Cardiff: Route Development & Rumours

[geoff]

Winter has always been a difficult season for CWL, I don't think Lufthansa will ever come to CWL, Easyjet Swiss might, as they have done at some other regional airports. But with all the rain we get here in Wales, it is probably only the sun and sand flights which would succeed, so we can only hope that FR will restart the Tenerife route.

 

[Jerry]

Looking at Germany as a whole i don't see how CWL will get flights too Germany again unless there's some sort of Flybe type deal with an airline and i don't see the airport going down that route again.

Easyjet Swiss are probably the only realistic option for ski flights but due too Bristol's big operation would they be willing too dilute even by a small amount the passengers using Bristol even if it an all Easyjet UK operation.

 

[Jerry]

Would be great too see this route return! So fingers crossed the airport and Catalan tourist agency can persuade Vueling too resume the route or if not them then another airline!

Return of direct flights between Cardiff and Barcelona explored to boost ties between Wales and Catalonia

Luke James The return of direct flights between Cardiff and Barcelona is on the table as part of efforts to increase cooperation between Wales and Catalonia. Barcelona-based airline Vueling began operating from Cardiff in 2012 and up to 30,000 people a year used the service to the Catalan...

nation.cymru

 

[Jerry]

Is there any substance to this rumour?
"At one point there were rumours that the old Monarch had looked into using Cardiff Airport, Wales, as a Transatlantic connection hub to attack the further afield markets such as the Caribbean, West Indies and Mexico."

Monarch Aims For Mid-2024 Launch Date (+Interview)

AviationSource got to sit down with the Monarch Chairman Daniel Ellingham, who has given us some interesting insight into what the new version of this carrier will look like, including a mid-2024 launch date for the carrier.

aviationsourcenews.com

 

[geoff]

It would be a tremendous boost for CWL, if that was to reach fruition, but there has been a lot negative posts on several forums. It seems that CWL is the last airport to get back the number of flights it had prior to the pandemic, the other cause being the demise of FlyBE, and Thomas Cook.

 

[Jerry]

It would be a tremendous boost for CWL

I don't think it's an option now and I'd expect that CWL would be very wary of any new airline.

It seems that CWL is the last airport to get back the number of flights it had prior to the pandemic, the other cause being the demise of FlyBE, and Thomas Cook.

CWL has had unfortunately 4 big hits to it in the loss of Flybe, Thomas Cook, the pandemic and the loss of Wizz. It doesn't help that major routes like Edinburgh and Mallorca have been decimated as well as lost routes not returning.

 

[Jetsco]

Cardiff, arguably struggling more than most UK airports to recover from the pandemic. What certainly didn’t help was Mark Drakeford refusing to even engage about a safe return to travel. Along with Dictator Sturgeon in Scotland, they did their best to destroy the aviation sector.

 

[CraigW92]

I don't think it's an option now and I'd expect that CWL would be very wary of any new airline.


CWL has had unfortunately 4 big hits to it in the loss of Flybe, Thomas Cook, the pandemic and the loss of Wizz. It doesn't help that major routes like Edinburgh and Mallorca have been decimated as well as lost routes not returning.

I tend to agree , I think the last thing CWL needs again is a fresh start airline, WIZZ was a complete disaster whichever way you look at it from a really poor advertising effort after a decent start to the complete and utter lunacy of the cancellations and delays of last year which ultimately killed them off recovering going forward, initial first impressions are vital , I think it’s one of the reasons VY started so well 12 or so years ago where they gave a good overall product with good flight times and also a good price point where unfortunately of late they have significantly stagnated, I actually think this started when a steady enough BCN route was thrown under the bus pre pandemic

I think it’s fairly clear going forward that growth the airport needs can only realistically come from FR, wether that be from a base or W pattern flying I just can’t see who else the airport can have that can offer the critical mass needed

As you say EDI and PMI have been decimated, ORY has been really poor from T3, GLA , JER domestically haven’t returned and also the core sun routes are down on where they were before the pandemic ( WIZZ , TCX effect mainly )

Potential growth from current airlines

LM- EDI 2 x daily , GLA 4 weekly
VY- PMI, BCN returning , increase on AGP, ALC
TUI- potential for 4th based AC
FR- Sun routes

Potential growth from new airlines

SI - JER
LS- Summer seasonal similar to TCX for sun routes
AF- CDG
PC/XC - AYT/DLM

I’d be interested to see where other members see the growth coming from in the foreseeable

 

[geoff]

I agree with you Craig regarding the potential of the above mentioned airlines, and would add that a good potential boost to numbers could come from Qatar when they return, apparently 18% of their passengers at CWL, came from across the Severn Bridge, that would help to redress the Balance a little between CWL and BRS.

