Infrastructure Developments

[aviatorconcorde]

At least everyone driving around the perimeter road will be able to see the Qatar jet when it’s at the airport.

 

[Jerry]

Yeah that is a good thing about the position of stand 7, anyone can get a good look at the widebodies that come in.

 

[Jerry]

Just seen a post on a Facebook page saying that the Executive lounge is being extended and refurbished but at the moment no news whether it will serve hot food.

 

[Cardiffbay]

Just seen a post on a Social Media page saying that the Executive lounge is being extended and refurbished but at the moment no news whether it will serve hot food.

Yes tried to book it for Saturday morning but it’s shows as unavailable. There is a message saying it will be closed on some days for work to be carried out.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I would expect that if upgrades are being made that a kitchen will be installed that's suitable for making hot food. Many people compliment CWL's Lounge, but in comparison to other Lounges like No1 and Aspire, it's far far behind.
It's a nice atmosphere and the staff are superb, but on my last visit I was very underwhelmed. It could do with a bit of a refresh. The seating is too spaced out, which with some creative movement could increase capacity of the lounge. Food choice is basic snack with some nice Welsh touches. But that doesn't cut it in comparison to others. There's no fancy look to it. It's just a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.
It has great potential as an independent Lounge but needs to catch up with the times and offerings people expect.

 

[CraigW92]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/plans-new-hotels-cardiff-airport-14315383

Plans for new hotels at Cardiff Airport revealed
A four star and an economy hotel could be built

• 16:56, 20 FEB 2018
• Updated17:20, 20 FEB 2018

Business

Cardiff Airport (Image: WalesOnline)
New hotels at Cardiff Airport could be built as part of wider long-term plans to increase commercial activities.

The Rhoose-based airport, which is wholly-owned by the Welsh Government, has been approached by a number of hotel operators looking to have a presence to exploit growing passenger numbers.

While at an early stage, and subject to commercial negotiations, this could see a four star hotel built, as well as an economy hotel.

Chief executive of Cardiff Airport, Debra Barber, said: "We are looking at the development of the airport and the surrounding land as part of the masterplan exercise which is under way.

"We are exploring opportunities to increase our commercial activities of which new hotels will form a key part of the development.

“We have experienced almost 50% growth in passenger numbers over the past three years combined with our projected growth shows an increasing confidence in our business and appetite to continue developing facilities for our customers.”

The masterplan for the airport and its surrounding land, whose owners include financial services giant L&G, is currently being undertaken by Arup.

It is expected to be completed this spring. As well as identifying commercial activities to supplement the core airport business, it is also looking at the case for a new terminal building.

The current terminal could accommodate three million passengers.

With more capacity and routes from existing scheduled and chartered airlines, which include Vueling and Flybe, by 2020 the airport is aiming to reach 2 million passengers and by 2025 three million - at which point it would new terminal capacity.

A new terminal could cost at least £100m; an investment would be the trigger for the Welsh Government selling a stake in the airport.

The highest passenger level achieved was under the ownership of airports group TBI with 2.3 million in 2007.

Last year passenger numbers rose 9% to 1.46 million.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

How many hotels are there currently on the airport site?

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

How many hotels are there currently on the airport site?

Holiday Inn Express is just on the entrance roundabout, Celtic Hotel is next to the old Air Parks and then Travelodge is next to the Cwm Kidi (Approx Half a mile away)

 

[Foxlimayankee]

There's the Holiday Inn Express, just on the Airport boundary.
The Celtic International Hotel, I forget the previous name. Also the location of the previous Air Park operation.
The Travelodge which is located at the Toby Inn Carvery on the outskirts of Barry could be classed as an Airport hotel, probably about 1/1.5 mile away.
Overall I would say the Airport is well served by budget hotels given current passenger numbers.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Many thanks.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

One thing I have to comment is Holiday Inn Express at Cardiff Airport is below par with many of people Complaining about its services especially food. I heard decent comments about the acrylic but not stayed myself or the Travelodge.

Unless things have changed in the last 16 months the handlers at the airport only had access to Holiday Inn forbdisrupted passengers. The next hotel would be Copthorne at Culverhouse across.

This has something to do with the way these hotels not accepting invoicing as form of payment.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

There's the Holiday Inn Express, just on the Airport boundary.
The Celtic International Hotel, I forget the previous name. Also the location of the previous Air Park operation.
The Travelodge which is located at the Toby Inn Carvery on the outskirts of Barry could be classed as an Airport hotel, probably about 1/1.5 mile away.
Overall I would say the Airport is well served by budget hotels given current passenger numbers.

It probably could be classed as an airport hotel. I’ve stayed in premier inns miles from Heathrow but are still considered Heathrow.

I’m surprised there’s been a big jump for hotels all of a sudden. Bristol only just aquired it’s first true onsite hotel. They’d take two to three years to build so I guess passenger numbers may have grown by then.

 

[Jerry]

It could be possible that the 'budget' hotel may well end up a Premier Inn. A lot of airports have 1 nearby. The 4 star hotel is interesting as well. It is good that people are interested in the airport now.

