Post by Humberside on Nov 4, 2012 8:51:36 GMT
I don't think these are fears about Ryanair, but reality considering winter has now begun. Sad to hear about the job losses, but inevitable considering the schedule which is very limited until Easyjet start next month for the ski season. MAG have got a lot of work to do at Bournemouth, thats for sure
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10024795.Fears_Ryanair_may_quit_Bournemouth_Airport_until_March/?ref=nt
THE owners of Bournemouth Airport are “working very hard” to bring growth according to its boss, amid rumours that Ryanair is set to pull out for longer this winter.
MD Paul Knight told the Daily Echo that Manchester Airports Group had “tremendous negotiating capability with both low cost and full service charter operations”.
It comes as speculation is rife that Ryanair will not be returning until the end of March when it pulls out in November, around six weeks later than in previous years.
It is also thought that staff not directly employed by the airport are facing cutbacks and redundancies as the £45million terminal becomes a virtual ghost town over the winter, with only a handful of flights on its winter schedule.
Mr Knight said: “The M.A.G commercial team are working very hard in this very difficult economic climate to deliver growth at Bournemouth, using all the benefits of our new facilities and low cost base to encourage new and increased operations.
“We are confident that the commercial team's efforts will deliver the growth requested by our passengers, local businesses and, in fact, the whole of the Bournemouth Airport team.”
Regarding its plans for next year, Ryanair said it did not comment on “rumour or speculation” and expected its Bournemouth summer schedule for 2013 to be finalised in the coming weeks.
Mr Knight added: “At the moment, discussions are still ongoing with Ryanair as to the level of activity at Bournemouth this winter and, as such, we are hopeful that further additional routes will be added in the near future.”
The airport made seven of its own staff redundant at the end of September and one worker, who is employed by one of the shops at the airport, told the Echo that some other staff, not directly employed by the airport, were given notice of potential redundancy last week.
He added: “They want to portray the airport as thriving and buzzing, but working here we can see that the airport is being held pretty much over a barrel by Ryanair.
“In the last two years they have only pulled out until February, but next year it’s the end of March.
“The airport could be a fantastic year-round airport, but it doesn’t seem to want to go that far. Do they want to move the airport forward or let it get dragged back, which is what it feels like at the moment.”
Airport MD Mr Knight added: “It could host more traffic, like a lot of other regional airports.
“However, it does much more than operating passenger flights.
He said in the longer term, the airport wanted to grow not just in terms of passengers, but in all its businesses, including on site business partners and its 540,000 sqft Aviation Business Park, which could generate 1,000 jobs.
Which workers are currently facing redundancy is unclear.
Retailer WH Smith said it did not comment on staffing matters, while Servisair and World Duty Free said they had no plans for redundancies.
Unite regional officer, Clare Moody said: “I have been assured that there are no plans for further job losses among directly employed staff at the airport.
“Unite is always concerned with any possibility of job losses and we will be monitoring the situation at the airport very closely in the weeks to come.”
Stephen Bath, joint MD of Bath Travel, said: “I heard about a month ago that Ryanair wasn’t coming back until mid-March.
“That must call into question the amount of staff at Servisair. It will be even quieter than last year.
“Airports are very passive creatures, they can be there and they can be open, but it’s the airlines that make things happen.
“The biggest airline to improve carryings is Ryanair, but if they can’t make a profit in winter, airports can’t do anything to make the airlines fly.”
MD Paul Knight told the Daily Echo that Manchester Airports Group had “tremendous negotiating capability with both low cost and full service charter operations”.
It comes as speculation is rife that Ryanair will not be returning until the end of March when it pulls out in November, around six weeks later than in previous years.
It is also thought that staff not directly employed by the airport are facing cutbacks and redundancies as the £45million terminal becomes a virtual ghost town over the winter, with only a handful of flights on its winter schedule.
Mr Knight said: “The M.A.G commercial team are working very hard in this very difficult economic climate to deliver growth at Bournemouth, using all the benefits of our new facilities and low cost base to encourage new and increased operations.
“We are confident that the commercial team's efforts will deliver the growth requested by our passengers, local businesses and, in fact, the whole of the Bournemouth Airport team.”
Regarding its plans for next year, Ryanair said it did not comment on “rumour or speculation” and expected its Bournemouth summer schedule for 2013 to be finalised in the coming weeks.
Mr Knight added: “At the moment, discussions are still ongoing with Ryanair as to the level of activity at Bournemouth this winter and, as such, we are hopeful that further additional routes will be added in the near future.”
The airport made seven of its own staff redundant at the end of September and one worker, who is employed by one of the shops at the airport, told the Echo that some other staff, not directly employed by the airport, were given notice of potential redundancy last week.
He added: “They want to portray the airport as thriving and buzzing, but working here we can see that the airport is being held pretty much over a barrel by Ryanair.
“In the last two years they have only pulled out until February, but next year it’s the end of March.
“The airport could be a fantastic year-round airport, but it doesn’t seem to want to go that far. Do they want to move the airport forward or let it get dragged back, which is what it feels like at the moment.”
Airport MD Mr Knight added: “It could host more traffic, like a lot of other regional airports.
“However, it does much more than operating passenger flights.
He said in the longer term, the airport wanted to grow not just in terms of passengers, but in all its businesses, including on site business partners and its 540,000 sqft Aviation Business Park, which could generate 1,000 jobs.
Which workers are currently facing redundancy is unclear.
Retailer WH Smith said it did not comment on staffing matters, while Servisair and World Duty Free said they had no plans for redundancies.
Unite regional officer, Clare Moody said: “I have been assured that there are no plans for further job losses among directly employed staff at the airport.
“Unite is always concerned with any possibility of job losses and we will be monitoring the situation at the airport very closely in the weeks to come.”
Stephen Bath, joint MD of Bath Travel, said: “I heard about a month ago that Ryanair wasn’t coming back until mid-March.
“That must call into question the amount of staff at Servisair. It will be even quieter than last year.
“Airports are very passive creatures, they can be there and they can be open, but it’s the airlines that make things happen.
“The biggest airline to improve carryings is Ryanair, but if they can’t make a profit in winter, airports can’t do anything to make the airlines fly.”
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/10024795.Fears_Ryanair_may_quit_Bournemouth_Airport_until_March/?ref=nt