Lack of new routes at Cork airport

Missyelliot2

lotusm wrote: »

Can't understand how Cork airport does not have transatlantic flights from a business perspective. Its obviously because to protect Shannon airport. Cork airport is losing out big time on this. It needs to break away from the DAA. It has been reported that knock are hoping to have transatlantic flights to Boston and new York by 2015 which will be a massive boost for tourism and businesses. Surely if it can be done there, Cork can do the same

But for people that live anywhere near limerick or Clare, Shannon is so much more convenient -the roads from limerick to cork are atrocious ...and dangerous. There's no point travelling to cork then.

Rhys Essien

lotusm wrote: »

Can't understand how Cork airport does not have transatlantic flights from a business perspective. Its obviously because to protect Shannon airport. Cork airport is losing out big time on this. It needs to break away from the DAA. It has been reported that knock are hoping to have transatlantic flights to Boston and new York by 2015 which will be a massive boost for tourism and businesses. Surely if it can be done there, Cork can do the same

Its sad to say but Knock already had transatlantic flights for 6 months during 2007.That just tells you how much Cork airport are purposely been 'kept down'.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/No-New-Carrier-for-Knock-Airport-1130.html

nerwen

I'd give a leg for a direct flight to Oslo from Cork so I don't have to do this 4 flight/3 airports/occasional trains nonsense every time I go home. But somehow I doubt that's overly likely.

lotusm

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Its sad to say but Knock already had transatlantic flights for 6 months during 2007.That just tells you how much Cork airport are purposely been 'kept down'.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/No-New-Carrier-for-Knock-Airport-1130.html

That airline Flyglobespan was a disaster when they operated in 2007, they went bust soon afterwards.
Knock Management have indicated it will be a reputable airline. Hopefully an American airline.

podmu80

Missyelliot2 wrote: »

But for people that live anywhere near limerick or Clare, Shannon is so much more convenient -the roads from limerick to cork are atrocious ...and dangerous. There's no point travelling to cork then.

Plenty of cork people travel to Shannon on that god forsaken road. The base and demand exist for transatlantic from cork imo. I would love to know the full facts ad to why the DAA hasn't been fully broken up. Is Shannon heavily reliant on its American routes?

the beer revolu

podmu80 wrote: »

Plenty of cork people travel to Shannon on that god forsaken road. The base and demand exist for transatlantic from cork imo. I would love to know the full facts ad to why the DAA hasn't been fully broken up. Is Shannon heavily reliant on its American routes?

Shannon is on it's knees. Only a handful of flights a day.

Missyelliot2

podmu80 wrote: »

Plenty of cork people travel to Shannon on that god forsaken road. The base and demand exist for transatlantic from cork imo. I would love to know the full facts ad to why the DAA hasn't been fully broken up. Is Shannon heavily reliant on its American routes?

I really don't know, but there's 4 flights leaving tomorrow to NY and Boston.
At least, when you land in Shannon, you can travel quite safely to Limerick and onto Galway.
If flights come to Cork, the roads to Limerick will HAVE to be improved :mad:

mean gene

Theres hardly any flights up there during the winter might aswell close it down unless you want to go to London or poland

podmu80

From reading the last few posts its clear how important those transatlantic routes are to Shannon, will means they will remain but a pipe dream for us down here. I didn't know knock had them before, both amazed and impressed. 700,000 passengers is a fantastic number.
Its a long shot, but does anyone have anykknowledge of the board at cork airport?

Pitcairn

Cork Airport doesn't have its own board.

The Dublin Airport Authority operates Dublin and Cork Airports and has a board of directors. Here is the 2012 annual report which lists the board members.
http://www.daa.ie/daa_ar_2012/

Undoubtedly if Cork Airport was a separate entity or at least allowed to go about securing its own routes we would have a transatlantic flight by now, perhaps on a trial basis.

podmu80

Pitcairn wrote: »

Cork Airport doesn't have its own board.

The Dublin Airport Authority operates Dublin and Cork Airports and has a board of directors. Here is the 2012 annual report which lists the board members.
http://www.daa.ie/daa_ar_2012/

Undoubtedly if Cork Airport was a separate entity or at least allowed to go about securing its own routes we would have a transatlantic flight by now, perhaps on a trial basis.

Thanks for that. I know its under the control of the DAA, just wanted info on the people involved. Is such a practice, one airport basically under the control of another, that commonplace in the aviation industry, are there other examples? Even if cork airport can never be fully independent,surely things can be done to improve the current situation. A route to New York for example would it really have such an effect on numbers through Dublin,or is it purely to protect Shannon?

Pitcairn

THe strange thing is that Shannon is no longer part of the DAA and is semi-independent. So you would think it should free up the DAA to try and bring a transatlantic route to Cork.
I heard the DAA are telling Cork they may try and bring back the Cork to Dublin flight so passengers can connect to transatlantic flights in Dublin. That sounds useless to me. Even if there was a Cork to Dublin flight I'd still either drive to Shannon or else fly to London where there are more options.

Palo Alto

Cork-Belfast route back would be nice, I've not gone home since August as it's so expensive driving there and back even if the roads are great!

podmu80

Pitcairn wrote: »

THe strange thing is that Shannon is no longer part of the DAA and is semi-independent. So you would think it should free up the DAA to try and bring a transatlantic route to Cork.
I heard the DAA are telling Cork they may try and bring back the Cork to Dublin flight so passengers can connect to transatlantic flights in Dublin. That sounds useless to me. Even if there was a Cork to Dublin flight I'd still either drive to Shannon or else fly to London where there are more options.

What does semi independent mean? The road to Shannon is terrible from cork, Dublin airport is much easier to get to.Hasn't cork been left to service the debt of the new terminal, I guess its semi independent too, just not in a good way! Would the airport be even running at 60% of its capacity I wonder?
A return of the Dublin route would be welcome but as you say, in terms of transatlantic its not enough when you are looking at it from a business,inward investment viewpoint.

