KLM

[TheLocalYokel]

No, this is purely a capacity increase at last minute, and therefore KLM using its subsidiary Transavia to supply the capacity. You've probably seen a Transavia subbing for the normal KLM when aircraft go tech before, they've certainly visited BRS for this reason. With it being winter season, the Transavia aircraft are reasonably quiet during this period.

Interesting that it is a capacity increase. I wonder what prompted it at such short notice.

 

[Jerry]

Does anyone know when was the last time CWL had a regular 4th daily flight from KLM?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Does anyone know when was the last time CWL had a regular 4th daily flight from KLM?

There was certainly a 4 x daily schedule on weekdays (3 x daily on Saturdays and Sundays) in 2005 using mainly F70s with some F100s.

I think bmi baby competed for a while to Amsterdam and the passenger figures (see below) suggest probably in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Further, the figures also suggest that KLM dropped to 3 x daily from 2009 as each year's totals from then on are broadly in line with the present.

These are the overall annual CAA passenger numbers (all scheduled) for CWL-AMS from 2005 onwards.

2005 166K
2006 219K
2007 225K
2008 193K
2009 135K
2010 125K
2011 122K
2012 112K
2013 117K
2014 123K
2015 129K
2016 135K
2017 134K

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

I started at the airport in 2006 and there was definitely 4 x KLM and 1 x B737-300 operated by bmi baby at least 3 x weekly.

At one point the KLM went to a all F100 but bmi baby went off the route and so KLM culled the KL1065/1066 which was around lunch time.

If I recal they actually operated the midday inbound and kept the aircraft on the ground for a few hours then departed at 5pm during one season.

Exact dates I cannot remember I’m afraid.

 

[Pontyboy]

146,000 in 2018 - the most since 2009. Considering 2015, 2016 and 2017 was between 129,000-135,000, last year was a big lift in passengers. The only way Amsterdam will grow is additional flights or bigger aircraft.

 

[Jerry]

It will be interesting to see if it's more than a one off in the future especially if KLM want to target more of the point 2 point market.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

A lot of young people I know are heading to Amsterdam these days for a short break (for the weed and magic truffles, genuinely) and to look at the red light district. A lot have flown via BRS.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I started at the airport in 2006 and there was definitely 4 x KLM and 1 x B737-300 operated by bmi baby at least 3 x weekly.

At one point the KLM went to a all F100 but bmi baby went off the route and so KLM culled the KL1065/1066 which was around lunch time.

If I recal they actually operated the midday inbound and kept the aircraft on the ground for a few hours then departed at 5pm during one season.

Exact dates I cannot remember I’m afraid.

I think the annual passenger figures quoted in #183 above confirm your memory. I have records for 2005 when, as I said earlier, KLM was 4 x daily on weekdays and 3 x daily at weekends. The increase in passenger numbers from 2006 suggests that was when bmi baby started and they almost certainly operated until 2008 (from the passenger figures) although they might have ceased at the end of summer 2008.

Looking to the years immediately before 2005, my records indicate the following:

Summer 2001

5 x daily M-F, 3 x daily Sat and Sun - F50 126,000 passengers

Summer 2002

5 x daily M-F and Sun, 3 x daily Sat - F50/F70 135,000 passengers

This was the frequency - timings are those for arrival at CWL on weekdays:

0915 KL1059
1045 KL1061
1400 KL1065
1650 KL1063
1945 KL1069

Summer 2003

4 x daily M-F and Sun, 3 x daily Sat - F50/F70 146,000 passengers*

* The increase in passenger numbers over summer 2002 might have been down to more use of the F70 and possibly higher frequency in winter

Summer 2004

4 x daily M-F and Sun, 3 x daily Sat - F70 163,000 passengers

Air Wales also operated a daily flight with ATR42s except Saturdays

 

[Cardiffbay]

Flew out this morning on the way to Germany with KLM. Airport was busy with flights to Paris, Milan, Newcastle, Amsterdam and Tenerife. The new security equipment makes it much faster, only slowed down by the people off to Tenerife, guess most of them only fly once or twice a year. The flight to Amsterdam only had one empty seat and left on time and arrived 10 min early. Back in a few days so I will see if any changes have be made to arrivals. Only strange thing is the flight didn’t use the new airbridge but as it was a sunny morning so this didn’t matter.

