Ryanair

[TheLocalYokel]

We went to Dublin earlier this year - with Aer Arann, masquerading as Aer Lingus Regional. They were very good too.

Funnily enough, we've been doing day trips to the likes of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle for the past nine years but with Go then easyJet. People think we are mad. "You went to Glasgow for the day?!!" It's surprising what you can do in about ten hours in places like Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

The main point of my post was to give some first-hand anecdotal evidence that Ryanair isn't always the ogre that many people believe.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winter 2011-2012

As the winter season will be upon us at the end of this month I had an in-depth look at the timetable from BRS. It's the latest of several versions, as is invariably the case with Ryanair, and there may yet be time for further changes but here goes anyway.

There are 57 weekly rotations to 18 destinations with 48 operated by BRS-based aircraft and 9 by others. Last winter there were also 18 destinations and 55 weekly rotations with only 4 operated by non-based aircraft.

This winter the routes are as follows:

Alicante 3 x weekly
Arrecife 2 x weekly
Beziers 2 x weekly
Bratislava 2 x weekly
Dublin 21 x weekly
Faro 2 x weekly
Gdansk 2 x weekly
Katowice 2 x weekly
Kaunus 2 x weekly
Las Palmas 2 x weekly
Malaga 3 x weekly
Malta 2 x weekly
Milan Bergamo 2 x weekly
Poznan 2 x weekly
Rzeszow 2 x weekly
Riga 2 x weekly
Tenerife 2 x weekly
Wroclaw 2 x weekly

Routes dropped from last winter are Girona, Marrakesh, Knock and Venice Treviso. The first two are a surprise as they have been running year-round for a while - in the case of Girona long before the BRS base was set up.

Routes new for this winter are Riga, Rzeszow, Katowice and Milan Bergamo though all except Katowice are operating this summer and have operated in winter in the past. Katowice makes a return after being dropped altogether around three years ago.

As with last winter it seems that 3 based aircraft can easily operate this schedule and there are gaps on some days as there were last winter.

BRS now appears to be a 5-aircraft summer base and a 3-aircraft winter base in terms of required aircraft.

The busiest Ryanair winter at BRS was 2009-2010 when there were 89 weekly rotations though 24 were operated by non-based aircraft.

 

[Aviador]

Winter 2011-2012

As the winter season will be upon us at the end of this month I had an in-depth look at the timetable from BRS. It's the latest of several versions, as is invariably the case with Ryanair, and there may yet be time for further changes but here goes anyway.

There are 57 weekly rotations to 18 destinations with 48 operated by BRS-based aircraft and 9 by others. Last winter there were also 18 destinations and 55 weekly rotations with only 4 operated by non-based aircraft.

This winter the routes are as follows:

Alicante 3 x weekly
Arrecife 2 x weekly
Beziers 2 x weekly
Bratislava 2 x weekly
Dublin 21 x weekly
Faro 2 x weekly
Gdansk 2 x weekly
Katowice 2 x weekly
Kaunus 2 x weekly
Las Palmas 2 x weekly
Malaga 3 x weekly
Malta 2 x weekly
Milan Bergamo 2 x weekly
Poznan 2 x weekly
Rzeszow 2 x weekly
Riga 2 x weekly
Tenerife 2 x weekly
Wroclaw 2 x weekly

Routes dropped from last winter are Girona, Marrakesh, Knock and Venice Treviso. The first two are a surprise as they have been running year-round for a while - in the case of Girona long before the BRS base was set up.

Routes new for this winter are Riga, Rzeszow, Katowice and Milan Bergamo though all except Katowice are operating this summer and have operated in winter in the past. Katowice makes a return after being dropped altogether around three years ago.

As with last winter it seems that 3 based aircraft can easily operate this schedule and there are gaps on some days as there were last winter.

BRS now appears to be a 5-aircraft summer base and a 3-aircraft winter base in terms of required aircraft.

The busiest Ryanair winter at BRS was 2009-2010 when there were 89 weekly rotations though 24 were operated by non-based aircraft.

I'm surprised at the amount of Eastern European offerings in that list TheLocalYokel. I would imagine it will be the hops to Faro and the Canaries that make the money through the harder winter months. The Eastern Europeans don't part with their hard earned money easily.

 

[big g]

Winter 2011-2012

BRS now appears to be a 5-aircraft summer base and a 3-aircraft winter base in terms of required aircraft.

.

They will be storing a another aircraft at BRS over the winter so will take it to 6, but 3 will operate daily rotating them through the week, but for the first part of summer 2012 will be operating 6 aircraft.

Having said that Ryanair do like to change things often.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

....................but for the first part of summer 2012 will be operating 6 aircraft.

Does that mean there will be a need for six aircraft or is it a case of using five out of six at any one time to rotate the usage?

 

[big g]

I guess it will be like the beginning of this summer operating 6 aircraft then the 6th slipping away, but then Ryanair may have introduce a new route to use it on.

 

[alphagolf]

I guess it will be like the beginning of this summer operating 6 aircraft then the 6th slipping away, but then Ryanair may have introduce a new route to use it on.

