2012 flights to Languedoc ...

[gurubarry]

I actually like Montpellier airport . The staff have never been less than very helpful ,security is "Cool" and has never been of the type experienced in the UK and USA by me , and it's always quick with the luggage . It's the "Others" that stop me flying ! If air travel was of the Montpellier Experience , I would be first in the queue .

[peter]

I actually like Montpellier airport . The staff have never been less than very helpful ,security is "Cool" and has never been of the type experienced in the UK and USA by me , and it's always quick with the luggage . It's the "Others" that stop me flying ! If air travel was of the Montpellier Experience , I would be first in the queue .

Actually, small is usually beautiful ?

Peter

[gurubarry]

I tell all my wives that !

[peter]

Ryanair have announced a new base in Wroclaw, Poland.

One of the routes is to Girona.

I haven't been to Poland since 1991, so that might be useful for me.


Peter

[peter]

Ryanair is dangling carrots in front of Boeing, Airbus and their Russian / Chinese competition.

"Michael O'Leary says he is in the market to buy up to 300 new aircraft to boost passenger numbers to between 120 million and 130 million over the next decade. This would make Ryanair one of the world's biggest airlines, swelling its fleet to more than 500 planes."

He told the 'Financial Times' he is in "serious negotiations" with Comac and Irkut, which were both proposing to supply aircraft from 2016. And in terms of squeezing a better deal from Boeing and Airbus, Mr O'Leary hopes to benefit from the fact that his competitors could cancel some orders as economic conditions worsen.

The bottom line is Boeing has a backlog of orders and doesn't need to discount current sales as they did in the past. On the other hand, they don't want to give a potential 500 sales to competition.

And if Ryanair did go Chinese or Russian, their 300 nearly new 737-800's would play havoc with Boeings future sales when they hit the used market.




More :

http://www.independent.ie/business/iris ... 15286.html

http://www.centreforaviation.com/blogs/ ... 737s-61204

[peter]

Ryanair is continuing to eliminate unprofitable routes.

Alicante

The airport installed boarding bridges and notified Ryanair that landing fees would go up to pay for them. Ryanair say they don't need the bridges and doesn't really need Alicante. Alicante has not backed down for "safety reasons". There are other airports nearby and Ryanair has pulled out 9 of its former 11 737-800's that were based in Alicante.

More : http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/cost ... riday.html

Bologna

Ryanair fligts to Fez and Marakesh withdrawn.

Barcelona



Several UK - Barcelona services have been dropped, including Iberia’s Heathrow service, all Flyglobespan flights, bmibaby’s Cardiff and Manchester routes, easyJet’s East Midlands services and some of Ryanair’s Girona links. However, Bmibaby started East Midlands flights and Ryanair began serving Barcelona El Prat. EasyJet remains the biggest airline in the market with 96 weekly departures, beating Ryanair with 64 and British Airways with 63.

However, it seems that Barcelona is a better year round destination than the rapidly declining Girona - Costa Brava - P-O market (And why fly to Girona if you really wanted Barcelona ?).
Ryanair is switching Girona flights to Barcelona (and increasingly Beziers) and it may be too late for the new Girona management to reverse the trend.

More :
http://www.anna.aero/2011/10/26/monarch ... ona-market

[peter]

Montpellier airport subsidies ...

Low cost airlines (Ryanair, Easyjet, BMIbaby all fly to Frejorgues) are expecting around €1m of subsidies for 2012 from state owned Montpellier airport. The Greens and Communists speak of blackmail and are opposed to the ongoing long term marketing agreements and have abstained from voting for these payments.

Hervé Martin, for the Communists says "I call on all companies in the region to refuse to pay these agreements".

Jean-Louis Roumégas of the Greens proposes that all airports refuse to pay the subsidies / marketing contributions, which total €650m across Europe, in order to protect jobs, local economies and tourism.

The budget was approved, but Christian Dupraz (Greens) stated that everyone was scared of creating another Marseille crisis where the routes were closed.

