I got back from five days in Barcelona yesterday. I used the Vueling service from rhoose and I saw posters promoting Wales in practically every metro station I went into.

Advertise in a country that is practically bankrupt with a 1/4 of the population unemployed, in a State that is €51 billion in debt. That'll really get the punters in. Nice one!

Your right but it's better than not bothering.

I've lived in Barcelona and I can tell you that the Catalans are not poor. Barcelona is Spain's richest city and it is good that Cardiff has the link as the Catalans are more likely to spend their money than the Andalus pdopld in the South. Spain is fucked because of overspending by the autonomous regions, Comunitat de Valencia being almost bankrupted by their spectacular Piutat de les Arts i les Ciències. Catalunya has over spent but not to the same degree as the other regions.

The City of Arts and Sciences is absolutely magnificent, and the city is a better looking place for it. However, it is absolutely profligate, and I shudder when I imagine the billions that were spent on it. Anyone know the price tag?

Cardiff airport to get a 500k facelift apparently.

Hopefully this is not the extent of their ambitions.

From the article is sounds like the plan is to put some scenic pictures of Wales around the terminal. Great plan that will bring in at least another 1m passengers, most probably within a month.

bristol must be shitting themselves.

£500k!! That'll just about buy enough magnolia paint to do the whole interior.

Just

Lol 500k, an absolute joke. That will do absolutely nothing and will end up being a complete waste of tax payers money.

Either throw 500k away or lay down 10 million for a new terminal and see the money come back...

Not sure why people are getting so hysterical about this, it’s a fairly small sum of money for some minor cosmetic improvements to the Arrivals hall to improve the first impression visitors get of Wales. I don’t see anyone anywhere suggesting that they think this is going to turn around the airport’s fortunes. According to the article this was planned before the deal to buy the airport was agreed anyway. Obviously it will be touted as the first in a package of improvements but I don’t think anyone is under the impression that it’s a major one.

They should destroy that airport they have (cardiff airport)now and build one on the south of junction 24 on the m4 over or next to the south wales main line with rail links so that tourists have rail links to london and cardiff and other major UK cities but yeah that's just a fantasy :( one can dream
I wouldn't know which way would be the best for the runway to be placed
but that's just my idea

Although I can't reveal in what capacity, I am quite heavily involved with this project and can offer a little bit of insight for anyone interested. 

Firstly, and as the press release states, this project was concieved long before the airport was purchased by WG. The aim of the £500k investment is to improve the way Wales is promoted to visitors arriving into the country. Airports around the world are generally considered a prime place to showcase what a country has to offer. Other than a few uninspiring poster sites and a dated tourist information, Cardiff Airport has been massively falling short in this regard. The project aims to make the inbound passenger journey - which currently involves walking through endless grey and souless corridors and stairwells - into a unique showcase of Wales' best assets. At this stage I can't say too much unfortunately, but some of the areas people will walk through will be really quite unique for an airport of this size. The money is not just being spent on a traditional print advertising campaign. It will be more than a few sceneic posters I can guarantee that!

The project aims to make an exciting and immediate improvement in peoples impressions of the country whilst at the same time making some physical improvements to the airport itself. It's so important to stress however, that none of this particular money is for rebuilding the airport, it's not for buying new seats or for a splash of magnolia. It certainly isn't for improving the transport issues or getting more flights! I don't work for WG, but now the airport has been bought outright I'd imagine these larger issues will be addressed separately, and hopefully with major investment!

The project will be an ongoing one, but a fair few things are starting to happen right now.

Simon, I can't guarantee you'll see 1 million more passengers in the next month, but you should at least see a few interesting things happening to improve the place and hopefully some wide eyed visitors impressed with Wales' creativity!

Just flew in today to CWL after a week on the Costa Dorada and for all the slating the airport gets, it does it's job, functionable, compact and easy to get around. I've been to worse. Would still be nice to have a flagship airport to be proud of rather than just one that will 'do'.

More news on the Western Gateway proposal http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/business/business-news/western-gateway-submit-latest-cardiff-3876405 I don't see this happening but £50m is a much better deal than the billions that Borris Island would cost. All we need now is Westminster and Cardiff Bay to see eye to eye on something, which is extremely unlikely.

