What is your view on Knock Airport charging everyone a tenner to leave it?

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2014 11:09PM #1

Well when you depart Knock International cowshed ... sorry I mean Airport (or Wesht of Ireland airport or whatever its called these days) they charge you €10 before you go to departure lounge, done it for years (think it started off as a fiver though) - they say its "A Development fee" - heard a few people kick up about it at the airport mainly because as it comes as a surprise to most that they have to pay it I think and are resentful of it. one bloke once paid it all in coins after a moan about it one when we was there.

So what do you think, should they do it? - should they pass it onto the airlines or duty free or recoup it some other way?

Does any other airport in europe (or even the world) do this does anyone know?

veryangryman · 04-12-2014 11:12PM

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Well when you depart Knock International cowshed ... sorry I mean Airport (or Wesht of Ireland airport or whatever its called these days) they charge you €10 before you go to departure lounge, done it for years (think it started off as a fiver though) - they say its "A Development fee" - heard a few people kick up about it at the airport mainly because as it comes as a surprise to most that they have to pay it I think and are resentful of it. one bloke once paid it all in coins after a moan about it one when we was there.

So what do you think, should they do it? - should they pass it onto the airlines or duty free or recoup it some other way?

Does any other airport in europe (or even the world) do this does anyone know?

Newquay. Few other small regionals. Kind of like toll roads. You can use the alternatives but your paying for the convenience

jt69er · 04-12-2014 11:14PM

Fly from somewhere else if you don't like it

Mint Sauce · 04-12-2014 11:15PM

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Well when you depart Knock International cowshed ... sorry I mean Airport (or Wesht of Ireland airport or whatever its called these days) they charge you €10 before you go to departure lounge, done it for years (think it started off as a fiver though) - they say its "A Development fee" - heard a few people kick up about it at the airport mainly because as it comes as a surprise to most that they have to pay it I think and are resentful of it. one bloke once paid it all in coins after a moan about it one when we was there.

So what do you think, should they do it? - should they pass it onto the airlines or duty free or recoup it some other way?

Does any other airport in europe (or even the world) do this does anyone know?

Most other airports (apparently) include it in the fare.

ScumLord · 04-12-2014 11:17PM

It's worth ten euro to avoid Driving to Dublin, paying tolls, paying for a bus or parking, dealing with Dublin traffic.. Lovely handy little airport that's easy to get to for us muck savages, it's got a wonderful view and you get a wave from mary every time you take off.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2014 11:17PM

veryangryman wrote: »

Newquay. Few other small regionals. Kind of like toll roads. You can use the alternatives but your paying for the convenience

I suppose you have a point, i mean for people in the west, it could be saving them travelling to Dublin airport - and on train it could cost u €40 on train to get from Sligo to Dublin airport .... so €10 is a bargain i suppose in that respect

Have a nice day · 04-12-2014 11:18PM

It's a very relaxing airport unlike every other airport in the world.

Donkey Oaty · 04-12-2014 11:18PM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Most other airports (apparently) include it in the fare.

In reality, it means "pass it on to the airlines while negotiating landing/facilities fees, who then include it in the fare".

Larianne · 04-12-2014 11:19PM

Knock is a great little airport. No long queues, car park RIGHT beside the terminal, handy if you live in Mayo/Sligo/Galway region. A tenner is well worth it, considering the petrol money & money for parking & the queues if leaving from Dublin airport (never been to Shannon myself).

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 04-12-2014 11:19PM

I know they do this in Blackpool, in the UK too. Wonder what'd happen if you said you didn't have it? Would you be like Tom Hanks in that film..

flazio · 04-12-2014 11:19PM

I suspect the reason it's done this way is accounting.
The €10 loses value the longer the airline takes to repay the airport, and if the airport puts pressure on the airline to pay up, they my just pull out.
Doing it this way means the money is straight into the coffers that day and makes the book balancing much easier.

Donkey Oaty · 04-12-2014 11:20PM

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

I know they do this in Blackpool, in the UK too. Wonder what'd happen if you said you didn't have it? Would you be like Tom Hanks in that film..

Kidnapped by Somali pirates? :eek:

Pay the tenner, folks!

ardle1 · 04-12-2014 11:20PM

Knock Knock!

flazio · 04-12-2014 11:22PM

Ireland West Airport.
Don't Knock it until you try it.

ratracer · 04-12-2014 11:23PM

I know it doesn't make any commercial sense, but this 'development' fee at knock airport is the main reason I have never flown out of there. I live in Galway but would choose to pay the diesel costs to drive to Dublin or Cork airport rather than go through the foggy boggy mountain. I won't even consider looking for a flight out of there!!

corsav6 · 04-12-2014 11:25PM

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Well when you depart Knock International cowshed ... sorry I mean Airport (or Wesht of Ireland airport or whatever its called these days) they charge you €10 before you go to departure lounge, done it for years (think it started off as a fiver though) - they say its "A Development fee" - heard a few people kick up about it at the airport mainly because as it comes as a surprise to most that they have to pay it I think and are resentful of it. one bloke once paid it all in coins after a moan about it one when we was there.

