Cardiff: General Airport Discussion & Updates

[Foxlimayankee]

I don't think this points to anything significant. Caerdav are based 10 minutes down the road from CWL and their only contract currently is with Avion Express.
It could mean a couple of thing:
1) During winter they won't have staff based there, they will be based at St Athan, but available at a moments notice to go and assist at CWL for any failures or last minute requests.
2) They will take over TUI's line maintenance at CWL, which currently is in-house
3) The slim possibility that there will be another winter base (FR?)
4) An Airline is considering CWL to base over the quieter winter months where they need to be in the UK but flying isn't regular - Such as Enter Air or Fly4 Airlines (TUI's ACMI Airline)

 

[Jerry]

4) An Airline is considering CWL to base over the quieter winter months where they need to be in the UK but flying isn't regular - Such as Enter Air or Fly4 Airlines (TUI's ACMI Airline)

Well sadly one thing CWL does have is plenty of parking space and it is 24/7 as well.

 

[Jerry]

P&O Cruises have 4 fly cruises onsale from Cardiff to Barbados in winter 2025/26
They have departures on 21/11/25, 23/1/26, 30/1/26 & 14/2/26
Originally it was 2 departures.

More regional airports added to P&O Cruises 2025-26 Caribbean fly-cruise programme

Flights to run from Cardiff, Glasgow and Newcastle

travelweekly.co.uk

 

[Aviador]

There must be a reason behind the cuts at CWL because it's been reported that Teesides LF is less than 70% recently. Hopefully it's only for one season and things will return to normal. Prior to covid AMS was seeing positive growth, even with Qatar around.

Isn't Teesside though now operated at least in part by Eastern Airways? If the cuts are because the route itself isn't doing well it is concerning.

Airports need a critical mass of passengers which acts as a catalyst for growth.

This is why so many airports offer deals and incentives which isn't something that all council or government owned airports can do.

I once read an article, I think it was about NCL airport which said the airport needed to be carrying grater than 4 million passengers annually before airlines will consider them for routes to the US.

Airports need their own critical mass to sustain the retail outlets that bring in the revenue. Back in the 80's the landing fees accounted for as much as two thirds of airport revenue. By the 90's the split between concessions and landing fees was closer to 50/50. Now I think you will find the split is probably around 30/30/40 with 30% from landing fees, 30% from concessions and 40% from parking and drop off charges.

Also these days, airport deals, although mostly done behind closed doors, will include the airlines guaranteeing over a specific number of passengers. This in tern can sold into deals with concessions, where footfall can be guaranteed and where revenue streams can be assured.

The problem Cardiff airport has is that without at least one airline offering a significant number of passengers, the airport will continue to struggle as it will be unable to achieve its critical mass to enable it to grow.

These words were echoed not too long ago by the former boss of bmibaby who said the airport was poorly located next to the Irish sea, too far away from larger conurbations. These aren't comforting words but unfortunately the stark reality of the situation.

 

[Jerry]

These words were echoed not too long ago by the former boss of bmibaby who said the airport was poorly located next to the Irish sea, too far away from larger conurbations. These aren't comforting words but unfortunately the stark reality of the situation.

I would generally take his words with a pinch of salt. The demand in the area is there its just the problem is its easy to get to other airports so that creates a challenge getting airlines to operate Easyjet is a classic example of that. They could serve Cardiff but chose to ignore the airport because they know passengers will travel to England. It also doesn't help when the Welsh government doesn't use the airport and it doesn't seem to have much of a tourist strategy for the airport. It just seems now its happy for it to exist.

The challenge the airport has now is that there's not alternative airlines available for it to engage with and get flights from.

 

[Aviador]

I would generally take his words with a pinch of salt. The demand in the area is there its just the problem is its easy to get to other airports so that creates a challenge getting airlines to operate Easyjet is a classic example of that. They could serve Cardiff but chose to ignore the airport because they know passengers will travel to England. It also doesn't help when the Welsh government doesn't use the airport and it doesn't seem to have much of a tourist strategy for the airport. It just seems now its happy for it to exist.

You have to remember, I approach this topic as an outsider. I have no vested interest in the airport or in neighbouring BRS airport. Whether either airport succeeds or fails makes not difference to me.

You actually quote the main problem Cardiff Airport faces:

"It's easy to get to other airports so that creates a challenge getting airlines to operate"

The catchment area Catdiff has is significantly smaller for that reason when you consider how many people will live within the same drive time to Bristol airport in comparison.

It would seem CWL is reliant on BRS capacity constraints to further its growth when really it should be able to build on its own merits and without interference by governments.

