downtown273 From Spain, joined Aug 2005, 263 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 4047 times:
Ryanair will, from the end of February, reduce its Girona operations by five aircraft, close 18 (of 64) routes and reduce frequencies on 17 other routes, with the loss of over 100 weekly flights, which will see Ryanair’s Girona traffic fall from 4m to 2.3m p.a.
They estimate this will translate into the loss of 1,700 jobs in the local area.
Not the best moment for the job losses in Spain I guess.
Also, I'm surprised to see GRO-MAD cancelled. Since GRO was marketed as BCN, and now that FR is in BCN, do you think it's just a matter of time until they start MAD-BCN? Prices are currently pretty high, especially with IB.
Remember MAD-BCN is the route is the:
#1 busiest airport-airport route in Europe by seat capacity (#11 worldwide)
#1 busiest airport-airport route in Europe by air movements (#9 worldwide)
#1 busiest airport-airport route in Europe by volume of passengers
There are currently 116 average daily flights each way between 4 carriers, Iberia being the main player.
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2252 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (2 years 3 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3905 times:
To be noted, for those who don't bother to read the press release, that this is due to the new Catalan regional government not honouring the deal that FR had closed with the outgoing government.
Does anyone know what the content of that new 5-year deal was? During the previous deal, FR received 13.9million EUR over the period 2009-2011 (see linked article). I guess the 5-year extension beyond 2011 is what has been cancelled.
Quoting downtown273 (Thread starter):
Also, I'm surprised to see GRO-MAD cancelled. Since GRO was marketed as BCN, and now that FR is in BCN, do you think it's just a matter of time until they start MAD-BCN?
To me, MAD-GRO made more sense than MAD-BCN, where there is already plenty of capacity and competition, plus the high-speed rail. There was no alternative to FR on the MAD-GRO route, which would theoretically allow FR to charge higher fares, so I'm surprised to see it cut.
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2252 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (2 years 3 months 1 week ago) and read 3186 times:
Furthermore, FR is accusing the Catalan government of giving the troubled JK a 20 million loan, while at the same time not extending the GRO agreement with FR.
oneworld77 From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2008, 238 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 3 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2386 times:
Quoting r2rho (Reply 2): So it seems the Catalan government is not against airline subsidies per-se, but rather stating their priorities: JK instead of FR.
Good on them too! I'm sure GRO was another airport where the 'subsidy' was more of 'grant'.
downtown273 From Spain, joined Aug 2005, 263 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 years 3 months 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1808 times:
Quoting r2rho (Reply 4): Funnily enough, the Catalan government is now encouraging JK to serve the routes cancelled by FR...
I remember when Spanair launched MAD-GRO, MAD-PNA, MAD-EAS in fall 2006.
Seems like they lost the battle against Ryanair when FR entered MAD-GRO. Now that Ryanair will be dropping MAD-GRO I guess it could be profitable for Spanair.
Any idea why MAD-PNA, -EAS were dropped by Spanair?
teva From France, joined Jan 2001, 1868 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (2 years 3 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1603 times:
If they close routes every time airports or local authorities say stop to their racket, I am wondering what they are going to do with their aircrafts ? (GRO, PUF, MRS, CRL, ...)
Ecoute les orgues, Elles jouent pour toi...C'est le requiem pour un con
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2252 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (2 years 3 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1424 times:
Quoting downtown273 (Reply 7): Seems like they lost the battle against Ryanair when FR entered MAD-GRO. Now that Ryanair will be dropping MAD-GRO I guess it could be profitable for Spanair.
Any idea why MAD-PNA, -EAS were dropped by Spanair?
I am surprised by MAD-GRO as well as it was a succesful route: 300,000 PAX in crisis year 2010 according to the link I posted. And with no competition, surely that route must've been profitable without the subsidy. So yes, JK could make it work with a/c based in MAD. But so could Air Nostrum / IB Regional....
As for MAD-PNA and MAD-EAS, I have no idea but I suspect JK did not have the right a/c size - those routes can at best substain a double-daily CRJ mainly for business pax, and JK's MD-80's and A320's are total overkill for those routes.
In any case, JK setting up a base in GRO as the regional government suggests is a very bad idea IMO. It would make the troubled airline's operations even more inefficient, and therefore even more dependent on subsidies than FR's were.
realsim From Spain, joined Apr 2010, 476 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 3 months 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1374 times:
Quoting r2rho (Reply 9): As for MAD-PNA and MAD-EAS, I have no idea but I suspect JK did not have the right a/c size - those routes can at best substain a double-daily CRJ mainly for business pax, and JK's MD-80's and A320's are total overkill for those routes.
Are you referring only to JK or to both routes in general? I ask it because IB operates today 1x 319, 4x CR2 and 2x AT7 on MAD-EAS and 1x 319, 2x CR9 and 4x CR2 on MAD-PNA, so both routes are bigger than just 2 daily CRJ. However, I agree that they did not have the right aircraft. Maybe a 717 would have worked.
SR4ever From Luxembourg, joined Mar 2010, 766 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (2 years 3 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1219 times:
Quoting r2rho (Reply 1): To me, MAD-GRO made more sense than MAD-BCN, where there is already plenty of capacity and competition, plus the high-speed rail. There was no alternative to FR on the MAD-GRO route,
There will be some more credible railway competition from Autumn 2012, with at least 3 daily TGV/AVE services starting in Madrid and extending into France via Barcelona.
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2252 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (2 years 3 months 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 1035 times:
Quoting realsim (Reply 10): Are you referring only to JK or to both routes in general? I ask it because IB operates today 1x 319, 4x CR2 and 2x AT7 on MAD-EAS and 1x 319, 2x CR9 and 4x CR2 on MAD-PNA, so both routes are bigger than just 2 daily CRJ. However, I agree that they did not have the right aircraft. Maybe a 717 would have worked.
Sorry, you are correct. What I meant to say is that those routes are best served by multiple frequency RJ's than by large narrowbodies. IB / Air Nostrum can thereby serve business and onward connecting PAX, but JK's aircraft are too large for such routes.
Quoting SR4ever (Reply 11): There will be some more credible railway competition from Autumn 2012, with at least 3 daily TGV/AVE services starting in Madrid and extending into France via Barcelona.
Correct, 2012 iffff it is the last delay. Which would still leave another full year and a half of operating a profitable monopoly route. And as the AVE is typically more expensive than FR, they would still be able to compete on price.
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