Thursday, May 24, 2007
City of Derry Airport provisionally closed due to safety concerns
The BBC report that the City of Derry Airport will close from midnight tonight following a decision by the Civil Aviation Authority to “provisionally suspend its license following an inspection this week.” They’ve cited the “lack of an effective bird control plan, unsuitable temporary repairs to the area where planes park and poor runway drainage.” The airport, owned by Derry City Council, was last in the news in December 2006 when it lost a two-year battle against a Freedom of Information request.. And there’s an intriguing, if worrying, reference to “variations to safety regulations” in the Airport’s statement [see their news section - Ed].
Negotiations continued into the evening of Thursday 24th May 2007 between City of Derry Airport and the CAA with the final outcome being an immediate meeting in London on Friday to review the situation. The City of Derry Airport has operated under agreed variations with the CAA for the past number of years pending the commencement of the safety works.
And from the Airport’s own history
It wasn’t until 1978 that Derry City Council took the decision to purchase the airfield with a view to improving the transport infrastructure for the North West of Ireland. At the time this was a very forward-thinking decision especially since there were no airlines operating to the airfield and most of the airfield property had reverted to local landowners.
Over the intervening years the airport has slowly developed. Loganair introduced the first scheduled flight between Derry and Glasgow in 1979, a service, which still operates today. This route was the only route for ten years until British Airways introduced a daily Manchester service in 1989.
The Council gradually acquired most of the airfield property, however by the late 1980’s it became evident that the airport needed major investment if it was ever to achieve the potential envisaged in 1978. The Council applied for grant aid from the European Regional Development Fund and a major redevelopment programme was undertaken from 1989 to 1993. A total of £10.5 million was spent upgrading all of the facilities at the airport with 75% grant aid coming from Europe and 25% coming from Derry City Council. This programme upgraded runways, taxiways, access roads, navigation equipment and runway lighting, with the centerpiece being a new purpose-built terminal and fire station.
The programme was completed early in 1994 and the new terminal was officially opened in March of that year. The name of the airport was officially changed form Eglinton to the City of Derry Airport. At that time there were still only two scheduled routes carrying approximately 40,000 passenger per year. With the completion of the physical work the emphasis switched to route development and the search for new carriers.
Pete Baker @ 09:39 PM
I look forward to the airport re-opening again. It’s a good chance to rebrand the airport and avoid tourist confusion by re-opening as Londonderry Airport.
Posted by on May 24, 2007 @ 10:46 PMTruth is that the airport has been operating under a ‘temporary dispensation’ from the CAA for nearly a decade - they have obviously finally lost patience.
The CAA regards it as ‘one of the most dangerous airports in the UK’ for take off and landing
You have been warned.Posted by on May 24, 2007 @ 11:06 PMUnder funding west of the bann?
Posted by on May 24, 2007 @ 11:15 PM‘Under funding west of the bann’
No. Truck loads of money have been thrown at this airport but the bottom line is that there isnt a big enough population to make it work!
They would have been far better using all the money building a dual carraige way from Derry to the M2.
But Hume et al insisted. When no one could get the project to stack up in order to qualify for the EU Structural Funds Mo Mowlam just used Peace money (which had much less string attached) as a slush fund.
Still does make it anything other than a nonsense.Posted by on May 24, 2007 @ 11:44 PMAh come on now, its hardly any more dangerous than that field outside of Crossmaglen the british army landed their whirly bird in there a while back. No talk of suspending licenses there.
Posted by on May 24, 2007 @ 11:46 PMIf this is long-term, could there be an amnesty for the houses, several of them excellent, old properties, which are the subject of ridiculous demolition orders from the Council, reportedly at the whim of Ryanair?
When can we look forward to the publication of the cosy DCC/Ryanair deal?
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 12:17 AMIt takes all of one hour to get from Derry to Aldergrove airport. Can you imagine how long it would take if a proper dual carraige way was built between Derry and Belfast?
