Lack of new routes at Cork airport

kub · 28-11-2013 11:51pm

Demonical wrote: »

I was trying to say that the technical issues were hinted to be fog in Cork airport by certain airport staff, hence the flights were cancelled. I was also saying that if Aer Lingus regional gain/have a bad reputation it wont help Cork airport as they fly from that airport. Why would people bother with Aer Lingus and Cork airport when other carriers from other airports would be more reliable?

You had a bad experience, indeed Fog does affect Cork airport, as that recent accident proves. Only problem is Fog can affect any airport and infairness to Aer Rianta a few years ago they upgraded the approach radar for aircraft in fog conditions so diversions are now a lot less than what they used to be.

Also if Aer Lingus Regional do gain a bad rep, surely that will affect all airports they operate from, its not as if their HQ is Cork.

keithclancy · 29-11-2013 10:54pm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sean_cronin/5187778098/

kub · 29-11-2013 11:50pm

wallycharlo wrote: »

Is the Runway / Instruments etc at Cork Airport capable of handling transatlantic aircraft?

I remember a 747 landing there yonks ago to celebrate some opening or another, but I'm pretty sure it was empty and not fully loaded with passengers ...

The first was an Aer Lingus 747 when they extended the main runway, here is a selection of some of the others:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EUYfCEe8mY

ssbob · 02-12-2013 4:50pm

kub wrote: »

The first was an Aer Lingus 747 when they extended the main runway, here is a selection of some of the others:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EUYfCEe8mY

I am pretty sure I went on one of them to Lourdes a few(more than 10:D) years back......

Would be great to see them come in again.

beer enigma · 02-12-2013 11:32pm

kub wrote: »

You had a bad experience, indeed Fog does affect Cork airport, as that recent accident proves. Only problem is Fog can affect any airport and infairness to Aer Rianta a few years ago they upgraded the approach radar for aircraft in fog conditions so diversions are now a lot less than what they used to be.

Also if Aer Lingus Regional do gain a bad rep, surely that will affect all airports they operate from, its not as if their HQ is Cork.

I fly Cork every week and rarely have an issue. Yeah fog can be a problem depending on the time of year but overall it's good. There is an issue with passenger information sometimes, but in terms of flights I've no issue on operational.

As for routes, yes very limited. Dare I say the retail side of the airport just about copes with existing flights.....The Loop is ok...but nothing else there and the Last Post bar either has nobody queuing or 20 people queuing. How would it cope with transatlantic. The main restaurant should be airside.

run_Forrest_run · 03-12-2013 9:05am

Andip wrote: »

As for routes, yes very limited. Dare I say the retail side of the airport just about copes with existing flights.....The Loop is ok...but nothing else there and the Last Post bar either has nobody queuing or 20 people queuing. How would it cope with transatlantic. The main restaurant should be airside.

very good point actually, I never thought about the capacity for eateries airside. That bar at the end is painful, never seems to have enough staff when needed.

They do have height though, could they perhaps build a mezzanine floor to add extra seating space for a restaurant/food court?

Ludo · 03-12-2013 9:51am

I imagine if they ever wanted to, they could make the main restaurant be airside very quickly. It should just be a matter of moving the glass wall from where it is currently on the air side to the other side near security.

lisasimpson · 02-03-2014 1:51pm

just booked a trip to Nice. opted for Shannon instead of cork, one reason was the time of the return flight but Shannon worked out at 50 euro cheaper return each. not the 1st time the flights from Shannon same day same destination worked out cheaper. doesn't exactly attract people from outside of cork city ie north cork, Tipperary that are within the same catchment area for both to use cork airport. Ive noticed it with flights to London heathrow too

pwurple · 02-03-2014 2:40pm

Depends where you are living alright on whether that is a false economy. If you live in cork city, that's a 250km drive and petrol costs, plus a toll charge... Taking 1hr 40 mins each way.

lisasimpson · 02-03-2014 4:20pm

that's the thing, grand if your from cork city and the surrounding areas. if however your from the likes of Cashel, Thurles, Templemore etc there isn't much in the difference of travel to either airport. These are the areas that they could attract people from to increase passengers to cork airport but they wont be attracted to it with such price difference. Being from mid Tipp, I have often heard people say o I never though of using cork even though its just over an hr down the motorway.

