Waterford Airport.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558695#Comment_119558695

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119462029#Comment_119462029

See the post above, the 600k number was made up by Rob Cass.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119558695#Comment_119558695

I don't think there's too much point in going back to discuss why attracting and retaining airlines and passengers to Waterford in the past has been such a consistent issue over the years.

I think Kerry Airport had more passengers on its Luton Route alone than the number using all of Waterford's routes in most years. That's an indication as to how far off the pace Waterford Airport has been for whatever reason.

The thing worth focusing on now is what the Comers will do, if anything, to revive the airport.

Deise Vu

Some horrendous horseshyte being written here. The old routes were expensive because of the size of the planes. It was worth your while to pay an extra 70-80 quid if travelling in your own after saving diesel, parking, tolls, “meal” in Dublin airport but not if you were traveling with a family.

The new runway and jet aircraft will major the cost not only competitive but there is mo reason why it couldn’t be cheaper for Southern European flights if the airlines so choose. Waterford is probably 150 KMs south of Dublin. With less flights there will be no taxiing or circling waiting to land. Landing and handling charges will also be cheaper.

If the flights are at least as cheap as Dublin and Cork, people will flick to the airport just to avoid the stress of Dublin.

chasing_ghosts

I think the airport would genuinely have a better shot if it was served by FR or EI, although I know that's quite unlikely. At least those routes would be advertised well as opposed to the likes of VLM or whatever. As in people looking at WAT as a destination might find out about it easier. No doubt VLM tried their best but I mean there's just a lot more traffic going through the former's websites so it could be possible to attract those TO Waterford in addition to this alleged 400k+ in the vicinity.

Also I don't get why there's scuffles over catchment areas, what are we trying to justify to each other? Winning a boards.ie spat won't materialize the new runway.

yew_tree

Nice dig. What does it matter that it’s built on a bog? Best of luck to Waterford airport going forward.

Emanine

https://www.newstalk.com/news/ireland-has-too-many-airports-michael-oleary-1387334

Michael O' Leary is rowing in against the idea of Waterford Airport...

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119683734#Comment_119683734

Not quite as negative as you claim:

"“I would not want to be an investor in Waterford Airport. I’m sure we will put something in there. "

Regards...jmcc

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119683734#Comment_119683734

Christ what kind of negative mind do you have. I think it is you are rowing in against the idea of Waterford Airport. Michael O'Leary said “I’m sure we will put something in there…we will probably service Waterford to and from London”. This is very positive for the Waterford Airport. One of the biggest airlines in the world are already interested in doing flights here when the runway is extended. It is exactly what was hoped for all along.

Valhalla90

He is not against Waterford airport if people actually took time to read articles!

invara

O'Leary's comments on putting in a route to Waterford partially against his will agree with this research note on estimating demand prepared almost 5 years ago. A way should be found to get the runway done, it is a very sensible use of resources.

http://www.senser.ie/resources/SENSER%20Estimating%20Airport%20Demand%20SC2%20Nov%202017.pdf

Cosmo Kramer

Actually that's quite a negative comment from him. Given that all the regional turboprop airlines that could serve Waterford right now continue to stay away, Ryanair are the only realistic option for jet services if the runway ever gets done. So if he's saying they'd only operate one route, that's effectively saying that the airport will only serve one route. Not good news at all.

fricatus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119691573#Comment_119691573

I actually think what he's been saying has been quite positive. I seem to remember him being more negative in the past, so saying that they'd have even one route in there is an improvement. And this guy runs one of Europe's top airlines. I'm sure a Waterford-London route would prove itself, and then there would be scope for more routes. If there was money to be made, O'Leary wouldn't be long about changing his mind.

Speak Now

Bottom line is all that will matter, if the one route is economically successful then as sure as eggs are eggs Ryan Air will add more.

julyjane

I was away over the weekend and had the misfortune of having to fly from Dublin Airport with Ryanair and all I could think of was get WAT up and running already.

All credit to Ryanair, somehow they manage to fill planes to destinations most people have never heard of but any time I've had to get them from Dublin on a Friday evening was an absolute sh*tshow with so many people waiting for delayed flights. After the long walk down to the 100 gates the area was like a festival without the music or the mud, people sitting on the floor everywhere, massive queues for overpriced drinks and mediocre food, a lad who'd had a few too many falling on the ground, not able to get back up and just lying their laughing while his mate tried to help him up. Ryanair staff not being able to tell passengers what was happening because nobody told them, Airport police observing in case anything kicked off, people pushing forward in queues for planes that weren't there. I remember another time my other half paid for priority boarding from Dublin, so those of us in the priority queue were sent out first but the doors weren't open yet so the "priority" passengers got to stand on a stairs like sardines for 10 minutes while the clever ones who didn't waste their money were sitting comfortably at the gate.