Looking at Monday 30th July into Tuesday 31st July, there are six Ryanair arrivals in the late evening! If there are six at the end of July I would see no reason why this would disappear at this stage of the summer!

Monday into Tuesday arrivals on 30th July, aircraft that night stop:

T34507 ABZ/LBA 19:55
SN2059 BRU 20:15
KLM1057 AMS 21:05
AFR1572 CDG 21:10
FR508 DUB 22:15
EZY6036 MAD 22:50
EZY408 GLA 22:55
FR8297 ALC 22:55
EZY6246 FNC 22:55
EZY6268 PRG 23:00
EZY6190 PSA 23:10
FR8682 KUN 23:10
FR8225 RZE 23:45
EZY6030 BCN 23:45
FR8122 AGP 23:45
EZY6262 PFO 23:55
FR8245 PMI 23:55
EZY6010 FAO 00:35
EZY6212 CFU 01:10
TCX7817 BJV 01:10
EZY6078 ALC 01:25
EZY6058 AGP 01:40
TOM893 BJV 03:50
TOM6191 PMI 04:15

I make it 24 aircraft night stopping at this stage!

alphagolf

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Looking at Monday 30th July into Tuesday 31st July, there are six Ryanair arrivals in the late evening! If there are six at the end of July I would see no reason why this would disappear at this stage of the summer!

Ryanair is notorious for its varying versions of timetables as the months leading up to a season unfold. In summer 2010 for example there were at least half a dozen versions for Bristol and the final one emerged not long before the season began.

An early version for summer 2010 showed an apparent need for seven based aircraft on Wednesdays and six on Saturdays and Sundays. See below - times are departures from and arrivals back at BRS.

Wednesdays
1645-2220 Faro
1715-2300 Palma
1725-2310 Cagliari
1750-2345 Malaga
1805-2345 Budapest
1845-2350 Trieste
1845-2345 Venice

Saturdays
1645-2220 Faro
1720-2145 Pau
1740-2300 Wroclaw
1750-2345 Malaga
1845-2245 Bergerac
1855-2340 Toulon

Sundays
1645-2220 Faro
1715-2300 Palma
1725-2310 Cagliairi
1805-2345 Budapest
1845-2350 Trieste
1845-2330 Porto

In the end some routes were dropped, others retimed or given to non-based aircraft, so that they managed with five based 738s after all - some destinations there that Ryanair tried only for a season before dropping them.

easyJet, in my experience, is far more reliable in sticking to its published timetables from the beginning so it seems that there will only be 11 based aircraft again next summer in the peak period, although it looks as though the eleventh will be in place for most of the summer.

Unless of course that 'host of new routes' from its UK bases that was promised a few weeks ago leads to more routes from BRS yet to be announced. So far only Naples is new for next summer and the list of recently announced new routes from the the UK as a whole is not large - I wouldn't describe it as a host of new routes.

Finally, there is only one TCX flight shown in the list of arrivals for next July.

 

[alphagolf]

I see ryanair have re-instated Knock (NOC) for next Summer from Bristol again!

Its in the online timetable upto the 26th October 2012, I thought this route was being dropped as I thought its never been a top performer has it?

alphagolf

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I see ryanair have re-instated Knock (NOC) for next Summer from Bristol again!

Its in the online timetable upto the 26th October 2012, I thought this route was being dropped as I thought its never been a top performer has it?

Who can ever fathom Ryanair? They dropped Bratislava this summer after two summers of very high load factors into the 90s% each month but have brought it back for this winter. I know yield is the thing but how will they get a better yield on lower winter loads (than summer) unless of course they've secured a new deal with Bratislava Airport.

As for Knock it's been around summer and winter since the Bristol FR base opened in November 2007. It was originally 4 x weekly but reduced to 3 x weekly within a year or two.

It's been gradually improving its load factors in summer but they are still grim when compared with all other FR routes from BRS. This summer the monthly load factors have been in the range low 50s% to low 70s%. The best month I can find in the history of the route was August 2008 when the lf was 83%.

Presumably these sorts of loads are viable on such a short sector.

Winter loads were nearly always dire* and I was amazed that the airline kept the route going through four successive winters before finally throwing in the towel this coming winter.

*relatively of course because 60-70 passengers per trip on, say, an Aer Lingus Regional ATR 72 would be exceptionally good in winter but we know Fungus Regional would not attract the punters that Ryanair can.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Riga and Seville

It looks as though Riga will cease from 9 January 2012. It's not bookable after that date which confirms a post on the DP from someone usually well informed on matters Ryanair.

The same person says that Seville won't operate in summer 2012 from Bristol, or from Liverpool and East Midlands.

Just the latest twist in the crazy world of Ryanair. Since 2008 they've axed 21 routes from Bristol, only to bring some of them back - sometimes within a year, sometimes later, and I'm not talking about seasonal routes operating for part of the year.

Riga was dropped for the second part of a winter about three years ago. Currently Ryanair is having a row with the authorities in Riga about security charges and the loss of the BRS route may well be connected with that. Other Ryanair Riga routes to non-UK destinations are also to be dropped in January and Stansted-Riga is to be reduced in frequency.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Budapest

Announced today that Ryanair would be returning to Budapest with routes to Bristol, Birmingham, Stansted, Dublin and Bolgna from March 2012.

