Could we soon fly from Wales to the world?
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Feb 14 2007 Western Mail - Wales
CARDIFF International Airport is aiming to unlock a whole host of global destinations for Welsh travellers, after passing its two-million-passenger mark for the first time.
The passenger figures for its scheduled and charter routes in 2006 represent a 13% growth over the previous year at the airport, which is making more flights available than ever before.
It has announced four new popular destinations already for 2007 - Barcelona, Kos, Nantes and Belfast City.
And now bosses want to open up routes that will take passengers into the US and Middle East.
These are in addition to 12 new routes that were launched last year at the airport which now offers 50 direct destinations and more than 400 worldwide connecting flights.
Spencer Birns, head of the airport's Aviation Business Relationships, said top of its wish list was to attract a US route, complementing Zoom's regular low-fare services to Toronto and Vancouver.
Bookings to Canada are 10% up on this time last year.
A Middle East Hub and its worldwide connections, particularly to Australasia, is also in focus.
Peter Phillips, airport spokesman, said, "The airport has started the second phase of a £10m investment programme designed to support double digit growth in 2007.
"We are not expecting to reach three million passengers this year but we should see more growth, mainly in terms of capacity in visiting airlines and frequency of flights - particularly to the Mediterranean.
"Barcelona is known as Spain's party city and is one of Europe's most popular destinations, so it will appeal to people of all ages.
"Kos, in Greece, offers great weather and Nantes is Cardiff's twin city in France and is a timely addition as the location for the Welsh games in the Rugby World Cup.
"Belfast City will join our existing Irish routes to Dublin, Cork and Galway."
Mr Phillips believes that the North-South Wales airlink from RAF Valley, Anglesey, to Cardiff that is due to launch this spring will be used by more people than just the politicians who are currently anticipated to hop on board.
He said, "It will be a surprise hit because a lot of people living in South Wales have never even been to North Wales.
"And those in the North will appreciate an hour-long flight, instead of a four to five-hour car journey to the capital."
The route will be Wales' first Public Service Obligation scheme.
Cardiff International has reintroduced services to Paris, a route that was dropped when Air Wales ceased operations. And it hopes to see new services to Aberdeen, Dusseldorf, Munich and more routes to Spain, Italy and to Katowice, Poland.
The airport introduced six new aircraft parking stands, a new pier walkway and new Immigration Hall in 2006 and a significant extension of the baggage reclaim facility is due in 2007.
Jon Horne, Cardiff International Airport managing director, said, "The decision to allocate funding to create a new route to the airport in the short term was great news.
"Even better was the decision to move ahead with proposals for a direct route to the M4 as quickly as possible."
New routes
Thomsonfly, Cardiff's biggest operator with a total of 27 routes, is increasing capacity to Jersey and introducing a new route to Barcelona from May 25, with a lead flight price of £22.99.
Aer Arann, which has been building up its network from Cardiff since last year with flights to Cork, Dublin, Galway and Lorient in Brittany, adds a second route to France, to Nantes, from March in time for the Rugby World Cup. The airline's typical UK flights to Nantes cost from £49 one way including taxes.
Flybe is a new base carrier at Cardiff International from May, starting out with flights to Belfast City. It is a considerably large carrier, having absorbed British Airways' regional arm, BA Connect. Its Belfast City route could cost around £20 for a one-way flight, including taxes and charges.
First Choice is seeing excellent bookings for niche products like cruise packages. It adds Kos in Greece from Cardiff this summer. Prices have not yet been announced.