TINA1984 · 02-03-2014 4:35pm

lisasimpson wrote: »

that's the thing, grand if your from cork city and the surrounding areas. if however your from the likes of Cashel, Thurles, Templemore etc there isn't much in the difference of travel to either airport. These are the areas that they could attract people from to increase passengers to cork airport but they wont be attracted to it with such price difference. Being from mid Tipp, I have often heard people say o I never though of using cork even though its just over an hr down the motorway.

We'd all like cheaper prices for everything but Cork airport's main catchment area is basically just the Cork region. It can't compete with Dublins route selection and economies of scale which make their flights cheaper, or the political clout of the Shannon lobby.

If you're from mid-Tipp, then chances are it'll always work out cheaper or handier logistically speaking to travel via Dublin or Shannon

lisasimpson · 02-03-2014 4:48pm

TINA1984 wrote: »

We'd all like cheaper prices for everything but Cork airport's main catchment area is basically just the Cork region. It can't compete with Dublins route selection and economies of scale which make their flights cheaper, or the political clout of the Shannon lobby.

If you're from mid-Tipp, then chances are it'll always work out cheaper or handier logistically speaking to travel via Dublin or Shannon

logistically speaking its almost a tie between Cork and Shannon, a lot of people don't realise that. from Templemore/Thurles to the door of cork airport it takes about an hour and a half. ive done it many a time at 5 on a Friday evening . and if you have to use public transport its a hell of a lot easier to get to Cork airport than Shannon. Ive heard of a few people up home who used cork as a departure for package holiday in recent years say they never realised how handy Cork airport is and would use it again. Maybe that's one think that needs to be looked at, the catchment area can be more than the cork region, even though it maybe only a small thing

Rhys Essien · 06-03-2014 11:39pm

It seems Cork is losing out on jobs due to no transatlantic routes and other routes.When will they take the bull by the horns and make it happen or will they keep brushing it under the carpet.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/absence-of-transatlantic-flights-costs-cork-jobs-261022.html

Rhys Essien · 07-04-2014 11:39am

Latest update.Multinationals would pay more for transatlantic flights.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/multinationals-would-pay-more-for-cork-new-york-flights-264537.html

blindsider · 07-04-2014 1:14pm

The Dublin Airport Authority - who own/control Cork Airport - obviously couldn't give a tuppenny cuss for Cork airport.

Until Cork Airport has the autonomy to prospect for, and secure business in competition with the other airports, it is doomed. And the region will continue to suffer as a result.

Is there another airport in Ireland which is literally a 10 min taxi ride (6.5 km) to the centre of town? We do nothing to exploit this - because the DAA are afraid we'll take business from Dublin.

I could go on......but I won't bother.......!

Rhys Essien · 07-04-2014 1:33pm

blindsider wrote: »

The Dublin Airport Authority - who own/control Cork Airport - obviously couldn't give a tuppenny cuss for Cork airport.

Until Cork Airport has the autonomy to prospect for, and secure business in competition with the other airports, it is doomed. And the region will continue to suffer as a result.

Is there another airport in Ireland which is literally a 10 min taxi ride (6.5 km) to the centre of town? We do nothing to exploit this - because the DAA are afraid we'll take business from Dublin.

I could go on......but I won't bother.......!

who are ironically headed by a Cork man.:rolleyes:

The Cork politicians are not doing fcuk all to help either.When American companies in Cork are starting to kick up about this,these idiots in the Dail should be acting on it.Never mind all the lost tourism potential for the Cork and Kerry region.

