Last flight from Waterford airport today

RobitTV

Well today was the day for the last flights of aer Aran to fly from Waterford which unfortunately will mean job losses and a partial closure of some of the airport.

With basically all the services now gone (even though we still have 1 route with flybe, but they don't fly everyday) the airport looks set for a partial closure and if nobody sets up new routes it could mean a complete closure.

But I'm rather worried now as somebody I know was was going on a flight to London a few days ago and he was speaking to the person at the desk and they said there has been no news and her job may go with others leaving.

I wish this was not the case but it's rather disappointing not to hear even any hints of some new start up.

The question is really what to do now? And where to go from here?

I have confidence in the CEO that he will hopefully sort something out. But I'm abit worried just a bit.

mike65

If we club together and buy a 2 seater micro-lite can we keep the airport open by just taking off and landing?

seven_eleven

The airports not going to "close". Sure there isnt many public flights but there is still a 24/7 coast guard unit there and an active flying club with several aircraft.

RobitTV

seven_eleven wrote: »

The airports not going to "close". Sure there isnt many public flights but there is still a 24/7 coast guard unit there and an active flying club with several aircraft.

Yes but there isn't going to be any commercial flights going on some days and the air club isn't active really on weekdays and the helicopter can be quiet sometimes.

And there won't be any use for the main terminal either that's the disappointing thing.

Hijpo

seven_eleven wrote: »

The airports not going to "close". Sure there isnt many public flights but there is still a 24/7 coast guard unit there and an active flying club with several aircraft.

Is one of the big restrictions on the airport the size of the runway? Does it drasticly reduce the number of airlines being able to use it?
If they did extend it to cater for more flights it means more passangers, would the terminal be able to cope with that amount of traffic?

Dum_Dum

Runway length at Waterford has always crippled development. Options are severely limited because an ever decreasing pool of airlines operate the type of aircraft that can be accommodated out here.

b757

Staff are 1 week on, 1 week off i believe.

FlyBe have no flights currently until the 22nd Feb. Loads have been quite good before Christmas, heard a few days had up to 70 on board. They made an announcement in mid January last year for flights to start at the end of March, so still some time left to get a decent run before the summer season.

Where do we go now? Well, from what I have also heard they're seems to be 2 airlines in contention. Have no idea who they are but I could take a guess from a not so long list, so could be something announced in the next few months. After having seen the loads that used to fly to Luton, MAN and BHX for that matter, I don't see why a Airline could not turn their noses up at a service that easily could make 100k+ passengers a year with a decent sized aircraft and times, and quite possibly a EDI service.


List of all UK and Irish Airlines: jethros.org.uk

Facebook page : Waterford Airport - Don't know why anyone would want a service to Kerry, but oh well. Could be a source of information in the coming weeks.

wellboytoo

Heard a start up Airline is in the running basing two planes there?

Trotter

Id be confident it'll work out. No new airline is going to start flying in January. I'd imagine any negotiations would be fiercely confidential so I don't expect to hear any rumours at all. Lets hope its a positive outcome!

Plastikman_eire

Havent planning permission and funding recently been secured for a runway extension?

I've also heard a rumour that the london route has been picked up by another carrier with a view to starting flights in early Summer.

dzilla

I'm not 100 per cent sure about that, I think surrounding land was purchased under a compulsory purchase order for expected future expansion in years to come.... this is what was in the paper

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012
WATERFORD Co. Council is proceeding with plans to acquire approximately eight acres of land at Lisselan by compulsory purchase to facilitate an expansion at Waterford Airport.
The land is to be acquired to facilitate the construction of a runway end safety area and a potential runway extension. Of the total property to be acquired 7.303 acres are agricultural land and the remainder is part of a public roadway.
The land is owned by Michael Nolan, Holy Cross, Butlerstown, Waterford.
A spokesman for Waterford Co. Council said that there would be no loss of public roadway or not road closures as a result of the compulsory purchase of the land.
There are no immediate plans for an expansion but should money become available the land bank will be in place.
According to Graham Doyle, CEO of Waterford Airport a runway extension is part of the airport’s agenda but for the moment they would try and work with what they had.

Neworder79

Plastikman_eire wrote: »

Havent planning permission and funding recently been secured for a runway extension?

Land acquired but no planning permission yet (shudder to think given planning history in the city), and no funding as last Government cut capital grant and the airport aren't in a position to self fund.

I'd say the airport could handle A319 on short-haul routes, wonder if a certain carrier who recently launched a base in another sunny south east could be persuaded, they have bases in the right locations, that would be a major coup for the airport.

reni10

We talking http://www.easternairways.com/ ?

Does not look like they have a direct flight to any London airports yet so I think to make them viable in Waterford there would need to be a Luton or Stanstead route.

wellboytoo

SAAB 2000 with 50 seat biggest capacity plane they fly, would be leaving a lot of pax on the ground in peak times?

tankbarry

I was told that a new start up Airline are in contention. Anybody have any ideas who they are ?

b0ardsUser

Think of the people who work in the Duty Free in the airport! That vending machine has a family to support.

tankbarry

has anybody got any info on what's happening out there what airline are meant to be coming in ?

air2000

This looks like it will be one of those rare occassions where it seems that there will be no leaks until the Airline/Airport make an announcement.

They really need seats on sale in Febnruary if flights lick off in March/April

From the airports facebook page 07th January

Since the announcement by Aer Arann in November we have been pursuing airlines
to take up particularly the London and Manchester routes that finished
yesterday. Discussions are developing but remain confidential at present.

Username99

That's what is wrong with the country, you nearly need to get planning permission to if you want to create a fart. Just go to Ryan Air, tell them if they fund the runway extension they can use the airport for free for x amount of years. If they agree, fast track the planning, work day and night until the runway is completed, and now the city is connected with most of Europe.