Cardiff: General Airport Discussion & Updates

[geoff]

A few posters on the other forum, one of whom lives abroad, stated that although Britain is well advertised in Europe, only England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are pushed as holiday destinations, Wales is hardly mentioned. Visit Wales must work more closely with Visit Britain, to get more visitors to Wales, of course more direct services to CWL would be a tremendous help.

 

[Jerry]

A few posters on the other forum, one of whom lives abroad, stated that although Britain is well advertised in Europe, only England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are pushed as holiday destinations, Wales is hardly mentioned. Visit Wales must work more closely with Visit Britain, to get more visitors to Wales, of course more direct services to CWL would be a tremendous help.

I think one of the things is that the other countries are more well known, Wales needs too invest in marketing itself as a unique destination separate from the others especially England. Direct routes too Cardiff will only help if the marketing and advertising are behind them.

 

[geoff]

The ASG group of Ireland, have acquired Synergy Aviation, and intend to forma new UK ACMI and charter airline Ascend Airways. ASG operate in 68 countries around the world, and already own several European airlines. Synergy Aviation operate Cessna Jet G-Poya, which is owned by FLY WALES of Haverfordwest. Ascend Airways intend to operate up to 20, 80 to 200 seater airliners in the UK. We could well see them at CWL next year, operating for TUI, instead of Sunwing of Canada.

 

[Jerry]

The ASG group of Ireland, have acquired Synergy Aviation, and intend to forma new UK ACMI and charter airline Ascend Airways. ASG operate in 68 countries around the world, and already own several European airlines. Synergy Aviation operate Cessna Jet G-Poya, which is owned by FLY WALES of Haverfordwest. Ascend Airways intend to operate up to 20, 80 to 200 seater airliners in the UK. We could well see them at CWL next year, operating for TUI, instead of Sunwing of Canada.

Is ASL part of the ASG group as TUI have used them at CWL in the past and use them in Ireland.

 

[geoff]

I really don't know, but I know that ASG are the parent company of Smartlynx, Avion Express, Klasjet, and several other companies but to the best of my knowledge, has not had a UK based presence previously.

I forgot to add that ASL has recently created ASL UK, so I think they must be seperate companies.

 

[Jerry]

Update
This is what winter 2023/24 for Cardiff is looking like at the moment
So far the airport has 51 weekly departures onsale. Still waiting for Eastern.

TUI 9 weekly departures (10 from 28/2/24) 5 destinations (6 from 28/2/24) 1 based aircraft
Loganair 6 weekly departures (4 in January and February) 1 destination
Vueling 5 weekly departures 2 destinations
Aer Lingus 7 weekly departures (5 weekly in January and February) 1 destination
KLM 20 weekly departures 1 destination
Ryanair 4 weekly departures 1 destination


Updated again
This is what winter 2023/24 for Cardiff is looking like at the moment
So far the airport has 54 weekly departures onsale. Still waiting for Eastern.

TUI 9 weekly departures (10 from 28/2/24) 5 destinations (6 from 28/2/24) 1 based aircraft
Loganair 6 weekly departures (4 in January and February) 1 destination
Vueling 5 weekly departures 2 destinations
Aer Lingus 7 weekly departures (5 weekly in January and February) 1 destination
KLM 20 weekly departures 1 destination
Ryanair 7 weekly departures 2 destinations

"For the rolling year from April 2022 to March 2023,the airport handled 910,000 passengers."
Cardiff Airport makes up lost Wizz Air passengers and ready for Qatar return

Cardiff Airport makes up lost Wizz Air passengers and ready for Qatar return

Cardiff Airport chief executive Spencer Birns is upbeat on growing passenger numbers as it recovery back from the pandemic

www.business-live.co.uk

Updated again
This is what winter 2023/24 for Cardiff is looking like at the moment
So far the airport has 58 weekly departures onsale.

TUI 9 weekly departures (10 from 28/2/24) 5 destinations (6 from 28/2/24) 1 based aircraft
Loganair 6 weekly departures (4 in January and February) 1 destination
Vueling 5 weekly departures 2 destinations
Aer Lingus 7 weekly departures (5 weekly in January and February) 1 destination
KLM 20 weekly departures 1 destination
Ryanair 4 weekly departures 1 destination
Eastern Airways 7 weekly departures 1 destination (suspended 9/1/24 to 14/2/24)

This is what the departure board will look like
Monday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
10.20 Amsterdam KLM
10.45 Tenerife TUI
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus
14.40 Dublin Ryanair
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
16.55 Alicante Vueling (not in Jan)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Tuesday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
06.50 Alicante TUI
10.20 Amsterdam KLM
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus (not in Jan & Feb)
14.25 Tenerife TUI
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair (not in Jan & Feb)
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Wednesday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
07.45 Dublin Ryanair
10.20 Amsterdam KLM
11.10 Paphos TUI (from 28/2/24)
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus (not in Jan & Feb)
12.45 Alicante Vueling
13.50 Malaga Vueling (not in Dec & Jan)
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair (not in Jan & Feb)
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Thursday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
10.15 Amsterdam KLM
10.30 Lanzarote TUI
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Friday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
10.15 Amsterdam KLM
10.45 Tenerife TUI
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.00 Dublin Ryanair
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Saturday
06.00 Amsterdam KLM
06.15 Alicante TUI
10.15 Amsterdam KLM
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus
12.45 Alicante Vueling
13.45 Gran Canaria TUI
15.10 Malaga Vueling (not in Jan)
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM
Sunday
07.00 Malaga TUI
10.15 Amsterdam KLM
12.10 Belfast City Aer Lingus
14.55 Lanzarote TUI
16.00 Dublin Ryanair
16.10 Edinburgh Loganair
16.40 Paris Orly Eastern Airways (not in Jan & Feb)
17.25 Amsterdam KLM

 

[geoff]

It's a pity that Ryanair has only got 4 departures a week, I was hoping they would boost the winter figures. I think we now have less winter FR departures than Exeter and New quay, but still more overall than the last few winters.

