicated but it did stipulate that this route would never have been possible without using the Flybe distribution channels.

This route will likely be announced when Flybe announce their Summer 2017 schedule. If their clever they will announce it separately and therefore have double the coverage.

There is a link to the Blue Islands response letter in the post immediately prior to yours.

 

[marsh.ger]

Note to self must read full post lol

 

[Jerry]

Just guessing but i would've thought GCI-CWL would be 2 or 3 weekly?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Just guessing but i would've thought GCI-CWL would be 2 or 3 weekly?

I don't know. The licence appears to put no minimum requirement on the number of daily or weekly rotations or the number of seats on the aircraft. They might start small so to speak and grow as appropriate.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Cobalt - Larnaca

Still no news on this. BHX has now appeared in the airline's website drop-down box.

 

[CraigW92]

Cobalt - Larnaca

Still no news on this. BHX has now appeared in the airline's website drop-down box.

Believe it's been dropped Local, I was told that it would begin in March 17, new management seems to have changed things up a bit, however seemingly with BHX added today, BRS could be in with a good chance, especially with no Loco service to LCA from both the Wales and South West region

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks for that. Not really sure about BRS. CWL would have done well itself passenger-wise on a LCA service.

 

[CraigW92]

Thanks for that. Not really sure about BRS. CWL would have done well itself passenger-wise on a LCA service.

I think either LCA or PFO would have been a good addition from any airline, I wouldn't mind if the information I recieved turned out to be completely wrong and the LCA service gets announced, It'll be Interesting to keep an eye on the airlines developments, after the initial few months of operation it looked to be quite short lived, hopefully they've turned the corner under new management.

Cyprus amongst other routes are underserved, I think it's been said many times the scope for a operator to take a chunk of the sun routes still remains.

I'd still like to see MLA remain, would be a big blow if an operator didn't pick this up.

It's actually very interesting when you compare the routes that have been lost to the ones gained over the last few years.

 

[Jerry]

LCA would be a good addition if Cobalt don't do it then i wonder if Blue Air could be tempted as they are starting BHX in S17. As for MLA i would if the airport could get Flybe to do it with Thomson and Thomas Cook taking seats but get them to use a charter airline like Titan Airways or even Cardiff Aviation next door it only needs to be once a week but would that be too complicated to organise?

 

[Jerry]

The other day a question was posted to a Cardiff Airport enthuiasts page that i like so i'd thought i'd blatantly steal it and ask it here.
What airlines and routes would you like to see at CWL in the future? Here's my answer which i've thought about and changed a little bit since.
Vueling Ibiza, Menorca, Florence, Seville and Rome and based aircraft.
Norwegian Gran Canaria, Oslo and Copenhagen.
Flybe Venice, Amsterdam, Inverness, Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds Bradford.
Ryanair Warsaw, Prague and Malta.
Cobalt or Blue Air Larnaca.
Icelandair Keflavik.
Virgin Atlantic JFK and Orlando.
Emirates Dubai.
Turkish Airlines Istanbul.

 

[Em0866]

Jerry that is quite a comprehensive list you have there. A tall order for some of them I think. Rome will be served by BE next year. What sort of time frame are we looking at here?

 

[Jerry]

Jerry that is quite a comprehensive list you have there. A tall order for some of them I think. Rome will be served by BE next year. What sort of time frame are we looking at here?

It's a wish list really though i have kept it grounded as I didn't include Singapore and Delta for Portland Oregon!😆
It also doesn't have to be new routes it could be the same routes with a different airline ie Norwegian Malaga and Alicante which are of course already covered by Vueling. There wasn't a time frame mentioned say in the next 10 years.