Manx2

[TheLocalYokel]

[textarea]New operator for Cardiff to Anglesey air service


An airline has been appointed as the new operator of Wales' north-south air link, says the assembly government.

Isle of Man-based Manx2.com, along with its partner carrier FLM Aviation, will resume the Cardiff-Anglesey service on Monday 10 May for seven months.

Previous operator, Highland Airways, ran the link since 2007 but went into administration last month.

A further tendering process will begin to appoint an operator for a four-year contract said the assembly government.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said the assembly government remained committed to maintaining the link which, he said, also played an important part in supporting economic development in north-west Wales.

"The Cardiff to Anglesey service has been hugely popular, with passenger numbers far exceeding our expectations," he said.

Noel Hayes, Manx2.com chairman

"Manx2 is an established operator with a proven track record, who already has experience of operating the service from those occasions when Highland Airways had operational difficulties. "

Noel Hayes, chairman of Manx2.com, said: "As a Celtic neighbour, Manx2.com is delighted to have been chosen to reconnect Cardiff and Anglesey.

"With our home base just 50 miles away across the Irish Sea, we're excited about the prospect of bringing our award-winning service and our record of reliability and punctuality to this essential community route."

The Cardiff to Anglesey air link started in May 2007, with two flights a day both ways, attracting 40,000 passengers to date.

Passengers will be able to make bookings shortly, the assembly government said, and a further tendering exercise would begin shortly at the European level to appoint an operator for a four-year contract.[/textarea]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8652657.stm

I'm against subsidising routes. I don't believe it's an equitable way of using public money.

This route is political in that many of its users are AMs (Welsh Assembly Members) and Welsh civil servants who can claim back the cost of their fares, so the public purse is paying twice, first for the the subsidy then to recompense public servants and elected representatives who use it.

It will be interesting to see what Manx2 and its contracted airline do with the aircraft, assuming it will follow the Highland scheduling with a northbound/southbound both morning and evening when Highland then left their aircraft on the ground at Cardiff each day.

The obvious thing is a rotation to the Isle of Man from Cardiff but even that would not utilise the aircraft fully.

I mentioned on another thread this evening that airport and airline spin is a close second to political spin. Well, there is a joint effort here because CAA stats show a touch over 36,000 passengers have used the route so far, not 40,000.

 

[Aviador]

I agree with your views about subsidising airlines. There shouldn't be endless money thrown at this route. There has to be a cut off at some point and if Manx2 can't make this route work no airline can.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Manx2 ought to be able to make it work because the Welsh Assembly Government is refusing to say how much they are paying Manx2 in subsidy, despite it being public money.

The WAG says it's a commercial secret, although they previously made public the £800,000 per annum paid to Highland Airways when it operated this PSO route.

According to the WAG they are paying Manx2 an amount that depends on the degree to which ticket sales covers Manx2's costs. Although they say there is a maximum amount of public money on offer, because they won't say what it is we could have a situation where the public is subsidising, say, 90% of each passenger's fare. On top of that many of the passengers are Assembly Members and civil servants who will claim the cost of their fares as expenses.

It's a disgrace but typical of what happens when politicians (of any colour or persuasion) are allowed unfettered access to public money.

If Labour and Liberal-Democrats climb into bed together they will need some priming (who doesn't when the partners are less than warm towards each other?) from the other non-Tory parties in the Commons including Plaid Cymru.

There is always a price to pay and Plaid's will no doubt include a better financial deal for Wales and that could lead to more subsidised public transport in the Principality.

A number of Welsh people in high places have a dream about a pan-Wales air system.

It's an utter nonsense because it could only work with oodles of public money oiling the engines but that won't stop the WAG, especially if even more public money comes its way.

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]Manx2.com introduces Welsh language website

Manx2.com has today launched a new Welsh language version of its website in a bid to make it easier for its Welsh speaking customers to book.

The Company, which is based in the Isle of Man, has also introduced lower £29 fares on selected off peak flights from September onwards, which can be accessed simply through the Company’s low fare finder, which shows the lowest fares available in easy “month at a glance” format.

Chairman Noel Hayes said: “We are delighted with customer response to the launch of our Anglesey and Cardiff service. Passenger numbers have been in excess of our expectations and we have rapidly established our reputation for reliability, punctuality and customer service in the local market.

“Many passengers have told us what a difference the air route has made to their travel and business plans and we are delighted to be part of connecting the community. We hope the launch of our Welsh language website and the introduction of £29 fares on some flights will further enhance the success of this vital air-route.”

Manx2.com employs 60 staff and has a fleet of seven aircraft providing up to 30 flights a day to the Isle of Man and Wales. Its customer services, reservations and operations departments are all based in the new hangar facility at Ronaldsway Airport.

Manx2.com is proud to be a small Isle of Man based company carrying 100,000 passengers a year between the Isle of Man and Blackpool, Belfast, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Gloucester and Jersey. It has recently been voted the Island’s best small company for the second time in three years at the annual IOM Newspapers Excellence Awards.

Source[/textarea]

Excellent news for Welsh customers but I hope it's not with money from the Welsh Assembly.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

As a minority of Welsh people actually speak Welsh, and I can't believe none of them speak English too these days, it seems this is a bit of political correctness and not much more.

