Carlisle Lake District Airport Thread

Dazwacky wrote: No way your Mrs would gan on Train Laffy if offered option to fly err First class to London!! on a serious note I worked beside Heathrow and used to get flights from Newcastle to there it was magic just over an hour but if you took into consideration the time I left my House to the time I got onsite probably 6 hours BUT I didn't have that awful drive, sitting in traffic, the thought on a Friday of driving back up North it was sh*te, by the time you factor running costs, travel paid time etc the flights are on par plus a lot less stressful, probably more economic so in my opinion I hope Carlisle airport kicks off big time #HailtheBorderCity

They took off the Newcastle flight didn't they, or was that from Gatwick...Flybe I think....did it once

To be fair who would have thought Southend Airport would do ok? , They've just saw a 33% increase passenger numbers

Happyblue wrote: To be fair who would have thought Southend Airport would do ok? , They've just saw a 33% increase passenger numbers

They do have transport links though. Realistically who’s gonna want to fly to Carlisle knowing that your basically stuck at the airport when you get there. If there isn’t plans already surely there should be a hire car facility for people who want to travel to the lakes.

Dancingbear wrote: Just driven past Blackpool airport. Makes you wonder if they failed what chance Carlisle has unless of course they aren’t really bothered.

Used Blackpool a lot back and forward to the IoM was really convenient. The issues there the first time around were something to do with Jet 2 holding some sort of hold over the airport. It did reopen just for Citywing flights back and forward run out of a portakabin. The NW as in the real NW of England (Cumbria etc) and the SW of Scotland has an extremely poor infracture transport links wise. Douglas is only 80 miles from Carlisle but takes about a day to get there but London, Bristol etc are reachable in an hour or less.

When you flew out of Blackpool there was this GBP10 Airport Improvement scheme charge that you had to pay to get into departures that you bought from a car park ticket type machine in addition to your flight ticket. I wonder what they did with the GBPMillions they took from that little scam. I don't call demolishing an airport an improvement.

“Blackpool International” was the scene of a great moment one time I flew Jet2 to Spain. The building was half-finished inside, there was no screens, no announcements.
I watched the plane land and approach to close proximity of the glass wall where the ‘departure gate’ was.
Along strolled a portly chap wearing a hi-vis, who opened the door of the ‘departure gate’, turned to the waiting travellers, and while gesturing with his hand proudly announced in his best Lancashire accent: “PLANE’S ‘ERE”.
Brilliant.

First flights today. Just been on the main news.

Just fly to Kirkbride airfield if they want the lakes.. little bit closer to the fells lol..and equally shit transport links ☺

Na seriously lets hope it does ok now its started off..

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It's certainly a step up for travellers in this transport back water.

I was speaking to somebody the other from down south and they just laughed when I said there was only three destinations and only 28 flights a week! They thought I was joking

nobbyblue wrote: It's certainly a step up for travellers in this transport back water.

I was speaking to somebody the other from down south and they just laughed when I said there was only three destinations and only 28 flights a week! They thought I was joking

That's 28 arrivals and departures. London's baby airport, London City has done that easily by 8 am on a weekday.

The North really does seem to lose out to London on everything. Even Andy Burnham is now saying we suffer prejudice.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/03/andy...n-london-criticises/

Only a gateway to the SW Scotland and NW England if you live in Belfast Dublin or Southend.

I only live 80 miles as the crow flies from Carlisle but it takes the best part of a day to travel there whereas Manchester, Liverpool, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Dublin, Belfast are only between 30 mins to an hour travel away...

On a revenue of around £62k/week if all flights are full to all destinations (which is unlikely) there must be plans to add further routes.

Why are people so negative and critical? Not only has the airport opened to passenger traffic; Carlisle has featured every half hour on BBC Breakfast as well as Look North bulletins. Good luck to them I say.

deepfathom wrote: Why are people so negative and critical? Not only has the airport opened to passenger traffic; Carlisle has featured every half hour on BBC Breakfast as well as Look North bulletins. Good luck to them I say.

Because many posters on here are Socialists, who hate to see entrepreneurs succeed.

thesilentone wrote:

deepfathom wrote: Why are people so negative and critical? Not only has the airport opened to passenger traffic; Carlisle has featured every half hour on BBC Breakfast as well as Look North bulletins. Good luck to them I say.

Because many posters on here are Socialists, who hate to see entrepreneurs succeed.

Not at all I’d love to see it succeed. As you said above though the numbers dont work on current flight numbers and unless someone’s meeting you there your flying into the middle of nowhere so I can’t see why people from Southend Belfast or Dublin would want to fly there. If they were entrepreneurs they’d have a hire car facility.