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 12:28 AMYer Woman - its about 45 miles so I imagine about 45 minutes assuming you kept to the speed limit.
Lets spend squillions of pounds to save 10 minutes on the trip? Afraid that even the Assembly wont buy that one.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 07:48 AM[1] The north-west needs and deserves an airport. That is not simply a passenger matter; freight is also a consideration. It’s either Eglinton or give St Angelo another 500 metres of runway (which would make sense for tourism, anyway).
[2] Eglinton is potentially a fine site.
[3] There clearly is a customer base: on the occasions I have used the route, it has been heavily patronised, including the hordes from Donegal. Demand can only grow.
[4] Surely Aldergrove would be better as the “international” airport it claims to be (but has not yet fulfilled). Eglinton is more a regional airport.
[5] If we are going to argue “45 minutes” of transfer time as a factor, can we not well be rid of “George Best”? If the road network needs improving, that is an issue that should and must be viewed separately. Anyway, there is a rail link, well worthy of upgrading, that links Eglinton, Aldergrove and Belfast centre.
[6] Notice how limited the CAA’s objections are: runway drainage, the parking apron, and “bird plan”.
[7] Isn’t it amazing that already a main quibble is the name of the facility? Can anything say more about a particular blinkered mentality?
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 08:39 AMdo the beleaguered rate payers of Londonderry get a refund on the squillions squandered and then concealed up to and including a hearing before the information commissioner?
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 09:17 AMLet’s start with surcharging the bigots on the council for the signs they had changed so that they could rename Eglinton airport ‘City of Derry’, so as to sate [sic] some sectarian bloodlust weirdly unaffected by boring constraints like, oh, geography.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 09:50 AMIt’s clear where the antis are coming from, and going:
“Truck loads of money have been thrown at this airport” [Monster Republic @ 11:44 PM];
“the squillions squandered” [darth rumsfeld @ 09:17 AM].Now compare that with the reality:
[1] “The European Commission has authorised, under EC state aid guidelines, a plan to fund a number of essential infrastructure improvements at the City of Derry Airport. The plan involves joint financing of the infrastructure by the UK and Irish governments together with Derry City Council, the airport’s owner.
“The proposed financing was considered compatible with the European common market as it satisfies the criteria laid down in state aid guidelines; it constitutes essential infrastructure designed to achieve a clearly defined objective of general interest without leading to undue distortion of the market.
“The measure in question concerns the intention of the United Kingdom and Irish governments to provide over £10.4 million (EUR 15.2 million) of financial assistance to Derry City Council to meet 75% of the cost of two capital development projects at the airport. Each government will pay 37.5%, approximately £5.2 million (EUR 7.6 million) of the expenditure, while Derry City Council will contribute the remaining 25%, approximately £3.48 million (EUR 5 million).” [http://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/about_us/office_in_northern_ireland/press_releases/0609_en.htm]
[2] Mr. Dermot Ahern, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs, said: “City of Derry Airport serves the entire North West region. Recognising its strategic importance, the Government has decided to increase its funding to allow the completion of development works at the Airport.”
“The Government will contribute a total of €10.87 million to works at the Airport. The Government’s contribution is matched by the British Government under the co-funding arrangements agreed by the two Governments in March 2005.” [http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=27359]
Contributions to this thread seem wilfully to be confusing four issues:
[1] The financing of desirable and necessary upgrades to the airport (a process which is open and transparent, necessarily so because of the tripartite involvement of two Governments and the EC); and
[2] The smaller issue of the subsidy to Ryanair:
“The agreement struck in 1999 guaranteed Ryanair £250,000 (€380,000) a year from a consortium of four state-funded authorities on both sides of the Irish border to promote its Derry to London route. A range of other taxpayer-subsidised benefits included free landing, navigation, air control, security, baggage and passenger charges, were also given.” [http://www.uk-airport-news.info/derry-airport-news-200107.htm][3] The deficit on operating the airport:
“Its operating costs are around £3.5m a year, but revenue is about £2m. The losses are met by the council.” [http://www.uk-airport-news.info/derry-airport-news-131206.htm]
To have some sense of proportion, compare this with:
* the Derry city budget as a whole [http://www.derrycity.gov.uk/rates/improvements.htm];
and
* the announcement from Conor Murphy of £12M extra for roads in Derry City this year [http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news-rd-240507-roads-service-to].[4] The SEA [i.e. Eamonn McCann] potesting the Donnybrewer Road houses, and attempting to elevate it into an extension of the Land War.
