Shannon Airport (Feb 2012 - Jan 2014)

billie1b

Brennans Row wrote: »

I wonder would budget airlines like Ryanair be suitable enough in attracting Sport-Tourists to Shannon.

As they give the impression that they would like to do away with standard luggage in favour of people travelling light, i.e. hand-luggage only.

In other words, I can't imagine golfers, cyclists, anglers, surfers, etc, checking in their bulky sport equipment with Ryanair if it means hassle and extra expense.

The old Hapag Lloyd chartered flights (1970s-1990s) to Shannon use to cater very well for such tourists.

Aer Lingus were also very accommodating too, alas they only serve the U.S. and U.K. markets but not the E.U.

Ryanair accomodate golfers, surfers, kayackers, wind surfers and so on, you name it and ive put it in the hod of an aircraft. During the summer you can get hold 3 full of golf clubs alone with golfers travelling, especially to Faro

angelfire9

Just in relation to Santa flights staff were not paid for working but got extra 2 shifts off for hols over Christmas for doing it
First cousin was working 2nd weekend of them so this is pretty much straight from horses mouth

phog

Brennans Row wrote: »

I wonder would budget airlines like Ryanair be suitable enough in attracting Sport-Tourists to Shannon.

As they give the impression that they would like to do away with standard luggage in favour of people travelling light, i.e. hand-luggage only.

In other words, I can't imagine golfers, cyclists, anglers, surfers, etc, checking in their bulky sport equipment with Ryanair if it means hassle and extra expense.

The old Hapag Lloyd chartered flights (1970s-1990s) to Shannon use to cater very well for such tourists.

Aer Lingus were also very accommodating too, alas they only serve the U.S. and U.K. markets but not the E.U.

A friend of mine went to France last year, he was bringing a bike to cycle the Camino. He flew out with Ryanair and home with Aer Lingus, he found Ryanair cheaper and allowed more weight for the bike.

Brennans Row

Claregirl wrote: »

Was Shannon / Glasgow (and also the Knock / Edinburgh route) not cut due to Flybe's financial woe's as opposed to a "failure" on the route?

Can't speak for Knock / Edinburgh but used the Shannon / Glasgow route myself quite regularly and it seemed busy can't seem to find any passenger figures for it tho.

Claregirl wrote: »

I'd have agreed with you pre-recession but since the recession kicked in you'd be very surprised the number of people commuting to Scotland / UK from down south.

. . . . Glasgow's universities are also full of students from down south as the fees are now similar to the registration fees here and there's a wider choice of courses on offer. It would be interesting to see the passenger figures though!

Flybe started the Glasgow - Shannon route (3 times weekly) in May.

Here are the passenger numbers

May (739)
June (749)
July (1041)
August (1307)
September (988)
October (749)

What size of aircraft did they use, as the average number per flight must have been circa 25 in May and 50 in August?

See the “Table 12 1 Intl Air Pax Traffic Route Analysis” per month.

billie1b

Brennans Row wrote: »

Flybe started the Glasgow - Shannon route (3 times weekly) in May.

Here are the passenger numbers

May (739)
June (749)
July (1041)
August (1307)
September (988)
October (749)

What size of aircraft did they use, as the average number per flight must have been circa 25 in May and 50 in August?

See the “Table 12 1 Intl Air Pax Traffic Route Analysis” per month.

This aircraft here > http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Dash_8 < its a Dash 8, holds 78 pax

Brennans Row

The 5o seat version would have been more ideal for the start-up phase.

Pity that they had not resources at the moment to nurture that route properly.

Demand is there.

highlydebased

I think it was reduced to 2 weekly not too long after it was launched. Flybe also only have the 78 seat version.

EI regional probably will take it up eventually- they previously dropped it (and SNN-BRS) owing to aircraft shortage and they were the more marginal routes out of SNN that could be cut.

Jamie2k9

highlydebased wrote: »

I think it was reduced to 2 weekly not too long after it was launched. Flybe also only have the 78 seat version.

EI regional probably will take it up eventually- they previously dropped it (and SNN-BRS) owing to aircraft shortage and they were the more marginal routes out of SNN that could be cut.

They dropped it as well before in favour of increased EDI flights.

notharrypotter

so 6 were put to use for it with crews that were more than likely on SBY days. They do Santa flights with staff every year for free, I can see this as a genuine gesture too

I am open to correction here but did the same aircraft not do all the flights for a given day?