The whole thing is a mess with Cork airport.Ryanair are now also saying that they cant add new routes because the fees are too high there.

07-04-2014 2:37pm

I dunno about trans Atlantic flights from Cork, sure your man from the Radio might go daft again.

lisasimpson · 07-04-2014 8:39pm

nothing new in Ryanair stating cost being a factor in doing business from cork. the potential for Cork and surrounding counties is huge if it got its act in order. for it to become a success it needs to be free from Dublin but the huge debit needs to be dealt with first before it can break away. Shannon is doing well since it broke free from the DAA.

agree with the politicians they don't do anything to fight for it. Isnt the minister for innovation and enterprise from Cork, who should be fighting for the airport as part of that brief.

Fabio · 08-04-2014 12:03am

Local elections coming up, a good time to be asking questions.

AshAdele · 18-04-2014 12:22pm

S82425.htmlhttp://corkindependent.com/20140417/news/cork-airport-target-airlines-for-new-routes-S82425.html

Cork Airport was aggressively marketed by Cork Airport management at the Routes Europe 2014 event held in Marseille last weekend in their ongoing plan to attract new routes.

Attended by over 1,200 delegates from 70 countries and representing 115 airlines and 380 airports, it is one of the largest events of its kind and Cork Airport met with over 20 airlines at private one to one meetings to market the airport and the south of Ireland to aviation decision makers from across Europe

A survey revealed by TravelAgent.ie last week which Kevin mentioned, revealed that more than 75 per cent of the fifty multinational corporations in the Cork catchment area would pay a premium of €100 to airline operating non stop flights from Cork to New York, rather than flying from Shannon or Dublin Airport.

Nonoperational · 19-04-2014 3:23pm

I'm sure if they committed to a certain number of seats per year it would mean a lot more than a survey.

Rhys Essien · 03-06-2014 12:18pm

Latest comments from Varadkar.:rolleyes:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/lsquoairport-costs-too-high-in-corkrsquo-270765.html

blindsider · 03-06-2014 1:36pm

"The Transport Minister said that independence for Cork “is not right for the DAA now because it carries a debt of €200m as a result of the new terminal”.

Would this be the debt that would not be Cork's in the event of the break up of the DAA?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2006/0731/world/airport-debt-decision-in-september-9642.html

Well worth a read - it's blood boiling stuff.

How did we get from €160m debt to the current €200m?

Nobody seems to have the remit to go out and get flights into Cork. They need to get 1-2 people who can sell slots to airlines - and offer them a basic salary - with lots of commission for every new flight into Cork. Let them off then to negotiate with Ryaniar, Easyjet, Cityjet, BMI and whoever else is out there.

There are 24 low-cost airlines in Europe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_low-cost_airlines

That doesn't include AL, BA, Air France and Lufthansa.

Someone somewhere needs to be responsible for selling flights into the airport - not marketing, selling. Hard-nosed, cold-hearted sales. Without this, the airport, and the region, are never going to generate real revenue.

blindsider · 03-06-2014 1:48pm

From Cork Airport site:

http://www.cork-airport.com/gns/at-the-airport/latest-news/14-03-05/Cork_Airport_Stakeholder_Body_Holds_First_Meeting.aspx

This is the list of the members of the new Committee:

The 15 members of the Cork Airport Development Committee are as follows:
Pádraig Ó Ríordáin, Chairman (Chairman DAA, Corporate Partner, Arthur Cox)
Fiona Buckley, (Head of Operations, Fáilte Ireland)
Conor Healy, (Chief Executive, Cork Chamber of Commerce)
Niall MacCarthy (Managing Director, Cork Airport)
John Mullins, (Chairman, Port of Cork)
Dr Michael Murphy, (President, University College Cork)
Eric Nolan (Director, DAA)
Anne-Marie O’Brien, (Ballydoyle Racing Stables)
Emma O’Brien, (Director and Vice Chairman of the Clonakilty Chamber of Commerce);
Joe O’Flynn, (General Secretary, SIPTU)
Ann-Marie O’Sullivan (Director DAA, Director of H+A Marketing + PR)
Bob Savage, (Vice President and General Manager, EMC, Cork)
Kevin Toland, (Chief Executive, DAA)
Jim Woulfe, (Chief Executive, Dairygold Co-operative Society)
Gerry Walsh (Director DAA, Director Spruce Consulting)

