Waterford Airport.

02-12-2023 1:43am

I wasn't convinced by today. Damien Tiernan jumping the gun. Looks like the minister was due to come to town either way today prior it any airport announcement.

Bolster announced that they have secured €12 million in private funds but the business plan has yet to be sent.

Government are committed to matching any private funding based on the business case and we know how business cases for waterford generally pan out.

Can they start the works with the €12 million and keep pressure on government or is it case nothing happens until government commits?

Talks of flights at the end of next year. If the business case is sent tomorrow it will most likely be March/april before a decision is made at the earliest, then a developer needs to be appointed and contracts signed, I don't think we would see works start till the summer/end of summer, then no airline would enter talks unless the runway is built and most would have their winter schedules in place.

I don't know something seems off here, it has all the hallmarks of 2007 airport extension, bolster tower, jury's redevelopment etc.

I'll hold my excitement until I see a scheduled service announced.

Hopefully I am just being negative and this all comes into place.

azimuth17 · 02-12-2023 11:52am

We were waiting breathlessly, while the press release appeared in Thursday morning's Irish Times anyway, before the minister arrived

Wanderer78 · 02-12-2023 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444509#Comment_121444509

...id love to know what airline is close to signing a deal...

...but at least something is moving along with this situation, which is good to see...

Hotblack Desiato · 02-12-2023 12:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121443560#Comment_121443560

It doesn't state €15m anywhere and the Comers are only claiming to commit €12m so where is €30m coming from even if the government match the €12m?

The Comers wouldn't spend Christmas.

"aircrafts" 🤮

Wanderer78 · 02-12-2023 12:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121445223#Comment_121445223

ah they would, if they knew they were gonna get it back, and more....

azimuth17 · 02-12-2023 1:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121445223#Comment_121445223

1million Euro each committed from Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford councils makes three, added to 12 makes 15 if my sums are right.

Bards · 02-12-2023 2:29pm

12m from comer and 12m from govt

2m each from Wat, kk and wex councils are the sums involved

02-12-2023 6:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121445227#Comment_121445227

They won't make it back in a regional airport though unless they have been given other lands or businesses.

There is very little profit if any in regional airports.

Wanderer78 · 02-12-2023 6:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121446146#Comment_121446146

..its hard to know exactly whats going on with these lads, but id be surprised if they dont have multiple investment interests in the region, and the mere fact of them being involved in this, may also be benefitting those other investments, so even if the airport doesnt work out, they may overall gain from the whole process, who knows, such lads dont be stupid, risk takers maybe, but not stupid....

...i still cant see an airline signing up for the moment, but maybe that ll change after all the work is done, and/or when other projects such as north quays is also done, but at least something is being considered for the airport, it would be a devastating loss if its left to waste....

Fox Uniform · 02-12-2023 11:18pm

From MOL earlier this year

Replying to Waterford TD Matt Shanahan (Ind), Mr O’Leary stated: “Since I’m on the record on the matter, I have been asked by the new investor(s) in Waterford will we fly to Waterford; I said we will if they have a jet runway and a low cost base. We will certainly return to Waterford; we will certainly put a service from London back into Waterford but I genuinely fear…that the viability of Waterford Airport will be very, very challenging

Asdfgh2020 · 03-12-2023 11:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121447363#Comment_121447363

In the end of the day this is all that counts. If Ryan air in particular and other low (or should that now be medium cost carriers ) can’t see a profit from flying out of WAT it doesn’t matter what the any cummer, gubberment dept or any other local business person or investor does…..WAT will remain empty/commercial flightless

Bards · 03-12-2023 12:37pm

You are forgetting 1 important item and that is market share.. Ryanair will not leave that airport empty and hope other carriers do not go there... Even if Ryanair loose money they will be there to stop others from getting a foothold

Hotblack Desiato · 03-12-2023 12:47pm

Whoops I misread

I hope this venture is successful and it's a tiny amount of public money in the bigger scheme of things.

space2ground1 · 03-12-2023 1:04pm

God there’s a lot of negativity around this. It would seem that the progress has irritated those who’d prefer not to see it.

I don’t think the viability of the airport will depend on passenger traffic at all, although there’s no suggestion a runway of that magnitude will be left without at least one or two regular services.

You’re looking at a jet capable runway in a location that’s cheaper to build hangar space, maintenance facilities, cargo and executive transport facilities.

Its the combination of all the different areas that will make this viable.. much to the disgust of some I imagine.

azimuth17 · 03-12-2023 1:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121448595#Comment_121448595

Sense.

Valhalla90 · 03-12-2023 2:00pm

Government are an awash with money. This is crumbs for them. The negative issue is more to do with upsetting other airports in other regions. We pay the same tax as the rest of the country. We deserve an airport too.

chasing_ghosts · 03-12-2023 9:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121448771#Comment_121448771

Exactly. I was only thinking about the cost yesterday when thinking of the local development projects going on relatively near the airport. North Quays, nearly a fifth of billion, the New Ross Greenway, 32 million euro. 15m from the government seems like a small price to pay for an international airport with potential for growth.

As for taking away from airports, I'm not entirely convinced.

My uninformed and reductive thinking: The only flights viable from WAT could be: LON (LTN/STN) and some bucket and spade routes like ACE/AGP. Both of which are heavily saturated at DUB, and ex- ORK, we always find them booked out or at insane prices! There's 30+ flights a day to London from Dublin, not even including British Airways (LHR + LCY). So a daily flight from what would be a STN/LTN based aircraft to WAT simply wouldn't put a dent in any market share anyway from the bigger cities.

I wonder would they surely have to connect the airport to the city via bus if a service is instated? Would they reroute the 360 a couple of times a day or just launch a new service I wonder?

chasing_ghosts · 03-12-2023 10:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121448500#Comment_121448500

A prime example is that ridiculous double daily KIR-DUB flight. Almost 400 seats in both directions daily along with train and bus services! Now I know someone will jump on me with a load factor anecdote, and fair enough! But surely an ATR would be better suited to that route.

Fox Uniform · 04-12-2023 1:04am

From what I heard Ryanair operate Kerry to Dublin as a commercial route to stop Emerald operating it as Government funded PSO.

Amazing that when Ryanair actually won the PSO contract afew years ago against Aer Arann, they could not make it work even with PSO funding

They pulled off the route and Aer Arann took it over.

ExoPolitic · 04-12-2023 3:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121450574#Comment_121450574

Although more recently, it has been quite busy!

Dunmoreroader · 04-12-2023 3:49pm

https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2023/12/04/waterford-airport-in-talks-with-ryanair-to-pretend-its-just-outside-dublin/

WWN might be taking the p1ss but it's no less implausible than Franfurt/ Hahn! - approx 2hours 10 minutes from Airport (Waterford, Hahn) to claimed destination city centre (Dublin, Frankfurt).

dublincc2 · 05-12-2023 6:47pm

TBH I’m half expecting they are just going to turn the place over to ‘asylum seeker’ accommodation nonsense rather than reopen it as an airport. When I saw Tiernan’s tweet that was my first thought as with many others. The airport really doesn’t have room for expansion, the ends of the runway are too close to the road.