Say for argument

1st Flight depatrs at 0800 flys for 1hr and lands
Unloads passengers and loads a new lot.
2nd flight departs at 1100 flys for 1hr and lands
Unloads passengers and loads a new lot.
3rd flight departs at 1400 flys for 1hr and lands


Was it not 3 flights on Saturday and 3 on Sunday over 2 weekends?
Makes more sense?

billie1b

notharrypotter wrote: »

I am open to correction here but did the same aircraft not do all the flights for a given day?

Say for argument

1st Flight depatrs at 0800 flys for 1hr and lands
Unloads passengers and loads a new lot.
2nd flight departs at 1100 flys for 1hr and lands
Unloads passengers and loads a new lot.
3rd flight departs at 1400 flys for 1hr and lands


Was it not 3 flights on Saturday and 3 on Sunday over 2 weekends?
Makes more sense?

They did 6 flights per day on Sat and Sunday over 2 weekends, amounting to 24 flights in total

relaxed

GCU Flexible Demeanour wrote: »

And maybe it was. But I'm just so tired of the thick layer of spin that we're expected to swallow on so many things (and I'm not talking at all about Shannon when I say that) that I find I just want straight answers to straight questions. Like, a statement from SNN management saying "we got 1.4 million passengers and, no, that doesn't include the Santa flights" and a statement from Ryanair saying plainly "we covered all the costs for this, apart from SNN letting us off on the landing fees".

And, in fairness, I do know that no-one here can deliver that level of corroboration. So we'll just hold to whatever version of reality we feel most comfortable with.

Why are yo troubled by including a few Santa flights in annual numbers or not?

Why do you need a statement fron Shannon airport and Ryanair to clarify this tribal matter for you?

I doubt anybody else cares really.

GCU Flexible Demeanour

relaxed wrote: »

Why are yo troubled by including a few Santa flights in annual numbers or not?

Why do you need a statement fron Shannon airport and Ryanair to clarify this tribal matter for you?

I doubt anybody else cares really.

Sure, you know why. If you didn't, the evasion in your post would not step so neatly around it.

The issue is whether or not SNN has cynically attempted to paste over a slight fall in numbers in 2013.

But, sure, all we need is a little patience. They won't be able to pull a stunt two years running.

gctest50

GCU Flexible Demeanour wrote: »

...The issue is whether or not SNN has cynically attempted to paste over a slight fall in numbers in 2013....

They might want to improve security a little bit ?

If you had a choice of say two airports abroad:
-one with no "issues"
-the other with people prancing around on the runway forcing aircraft into holding

I know which one i'd be choosing

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/peace-activists-endangered-passenger-lives-court-told-251443.html

In response to the incursion, authorities blocked an Aer Lingus flight from Heathrow and a Ryanair flight from Stansted from landing and put them into a holding pattern.

Brennans Row

gctest50 wrote: »

If you had a choice of say two airports abroad:

What two airports abroad are you comparing?

GCU Flexible Demeanour

gctest50 wrote: »

They might want to improve security a little bit ?

In fairness, I don't think any airport perimeter can be completely secured. They're just too big for that.

I think the issue in that story is more about irresponsible protest. Lying on the runway is just dumb. I've no problem with people who feel so deeply about an issue that they want to provoke an arrest. But they could achieve precisely the same result, and similar degree of publicity, if they (for the sake of argument) lay down on the floor in front of the departure gates.

Brennans Row

Flights between Shannon and Boston, which were scheduled to begin today, have been delayed until February 4, leaving hundreds of passengers in the lurch.

According to the airline an "unforeseen scheduling delay" with the delivery of a B757 aircraft was to blame. (Irish Independent)

Bit of an embarrassment for Aer Lingus.

highlydebased

A new US destination currently unserved from Ireland could be announced by a "long standing customer" of Shannon

http://travelextra.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/travel-extras-sunday-supplement-cook-exits-the-kitchen/

Clareman

highlydebased wrote: »

A new US destination currently unserved from Ireland could be announced by a "long standing customer" of Shannon

http://travelextra.wordpress.com/2014/01/19/travel-extras-sunday-supplement-cook-exits-the-kitchen/

Please be Vegas, please be Vegas

Jamie2k9

Brennans Row wrote: »

Flights between Shannon and Boston, which were scheduled to begin today, have been delayed until February 4, leaving hundreds of passengers in the lurch.