 

[Jerry]

Flew out this morning on the way to Germany with KLM. Airport was busy with flights to Paris, Milan, Newcastle, Amsterdam and Tenerife. The new security equipment makes it much faster, only slowed down by the people off to Tenerife, guess most of them only fly once or twice a year. The flight to Amsterdam only had one empty seat and left on time and arrived 10 min early. Back in a few days so I will see if any changes have be made to arrivals. Only strange thing is the flight didn’t use the new airbridge but as it was a sunny morning so this didn’t matter.

I noticed on Thursday and Friday that the KLM flight didn't use the airbridge but on Friday the Jet2 flight before it did. I wonder if KLM won't use it?

 

[aviatorconcorde]

I noticed on Thursday and Friday that the KLM flight didn't use the airbridge but on Friday the Jet2 flight before it did. I wonder if KLM won't use it?

Didnt use it on my flight back in late november. Is it because they want to do rear door boarding too?

 

[Jerry]

Didnt use it on my flight back in late november. Is it because they want to do rear door boarding too?

Can only assume that is the case as they went on stand 9 straight after the Jet2 who did use the bridge.

 

[Cardiffbay]

It’s a strange one as I have been on may other KLM cityhopper flights that have used bridges else where in Europe and in Amsterdam although they broad and unload via stairs they only ever put stairs on the front.

 

[Jerry]

Maybe at those airports the turnarounds are longer?

 

[superking]

Or the air bridge not quite right for the type of aircraft.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

KLM have a number of different boarding setups which vary by Airport. CWL has generally always been 'front and rear step' boarding, as are many UK airports. Front and rear step boarding is usually quicker. That being said there's no reason why the airbridge and rear steps can't be used. Be interesting to see if it gets used during poor weather.

 

[Jerry]

That being said there's no reason why the airbridge and rear steps can't be used.

I've seen that used quite often with Ryanair and Norwegian and Easyjet at other airports around Europe.
Personally I'm quite happy to use steps as it gives me the chance to photo the aircraft but if the main user of stand 9 KLM won't use the airbridge it makes me wonder why CWL installed it in the first place? Maybe they would've been better off using it to replace the one on 10.

 

[Jerry]

Looking on KLMs website it looks like the extra flight for 5 week's will be on a KLM 737 700 and not a Transavia 737 800.

 

[Cardiffbay]

Flew out this morning on the way to Germany with KLM. Airport was busy with flights to Paris, Milan, Newcastle, Amsterdam and Tenerife. The new security equipment makes it much faster, only slowed down by the people off to Tenerife, guess most of them only fly once or twice a year. The flight to Amsterdam only had one empty seat and left on time and arrived 10 min early. Back in a few days so I will see if any changes have be made to arrivals. Only strange thing is the flight didn’t use the new airbridge but as it was a sunny morning so this didn’t matter.

Returned on Friday from Germany. Flew on the 16:40 from Amsterdam back to Cardiff. Flight full, no empty seats. Both flights I flew on were full. Get the idea with the extra flight for 5 weeks maybe KLM are testing the water but at the moment haven’t got a spare E Jet so that’s why we will see the 737. Security at Cardiff was a mess. 3 different queue’s leading to 2 desks and border staff with attitude problems made for a not very pleasant welcome.

 

[Jerry]

Returned on Friday from Germany. Flew on the 16:40 from Amsterdam back to Cardiff. Flight full, no empty seats. Both flights I flew on were full. Get the idea with the extra flight for 5 weeks maybe KLM are testing the water but at the moment haven’t got a spare E Jet so that’s why we will see the 737. Security at Cardiff was a mess. 3 different queue’s leading to 2 desks and border staff with attitude problems made for a not very pleasant welcome.

Well hopefully they might be testing the waters for both? A 4th flight and a 737! I know CWL is much smaller but i'm pretty sure they operate at least 1 mainline flight to every airport that has a ME3 presence in the UK. Maybe as a counter to Qatar they want to see if they could do the same at CWL? Does KLM mainline have a different Business class service than KLM Cityhopper? As on my 737 from BCN to AMS the food looked like it was served on a tray and they had a dedicated attendant while i don't ever remember seeing that on a Cityhopper flight.

I thought they were going to install new e-gates in immigration to make things quicker?