The Waterford area has a lot going for it and is already a tourism destination but someone like Michael O'Leary is not going to want to appear too keen, he'll want the airport to approach Ryanair and plead their case.

Valhalla90

WAT could definitely sustain a Ryanair route to the likes of London, Manchester, Amsterdam. Even that is massive compared to nothing at present.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119694587#Comment_119694587

Ryanair don't fly to Amsterdam from any of Irelands regional airports. I think you are underestimating just how tough the European city routes are for regional airports. KLM would be the only show in town for Amsterdam for Waterford, as you'd need connections to sustain the route, however KLM don't fly to Shannon, Kerry or Knock, so you'd imagine Waterford would be a fair way down their priority list for Ireland.

Cosmo Kramer

Ryanair don't have a base at Amsterdam, so they wouldn't be flying there from Waterford anyway. You're basically looking at UK cities and a couple of bucket and spade routes. Basically what Kerry has but without the German inbound tourism route or the Dublin route.

Or at least that was what I had thought before O'Leary's comments, now I'm not so sure. Could be just a single daily or five-a-week service to Stansted. Is that really worth the investment in the runway plus a few million a year to cover ongoing costs of keeping a passenger facility open? You'd probably say yes if you're from Waterford but not sure it justifies ongoing central funding. Maybe get a commitment from the local Councils to pay the ongoing operating costs, as happens at Derry.

Deise Vu

Tonight around 8.30 I saw three artics pulling massive mobile homes/offices and another with definitely a mobile office on a flat bed driving out the airport road.

Could it possibly be…………….???

(Probably more temporary accommodation for the poor Ukrainians!).

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119772939#Comment_119772939

ITV shooting some TV show out in the terminal building. I kid you not, it's called Maryland (no connection to the establishment on the mall!)

https://rts.org.uk/article/gentleman-jack-star-suranne-jones-creates-new-itv-drama-maryland#:~:text=ITV%20has%20commissioned%20a%20three,and%20respect%20for%20one%20another.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119683907#Comment_119683907

Ryanair flights would be amazing- who cares if the airport has only a few routes to even start with.

Knock and Kerry are huge boons to their wider regions. Living in Kilkenny (and I’m sure Carlow, Wexford laois etc) it would be such a relief vs being forced to use Dublin all the time. It’s a criminal underuse of what is a fine facility and piece of infrastructure (short runway aside). I’ve no doubt at all there’s plenty of shenanigans from Cork airport and it’s political patrons that would hate to see this airport developed. Have to laugh when I see them advertising locally - clearly desperate for passengers. No thanks- the last thing I want after a flight/traveling is an almost two hour drive with zero public transport options

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119699386#Comment_119699386

The three local authorities do pay something for the airport- ie Waterford Kilkenny and Wexford councils all contribute but I’d imagine pretty small these days. Was talk of some local companies ie Glanbia contributing towards the new developments too which can only be a good thing as they’d really benefit from it

FGR

It's been mentioned a few times about WAT having potential to be used for the maintenance of aircraft as well as for freight once the runway is extended.

I know the airport is surrounded by good flat land but does the airport already own most of it or in the process of doing so? It would be a great boon tempting big players to use Waterford for their logistics at prices far lower than operating out of Dublin.

I take it they could do something similar to the firm that took delivery of that A380 at Knock for decommission?

Bards

Another 10 Million Euro for Cork Airport announced today and a further 11 Million to be shared between, Kerry, Shannon, Knock and Donegal

Waterford gets Zero

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-41022626.html

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963473#Comment_119963473

This year its "operational funding". Will be interesting to see if Waterford gets some of this funding if Ryan Air puts in flights. Or will this funding allocation be changed to something else.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963510#Comment_119963510

ryan air wont be going anywhere near waterford anytime soon, so.....

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963473#Comment_119963473

Waterford and Galway got zero.

BBM77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119963741#Comment_119963741

Well they said they would. Do you know differently?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119966314#Comment_119966314

Ryanair say lots of things. They were 'going to buy Chinese aircraft' and had the entire media reporting it as fact when they were clearly never going to (and haven't, obviously) for instance.

If they do come in, it will be at such a terrible deal for the airport that it wouldn't survive; basically.

BBM77

Fair enough on Ryanair. Have to say I do find the whole Waterford Airport expansion a bit “M9”. All the so called experts in Dublin and Cork are popping up in the media now saying Waterford Airport is not viable. Just seems like the usual broken record when anything like this happens in Waterford. Same old story, ye don’t need a motorway to Dublin, ye don’t need a university, ye don’t need 24hr Cardiac care, blaa blaa blaa!

Masala

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965942#Comment_119965942

Sure Galway airport is closed. …… there is NO aircraft coming or going there