[peter]

Ryanair aircraft sourcing politics continues :



Ryanair Holdings Plc plans to step up talks with Boeing Co. and China’s Comac as it seeks new planes to exploit gaps on short-haul routes likely to be left by a merger of British Airways with Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s BMI unit.

Boeing representatives will make a pitch to Ryanair in Dublin this month on the re-engined version of its 737 single- aisle jet, while Michael O’Leary, the carrier’s chief executive officer, will visit Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China for an update on the rival C919 model, he said today in an interview.


More : http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-1 ... -deal.html

[peter]

Ryanair North UK strategy ....

Despite previous spats involving Blackpool and Manchester, Ryanair now have stable (for now) relationships with Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds/Bradford airports.

Manchester and Liverpool are Easyjet strongholds, and this will inevitably create competition particularly with flights to Barcelona.

Northerners may now get the better coverage they've needed.

[Sandra]

i just happy with the manchester -Beziers flight, I have waited 8 years for a local flight !

[Kathy]

The only trouble with Man/Beziers is the landing and take off times. The car hire desks are closed.

[Sandra]

i thought hertz would open as they are tied to Ryanair, I will try and find out.

[catalanglais]

http://www.lindependant.fr/2011/11/09/r ... ,82045.php

[Kathy]

Thank you Sandra that would be helfpul. BMI baby are to announce 2 new routes for this summer later this week. I hope it is one to Perpignan.

[Brian and Helen]

I doubt if BMI are going anywhere as they're being sold off. BA is front-runner to buy, they really want BMI's 8% of Heathrow slots, so they'll break it all up and use the bits where it suits them.

B

[Sandra]

I am trying to find flights to stansted next week and is it correct that the only flights are from carcassonne? Girona has stopped...

[peter]

Bit of a drive, but Rodez and Marseille still fly to Stansted in winter, I think.

Where are you trying to get to in UK ?


Peter

[Sandra]

colchester, essex. andy is buying a new car so thought i would fly back and have a weekend in london and then drive back with him. looks like I can do the beziers luton and then get the train or bus into the center of London

[peter]

There is a bus between Luton and Stansted : http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/lut ... ansfer.htm

Easyjet do a cheap bus from ouside Luton arrivals to central London :
http://www.easybus.co.uk/london-luton

It takes quite a while to do the Luton - London - Liverpool St - Stansted slog, so maybe the airport transfer is the way to go ?

Peter

[Sandra]

thanks yet again Peter.

[peter]

Ryanair has announced the first routes from its Turku (Finland) base including Girona flights starting 30 Mar 2012.

[Kathy]

Have you heard anything about your flight Sandra? I been trying to book Easter flights to Beziers but it looks like they are no longer available.

[peter]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.743514,2.882066&spn=0.026947,0.066047&t=k&z=15&vpsrc=6

The decline of Perpignan airport continues. The new owners were confident of attracting new routes, but no decisive news yet.

Current news for summer 2012 :

Flybe
*Birmingham 26 May - 1 September 1 flight per week
*Southampton 19 May - 8 September 1 flight per week
http://www.flybe.com

Ryanair
Not confirmed, but we think Ryanair will continue with :
**Brussels (Charleroi) 2X per week
***Stansted 5X per week
http://www.ryanair.com

Aer Lingus
****Dublin 3X per week
http://www.aerlingus.com

* Sa
** M/F
*** M/Tu/W//F/Su
**** Tu/TH/Sa

Flights via Paris still available with AF : http://www.airfrance.com


Peter

[peter]

Iceland, Ibiza of the North ?

An increasingly popular, but expensive destination until now, but flights to Iceland from Luton with easyJet starting at EUR 62 (ISK 9,900, USD 85 went on sale earlier this week. Fights start in Match 2012

Most local airports have Luton flights making this an interesting vplace to visit.

More : http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Iceland,_Ibiza_of_the_North__(ZR)_0_384396.news.aspx

Peter

[Brian and Helen]

They also do a great line in volcanos!
(Take off is optional, landing is compulsory)