Excerpt from article:

"At the conference on Monday First Minister Carwyn Jones said the airport "plays a crucial role" in Wales' economy".




We're doomed if that is the case!


DOOMED I tell you!!!

Passenger numbers have fallen from 2 million to under 1 million but I doubt anyone has noticed (apart from those directly linked with the airport). Can't be that important then surely?

Meanwhile in the real world, a wealth map of Wales and the UK has been produced that illustrates what needs to be fixed to get Cardiff airport going - personal wealth. The 1hr drive area for Cardiff is a lot worse off than the 1hr area for Bristol. Buying an airport for £50million won't fix that problem.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/richest-welsh-areas-monmouthshire-cardiff-3877085

You are right that the immediate hinterland to Cardiff is less wealthier than Bristol's hinterland.

But what I found interesting (and which isn't really connected to the airport) is that Cardiff's median total income was more than Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Glasgow and just a smidgeon behind Bristol. The problem as you rightly point out is that go a few miles north of the city borders and it falls apart. The only other places in Wales with a median income of over 19,000 are the Vale and Monmouthshire.

I also found it interesting that area's that are much more geographically isolated like the Orkneys, the Highlands, Western Isles, Moray etc were all considerably wealthier than rural Wales. That can't all be down to oil surely?

Everyone's noticed passenger numbers dropping, that's the whole reason for this thread.


Yet people in that 1 hour drive area still travel by air, just not from Cardiff any more. It's the "not many airlines, not many destinations, results in less passengers travelling, results in less airlines and less destinations..." ever decreasing circle.

Vueling, Thomson and first all just announced more flights from cardiff over the winter.
Nothing dramatic, but it is better than less flights.

PRESS RELEASE FROM CARDIFF AIRPORT

24th May 2013

Vueling to fly all year round

Leading Spanish airline, Vueling has today launched new winter services from Cardiff Airport which extends its flying programme to an all year round operation following a positive response from Welsh passengers. The additional flights to Malaga and Alicante will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, extending the summer schedule. Flights are on sale from Thursday 23rd May and prices start at 39,99euros. Following a successful 2012 and the launch of the 2013 summer season Vueling further increased services on their summer programme to and from Wales, also starting services earlier to meet the increased demand over the Easter period. Javier Suarez, Vueling´s Routes Manager said, ""Vueling has been operating from Cardiff Airport for two years and we strongly believe that the results are very good for both parts. Our goal is to keep on working to deliver quality services to both leisure and business passengers from Wales." Jon Horne, Chief Executive at Cardiff Airport added, "We have been listening to what the people of Wales want and one clear message amongst others was year round services. We have made this a priority as part of our discussions with existing and potential airlines to ensure this demand is met from Cardiff Airport. "I am delighted to say that working with Vueling we have been able to deliver more winter flights to two of the key destinations that have been requested. We continue to work with airlines to win more flights back to Cardiff, creating more choice for Welsh passengers from their airport." During summer 2013 Vueling is operating flights to Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga and Palma Majorca from Cardiff. Flights to Alicante and Malaga operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Wednesday flights to Malaga are also available during August and September. Flights to Barcelona will operate on Fridays and Sundays offering connections to cruises departing from Barcelona. Direct flights from Cardiff to Palma Majorca will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays commencing 20th June 2013. Vueling flights also offer a wealth of onward connections available via Vueling's successful Barcelona Hub operations, currently accessing over 50 destinations in Europe and North-Africa, with full baggage through check-in from Cardiff Airport to final destination.Tickets are available now via www.vueling.com <

I am trying to get a flight to Cardiff from Lyon - not too difficult via Amsterdam and quite a reasonable price at around £250. The problem is that I arrive at five on a Saturday afternoon and can't hire a car as all the car hire firms close at one!! So will have to go to Bristol

Back from my 2nd trip abroad in the week, to Alicante funny enough which CWL has recently announced routes too, but this time flew from Brizzle and wow, what a difference. Tis a ball ache to get too but everything else sinks CWL sadly, from standard of the terminal to the feel of a major regional aiport with still over half a dozen or so flights to land after our flight which landed just shy of midnight. Having a major low-cost carrier does the world of good, it's a shame what happened to bmiBaby and CWL's relationship with Ryanair, is there any chance that Cardiff can resurrect itself or will it always play second fiddle to BRS in the southwest now it has just 20% of the passengers?