So what do you think, should they do it? - should they pass it onto the airlines or duty free or recoup it some other way?

Does any other airport in europe (or even the world) do this does anyone know?

Well if you don't like the "cowshed" then why don't you commute from your local airport? I'm sure there's plenty of routes available from Sligo airport.

Miss Demeanour · 04-12-2014 11:26PM

They'd have to pay me a tenner to fly out of there........

flazio · 04-12-2014 11:28PM

ratracer wrote: »

I know it doesn't make any commercial sense, but this 'development' fee at knock airport is the main reason I have never flown out of there. I live in Galway but would choose to pay the diesel costs to drive to Dublin or Cork airport rather than go through the foggy boggy mountain. I won't even consider looking for a flight out of there!!

The N17 is actually very good quality these days. After Ballindine all the towns and villages are bypassed and the bad bends are pretty much a thing of the past after Tuam.
I notice you say Dublin or Cork, but not Shannon?

kneemos · 04-12-2014 11:28PM

Is there a mass before the flight?

The Backwards Man · 04-12-2014 11:30PM

Norwich Airport charge £10, it's the reason I never fly there too.

Graham · 04-12-2014 11:32PM

ratracer wrote: »

I know it doesn't make any commercial sense

Makes perfect commercial sense to me. An airport can offer the airlines a really low (or zero) handling charge, the airline can reduce its headline fare by €10 knowing most customers won't work out there's a development fee until it's too late.

It's a fantastic way for low cost airlines to unbundle the airport handling fees from the ticket price.

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2014 11:34PM

by the way - i personally dont mind paying the tenner I just wondered what others thought about the charge, or rather them charging for it there

minidazzler · 04-12-2014 11:34PM

What happens if you just say no? I thought it was on arrival.... What a load of cock.... Knock is a sh1t place anyway haha

Miss Demeanour · 04-12-2014 11:35PM

minidazzler wrote: »

What happens if you just say no?

You go home with all your bags.......

Andy From Sligo · 04-12-2014 11:36PM

Yeah, - honestly what DOES happen if you get there and you physically aint got the tenner! ?

branie2 · 04-12-2014 11:36PM

What would our Lady of Knock think of it?

Aquagakka · 04-12-2014 11:36PM

The Cunning Linguist wrote: »

I know they do this in Blackpool, in the UK too. Wonder what'd happen if you said you didn't have it? Would you be like Tom Hanks in that film..

Blackpool airport just closed recently.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy · 04-12-2014 11:38PM

Aquagakka wrote: »

Blackpool airport just closed recently.

Was that to lock in all the people who still owe them a tenner?

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2014 11:38PM

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Yeah, - honestly what DOES happen if you get there and you physically aint got the tenner! ?

You can pay by card.

Lapin · 04-12-2014 11:44PM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Most other airports (apparently) include it in the fare.

So does Knock.

I don't like being charged an extra tenner to fly from there.

Thats why I no longer do.

I've flown into the place a few ties in the last few years though.

rainbowtrout · 04-12-2014 11:44PM

ratracer wrote: »

I know it doesn't make any commercial sense, but this 'development' fee at knock airport is the main reason I have never flown out of there. I live in Galway but would choose to pay the diesel costs to drive to Dublin or Cork airport rather than go through the foggy boggy mountain. I won't even consider looking for a flight out of there!!

No it doesn't make sense. I live in Roscommon, I can be in Knock in 35-40 minutes, park in the car park and walk to the terminal in 2 minutes. There is never a queue at check in so it's hassle free.

Flying from Dublin means 2 - 2:20 hours to the airport. Park in long term car park. Wait for shuttle to terminal. Need to turn up an hour before the flight because it's likely there will be a queue going through security. All that time could be spent in bed.

I got a flight around 10am from Knock to London a few weeks back. I got up just before 8 that morning. If I was taking a flight at the same time from Dublin I'd have probably been up at 5am.

So they might be charging €10 up front, but it costs a whole lot less just taking petrol costs into account.

It's no different in people refusing to take a €50 Ryanair flight because there is a €20 charge for checking in baggage but they would have no problem booking the same flight if it was €70 with check in baggage included.

What is your view on Knock Airport charging everyone a tenner to leave it?

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