Has anyone ever flown out of Sligo, Waterford or Galway?

Chemical Burn

Sorry if this has been done before , seeing as the airports are unfortunately (and shamefully) closed now, I thought I could start an airport nostalgia thread :-P where were you flying to / from ?

youtube!

Flew from Galway all the way to the Aran islands, I hate those long haul flights but hey sometimes its gotta be done.

Rabies

Chemical Burn wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before , seeing as the airports are unfortunately (and shamefully) closed now, I thought I could start an airport nostalgia thread :-P where were you flying to / from ?

Flew in to Waterford airport a few years ago. Embarrassment of a place. Our bags were taken from the plane by a big tractor lawnmower with a trailer (not joking) and brought to the baggage area and thrown through the hole in the wall.

skaface

flew back to waterford a few years ago from manchester, lovely flight and landing.. shame to see these small airports close:mad:

galwayrush

Galway to Cork,Waterford, Belfast, Birmingham, Luton many times, Manchester many times, Lorient.

Mint Sauce

Done Sligo-Dublin twice, and Dublin-Sligo once. Found very handy for flights in and out of Dublin, depending on their time. At Sligo from check in to on board plane in 20-30 minutes was very handy as well. Only disappointment at Sligo airport was despite only at one point having only two flights a day, was Bus Eireanns failing to provide a bus service that connected with the departing arriving flight.

danniemcq

depends on the weather and if my jacket catches in the wind

MadYaker

Never flown from any of those airports but I have flown from Kerry Airport! Can't remember where I was going... Might have been Germany??

Mint Sauce

Rabies wrote: »

Flew in to Waterford airport a few years ago. Embarrassment of a place. Our bags were taken from the plane by a big tractor lawnmower with a trailer (not joking) and brought to the baggage area and thrown through the hole in the wall.

Wouldn't really call that an embarrassment, Sligo was the same, I remember Knock having a similar set up at one point as well. Cant really see it being of financial benefit to have a carousel system in place to cater for a 2-3 flights carrying 30-40 people a day, probably only half of which had bags (based on experience at Sligo).

From Galway to Dublin, Luton, London City? and was on the first flight to Southend.

Is my memory correct? - there were flights to London City airport for a while?

dr.bollocko

Flew out of galway a number of times. The airport screwed itself as it couldn't accommodate larger planes. Shame it's gone. Shannon's a shadow of what it was too.

Merrion

I flew through both Waterford airports one weekend (Dublin-Aran Is.) - strangely couldn't get a connecting flight...

BrokenArrows

For a from Galway to Luton. Even if it reopened is never do it again. I was nearly deaf from the sound of the engines.

admiralofthefleet

i was on a plane in waterford but it didnt take off as it had no engines. it was a museum kind of thing and was way back in 1993

Cosmo Kramer

Rabies wrote: »

Flew in to Waterford airport a few years ago. Embarrassment of a place. Our bags were taken from the plane by a big tractor lawnmower with a trailer (not joking) and brought to the baggage area and thrown through the hole in the wall.

Galway was the same. The bags were fired from the back of the tractor through the hole in the wall and instead of a carousel, they had a supermarket conveyor belt in the arrivals hall which carried the bags to a dead end about ten feet away. With 60 plus people coming off a flight from Edinburgh and only six able to stand in a line to pick up bags, you were left with an almighty ruck at the end of the conveyor belt to get your bag back.

That airport killed itself with that kind of carry on.

EuskalHerria

Flew from Manchester to Galway and also flew from Sligo to Dublin, I'd prefer to sit with the mental cases on Bus Eireann than do those flights again.

This guy sums up Sligo Airport experiences.

Speak Now

Flew Waterford to Malaga in 2008, last legs of Celtic tiger.

McNulty737

Waterford airport isn't closed.

biko

Have departed several times from Shannon and Galway.
Flew from Dublin airport a few times too, was ok like.

Chemical Burn

McNulty737 wrote: »

Waterford airport isn't closed.

Yes it is, sunshine

Chemical Burn

McNulty737 wrote: »

Waterford airport isn't closed.

Yes it is, sunshine

Speak Now

Chemical Burn wrote: »

Yes it is, sunshine

No sceduled flights til March I think, not closed though.

Pottler

Half the population of these kips flew out first chance they got.

cantdecide

I was buying a car in the North of England and flew from Waterford. I borrowed my brother's car to get there on the basis we'd return the next day to collect it.

When we arrived the following evening, my brother's car had a flat and so was the spare. The tyre centres were closed so we had to give up and go home.

The next day, we were nearly back in Waterford and my brother realised he'd forgotten his keys. It was a quiet trip back to Cork.

The next day we arrived down after 9pm and the airport was CLOSED

On the fourth day we managed to retrieve the car...

I never want to see Waterford airport again.

mike65

cantdecide wrote: »

I was buying a car in the North of England and flew from Waterford. I borrowed my brother's car to get there on the basis we'd return the next day to collect it.

When we arrived the following evening, my brother's car had a flat and so was the spare. The tyre centres were closed so we had to give up and go home.

The next day, we were nearly back in Waterford and my brother realised he'd forgotten his keys. It was a quiet trip back to Cork.

The next day we arrived down after 9pm and the airport was CLOSED

On the fourth day we managed to retrieve the car...

I never want to see Waterford airport again.

So you are blaming Waterford Airport for your bothers ineptitude?

Paddyfield

I have flown from Galway to Faro, Malaga, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Stansted and Dublin with a variety of airlines including Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Manx, BA and Aer Arann.

I can now be in Dublin Airport in 2 hours thanks to the new Motorway.