.............free bus to and from Carlisle Station for every flight.

www.carlisleairport.co.uk/assets/minibus-timetable.pdf

So its okay for entrepreneurs to succeed but not okay for others to maximise their salary income?

Funny old world...

thesilentone wrote: .............free bus to and from Carlisle Station for every flight.

www.carlisleairport.co.uk/assets/minibus-timetable.pdf

Shouldn't the heading of the right side timetable be reversed i.e. "Carlisle Lake District Airport to Carlisle Railway Station" ?

thesilentone wrote: .............free bus to and from Carlisle Station for every flight.

www.carlisleairport.co.uk/assets/minibus-timetable.pdf

So if your in Carlisle and are going to Central London why wouldn’t you get on the train? How do you get to Buttermere from Carlisle train station?. I still think it’s a front for their other businesses which is fair enough.

Same principal as the railway station has renamed itself i suppose.

Sadly we have half arsed folk that have never done a lesson in geography thinking they will be in the lake district when they arrive either in the train station or airport.☺..then complain afterwards...

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I hope it works out, somehow, but I do think it's been set up to fail.

A bus from the train station to catch a plane to Southend, masquerading as London, is lunacy or the people that actually do the trip.

I can't see the Southend one being sustainable at all, I'll be surprised if that stays to xmas.

deepfathom wrote: Why are people so negative and critical? Not only has the airport opened to passenger traffic; Carlisle has featured every half hour on BBC Breakfast as well as Look North bulletins. Good luck to them I say.

Well said there's a culture on here of putting things down before they have started and almost wishing failure to justify thier negative words.
It's not just the airport either.
Sands Centre
The playing Squad
And even leaving the eu.

Embarrassing !

Mullen103 wrote: I hope it works out, somehow, but I do think it's been set up to fail.

A bus from the train station to catch a plane to Southend, masquerading as London, is lunacy or the people that actually do the trip.

I can't see the Southend one being sustainable at all, I'll be surprised if that stays to xmas.

ah but from Southend you can connect to all these beautiful destination

southendairport.com/destinations

triskelionblue wrote:

Mullen103 wrote: I hope it works out, somehow, but I do think it's been set up to fail.

A bus from the train station to catch a plane to Southend, masquerading as London, is lunacy or the people that actually do the trip.

I can't see the Southend one being sustainable at all, I'll be surprised if that stays to xmas.

ah but from Southend you can connect to all these beautiful destination

southendairport.com/destinations

Can you not fly to most of them from Newcastle Glasgow or Edinburgh without changing? Couple of flights from Carlisle to Alicante and a couple of other popular routes each week could be a winner.

It’s great to see the first flight taking off and I hope it survives-they will know soon enough but they will need more routes and quick.If they do get traction,Newcastle airport will be looking to put them out of business-same as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick fighting for the customer base.

I think they will need subsidies to survive-look at Prestwick which has burned taxpayer cash since wee Nippy bought it for the taxpayer.

Of course, you never know until you try so good luck to them

triskelionblue wrote:

Mullen103 wrote: I hope it works out, somehow, but I do think it's been set up to fail.

A bus from the train station to catch a plane to Southend, masquerading as London, is lunacy or the people that actually do the trip.

I can't see the Southend one being sustainable at all, I'll be surprised if that stays to xmas.

ah but from Southend you can connect to all these beautiful destination

southendairport.com/destinations

Lets hope one day you can get to these beutiful destnations from Carlisle.

I managed to get a through ticket from Carlisle to Paris on Eurostar for next month, albeit i booked early, for £115 return.

I doubt I could fly to Southend, then Paris, god knows how long i'll be waiting for connections, return for that price.

The key will be what happens at the end of the summer-can they develop a programme over the winter months?I can’t imagine the airlines will be paying much if anything for the slots so it will eat cash until they have some solid traction and passenger numbers.

Booked to go to Belfast next month, looking forward to it.

A route to Southampton would be handy for the cruise market

Free parking and fee luggage up to 20kg is worth a shilling or two........

thesilentone wrote: Free parking and fee luggage up to 20kg is worth a shilling or two........

Yep that’s a great perk to be fair as is being able to clear US customs in Dublin.

Mullen103 wrote: I hope it works out, somehow, but I do think it's been set up to fail.

A bus from the train station to catch a plane to Southend, masquerading as London, is lunacy or the people that actually do the trip.

I can't see the Southend one being sustainable at all, I'll be surprised if that stays to xmas.

New holiday destination for us northern oiks.....longest pier in England....not sure if Jamie Oliver's caff is still open on the end of it mind!

Southern folk come to the Lakes, we go to Souffend eh!

Suppose they can have a wander along to Walby Farm Park and get a round in at Eden Golf club.

Didn't realise Carlisle was in the Lake District. It must have expanded after the floods.

