Galway Airport - mega merge

To be honest I don't see this P&R ever working there.

It's too far from the city, people coming in are not going to want to spend half an hour on a bus into the city when they could just take their chances and park in town themselves for 4 euro for the day. So it'll have to be cheaper than that, and easier. Most people that drive do so because they prefer having their own transport otherwise they'd have come in on the express bus or train in the first place.

It also means they will have to run a very regular bus service with probably pretty empty buses, if they run only once every 30 mins or finish early in the evening it would diminish the appeal even more. Between waiting for the bus and getting to your car it could be an hour then, and even with bad traffic you'll be well out of town within that time in your own car.

It sounds to me like something that will have to be heavily subsidized. I'd rather see them spend the money on helping people, community services and the like.

Doc Ruby wrote: »

There are black-fly-ridden villages in the depths of Canada that have better airport facilities than Galway. Sligo and Knock (Knock?! wtf?!) are far less populated than this city, and Shannon is only arguably useful by dint of its proximity to Limerick. Of course Galway should have a proper airport, and it's a testament to the gang of wasters who got where they are because of daddy's dodgy deals that we have the glorified car park currently servicing the city.

There is absolutely no reason Galway needs a "proper airport". It couldnt make the one it had work even on a small basis even taking into account its industry base and strong tourism market. It is only an hour max from Shannon and if you are to have a sustainable airport on the Western seaboard that is the one that makes sense. It has far better facilities than any other airport in the West and should be developed as such. It has the longest runway in the country, Customs and Border pre-clearance to the US and a 24 hour airport terminal. Its located about 15 miles from Limerick (urban population 90k), and 60 miles from Galway ( urban population 70k). Unless you spend a complete shedload of money on a new site in Galway, it will never be a runner. Even Knock has a better offering than Galway airport, albeit in the middle of nowhere..

With the state of the countries finances, the last thing the country needs is another airport and the focus should be on the ones that actually have a chance,..

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I'm not convinced that P&R isn't viable.

stampydmonkey wrote: »

I'm not convinced anyone in their right mind who would commute all the way from another county only to hop on a bus at galway airport to finish the journey. agree it could be viable at exceptionally busy times but all year round. don't see it having constant numbers to be honest

P&R is badly needed, that's for sure. It also needs to be incentivised in some way, I suppose.

But the business case needs to be sound, and the venture has to be planned properly. Hard to avoid politicking and gombeenism in this country though.

EDIT: re comparisons with Galway Harbour Company, see this August 2012 report in the national Independent: http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/20000-pay-rise-for-chief-of-port-that-lost-800000-26891294.html

Quote: "Galway Harbour Company made more money [in 2011] from car parking and renting property than from port business." Meanwhile, the salary for the CEO of this glorified car-park is in the region of €100,000.



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Not entirely sure if the P&R will work or is even needed. But it's worth a try. In terms of it's actual use as an airport. Well there is no forseeable possibility of scheduled services at the moment. But while it's hardly Heathrow there is traffic in and out regularly including the Air Corps and Coastguard. Plus a certain amount of business jets and other users. That all generates income and alone can justify the continued use of the airport.

There is a future for the airport as an asset to the city. Just not in the way it used to be run. As I understand it things have changed quite a lot in terms of the expectations of the owners and they've gone out of their way to attract business. The airport can pay for itself. But they have debts which need to be dealt with.

In America towns the same size will nearly always have one or more small airports and they are usually part funded by the local authorities because they know it makes their town more accessible. The same thing can work for Galway. I think Galway airport will survive and thrive into the future and maybe one day there might be even be a return of some form of scheduled services.

It's also worth nothing that the current management are not being paid.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Yeah, but do they usually have airports 1.25 hours drive away in two directions, and 2.5 hours drive to the capital city?

I'm not sure that the way they do things in Amerikay is actually a good comparison with Ireland.

Certainly not a good example to follow.

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Eh??? Nobody will EVER build a gated community with a bizjet in every backyard backing onto some drab field in carnmore. Get real!!!!

Carnmore is gone, too small an airport in the wrong place. It's Shannon or Knock for us at best from now on. If they both fail it's Dublin.

I've actually seen the worlds biggest airplane myself in Shannon, I'll bet on that one somehow as against an anorexic airstrip less than 50 miles to the north.

You're still thinking big airport rather than local airport. It is possible for Carnmore to sustain itself with little or no subsidy and still be an asset to the area. The mistake the previous management made was to try and compete with bigger airports and provide scheduled and charter traffic. It could never succeed in the long run without a longer runway. Again I refer to the American and Canadian model, not the airpark thing. That's just a bit of fun. But it's very common for towns smaller than Galway to have small local airports run on a shoestring. It works for them why not here in Ireland?

Iwannahurl wrote: »

The main, and serious, point is that a small island like Ireland needs to develop and integrate its land use, transportation and infrastructural policies even more carefully.

There may be a good business case for an airport to service Galway City and environs, but how well does it tie in with the business case for motorways, rail links, port development and other airports in the region?

Again you're thinking big airport rather than local. Already the flying club is there. Why not a flying school or one of many other small aviation companies. All over Europe and the world there are small airports which host lots of small businesses. Weston airport ran into problem with the locals when they tried to encourage business jets. No such problems in Galway is there? That business is very lucrative. You don't need very many flights for it to pay for itself.

I've no insight into the plans they might try. But if they have any sense that's the road they'll go down.

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Fair enough.

However, should Government be involved in the support of commercial ventures such as flight schools and the accommodation of business jets?

Central government no. Local government maybe. Remember we're talking about job creation and bringing money to an area. Even in America, local authorities help out with certain ventures because of the benefits and money it brings. Not just in aviation. It's the same here. It may not be a subsidy, maybe a reduction in rates or tax during the start up phase. Goes for any business.

If there were one or two businesses paying rent and a regular flow of visitors. Sports teams have flown in an out on charters. They buy fuel and pay landing fees etc. It's worth a try. Better than closing it all together. That would be a pity.