 

[Jerry]

Yep i was hoping they'd grow their offering during the winter and give CWL a boost but they seem to be going a bit backwards. CWL just can't seem to catch a break and i know people will say it's only 3 flights a week but the situation CWL finds itself in especially in winter is that every seat counts.

 

[geoff]

Two rugby world cup flights next Friday operating to Bordeaux, one by Alba Star, and the other by Corsair

 

[Jetsco]

July 2023 pax Stats

Not great numbers sadly. -13% compared to July 2022.

July 2023 total - 106,407
July 2022 total - 122,312

A majority of routes saw a percentage decline in pax numbers. The exceptions being:-

Dublin - 7,968 +34% on July 2022.
Amsterdam - 11,320 +114% on July 2022.

 

[Nigel B]

The loss of Wizz has had a big effect on a large number of holiday destinations.

 

[Jerry]

The reduction in passenger numbers is to be expected considering the loss of Wizz and other airlines not replacing the lost capacity. Hopefully we'll see airlines replace some of that lost capacity in Summer 2024.

 

[Jerry]

Saw a photo on social media earlier and it appears that the old airbridge on stand 10 has gone leaving only stand 7 and 9 with airbridges. Whether it gets replaced only time will tell but to be honest i personally think 2 airbridges is probably enough for CWL.
Also there's a post on the airports website warning about ongoing works for the Next Generation Security area.

 

[Jerry]

For the Rugby World Cup pools stages CWL has seen an extra 17 dedicated flights (departures and arrivals) 11 737s, 4 A320s, 1 A330 200 and 1 A330 900. 15 of them in September. With Wales qualified for the 1/4 finals hopefully we'll see some more flights, the 1/4 final is in Marseille so hopefully that'll help with limited flight availability from other close airports. Passenger wise these extra flights should give CWL a boost of over 3000 extra passengers mostly in September, obviously this won't include people who have travelled indirectly either via Paris, Amsterdam or Dublin.
I know there'll be people who'll think 17 extra flights is poor but from my own experience of being a customer of Gullivers Sports for this rugby world cup the agents have sort to use Bristol flights as i was offered that option for both outward and inward flights for the game in Nantes next week but i choose to stick with the Cardiff flights (Volotea outbound, KLM inbound), i expect quite a lot of other passengers have gone with the Bristol flights when offered.
Fingers crossed we'll see Wales get to the semi finals and final and see a few more extra flights for them as well.

 

[Jerry]

Well that's Wales out of the Rugby World Cup so we'll see no more fan flights for this tournament sadly. In all roughly 3700 fans have travelled to France for the Rugby World Cup using direct charters from the airport, there'll be an unknown number who'll have used KLM and Eastern Airways but I wouldn't be surprised if at least 4500 fans have travelled to and from the Rugby World Cup using Cardiff Airport. Next big sporting event for Wales now will be the 6 Nations with Wales fans travelling to Ireland and Scottish and Italian fans travelling to Wales but the big airlift should be for the France game and fingers crossed we'll see Wales football qualify for Euro 2024 in Germany and see some fan charters for that tournament. It would be interesting to know how big a boost does sport give to the passenger numbers and movements for Cardiff Airport over the year?

 

[geoff]

Does anyone have any information why Glf6, D-AHLI, which flew in from Wisconsin, on 28/9, is still on the ground at CWL, is it in for checks with Global Trek, or does it have any tech issues.

 

[Jerry]

Does anyone have any information why Glf6, D-AHLI, which flew in from Wisconsin, on 28/9, is still on the ground at CWL, is it in for checks with Global Trek, or does it have any tech issues.

I think it would've gone by now if it was here for some sort of checks and surely it would be fixed if it was tech?

 

[Jerry]

Summary of what's onsale at the moment for Summer 2024.
So far CWL will have 93 weekly departures, 26 destinations, 7 airlines, 3 based and 1 overnighting aircraft. Hopefully we'll see more flights, destinations and airlines released in the next few weeks but it does feel like the airport is struggling especially when practically every other airport seems to be getting new airlines and destinations.
TUI
Palma de Mallorca 6 weekly
Tenerife 3 weekly
Dalaman 3 weekly
Antalya 3 weekly
Ibiza 3 weekly
Lanzarote 2 weekly
Bourgas 2 weekly
Alicante 2 weekly
Malaga 2 weekly
Larnaca 2 weekly
Paphos 2 weekly
Kos 2 weekly
Rhodes 2 weekly
Corfu 2 weekly
Menorca 2 weekly
Zante 2 weekly
Enfidha 2 weekly
Dubrovnik 1 weekly
Heraklion 1 weekly
Gran Canaria 1 weekly
Kefalonia 1 weekly
Reus 1 weekly
KLM
Amsterdam 20 weekly
Loganair
Edinburgh 6 weekly
Aer Lingus
Belfast City 7 weekly
Ryanair
Dublin 6 weekly
Malaga 3 weekly
Vueling
Alicante 3 weekly
BH Air
Bourgas 1 weekly

 

[Jetsco]

August 2023 Pax stats

110,950

-17% compared to August 2022 - 133,734

On a more positive note, 11,359 for KLM Amsterdam route. An 80% increase on August 2022.

 

[Jerry]

The unfortunate effect of the loss of WizzAir and reductions by Vueling