It won't be easy - but it's worth remembering that it's not that long ago that Cardiff and Brizzle had roughly equal passenger numbers. The difference has been Easyjet & Ryanair v. BMI Baby.

As I understand things BMI Baby's Cardiff operations did turn a small profit for most of the period they used the airport but it was obviously a marginal operation in terms of BMI as a whole.

It's not impossible that another budget operator (Jet2, maybe?) could be lured to the airport with reduced landing charges but the real opportunities are with long-haul. Those are pretty much dependendant on the devolution of long-haul APD as reccommended by the Silk Commission.

Zero or reduced APD at Cardiff is normally talked about in terms of creating links with the US and a middle-eastern hub, but when you think that zero APD would mean a saving of around £250 for a family of four flying to Florida or Egypt it would make Cardiff a very attractive proposition for long-haul holiday airlines.

The point of taking the airport into public ownership was that the Welsh Government income that would be lost by reducing APD could be partialy offset by dividends from the airport.

That's the theory at least. I'm agnostic as to whether it will work or not.

Cheers for that reply, would be nice to see CWL win back it's lost market share from a purely Welsh-interest point of view. At least there seems some light at the end of the tunnel now WAG are involved. I'm hopeful for the future, it's far more convenient that getting to BRS and I do sense a sort of national pride in having a decent gateway to the nation.

A quick question, as mentioned in this thread, a airport replacing CWL and BRS on the M4 and Great Western Mainline would be the ideal scenario for air traffic in South Wales and South West but why couldn't Bristol Filton Airport meet this criteria? It had a long enough runway, has a rail route running past it and is bang on the M4 AND M5? Why was it not used really for civilians flights and closed for good last December? It just seems an awful waste for that airport to be shut down as it would have been the perfect airport for Western Britain in the long haul.

will APD be removed from the block settlement? if so then it will be WG losing out and taking the risk of increased divs. If it doesn't come from the block settlement then WG really shouldn't argue for its removal

I'm not sure about the full use of that runway but I do know Airbus were using it for their operations at Filton. From what I'd heared it was going to be extended as well.

Any taxes devolved would replace an equivelant amount of the block - so yes, the Welsh Government would be risking its own money by lowering of abolishing LDAPD. That's how it should be in my view - it makes the WG take financial responsibility for their actions. Otherwise it would be a one-way bet.

http://www.flightradar24.com/

Airplane geeks rejoice!

Note the lack of traffic over CWL compared to BRS. Interesting to see the amount of traffic over the middle east airports. Amazing how they've come to dominate in the past ten years.

A direct flight to Dubai should be the priority for CWL, you can catch a connecting flight to anywhere in Asia and Australasia from there. Surely there must be enough demand for a twice weekly flight at the very least.

I was thinking about this yesterday while reading this thread. I can see a link to Dubai or Abu Dhabi working quite well precisely because of the ability to transfer. Each flight home or back to Dubai or Abu Dhabi I take seems half full of people going to other places. Surely there's enough people from southern Wales that are headed east of the UAE or needing to go to one of the Gulf countries to justify a flight twice a week ? There's enough Welsh ex-pats out here or in Saudi or Oman going home a few times a year as well. Even if flights were a bit more expensive than flying from Heathrow I think people would go for it because of the cost of getting home from Heathrow. I know I would.

It would need advertising well, and on top of that they REALLY need to sort out the monopoly on taxis from the airport and the really shite public transport links. I hadn't looked at it prior to my last trip home when I tried the KLM transfer from Amsterdam but was shocked by the infrequency of the trains from Rhoose.

I agree that Cardiff could benefit by adding further hub connections to the existing hub at Schiphol. But Emirates/Dubai are not the only game in town. I doubt they'd fly from Cardiff anyway, unless the airport could offer the standards of lounge access and food that the airline is renowned for.

A smarter choice to aim for might be Turkish Airlines which, over the past decade, has quietly become a leviathan that flies all over the world from its surprisingly massive hub at Istanbul's Ataturk airport. The airline would additionally be able to appeal to Welsh holidaymakers by offering domestic connections to holiday destinations within Turkey - something Emirates can't offer. That combination of excellent hub connectivity and more traditional holiday flights make Turkish Airlines a good idea.