Unfortunately like every other airport CWL is subject to market forces and those forces will always win out in the end. Hopefully Cardiff Airport will find its niche.

#CWL #CardiffAirport

 

[geoff]

The Welsh Government missed a great chance to make the airport more accessible, when the link road from the M4 to the A48, was turned down by the Vale Council. People who live to the West of the airport, have to drive past the airport to fly from elsewhere, but for some reason think it is cheaper, I don't think they realise the dearer car park charges, dearer drop off charges, traffic congestion, risk of missing flights, could make it much more expensive, some don't even look at CWL for their flights. Perhaps if the 6 week trial with PLAY is successful they may realise that it is a reasonable priced way to the US and Canada, then perhaps Passengers would travel westwards over the bridge to CWL, similar to what they started doing with the QATAR flights.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

People want to fly from Cardiff, but a large proportion of the time (Not always) it's cheaper to fly from other Airports, or there's more frequency or better timings. Those are the 3 main things that drive peoples choice of where to fly from, cost being the main one but all 3 are influential.
What is needed is for Cardiff to be able to persuade its airlines to increase frequencies, or provide better timings. People will be willing to pay that little bit more to fly from Cardiff if the timings are good, as can be seen by healthy load factors on some Spanish routes.
Cast back to 2019 and CWL was at 1.6m and continuing to grow momentum. That was the critical mass that was needed, but Covid killed that and hit the reset button once again. It's all "what if's" but if Covid hadn't happened and Flybe & Thomas Cook gone bust, along with Wizz still basing, CWL could now be 2m+ passengers.

 

[Samdorob]

On the one hand CWL being in gov ownership has certainly saved it. However the ability to spend to attract airlines to base is limited. Whilst the government could make money available to say sweeten a deal with Ryanair for 3 years, it comes under public scrutiny. At a time when A&E times are so poor in Wales along with a declared climate emergency they won’t make any funds available above keeping the place afloat.

I think there’s capacity to grow and also pull in some English passengers as an alternative to the usual contenders. But I think unless you have an established airline already based money has to be spent to attract a new based airline. I’ve always wondered if the government could sell a share in the airport to inject some private funding.

 

[geoff]

The Welsh Conservatives want the Welsh Government to sell it to a private company altogether. However they have previously said they may sell, but would wish to maintain 51%, which perhaps would not be a bad thing, if the private sector would be prepared to invest in CWL.

 

[Jerry]

I’ve always wondered if the government could sell a share in the airport to inject some private funding.

That option was explored but I believe the last government wasn't keen on it. Maybe the new government will be.

 

[geoff]

Press release from beregional and Avooma Airlines, who are to merge from today 1/7/24, and will be known in future as Avooma Airlines. The airline will have its headquarters in Blackpool. Avooma Airlines which was formed in 2020 as Lakeland Airways, will operate in a green, yellow and white colour scheme, aim to operate from parts of the UK, which are at present poorly served at a regional level. Perhaps CWL see this as an opportunity, to increase services. Aircraft expected to ATR equipment.

 

[Jerry]

Red Arrows and Typhoon display team are at Cardiff Airport for the Wales Airshow

https://twitter.com/x/status/1808928557487263843

 

[geoff]

Scottish Aviation have operated over 6 fights to and from Reykjavik over the past week including 3 today. does anyone have any knowledge as to the purpose of the flights.

 

[StanMan]

I guess it's a bit of fun - but not necessarily appropriate - to speculate on who may be travellers on executive aircraft. On this occasion, there is stuff in the public domain that makes me wonder if Cardiff City may be about to announce the signing of an Icelandic footballer....

 

[Jerry]

I guess it's a bit of fun - but not necessarily appropriate - to speculate on who may be travellers on executive aircraft. On this occasion, there is stuff in the public domain that makes me wonder if Cardiff City may be about to announce the signing of an Icelandic footballer....

Interesting! I think it's more a case of the frequency of the flights that's caught @geoff attention and peaked the curiosity.

 

[geoff]

I sometimes think that the frequency of a number of flights between two destinations, can indicate the possibility of a large business investment in a country, or an increase in a proposed air service between the two countries.

Stanman thanks for the email, no apology needed, it is nice to be a member of a forum, where there is no animosity and sarcasm which is found on other forums I can think of.

 

[Em0866]

I found this in my Google feed a little earlier...thought I'd share.

Bristol Airport hikes fees for dropping off passengers

The RAC has said it is now "bordering on the ridiculous" that transport hubs are charging so much

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[geoff]

An article on Microsoft news, praises CWL for being one of the few airports that does not charge drop off charges.

 

[Nigel B]

Snapshot from pre-pandemic at Cardiff July 2019View attachment 30972