Suprised it's 85 minutes to Sarfend mind..

markredfox73 wrote: Same principal as the railway station has renamed itself i suppose.

Sadly we have half arsed folk that have never done a lesson in geography thinking they will be in the lake district when they arrive either in the train station or airport.☺..then complain afterwards...

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And people thinking Southend is in London. 42 miles, which would be like Carlisle Airport being in Shap.

Anybody going to London is still going to take the train.

Zebby wrote: Suprised it's 85 minutes to Sarfend mind..

It'll be more than 85 minutes if there is a southerly wind blowing. The Saab 340 turbo prop's maximum cruising speed is just over half that of the Boeing 737-800 that Ryanair uses.

It'll either be a success, excellent, or it will fail and be a massive transport hub/warehouse which will keep jobs in the local area.

Not much to dislike.

High Street wrote:

markredfox73 wrote: Same principal as the railway station has renamed itself i suppose.

Sadly we have half arsed folk that have never done a lesson in geography thinking they will be in the lake district when they arrive either in the train station or airport.☺..then complain afterwards...

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And people thinking Southend is in London. 42 miles, which would be like Carlisle Airport being in Shap.

Anybody going to London is still going to take the train.

Which is about the same as Gatwick and Stansted, ' London ' Luton is 35 miles .

High Street wrote: …. which would be like Carlisle Airport being in Shap.

Or the Lake District Airport being in Carlisle...

The press seem to have swallowed the marketing guff from the airport including "it is hoped to be of interest to staff working for BAE Systems at Barrow-in-Furness and the Sellafield nuclear site". Well Barrow is almost as near to Manchester Airport as Carlisle and has a direct rail service to Manchester airport with brand new trains eleven times a day! Also BAE have their own airport at Barrow which has a new terminal (built without the nearly £5 million Carlisle received from the Local Enterprise Partnership for theirs) with a number of scheduled services every weekday for their staff.

It is to be hoped Carlisle does well but if that is typical of the standard of research leading to the airport's launch then I fear the worst. Still, the terminal would make a district headquarters for a plc, I guess.

thesilentone wrote:

High Street wrote:

markredfox73 wrote: Same principal as the railway station has renamed itself i suppose.

Sadly we have half arsed folk that have never done a lesson in geography thinking they will be in the lake district when they arrive either in the train station or airport.☺..then complain afterwards...

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

And people thinking Southend is in London. 42 miles, which would be like Carlisle Airport being in Shap.

Anybody going to London is still going to take the train.

Which is about the same as Gatwick and Stansted, ' London ' Luton is 35 miles .

Don't forget London Oxford Airport, only a mere 61 miles from central London

Let's hope it's a success as we need a lot more things up in Cumbria and hopefully this is the start of it happening.

Just been on border news its forecast to lose £2.5 million in first year in line with expectations. How the hell they planning on turning that around on 6 flights a day?

I would love to see the numbers for the 3 different destinations,i think the Belfast flight will struggle to get 6 passengers sometimes.

Quite like the look of the 7.10 from Carlisle on Sat Morn and Getting back 11ish on the Sunday for a change of scenery .

I wonder if anyone at Border noticed the irony of two main articles one trying to lower the carbon footprint of the lakes by reducing traffic and the other advocating raising it through flights to Spain.

ParcelPete wrote: I would love to see the numbers for the 3 different destinations,i think the Belfast flight will struggle to get 6 passengers sometimes.

As it happens, I travelled over to Belfast on Friday and came back on Sunday.

I have to say, the whole thing was spot on. The new airport is as straightforward as it gets, no fuss, no hassle. Nice wee plane, a Saab 340B - 34 seats. There was about 24 on board there and back. Flights were nice and smooth and the attendant was friendly and attentive.

Enjoyed the weekend in Belfast, nice city centre, plenty of bars, restaurants and things to do. I’d go again and would certainly recommend anyone to give it a go.

Grabbed a quick pic on the return leg:

Glad you enjoyed your visit to Belfast, I have lived over here for the last 15 years and the city and surrounding area have really improved, its got everything really, great food and bars, cracking scenery and the people are generally very friendly. Loads of my family and friends have been over and pretty much all of them have returned. I hope the plane route continues as the flight times are perfect for a weekend trip for me back to BP, it sure beats the boat trip.

Many small Airport's have struggled, and Carlisle will be no different. However, they seem keen to emphasize the business plan also includes commercial property and Stobarts Transport on-site, this may be the savior long-term.

Economic deflation maybe the biggest threat, however the train-fares are sky high.

We have traveled by air low-cost, for decades (I remember getting one of the first £29.00 Easyjet flights to London in 97 for the final against Colchester) but our Brexit may see the end of subsidised flights.

Carlisle's late commencement has missed the cheap-flights boat, however the service does not look expensive, and will hopefully survive.