According to the airline an "unforeseen scheduling delay" with the delivery of a B757 aircraft was to blame. (Irish Independent)

Bit of an embarrassment for Aer Lingus.

Rumours are bookings were nothing to write home about either for the first few weeks so could be a blessing for EI.

Brennans Row

Clareman wrote: »

Please be Vegas, please be Vegas

The same destination came into my head and If the country isn't broke as it is, we will certainly be then.

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Rumours are bookings were nothing to write home about either for the first few weeks so could be a blessing for EI.

Can you give us a source to your rumours?

Jamie2k9

No I can't but just heard, not saying its correct but given the time of year, lowest travel time, worst yield time for airlines, any airline flying across the pound now is probably making little to no profit. Doesn't reflect anything on SNN but I 5 weekly flights may be to much to fill, 3 or 4 might be the way forward during winter.

Brennans Row

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

No I can't but just heard, not saying its correct . . .

Then its nothing more than an unfounded rumour?

I can't see it being a blessing in disguise for EI either, as they have now probably pissed off hundreds of customers by not been able to deliver the new schedule as planned.

Jamie2k9

Brennans Row wrote: »

Then its nothing more than an unfounded rumour?

I can't see it being a blessing in disguise for EI either, as they have now probably pissed off hundreds of customers by not been able to deliver the new schedule as planned.

Well number one thing will be profit over customers so if the numbers don't stack up when it does start in a few weeks it will have big impact on next years service.

irishbloke77

Clareman wrote: »

Please be Vegas, please be Vegas

What about maybe United airlines, a "long standing customer at the airport" going to Houston? Big connection hub their for them to go onwards from their?

Cosmo Kramer

highlydebased wrote: »

I think it was reduced to 2 weekly not too long after it was launched. Flybe also only have the 78 seat version.

EI regional probably will take it up eventually- they previously dropped it (and SNN-BRS) owing to aircraft shortage and they were the more marginal routes out of SNN that could be cut.

Flybe didnt drop Shannon because they had financial problems, they dropped it because the route was contributing to their financial problems. Airlines rarely drop profitable routes. Three different airlines have now dropped Shannon to Glasgow area routes in the last five years. That tells its own story - the demand just isn't there.

imurdaddy

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Flybe didnt drop Shannon because they had financial problems, they dropped it because the route was contributing to their financial problems. Airlines rarely drop profitable routes. Three different airlines have now dropped Shannon to Glasgow area routes in the last five years. That tells its own story - the demand just isn't there.

Have you a source or just more hot air?

Jamie2k9

imurdaddy wrote: »

Have you a source or just more hot air?

They have not dropped there two routes from Waterford or Dublin and dropped one from MAN but added another. Look at the loads on the aircraft over the summer. You in clod coco land if you believe it was profitable.

imurdaddy

uote="Jamie2k9;88568227"]They have not dropped there two routes from Waterford or Dublin and dropped one from MAN but added another. Look at the loads on the aircraft over the summer. You in clod coco land if you believe it was profitable.[/quote]

The figures all ready posted in this thread suggest it was doin ok, with room to improve, which is how new routes start. Again when you have a source to confirm your post ill be happy to accept that but in the light of the financial issues flybe are having the longer established flights were the obvious chioce to keep.

But stick up your source and that will sort it, or is this another rumor in "coco land"

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/blow-to-shannon-airport-as-flybe-axes-glasgow-route-252730.html

the link above claims the route preformed well over the summer you say the opposite

Brennans Row

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Flybe didnt drop Shannon because they had financial problems, they dropped it because the route was contributing to their financial problems. Airlines rarely drop profitable routes. Three different airlines have now dropped Shannon to Glasgow area routes in the last five years. That tells its own story - the demand just isn't there.

What numbers would you define as demand?

Interestingly the numbers from Donegal are pretty much the same as Shannon.

Glasgow - Donegal

May (677)
June (758)
July (1269)
August (1234)
September (712)
October (657)
November (686)

Glasgow – Shannon

May (739)
June (749)
July (1041)
August (1307)
September (988)
October (749)
November (743)

imurdaddy

Brennans Row wrote: »

What numbers would you define as demand?

Interestingly the numbers from Donegal are pretty much the same as Shannon.

But dont let figures get in the way of a good rumour ! :pac: