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15-Apr-2011 12:03 PM

Cardiff confident despite bmibaby departure

UK's Cardiff Airport, in response to bmibaby's recent decision to cancel all services at the airport, stated the LCC's share of traffic had "fallen sharply in recent years" (Wales Online, 14-Apr-2011). Cardiff Airport managing director, Patrick Duffy, said he believes there is a viable market in south Wales for another LCC to fill the gap left by bmibaby and generate better returns than the LCC. bmibaby carried 10% of the airport's 1.4 million passengers in 2010, down from 34% in 2006/07. "We work very well with flybe and they have a very successful operation - they might expand, and Ryanair are always on the hunt," the MD said.

Cardiff Airport: "bmibaby activity levels have dropped from 700,000 passengers to about 200,000 in less than three years. No other airline has demonstrated that type of decline, and that impacts negatively on the airport and the region. This clears the decks. It means we have got a great opportunity to present the case for a new operator to evaluate the South Wales market, both in-bound and out-bound, and start again." Patrick Duffy, MD. Source: Wales Online, 14-Apr-2011.

University of Glamorgan: "This is a big blow and is going to push Cardiff way down the league table of UK airports in terms of passenger numbers. This decision is also going to make it even more difficult for Cardiff to compete with Bristol Airport, where there is a greater variety of routes with low-cost carriers in easyJet and Ryanair. It is going to be very challenging for Cardiff to attract a replacement carrier." Martin Evans, External Research Fellow - Transport. Source: Wales Online, 14-Apr-2011.

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