 

[Bcn_boy]

It’s all gone quiet on the infrustructure development front. Anybody know what’s going on with arrivals, departures, lounge and air bridges?

 

[Jerry]

It’s all gone quiet on the infrustructure development front. Anybody know what’s going on with arrivals, departures, lounge and air bridges?

The departures lounge is basically finished though not sure if they have to add some more furniture.
The Executive Lounge is still being worked on i believe.
The airbridge on stand 7 should be all installed by now ready for Friday.
I think with immigration they may have just the egates left to install and I'd have thought they'd have wanted them ready for Friday as well and Costa coffee in arrivals has been open for quite a while. Not sure if the Car Park meet and greet is open yet or the new car hire part.

With the Masterplan supposed to be released in April even if in the long term they plan to build a new terminal, will they continue to add upgrades to the current one? They could expand check in and arrivals outwards and into one like planned before or look at rebuilding the West pier to make that a better boarding experience. I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

 

[Bcn_boy]

Thanks. All a work in progress.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

The departures lounge is basically finished though not sure if they have to add some more furniture.
The Executive Lounge is still being worked on i believe.
The airbridge on stand 7 should be all installed by now ready for Friday.
I think with immigration they may have just the egates left to install and I'd have thought they'd have wanted them ready for Friday as well and Costa coffee in arrivals has been open for quite a while. Not sure if the Car Park meet and greet is open yet or the new car hire part.

With the Masterplan supposed to be released in April even if in the long term they plan to build a new terminal, will they continue to add upgrades to the current one? They could expand check in and arrivals outwards and into one like planned before or look at rebuilding the West pier to make that a better boarding experience. I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

Yeah perhaps the Western Pier could receive some work but haven't been down there for yonks so can't comment.

I think extending the departure area was a great lowcost way to make the terminal capacity larger. But I'm not sure a new terminal is in the near future, I think the current terminal may need 3 million passengers going through it before they build a new one.

I'm not sure if the check in area could really be expanded? I think Bristol did expand there's and that's where the Ryanair desks are now. (Can someone confirm this). But i'm not sure if that's possible at Cardiff as it's fairly built up round the check in area.

The new meet and great will be good as people are about who will pay for this service.

Back to a new terminal, what's everyones thoughts? It would probably have to go southside as there is really no room on the North. I think the WAG would want a rail spur but I think that's a push even on Southside.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm not sure if the check in area could really be expanded? I think Bristol did expand there's and that's where the Ryanair desks are now. (Can someone confirm this). But i'm not sure if that's possible at Cardiff as it's fairly built up round the check in area.

BRS did add a ground floor section to the terminal for additional check-in faciities a few years after the terminal was opened in 2000. It's used by Ryanair, TUI and TCX. Since then there have been major extensions to the terminal but the check-in areas have remained the same.

I think that 3 mppa is the figure that's been talked about that will trigger a requirement for a new terminal at CWL (as you pointed out in your post). That would almost certainly also be the time when the WG would be seeking a private sector partner to help with the funding of a new terminal.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Putting the Terminal Southside would surely have a big effect on Rhoose village. I really can't see that being a viable option. There's plenty of space Northside, just will take a bit of creative planning. A Terminal could be built over the current admin block out West towards BAMC over the current 6 pack. Stands could be put out towards Echo. Then once operational the East side could be worked on, knock the current terminal down and put stands on the current space.
Lets not forget that the terminal can cope with up to 3m passenger. Currently CWL is only just topping 1.5m, and that's after what, 5 years recovery?

Check-in space could be taken out west by knocking through the old ticket desks. Alternatively, by saving on space it would make more sense to make CWL a self tagging Airport with Airlines using mixed area. That would save a huge amount of space and require less desks to be in use.
It would take significant investment from a private firm, or significant growth from Airlines to warrant the money for any further serious upgrades. CWL is barely scraping profit, so it's doubtful any further expansion of the terminal will be introduced unless it's absolutely necessary to the Operation. I think what's been done so far is sufficient until we see that growth.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Putting the Terminal Southside would surely have a big effect on Rhoose village. I really can't see that being a viable option. There's plenty of space Northside, just will take a bit of creative planning. A Terminal could be built over the current admin block out West towards BAMC over the current 6 pack. Stands could be put out towards Echo. Then once operational the East side could be worked on, knock the current terminal down and put stands on the current space.
Lets not forget that the terminal can cope with up to 3m passenger. Currently CWL is only just topping 1.5m, and that's after what, 5 years recovery?

Check-in space could be taken out west by knocking through the old ticket desks. Alternatively, by saving on space it would make more sense to make CWL a self tagging Airport with Airlines using mixed area. That would save a huge amount of space and require less desks to be in use.
It would take significant investment from a private firm, or significant growth from Airlines to warrant the money for any further serious upgrades. CWL is barely scraping profit, so it's doubtful any further expansion of the terminal will be introduced unless it's absolutely necessary to the Operation. I think what's been done so far is sufficient until we see that growth.

I'm sceptical that there would be enough room between the current terminal and BAMC to build a new terminal, by the time parking and taxi ways are taken into account. Although I do agree there would be a lot of disruption to Roose residents.