Eastern Airways

[Jerry]

At the moment their social media seem to be pushing Edinburgh as a weekend destination.

 

[geoff]

No wonder the airport didn't market the two extra flights to BHD, on Fridays and Sundays, the airport has removed them from the movements boards, single daily flights now shown.

 

[Jerry]

No wonder the airport didn't market the two extra flights to BHD, on Fridays and Sundays, the airport has removed them from the movements boards, single daily flights now shown.

Yep looks like they've been dropped and the route is now 4 weekly until the end of September and then it goes back to 6 weekly.
Looking ahead it looks like Anglesey won't resume until the 10/1/22, only my opinion but i would be surprised if it actually returns.

 

[geoff]

I agree Jerry, there doesn't seem to be anyone at ministerial level in the Welsh Government, with any interest in the aviation sector, and certainly nobody calling for more services from the airport. It must be very disheartening for the management at CWL when they see extra flights being put on from other airports, and nothing proposed for CWL.

 

[Jerry]

I agree Jerry, there doesn't seem to be anyone at ministerial level in the Welsh Government, with any interest in the aviation sector, and certainly nobody calling for more services from the airport. It must be very disheartening for the management at CWL when they see extra flights being put on from other airports, and nothing proposed for CWL.

Well under the 'new' government transport has been put under a new Climate change ministry rather than being in with the Economy as before. The new ministry has a big remit with other important sections under it as well. I'm only thinking out aloud but i wouldn't be surprised if the Anglesey route is cut for a bit of pr reasons to make the WG look climate change friendly. I don't see why it couldn't have started back up by now as domestic travel is essentially back to normal (restrictions wise) and the route could've been attractive to holiday makers on a staycation. I think the government will financially back the airport but i suspect that for the FM personally the airport isn't as important as the last FM believed it was. Maybe that'll change when we get a new FM in a few years time.

 

[geoff]

I don't think the Welsh Government has no choice other than to back the airport, they could never sell it to a private buyer, at the present time, let's hope there are better times to come for CWL.

 

[Jerry]

Between 11 October 2021 and 30 January 2022, Eastern Airways to operate Southampton - Cardiff - Belfast City, four times per week

Eastern Airways continue to operate Southampton - Belfast City non-stop 6x weekly

All flights operated on ATR72 aircraft

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442430625202548736

 

[Jerry]

Between 11 October 2021 and 30 January 2022, Eastern Airways to operate Southampton - Cardiff - Belfast City, four times per week

Eastern Airways continue to operate Southampton - Belfast City non-stop 6x weekly

All flights operated on ATR72 aircraft

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442430625202548736

This also means that Cardiff now has a new route.
Cardiff to Southampton is onsale 4 weekly. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

This also means that Cardiff now has a new route.
Cardiff to Southampton is onsale 4 weekly. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

I think that CWL is currently 4 x weekly on Jetstreams. If so does this mean frequency between CWL and BHD is not likely to be increased next summer? If that is the case it is a great shame as one would think on past experience that there is a market for considerably more on this route. Perhaps the new Flybe, if it does reincarnate, might look at Belfast at greater frequency which if it drove Eastern from the route would at least give more options to CWL customers in terms of Northern Ireland.

Good news about an upgrade in aircraft and new destination in Southampton which is awkward to reach by road from South Wales although there is an hourly direct train service between Cardiff and Southampton - journey time around two and a half hours.

I have a vague memory of someone operating SOU-CWL before. It might have been Manx/British Regional as BA franchise stopping at SOU on its BRU-CWL service - probably 25-30 years ago.

 

[Jerry]

I think that CWL is currently 4 x weekly on Jetstreams

Yes the days haven't changed, it's just now with a bigger non based aircraft. If Eastern want to keep operating Belfast in the future without a based aircraft then i wonder if this will become more permanent in the future.

 

[Seasider]

Is this because Eastern will not have a J41 at CWL for the (axed?) Valley service?

 

[Jerry]

Is this because Eastern will not have a J41 at CWL for the (axed?) Valley service?

Last time i checked Anglesey wasn't due to restart until January 2022 (if it restarts) so i guess they don't want a J41 sat at Cardiff only for 4 weekly flights until January and add on messing about with getting crews to Cardiff as well.

 

[geoff]

Good and bad news really, nice to see a larger aircraft on the route, and a new route to Southampton but it looks as though with the loss of the J41, Valley is in doubt for the future. I am surprised that some of the North Wales SM's have not mentioned anything about the route in the Senedd.

 

[Jerry]

I am surprised that some of the North Wales SM's have not mentioned anything about the route in the Senedd.

Problem is that they all want to show off their climate change credentials these days, so backing a subsidised flight won't help with that.

 

[Jerry]

Looking at Easterns website and Belfast doesn't come in the drop down for Cardiff. Aberdeen, Anglesey and Southampton are the routes in the drop down but Cardiff does come up in Belfast's route drop down. Odd hopefully it's a glitch that they'll fix sooner rather than later.

 

[geoff]

If and when Valley resumes, it would be a good idea for Eastern to keep the ATR72 on the BHD route, and to use the Valley J41 on alternative days to CORK and JERSEY, it would be the right size aircraft for these routes, and would restore two of the former destinations from CWL. However if Aberdeen is still showing in the Eastern drop down list, there may be future plans for the J41 to restore that route.

 

[Jerry]

Would be nice to see Cork and Jersey return especially for next summer. Can only keep the fingers crossed for Anglesey as for Aberdeen it being on the drop down is new i believe. Maybe it's a connection via Southampton?

 

[Jerry]

Would be nice to see Cork and Jersey return especially for next summer. Can only keep the fingers crossed for Anglesey as for Aberdeen it being on the drop down is new i believe. Maybe it's a connection via Southampton?

Just had another look and Aberdeen has gone and Belfast is now available to book from Cardiff now. Not cheap though, hopefully prices will go down.

 

[geoff]

I see the Belfast flights are operating on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, according to the airports destination boards, they haven't operated these days for sometime.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Good news about an upgrade in aircraft and new destination in Southampton which is awkward to reach by road from South Wales although there is an hourly direct train service between Cardiff and Southampton - journey time around two and a half hours.

My wife and I used part of the Cardiff Central-Portsmouth Harbour rail route yesterday between Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury. Hadn't used it for a while and had forgotten how often the train stops en route. Between Cardiff Central and Southampton Central there are 11 intermediate stops. On the train we used yesterday there were 13 because two additional stops were put in between Bristol and Bath to replace a cancelled local stopping train.

Now it's a pleasant enough journey if not in a hurry which was us yesterday, but for anyone whose time is important, particularly business people, the continual stopping must be extremely irksome.

The Eastern CWL-SOU air link might therefore prove attractive to more people than might have been imagined..