Too many wafflers for my liking - not enough locals who NEED the airport to succeed.

rebs23 · 03-06-2014 4:09pm

blindsider wrote: »

"The Transport Minister said that independence for Cork “is not right for the DAA now because it carries a debt of €200m as a result of the new terminal”.

Would this be the debt that would not be Cork's in the event of the break up of the DAA?

http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2006/0731/world/airport-debt-decision-in-september-9642.html

Well worth a read - it's blood boiling stuff.

How did we get from €160m debt to the current €200m?

Nobody seems to have the remit to go out and get flights into Cork. They need to get 1-2 people who can sell slots to airlines - and offer them a basic salary - with lots of commission for every new flight into Cork. Let them off then to negotiate with Ryaniar, Easyjet, Cityjet, BMI and whoever else is out there.

There are 24 low-cost airlines in Europe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_low-cost_airlines

That doesn't include AL, BA, Air France and Lufthansa.

Someone somewhere needs to be responsible for selling flights into the airport - not marketing, selling. Hard-nosed, cold-hearted sales. Without this, the airport, and the region, are never going to generate real revenue.

How much debt is the DAA carrying for the development of T2?
Ryanair claim €2 Billion?
How much of a subsidy does Kerry, Waterford, Sligo, etc get from central government every year?
How much of a debt was written off to allow Shannon become independent and debt free?
How much did it cost the taxpayer to amalgamate Shannon Development into Shannon Airport?

When it comes down to it, my simple reasoning as to why Cork Airport is getting treated like this is because the DAA does not want it to succeed.

Varadkar does not want it to succeed. Simply rehashing the debt issue without coming up with solutions is a cop out. They want to give Shannon a help out at the start of its independence, let it undercut Cork and not have Cork competing with either Dublin and Shannon.
Where is Varadkars greatest support base outside of Dublin for the upcoming FG leadership contest? It's the Mid West/Shannon.

who_me · 03-06-2014 7:01pm

I still don't understand why the Cork board voted to take on that debt, given they had an assurance it would be debt-free. Turkeys voting for Christmas.

Am I right in thinking too that the (then) Great Southern Hotel at the airport was transferred to the DAA, then sold? So the DAA get the Cork assets, but Cork keeps the Cork debt? Sweet deal, for Dublin.

kub · 03-06-2014 9:40pm

rebs23 wrote: »

How much debt is the DAA carrying for the development of T2?
Ryanair claim €2 Billion?
How much of a subsidy does Kerry, Waterford, Sligo, etc get from central government every year?
How much of a debt was written off to allow Shannon become independent and debt free?
How much did it cost the taxpayer to amalgamate Shannon Development into Shannon Airport?

When it comes down to it, my simple reasoning as to why Cork Airport is getting treated like this is because the DAA does not want it to succeed.

Varadkar does not want it to succeed. Simply rehashing the debt issue without coming up with solutions is a cop out. They want to give Shannon a help out at the start of its independence, let it undercut Cork and not have Cork competing with either Dublin and Shannon.
Where is Varadkars greatest support base outside of Dublin for the upcoming FG leadership contest? It's the Mid West/Shannon.

You are correct Varadkar does not want Cork Airport to succeed, has he even been in this county sense he was made a minister?

He hates the place obviously as he probably sees Simon Coveney as a threat.