As you say, I hope the tax payer is not picking up the tab.

I doubt that it is directly though Manx2 is obviously doing very nicely thank you with the money donated by the tax payer through its WAG subsidy.

Perhaps the Welsh language site was an implied condition of the contract as the WAG is committed to dual language in all its own official dealings and in public documents and notices.

 

[Em0866]

Hi Local

Yes in Wales it is policy for Welsh and English to be treated equally. Both WAG and Local Authorities have to provide this. As for private companies, I think it is suggested they do but not a requirement. The IKEA store down in Cardiff Bay, even though a private company, has all signs in both languages as does Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and the list goes on

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks for that Em. Good to hear from you again.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

Im am pretty sure that the Highland Airways website also had a Welsh version of their website. The hand baggage gauge at check-in is also Welsh along with the destination/arrival on the flight information screens.

What Route Should Manx2 Operate Next From Wales? http://poll.fm/1z0ib

 

[Aviador]

I don't mind the idea of using the Welsh language on company literature at all so long as the company in question has paid for it out of their own pocket. I would have to ask the question, if the money came from the taxpayer is it money well spent?

I haven't been to South Wales for many years but I have visited North Wales a number of times over the last couple of years. The Welsh Assembly seems to be splashing out money on Welsh signs everywhere, yet nobody I spoke to could speak Welsh and I didn't hear the Welsh language spoken at all throughout my stay there. It is sad in a way that the language has disappeared somewhat, but in this day and age is it really a priority to spend so much to get people speaking Welsh again?

As for any new service from Cardiff with Manx2, the obvious would be the Isle of Man.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I would go for the Isle of Man and Guernsey.

Could be done with one aircraft IoM/CWL/GCI/CWL/IoM as Flybe does with IoM/BRS/JER/BRS/IoM

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

I suppose if the Welsh Assembly wants the use of the Welsh language then they should pay for it. I am sure that it makes no odds to Manx2 if they didn't use the Welsh language. This however may have come as part of the subsidy contract therefore no extra money exchanged hands.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Extra flight planned for Welsh north – south air link

Airlines are being asked to submit bids to operate the north-south Wales air route for the next four years after it was taken over on a short term basis by Manx2 in May following the collapse of Highland Airways. The winner of the new contract will take over the service between Anglesey and Cardiff airport in January 2011, with the assembly government also examining whether it can increase the number of flights.

Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones said: ‘This tender process is the start of the search for an airline to provide this incredibly popular service on a long-term basis for the next four years. To date over 40,000 passengers have used the service and it forms a key part of our National Transport Plan, helping to reduce journey times and improve business links between north and south.’

The assembly government will be exploring whether there is scope to enhance the current service by adding an additional mid-day return journey on Mondays and Fridays only, when demand is at its highest.

Source[/textarea]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Since Manx2 took over the service passenger numbers have been down on the Highland figures. It may be that people are having to get used to the new airline of course.

However, with the UK government preaching massive cuts in public expenditure across the board it seems odd that the WAG is prepared to offer a bigger contract to the winning airline which presumably will mean more public money.

The WAG has refused to say how much it is paying Manx2 to run the route until the new fulltime contract kicks in next January.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The 2 x weekdaily Cardiff-Anglesey service operated by Manx2 carried the phenomenal total of 657 passengers in August - an average of under eight passengers per flight.

There has been and is huge controversy in Wales over this service mainly because many see it as a taxi service for Wales Assembly Members and their civil servants.

The Assembly refutes this, saying it is a vital service to bring the north and south of Wales in reach of each other to the economic benefit of the whole country. Furthermore, the Assembly asserts the service is a big success and is talking of adding a third daily flight.

August figures are 22% down on August 2009 when Highland Airways flew the route, and the Highland figure was pretty poor.

We don't know how much the Assembly is paying Manx2 to operate the route because it refuses to say, despite the money being donated by the tax payer.

We do know that when Highland flew the route the figure was £800,000 per year - yes £800,000.

The Manx2 contract is unlikely to be less than this because the Assembly was desperate to find a new carrier at short notice when Highland went bust earlier this year.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Cardiff-Anglesey

It has been announced today that Manx2 has been awarded a four-year contract to operate the Cardiff-Anglesey service.

The airline has been flying the route for the past few months since the previous contract-holder, Highland, went out of business.

The contract with the Wales Assembly Government is worth £1.2 million per year, an incredible 50% increase on the sum paid to Highland, and all this at a time of severe public cutbacks.

I'm all for improving Wales's lamentable air services but not when it comes to chucking public money at a route whose loads are in single figures and is mainly a taxi service for Welsh Assembly Members and civil servants.

In fact, the route is subsidised twice because the public sector workers and elected representatives who travel on business claim back their fares as expenses on a route already supported by public money.

It's not as if this is purely something that is a private matter for Wales because the WAG is given a huge multi-billion grant each year from central government that in a significant part is made up of tax payments from the rest of Great Britain.

Rant now over but I feel very strongly about private companies being given public support in this way.

 

[Aviador]

It's disgraceful that at a time when everyone else is having to cut back the Welsh Government can continue to waste money by throwing £1.2 million per year at this. It's simple, if the route doesn't make money it shouldn't operate.