 

[Jerry]

LM- EDI 2 x daily , GLA 4 weekly
VY- PMI, BCN returning , increase on AGP, ALC
TUI- potential for 4th based AC
FR- Sun routes

Potential growth from new airlines

SI - JER
LS- Summer seasonal similar to TCX for sun routes
AF- CDG
PC/XC - AYT/DLM

I’d be interested to see where other members see the growth coming from in the foreseeable

With Loganair I think it's going to be a big challenge for the airport to get them to commit to expanding to 2 daily flights on Edinburgh. It probably depends on how 2024 goes with the increase in seats with the bigger aircraft. I generally don't see Glasgow and Jersey returning but would love to be proved wrong!
As for a route like PMI I'd be shocked if the airport couldn't get an airline to take it on.
I believe that the airports hope is that Air France will takeover Paris and shift it to the CDG in the long run so fingers crossed!
With the likes of Pegasus with Turkish routes they may like Jet2 see serving English airports as coverage of Wales but expansion on Turkish flights could be how we see TUI go to a 4th aircraft.

 

[Jerry]

With Loganair I think it's going to be a big challenge for the airport to get them to commit to expanding to 2 daily flights on Edinburgh. It probably depends on how 2024 goes with the increase in seats with the bigger aircraft. I generally don't see Glasgow and Jersey returning but would love to be proved wrong!
As for a route like PMI I'd be shocked if the airport couldn't get an airline to take it on.
I believe that the airports hope is that Air France will takeover Paris and shift it to the CDG in the long run so fingers crossed!
With the likes of Pegasus with Turkish routes they may like Jet2 see serving English airports as coverage of Wales but expansion on Turkish flights could be how we see TUI go to a 4th aircraft.

A route i forgot to mention in this was Aer Lingus Dublin, i know Ryanair operates Dublin but there not good for onward and inbound connections and inbound US tourism is one of the Welsh governments priorities and Aer Lingus with it's network can help with that. Also Ryanair and Aer Lingus do seem to be coinhabiting on the Belfast route so maybe they can on Dublin?

 

[Em0866]

You mention Aer Lingus to Dublin, I was looking at flights to MCO next spring from CWL expecting to see via AMS (KLM/Delta). But apart from that option it also came up with via Dublin with Aer Lingus. I was searching at end of Feb on a Saturday on skyscanner. I've not seen any announcements on EI flying to DUB. Any thoughts?

 

[MrFenner]

This’ll most likely be one of the DUB flights they’re operating for Six Nations…

🙂

 

[Em0866]

Thanks but it was also showing via DUB on the return leg 3 weeks later. Could have been a glitch.

 

[Jerry]

Thanks but it was also showing via DUB on the return leg 3 weeks later. Could have been a glitch.

Interesting

 

[Foxlimayankee]

It does offer connections but the routing is CWL-BHD-MAN-DUB.

 

[Jerry]

With Volotea Rugby World Cup flights now over I do hope that the relationship that would've been generated from them working with the airport might lead to something in the future. What I found interesting when taking my flight with them to Nantes is firstly one of the pilots was a local, he was from Barry and secondly in the terminal Spencer Birns got his photo taken in front of the dragon with a woman with a Spanish sounding accent. It was like he'd been giving her a tour. It may end up with nothing but hopefully we've not seen the last of Volotea at Cardiff Airport.

 

[Barry Man]

I know that person his family live down the lane from the Cwm Ciddy , his father was a pilot for Thomas Cook, he then retired became a local councillor for Rhoose but was tragically killed riding his motorcycle

 

[Jerry]

Pretty sure we'll never see it happen but it would be great if we got the Munich route back. Under Flybe it operated 5 weekly at one stage i believe.

https://simpleflying.com/lufthansa-city-airlines-launch-latest/

Munich, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Milan, Verona, Venice, Rome, Geneva and Chambery. All European routes operated by Flybe, do we think we'll see any of them return in the future?

 

[Nigel B]

Possibly Verona and a ski route, i cant fathom why nobody has not picked up Jersey.