Actually wouldn't it be great in the next cabinet reshuffle that Varadkar gets Health and Coveney gets Transport.

razorblunt · 03-06-2014 10:49pm

Edinburgh airport is going from strength to strength, we need to adopt their approach.

rebs23 · 04-06-2014 10:11am

kub wrote: »

You are correct Varadkar does not want Cork Airport to succeed, has he even been in this county sense he was made a minister?

He hates the place obviously as he probably sees Simon Coveney as a threat.

Actually wouldn't it be great in the next cabinet reshuffle that Varadkar gets Health and Coveney gets Transport.

That's it in a nutshell. Varadkar is relying on the Mid West/Shannon to try and boost his profile/political strength in a region outside of Dublin to get the FG leadership.
Coveney has Cork and the agricultural lobby sown up and Varadkar needs another region outside of Dublin to boost his chances.
Its amazing the easy ride he gets from the Dublin media.

lisasimpson · 14-08-2014 7:01pm

http://www.irishexaminer.com/business/airline-passengers-up-14-at-cork-279475.html

aerlingus regional numbers up 14% this year in the airport. pitty the increase in passenger numbers doesn't result in a decrease in some charges to attract more flights to new distinations

kub · 14-08-2014 11:11pm

Dublin airport have as many passengers now going through it a month as what Cork has in a year. Fair dues to Dublin airport.

So with small figures as Cork has compared with Dublin, the DAA hardly even know the place exists and care even less about the place.

I imagine that as far as they are concerned Cork can stew in it, it is probably akin to a little fly annoying them.

This board that was set up will just be a talking shop and will achieve nothing and some transport minister will have an excuse for doing nothing as he will say we set up a development board. The DAA control the place and as long as that is the case it will stagnate.

shnaek · 15-08-2014 11:02am

kub wrote: »

This board that was set up will just be a talking shop and will achieve nothing and some transport minister will have an excuse for doing nothing as he will say we set up a development board. The DAA control the place and as long as that is the case it will stagnate.

They need it to stagnate so Shannon can thrive.

evilivor · 28-08-2014 2:57pm

AER LINGUS AXES BRUSSELS, CUTS MORE CORK FLIGHTS

AER Lingus is canceling the flight connection between Cork and Brussels this winter and reducing flights to Munich and Malaga.

In a significant blow to Cork Airport’s attempts to increase passenger numbers and attract new routes the airline is understood to have made the decision due to reduced passenger numbers on the route.

Aer Lingus confirmed it is suspending the Cork to Brussels service for the winter from October 27. It had operated twice per week last winter. The Cork to Munich service has been reduced from two flights per week to one, from December 20 until the end of March, when it will revert to two per week.
The Cork to Malaga service has reduced from three flights per week to two per week between November-March when it will revert to three per week.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2014/08/28/aer-lingus-axes-brussels-cuts-cork-flights/

Paz-CCFC · 28-08-2014 3:08pm

In unrelated news, Dublin Airport are delighted to announced additional flights to Brussels, Munich and Malaga.

THENORTHSIDER · 28-08-2014 3:46pm

evilivor wrote: »

AER LINGUS AXES BRUSSELS, CUTS MORE CORK FLIGHTS

AER Lingus is canceling the flight connection between Cork and Brussels this winter and reducing flights to Munich and Malaga.

In a significant blow to Cork Airport’s attempts to increase passenger numbers and attract new routes the airline is understood to have made the decision due to reduced passenger numbers on the route.

Aer Lingus confirmed it is suspending the Cork to Brussels service for the winter from October 27. It had operated twice per week last winter. The Cork to Munich service has been reduced from two flights per week to one, from December 20 until the end of March, when it will revert to two per week.
The Cork to Malaga service has reduced from three flights per week to two per week between November-March when it will revert to three per week.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2014/08/28/aer-lingus-axes-brussels-cuts-cork-flights/

Aer Lingus don't appear to be flying Munich out of Cork from the 1st of November until the 20th on December

KCAccidental · 28-08-2014 3:55pm

It's very frustrating to watch routes from the airport being cut back and suspended. Any attempts by the Airport to attract other Low Cost Carriers leads to Ryanair swamping them short term until they leave (for example, easyjet and Wizz), only in turn to cut back and suspend those routes themselves (e.g Krakow, Gdansk and Wroclaw) afterwards.

