WAN tries to talk sense on the Beeb

[Administration]

Our founder gave a BBC Wales interview this evening:

Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qns8x and, to avoid listening to the whole programme, scroll forward on the time bar to 2hrs:12 mins.

If you disagree with these comments, please post here to impact WAN policy. We do listen!

[Denis Campbell]

Nice job Peter, just listened to it. Price and choice are key. Never enough time given to subjects. Best.

[SLF]

Like Denis I think it's a shame that these inserts are never given long enough to develop the subject. Probably a curse of the age in that everyone seems to want to deal in sound bites that often don't paint the full picture. In that context I believe that Peter Philips did an admirable job in summarising the situation in the very short time given to him. I'm sure he would love to have been able to expand his theme had time allowed.

The interview was predicated on the recently released CAA survey results showing that more passengers originating or terminating their journeys in Wales used BRS in 2012 than CWL handled in the year. The survey suggests about 1.1 million 'Welsh' people used BRS which is about 18% of its 5.9 million passenger total last year. Of course, it's not individual people but journeys, so acting on the assumption that most people flew a return journey and a significant number did multiple journeys the actual number of people is probably somewhat less than half a million: still a very large number though.

This is not a surprise to Wales aviation watchers though perhaps the percentage is. Previous surveys going back a decade have indicated that between 10% and 12% of BRS annual passenger numbers consist of Wales originating/terminating journeys.

In a sense this can be viewed as a positive for CWL as it points to an active market in South Wales but the challenge of finding a way to capture at least some of these journeys remains. In CWL's heyday of 2007-2008 BRS was still drawing 11% of its passenger numbers from Wales.

[Robert Morris (aka Robin) Willia]

I listened with interest to the broadcast. Living up North the only way I would use Cardiff (unless visiting) wouild be if the flight would tie in with the link to RAF Valley.

For us up here Liverpool & Manchester are thge natural choices, as no doubt Birmingham is for the residents of Powys. But our Capital City needs a busy airport, so all power to your efforts. As an encouragement, remember Liverpool/Speke (as I prefere to call it!) before Easy Jet arrived!

 

Robin Williams

[Caaardiff]

Interesting, which could make the route a bit more successful as well. Citywing don't do any tie ups on their network, but could the government subsidise connecting passengers?

Would it cost much?

The tie up could be to KL and BE JER/CDG and in a roundabout way not neccessarily a codeshare tie up, but simply a subsidy to the cost of the fare to Cardiff, passengers check-in with their respective airline with their luggage as a new departing passenger.

With some slight time changes, namely an earlier AM departure so the return could like with KL and a few hours wait for CDG, likewise the PM flight leaving a bit later to tie up with the arrival of the KLM.

Similarly this could tie in to some of the charter flights.

[Administration]

OK, Members, are we up for such interline arrangements? If so, WAN will start to talk about such opportunities.

[Roger Lee]

A bit of danger on these connecting flights regarding Flight cancellations , weather problems etc . Always safer to start from the main airport ie Heathrow , Manchester etc for Long Haul unless you are doing the whole trip using the same or associated Airline . As an example Cardiff - Shanghai using KLM is ok .If the slot at Cardiff is lost with a 2 hour delay or there is fog at Amsterdam and you miss your onward flight , KLM will put you on the next .If your onward Airline wasn`t KLM you might have problems . Another example , Cardiff to Johannesburg , Amsterdam fogged out and diverted to Brussels and miss the connection to Jo`burg . Either wait a day to go on the next flight or if you are smart , get to Paris and get the Air France A380 late evening flight to Johannesburg .Air France of course is KLM and visa versa .

These are true stories encountered by family .If it were me , I would start at Heathrow . Sorry to be a dismal Jimmy .

[Administration]

News: SABSA, another Abertis subsidiary like TBI and running airports in Bolivia, has been nationalised by the Bolivian Government who cited "lack of investment and excessive profiteering" by the operator.

[cwlfly84]

Thats a coincidence!!!!