Pulsating Star

Used Galway,Knock and Shannon often. All very easy ,stressfree and straightforward to use.
I didn't see any problem with moving the baggage with tractors,simple conveyors etc as it got the job done far faster than any of the smart/plusher places. I hope Shannon dosen't get run down as its my favourite. Knock charges the airport fee but at least I see they spend it on constant improvements so I don't begrudge them it.
I realise Galway is the only one closed but I mentioned the three as they were after much the same custom. Of the three Galway had the worst management and local council, pity as it was the one on my doorstep.

tony007

Went from Sligo to Manchester. Only 40 mins, very handy.

dark crystal

We've flown to London from Waterford plenty of times. No two hour journey to the airport, no hanging around for hours to check-in, baggage claim is really fast, I found it so much handier than flying from the bigger airports, tbh.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Galway - Manchester back in ~2009, was going over with a few mates for a weekend in Liverpool, the lads (going from Athlone) decided to fly from Dublin as it was cheaper (can't remember why they couldn't fly to Liverpool but they went to Manchester anyway). Great job, it took less than an hour altogether.

On the way back, we all went to Manchester airport, the lads' flight back to Dublin was an hour and a half after mine. One of them rang me as they were about to board the flight and I was already in town having a pint :pac:

McNulty737

Chemical Burn wrote: »

Yes it is, sunshine

No it isn't "sunshine",

Flybe still operate several routes out of Waterford, not to mention Waterford aero club and probably a few other operations that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Do at least the minimum bit of research on google before you come on here spouting your bs, christ almighty.

Cosmo Kramer

Flybe still operate one route out of Waterford, to Birmingham. Unfortunately that route does not operate all year round and is currently not running. It will be back towards the end of February. However I presume the airport remains open, except that you can't book a scheduled passenger flight in or out for the next month or so.

Hopefully an airline takes on a route to London soon as the airport really needs one if it is to have much of a future.

cantdecide

mike65 wrote: »

So you are blaming Waterford Airport for your bothers ineptitude?

Yes, sir






It was a joke, Mr 65

McNulty737

http://www.flybe.com/cheap-flights/waterford/

McNulty737

Ok so from next month onwards Flybe operating 5 international routes from Waterford, not bad for a closed airport.

APM

Please note not all flights are direct. Please see our timetable for further details.

I think you'll find they only have one route mcnulty

McNulty737

Whatever, one international route and a flying club still isnt bad for a closed airport me old "sunshine"!!

bluecode

Never flew out of any of them as a paying passenger. But plenty of times up front in the hot seat. All three are still operational although, even Galway which isn't closed even if things are a lot quieter these days.

But all have potential for future routes. When things improve with the economy. If they survive.

Lapin

All three, but most often Galway.

And every other commercial airport in Ireland North and South !

Pilotdude5

Flew in to Waterford myself plenty of times while training. Single-engine NDB approaches are not fun when your ADF is randomly between 20-30 degrees off..

..I like NDB holds though.

Always found them helpful and accommodating when planing a flight there.

Wompa1

Galway a few times once to Manchester and a few times to Luton

Was studying abroad many years ago and flew home to Dublin airport but my bags had been left behind. Filled in the report and took the bus for the long journey home (before the motorways were built).

Got a phone call somewhere around Athlone - my bags were in Galway and what did they want me to do with them?

The bags had been put on the next flight to Dublin and then onto a Galway flight - so they got home before me.

kraggy

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Flew out of galway a number of times. The airport screwed itself as it couldn't accommodate larger planes. Shame it's gone. Shannon's a shadow of what it was too.

The airport authorities didn't screw themselves. A certain landowner won't sell the land necessary to extend the runway. They looked in to it many times but he won't budge.

Flew from Galway many times. To Edinburgh and Southampton. Very handy. And Aer Arann were lovely to fly with. The only airline I've ever flown with where the flight attendant's smile was actually genuine.

seven_eleven

Fly in and out of waterford quite regularly. Its a nice airport, and it isnt closed. Flybe still fly there, they have the aeroclub, and the coastguard.

Its a small regional airport, what more do you want? A big walkway connecting to the planes and a huge underground automated luggage conveyor belt system? They put the bags on a little trolley and drive it to the terminal, just like the do in Dublin except it doesn't come out on a belt.

coconut5

I flew from Galway to Dublin and vice versa. I loved how you had to walk through the restaurant to get to the boarding area!

Mint Sauce

coconut5 wrote: »

I flew from Galway to Dublin and vice versa. I loved how you had to walk through the restaurant to get to the boarding area!

Well if most airports make you walk through the duty free in the hope you'll buy something, why not a restaurant in the hope you'll eat something.

michellie

I live in Waterford city and I'm literally a 5 minute drive from the airport so I have flown from there to Manchester and Galway.

Handy little airport, leave my house 65 minutes before departure. Hope they get new flights soon, going mad the aerarran pulled out.

jester77

Flew into Galway numerous times, it was good back when Aer Lingus was doing the route. They would always hold the flight in Dublin if you were were delayed coming in from wherever and you had Galway as your connection.

Had some dodgy landings with Aer Arann, especially when cloud was low. You could only see the runway once under the cloud and Galway didn't have a radar. It was hit and miss if you were properly lined up with the runway once you got under the cloud. It made for some interesting landings.

brimal

I flew from Waterford to Luton with Aer Arann a few weeks ago.

The plane was very small and only had one air hostess, Brenda, but she was brilliant. She seemed to know a lot of the passengers well, so I'm guessing people used this route a lot. The whole journey felt a lot more personal and friendlier than other larger airplanes/airports.

She did mention the route was finishing for good though soon, shame.

daithi1970

I flew to both Manchester and Lorient from Galway..it was a very handy airport for me,its a pity its not operational anymore..

daithi

irishgeo

galway airport had to move the bar inside the passenger only section after a good friday in which the place was overun with people drinking in the public side bar.