Meanwhile Aer Lingus have no interest in the airport outside of the Heathrow slot and Sun routes.

Not sure where the airport goes from here.

Fabio · 28-08-2014 4:10pm

Does the fact it is still owned by the DAA hamper it?

Pitcairn · 28-08-2014 4:17pm

Fabio wrote: »

Does the fact it is still owned by the DAA hamper it?

Definitely, Shannon has had a series of new flight announcements since it was made independent and in recent months has overtaken Cork as the State's second busiest airport.
https://www.iaa.ie/traffic_monthly_review

KCAccidental · 28-08-2014 4:41pm

Pitcairn wrote: »

Definitely, Shannon has had a series of new flight announcements since it was made independent and in recent months has overtaken Cork as the State's second busiest airport.
https://www.iaa.ie/traffic_monthly_review

They took most of the Ryanair flights and routes that were introduced in 2011/12.

makes depressing reading.

coleen · 28-08-2014 4:48pm

I would use Cork Airport to go to Tenerife during the winter time. I see that Ryan Air do not seem to be going to Tenerife this winter so they have less and less options for winter which forces us to use either Shannon or Dublin.

ssbob · 28-08-2014 5:07pm

Frequent business user of the Brussels flight, always above 80% full since I have been flying it. Strange also that it is axed given that Brian Crowley and Liadh Ni Riada are frequent users. You would think their political influence would weight heavily on this!

pwurple · 28-08-2014 11:11pm

Brian Crowley lost significant political clout since his recent defection i would guess.

Rhys Essien · 28-08-2014 11:40pm

Time for crisis talks.Whats happening here is a fcukin disgrace.Its now starting to look like a conspiracy to put Cork airport out of business.The Cork politicians need to pull the finger out fast and justify their big fat salaries.

Rhys Essien · 29-08-2014 12:03am

There are nearly a million people(940k) living in counties Cork,Tipp,Kerry and Waterford and Cork airport is fast becoming like a remote airstrip.

Not good enough.:mad:

notharrypotter · 29-08-2014 12:19am

Kerry and Waterford

Have airports too.
:eek:

Rhys Essien · 29-08-2014 12:51am

notharrypotter wrote: »

Have airports too.
:eek:

Im well aware of that but you know what I mean.eg Would it not be handier for Kerry people to fly out of Cork rather than Dublin.

notharrypotter · 29-08-2014 12:57am

I do.

However there was a post regarding Galway airport where Knock had made an approach to Galway County Council (?) seeking support.
Don't think there was much forthcoming.

Too many chasing too few.&#55357;&#56848;

shnaek · 29-08-2014 9:25am

I'm inclined to think that Bareclona wouldn't stand for their airport being owned by Madrid, or Melbourne their airport owned by Sydney. But they aren't 'rebels', so I guess in this case the rebel element is doing exactly the opposite to what other second cities do. And might I also add fair play to our politicians here for doing so much for Cork airport and enticing international business here, in a 'rebel' way of course.

AugustusMinimus · 29-08-2014 11:32am

Coveney is the highest ranking politician from Cork and he looks next to useless.

The DAA aren't going to hand over control of Cork Airport as it might hurt Shannon. The whole situation is an absolute mess.

beer enigma · 29-08-2014 11:47am

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Coveney is the highest ranking politician from Cork and he looks next to useless.

The DAA aren't going to hand over control of Cork Airport as it might hurt Shannon. The whole situation is an absolute mess.

daa dont have any involvement in Shannon so why would that concern them ?

Lack of new routes at Cork airport

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