Seems they will be 2 x weekly except STN at 4 x weekly.

Budapest operated to BRS until 2010 and always had very high load factors but fell victim when Ryanair opted out of BUD over charges.

This is the third Ryanair route to BRS once axed but restored in the past few months - the others being Bratislava and Katowice. They also brought back Gdansk a year or two ago after previously axing it.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Dinard and Lodz

Dinard and Lodz also announced today as new routes from BRS along with Budapest - all from the end of March 2012.

I can't find details of timings or days yet - routes go on sale tomorrow.

Budapest is reported on another forum as 2 x weekly and the likelihood is so will be Dinard and Lodz.

Dinard is another former Ryanair route from BRS - last flown in 2008 - but Lodz is new to the airport via Ryanair or any other carrier.

If all the other Ryanair BRS Polish routes currently operating carry on though the summer (when I checked a couple of weeks ago they were) it will mean six Ryanair Polish routes from BRS - Gdansk, Katowice, Lodz, Poznan, Rzeszow and Wroclaw. easyJet flies to Krakow.

In the past Ryanair has also tried Scezecin (2008-2009) and Bydgoszcz (for two months in summer 2010, then axed, though loads seemed pretty good for a new route - presumably forward bookings was the problem) in Poland.

 

[big g]

This is great news for FR and BRS. It will be interesting to see if they add more routes for the summer, as we all know FR like to chop and change at the last minute.

I makes me wonder if the rumour of FR starting routes from the Ukrane in May could see a route to BRS.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Yes, it's very good news and there might be hope that more new routes for 2012 are yet to be announced.

The FR web timetable currently shows Dinard as 4 x weekly (seems a bit of an overkill) and Budapest and Lodz both 2 x weekly.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Well, Dinard has been removed from the booking system and web timetable already.

I was surprised when it was brought back having not been anywhere near a star performer in terms of loads when it was tried before in 2007/2008.

Maybe they thought that the short hop across the Channel was worth another try but presumably forward bookings have changed their mind.

 

[tleeds]

That's interesting, as I am aware Dinard is, well supposed to be, a new route from LBA with Ryanair.

It seems a very niche market, does anyone know what you can actually do there, as I have never heard of the place before Ryanair announced they were starting operations from LBA...!?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Dinard is in Brittany on the Channel coast.

It is a niche destination in some ways. I imagine more of the holiday/second home owners have properties more to the south of the country.

Brittany is very easy to get to from South West England with daily, sometimes multi-daily, Brittany Ferry sailings from Plymouth to Roscoff. It might be more viable as an air route from the north of England than from the south west because of the longer distance.

My wife and I will be using the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff (they are very large, modern vessels and quite an enjoyable experience in themselves) next month for a weekend in Brittany.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Summer 2012

The below timetable seems to be the one finally settled on - as usual after a number of variations through the latter half of the winter and early spring.

Alicante 4 x weekly Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
Bergerac 3 x weekly Tue, Th, Sat
Beziers 4 x weekly Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
Bratislava 2 x weekly Th, Sun
Budapest 2 x weekly Tue, Sat
Dublin 21 x weekly/(3 x daily)
Faro 6 x weekly (no Fri)
Girona 8 x weekly (daily and double daily Sat)
Gdansk 2 x weekly Th, Sun
Grand Canaria 3 x weekly Tue, Th, Sat
Ibiza 3 x weekly Mon, Wed, Fri
Katowice 2 x weekly Tue, Sat
Kaunas 2 x weekly Mon, Fri
Knock 3 x weekly Wed, Fri, Sun
Lanzarote 3 x weekly Mon, Wed, Fri
Limoges 2 x weekly Tue, Sat
Lodz 2 x weekly Mon, Fri
Malaga daily
Malta 3 x weekly Wed, Fri, Sun
Milan Bergamo 3 x weekly Tue, Th, Sat
Palma daily
Poznan 2 x weekly Th, Sun
Reus 2 x weekly Tue, Sat
Rzeszow 2 x weekly Mon, Fri
Tenerife 3 x weekly Wed, Th, Sun
Valencia 2 x weekly Th, Sun
Venice Treviso 3 x weekly Mon, Wed, Fri
Wroclaw 2 x weekly Wed , Sat

This gives a total of 108 weekly rotations - 94 by based aircraft and 14 from other bases. In summer 2011 there were 111 weekly rotations (95 + 16) which was down from 124 in summer 2010.

Changes from summer 2011

Marrakesh, Riga and Seville are dropped.

Bratislava, Budapest, Lodz and Katowice are introduced though all except Lodz have featured in the past.

Alicante has dropped to 4 x weekly from 9 x weekly; Faro is 6 x weekly from daily; Valencia is 2 x weekly from 3 x weekly and Venice Treviso is 3 x weekly from 2 x weekly.

In total there are 28 routes, one more than in summer 2011.

 

[Aviador]

Ryanair Seville dropped? I thought that was a successful route for them at Bristol?