Rhys Essien

podmu80 wrote: »

Plenty of cork people travel to Shannon on that god forsaken road. The base and demand exist for transatlantic from cork imo. I would love to know the full facts ad to why the DAA hasn't been fully broken up. Is Shannon heavily reliant on its American routes?

podmu80 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I know its under the control of the DAA, just wanted info on the people involved. Is such a practice, one airport basically under the control of another, that commonplace in the aviation industry, are there other examples? Even if cork airport can never be fully independent,surely things can be done to improve the current situation. A route to New York for example would it really have such an effect on numbers through Dublin,or is it purely to protect Shannon?

podmu80 wrote: »

What does semi independent mean? The road to Shannon is terrible from cork, Dublin airport is much easier to get to.Hasn't cork been left to service the debt of the new terminal, I guess its semi independent too, just not in a good way! Would the airport be even running at 60% of its capacity I wonder?
A return of the Dublin route would be welcome but as you say, in terms of transatlantic its not enough when you are looking at it from a business,inward investment viewpoint.

Have you trouble spelling Cork with a capital 'C'.???

I see you have no trouble with Dublin,Shannon and New York.

Pitcairn

Shannon Airport has been moved out from under the control of the Dublin Airport Authority and now has its own board who were appointed by the Minister for Transport. They no longer have to ask the DAA to go out and secure new routes or modify their charges to attract new business.

Yea the cost of the Cork terminal is a big issue and probably what's keeping Cork within the DAA. It's a valuable asset and would damage the DAA's balance sheet if we were separated.

podmu80

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Have you trouble spelling Cork with a capital 'C'.???

I see you have no trouble with Dublin,Shannon and New York.

Sweet Jesus. Accept my most humble apology. Cork. Cork. Cork.

Red Nissan

podmu80 wrote: »

Sweet Jesus. Accept my most humble apology. Cork. Cork. Cork.

Ye, we're touchy about that sort of thing, like.

beer enigma

Rhys Essien wrote: »

Have you trouble spelling Cork with a capital 'C'.???

I see you have no trouble with Dublin,Shannon and New York.

Cork also happens to be a wood product and for that reason predictive text doesn't always capitalise it. ...... back on topic please as flaming upsets my Sunday dinner & those of you who know me will confirm I hand out more red cards on a Sunday if my dinner gets cold because of moderation......

wallycharlo

Ryanair made a play some time back to take over the old terminal at Cork, and make it into a Ryanair hub. The powers that be were having none of it. I'm quite sure that this would have brought in many new routes.

Palo Alto

At least longterm, Cork should be in a good situation once the economy improves. Having used Cork airport only relatively recently, I have to say it is at least really, really nice!

I think part of that is due to security being so laid back; up in Belfast, where I'm from, they are a proverbial pain in the **** more often that not.

lisasimpson

wallycharlo wrote: »

Ryanair made a play some time back to take over the old terminal at Cork, and make it into a Ryanair hub. The powers that be were having none of it. I'm quite sure that this would have brought in many new routes.

heard that ages ago. is there anything in the old building up there

podmu80

lisasimpson wrote: »

heard that ages ago. is there anything in the old building up there

At the minute its used for admin offices I think. I heard somewhere it may be knocked for parking but don't know if that's true.
O'Leary did want it but that was never going to be allowed!

kub

Just re the old terminal, in the long term the plan is to double the existing terminal down towards the old one. Therefore I imagine due to the way the new one is set back further to allow for the way the aircraft now park, then the old building will be demolished.

I believe though that the old ATC tower is a protected structure.

ROY RACE

I often landed above and got my passport out only to find 2 empty desks to receive the passport I love it

Stepping Stone

kub wrote: »

Just re the old terminal, in the long term the plan is to double the existing terminal down towards the old one. Therefore I imagine due to the way the new one is set back further to allow for the way the aircraft now park, then the old building will be demolished.

I believe though that the old ATC tower is a protected structure.

I heard (although I don't know how true it is) that they decided to apply for permission to knock it and put the groundwork in for funding for a new building and they were told that if they knocked a perfectly good building they could completely forget about building a replacement.

To be fair, there is nothing wrong with the structure of the old building. It was in a way a lot more functional than the new one. I know that it isn't pretty, but as a frequent flyer, all I care about is security (no difference) and the runway, etc (no difference). At least you could extend it without making it look silly.

Red Nissan

Stepping Stone wrote: »

I heard (although I don't know how true it is) that they decided to apply for permission to knock it

Ye, the stories fly around alright. I was told that the old terminal was being renovated and that I'd not recognise it upon completion.

What actually happened over the years was the seemingly less planned new terminal and car park and the old terminal actually just abandoned, except for the odd art installation.

Stepping Stone

Red Nissan wrote: »

Ye, the stories fly around alright. I was told that the old terminal was being renovated and that I'd not recognise it upon completion.

What actually happened over the years was the seemingly less planned new terminal and car park and the old terminal actually just abandoned, except for the odd art installation.

If anything, they could try restoring it to what it was originally. I have fond memories of the fish pond and watching planes from upstairs. The new terminal is a lot less easy to kill time in if you are waiting for a flight to come in, plus it is like an oven in the summer and a fridge in the winter.

wallycharlo

I liked the bar myself in the old terminal, has a cosy feel to it.

SeaFields

A lot of the arguments around Cork getting transatlantic seem to focus on it being a route for us to get over the the states but the other side of it is we are an hour from Killarney, which has a massive influx of tourists from the states. Surely marketing Cork as such an easy gateway to Kerry would also bolster its numbers on an transatlantic route.