Today announced in Dutch news.

From may 2x a week from GRQ to MRS, BGY and PMI .

THis is very good news for this region. Just last month the final decision was made to extend the runway to 2500 mtr from 1800mtr now, and now already new routes.

Rumors are that W6 is joining them soon. I guess to Poland, but I hope to Budapest  

Source: http://www.nu.nl/economie/2761638/ryanair-gaat-vliegen-eelde.html

Very exciting news, and together with the already announced GRQ-BCN with Vueling (2x per week and even 3x from June-September) and the "regular" Transavia and Corendon operations, things are looking very nice for the summer of 2012  

Quoting airkas1 (Reply 1): things are looking very nice for the summer of 2012

My family still lives there, Im going to take a few BUD - BGY - GRQ flights, thats for sure.  

Ok, I have some additional info:

Schedule is only from May untill October, it looks like the Marseille and Mallorca route will be flown by the same plane.

Mallorca - starts 2nd May. 2x weekly, Wed , Sun
Milaan (Bergamo) - starts 4th May. 2x weekly, Mon, Fri
Marseille - starts 16 May, 2x weekly, Wed, Sun

I dont have the times yet, this info is from the airports website. www.gae.nl

Ok, I have found the times as well on the Ryanair website now.

Groningen - Milan lookst to be starting 14 May, not 4 as mentioned before.

GRQ - BGY 12:55 - 14:40 ( Mondays)
GRQ - BGY 15:10 - 16:55 ( Fridays )

BGY - GRQ 10:45 - 12:30 ( Mondays)
BGY - GRQ 13:00 - 14:45 (Fridays )


Groningen - Marseille looks to be starting 16th May

GRQ - MRS 20:05 - 21:50 (Wednesdays )
GRQ - MRS 12:20 - 14:05 ( Sundays)

MRS - GRQ 17:45 - 19:40 ( Wednesday)
MRS - GRQ 10:00 - 11:55 ( Sundays )


Groningen - Palma de Mallorca starts 16th May

GRQ - PMI 19:35 - 21:55 ( Wednesdays )
GRQ - PMI 12:35 - 14:55 ( Sundays )

PMI - GRQ 16:50 - 19:10 ( Wednesdays )
PMI - GRQ 09:50 - 12:10 ( Sundays )

Source: www.ryanair.com

Quoting kl911 (Thread starter): Just last month the final decision was made to extend the runway to 2500 mtr from 1800mtr now, and now already new routes.

More regional airports in The Netherlands could see (a lot) more traffic if restrictions were lifted. Especially Rotterdam-The Hague Airport (1.3 million passengers annually due to strong restrictions) suffers from those.

It is good to see traffic and services picking up at Groningen Eelde Airport.  .

Quoting EPA001 (Reply 5): It is good to see traffic and services picking up at Groningen Eelde Airport.

Im just wondering if this is just only a test, since the airport press release talks about May untill October. Does ryanair have season only destinations? Like in destination that are not served at all in winter? or maybe they will change to wintersport destinations from GRQ in winter?

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Quoting kl911 (Reply 6): Im just wondering if this is just only a test, since the airport press release talks about May untill October. Does ryanair have season only destinations?

Very much so. This winter, FR 'parked' over 80 aircraft due to reduction in seasonal demand.

In the Netherlands, Ryanair is very season. From MST for example, they operate 11 routes during the summer, and no flights at all during the winter. EIN has year-round routes, but also sees quite some routes suspended or lower frequencies during the winter. I wouldn't be surprised if FR plans to operate a summer-only from GRQ.

Europe-wide, FR even shuts down bases completely during the winter, like BOH.

Quoting joost (Reply 7): I wouldn't be surprised if FR plans to operate a summer-only from GRQ.

Or maybe when they are smart a GRQ-INN for example. A lot of people from the North go on ski vacation in the winter. I think even HV has direct charters.

Anyway, even if they dont it gives the airport time to finish the extension of the runway.

Quoting kl911 (Reply 8): Or maybe when they are smart a GRQ-INN for example.

Doesn't INN require special pilot training? If so, I can't imagine FR would fly there for the added cost, complexity, and operational inflexibility (certain pilots, etc).

Quoting kl911 (Reply 3): Schedule is only from May untill October, it looks like the Marseille and Mallorca route will be flown by the same plane.

From the above it looks like each route will be done by the respective bases.

Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 9): Doesn't INN require special pilot training? If so, I can't imagine FR would fly there for the added cost, complexity, and operational inflexibility (certain pilots, etc).

Yes, I know Pe@rson, it was just an example. 

Quoting BA777 (Reply 10): Schedule is only from May untill October, it looks like the Marseille and Mallorca route will be flown by the same plane. From the above it looks like each route will be done by the respective bases.

Yes, when I saw the times a few days later I realised that as well  

Quoting kl911 (Reply 11): Yes, I know Pe@rson, it was just an example.

Fair enough then!  

Quoting joost (Reply 7): Very much so. This winter, FR 'parked' over 80 aircraft due to reduction in seasonal demand.

I have read this many times, and I dont dispute it at all.

Just wonder where they parked all these planes?

Quoting joost (Reply 7): This winter, FR 'parked' over 80 aircraft due to reduction in seasonal demand.

Yep. And despite this, they earned more profit in that quarter - when they parked many more aircraft - than they did in the year-before quarter when they parked far fewer.  

Quoting kl911 (Reply 8): Or maybe when they are smart a GRQ-INN for example. A lot of people from the North go on ski vacation in the winter. I think even HV has direct charters.

FR doesn't serve INN yet, although they do fly to KLU as a ski-destination from NYO, GSE and STN.

However, FR is (other than EZY at GVA), not very active when it comes to winter sport destinations. They have these routes from Scandinavia and the UK; from these countries, going by car to Austria or Switzerland is a long drive. The Netherlands are too close to drive to the winter sport area's, that the market for air transport is quite limited. HV serves quite a chunk of the market (also on charters) and that's it for now.

I'd expect RYG, EDI or DUB, and even EIN and CRL to get KLU-service before GRQ. And for winter-service, I'd put my money on TFS or LPA rather than Ski-destinations.

If these new flights turn out to be a success, I think it's safe to say that ALC, AGP and FAO will be added in 2013.

Quoting haavig (Reply 13): Just wonder where they parked all these planes?

Well, they haven't really parked aircraft, but instead, they operated a schedule that only required some 210 aircraft out of their 290-strong fleet. However, all these aircraft have been used regularly.

They just operate their fleet with a lower utilization. This means that all bases keep the number of station aircraft, but there's always 1 or more aircraft sitting idle. It's very common, though, that each aircraft operates at least one daily round-trip.

There are 2 reasons for this method. First, after an aircraft has been parked, even for a few days, it requires an after-storage maintenance check. By flying them, they are kept in good condition. Second, these aircraft provide a great deal of flexibility after disruptions. When there's an aircraft AOG somewhere, or heavy delays hinder the schedule, they can easily take a spare aircraft as they have spare aircraft everywhere.

Next to low utilization. FR tries to perform as much maintenance as possible during this winter period. On average, a relatively new 737NG, needs 1-2 weeks per year heavy maintenance. When doing as much maintenance as possible during winter, they might be able to have 15 aircraft in maintenance at the same time.

What I dont get is that its possible to book GRQ - BGY return, but not BGY - GRQ. Why is that? Is this only for pax ex GRQ? On the list with new routes it shows also only from GRQ, not from BGY.

MRS and PMI can be booked in both directions. Is this a system glitch or deliberate?