Other airlines that Cardiff should be targeting are Jet2, WizzAir and SAS, which has an excellent and very useful hub at Copenhagen Kastrup (which also happens to be many people's dream airport, myself included).

having been to Denmark, I can see why

You have a fair point there actually, I haven't been to any Emirates lounges yet, only Etihad ones and their Manchester one is quite small so I could see Cardiff offering something similar for them or Emirates. I know from what others have told me that the Dubai one is so big it doesn't really feel like a business class lounge.

The Cardiff terminal is very small so there's possibly not even enough space upstairs for another lounge, even a small one. Taking the likes of Heathrow and Dubai out of the equation, how big are Emirates other lounges are smaller airports ? Could Cardiff accomodate a small-ish business class lounge for a major airline ?

What does Brizzle have in terms of lounge space ?

They have this, don't know what it's like in person though.

http://www.executivelounges.com/lounges/bristol-airport-lounge

They were renovating the business lounge when I was at Bristol Airport two weeks ago - presumably the link in the post above is the artists impression of the new design.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-22839026

Cost cutting I'm sure, but you NEED transport to the airport if they want passenger numbers turned around. Poor decision.

I wonder what the % is of people accessing Cardiff Airport by public transport compared to private motor vehicle? I'd say about 5% tops.

Presumably now that WG owns the airport it also owns the car parks as well? Wouldn't an easy win be to reduce car parking fees substantially making Cardiff a much better proposition for travelers in terms of cost? Only accessible by those flying from the airport it may tip the balance for people weighing up flying from Bristol, Gatwick or Bham because they are cheaper. A busier airport may encourage more routes etc. Would involve a drop in revenue in the short term but may work in the long term. Get rid of the charge for dropping off and for trolleys as well.

Of course in the long term public transport is important but in terms of building momentum I'm not sure a subsidised bus route is vital at the moment.

This sounds like a good airline to target

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22840790

Can't find any actual news on this but there is going to be a direct bus link to the airport from August http://welshlibdems.org.uk/en/article/2013/696529/airport-bus-link-to-begin-in-august-eluned-parrott

Will they wont they story about the August airport bus link:

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/confusion-over-airport-express-link-4701870

While I hope they will, it does make the politicians round here look a little petty when the big arguments are about trying to get a bus to run.

yet some think the Welsh are capable of responsible government.

Looks like the bus link could be on, and with a decent service if it works out as suggested:

"The Vale of Glamorgan council is inviting bus operators to bid to run the service"

"t will be scheduled to run approximately every 20 minutes between 4am and midnight, 363 days a year,"

"A council spokeswoman said the proposed maximum fare was adults £5 single or £8 return; children £2.50 single or £4 return; and, Welsh concessionary pass holders and children under five ride free."

"The service will have limited hotel stops between the airport and Cardiff."

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/new-express-bus-service-launched-4893330

I wonder if Cardiff Bus will keep the X91 going in competition to this new service? Unless of course they get the contract to run the service!

Good news.

I'm using the airport every couple of months at the moment to come home from Dubai via Amsterdam and the public transport options are shockingly bad. It never used to bother me as I have always had lifts or parked my car but this would be a decent alternative.

The arrival 'shed' is much better since they tarted it up as well.

It's got a long long way to go before it catches Bristol but little improvements like this are a decent start.

An Emirates or Etihad flight to Cardiff would do just nicely at the moment thank you very much

As Ash ponted out in his thread on the PDR the assembly statement made by our dear Edwina also made a "promise" to fund improvements to Five Mile Lane. While this does not link to the M4 it will provide an alternative to all the roundabouts on the Port Road through Barry.

As always the funding and timing are the real issues but relatively small improvements will change perceptions, is it too little too late?

The article states that the x91 will be scrapped. What I don't get is why it goes from Cardiff Bay? Cathays and Roath are more populated areas and further away from central. Roath hardly has anyrail links to Central. Whilst this is good news, it will only be successful if WAG/VoG/CCC advertise it from all corners. It will be very useful for passengers

Let's hope this city never has flights to Malaysia.

Wonder how much the assembly paid the magazine for front cover! HA

Don't suppose anybody would want to scan the article to put on here?