Is there any hope that we can discard prejudices and stick to realities here?
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 10:15 AM>Is there any hope that we can discard prejudices and stick to realities here?
No chance. There is no stronger prejudice on slugger than that against Derry.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 10:34 AM<<its about 45 miles so I imagine about 45 minutes assuming you kept to the speed limit.>>
I wonder what route you take.
It’s an hour from Derry to Aldergrove on a very good day. Try doing it at a busy time.
Not everyone coming and going to City of Derry airport is travelling to Derry and its environs any more than those into Aldergrove are going no further than Antrim or Belfast.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 11:06 AMDelighted by this. Everything that makes the North West even less attractie is alright by me. West of the Bann is a worthless wasteland inhabited only by woodkerne.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 11:21 AMRe: Ziznivy @ 11:21 AM
You really couldn’t make it up, could you?
Incidentally, the abuse-term “woodkerne” referred originally to “the the Border Reivers in the Debatable Land between Scotland and England” (i.e. the Scots progenitors of immigrants into Ulster in the early 17th century).
One of the origins of the expression seems to be in John Derrick’s Image of Irelande of 1581. This features the English, having brought civilisation to the benighted heathens, returning carrying severed Irish heads and leading a captive by a halter.
One needs to be careful in one’s use of terms.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 12:54 PMThere is also the PSO subsidy paid on the Dublin-Derry route let’s not forget.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 01:53 PMThe Public Service Obligation subsidy on flights between Dublin and ‘Derry amounted to €2.3M in 2003-4 (the latest year for which I have figures). However, that, as I understand, goes to the carrier (BA in the main), not to the airport, and so I had discounted it for the purpose of this argument.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 02:15 PMWhat in the name of all that is holy is a District Council doing running an airport anyway?
Do the committee meeting agendas have :
1) Bin emptying
2) Playgrounds
3) Leisure Centres
4) The Airport?????
Close the thing, and close it now......
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 03:22 PMinterested @ 03:22 PM:
“What ... is a District Council doing running an airport anyway?”[1] Doing it pretty well;
[2] Behaving in the manner of a proud and proper city;
[3] Establishing and fostering a public facility when nobody else would;
[4] Looking after the best interests of its citizens;
etc., etc.We might also consider:
Private enterprise has not been much in evidence in the Province in recent decades.
The notion that the whole of Ulster (yes, Ulster) can be properly served, now and for the future, through Aldergrove and Dublin seems fallacious. That isn’t in the local, provincial, national or European interest.
Demand is increasing at at astounding rate, passenger traffic at regional airports doubles every 15 years (at Eglinton that has happened, albeit from a low base-line, in just two years).There are many, and good arguments against airport expansion: they receive endless publicity. People, however far they claim to be convinced by those arguments and publicity, still want to fly. The Green nay-saying argument seems to be that someone, somewhere must stop them, deny them their wish, inconvenience them, force them to conform, deny them that opportunity.
None of this seems relevant to a small and passing problem at Eglinton.
Prediction: not many years down the road the attitude of “Close the thing, and close it now” will seem Luddite. It is the view that closed the railways, and filled in the canals. Funny how it rarely extends to confiscating the second family car.
Posted by on May 25, 2007 @ 05:45 PMMalcolm - while the airport doesn’t receive the money directly, it does receive the benefit.
Posted by on May 26, 2007 @ 01:10 PMMark Dowling @ 01:10 PM
Thanks for the input: I accept your point. Quite honestly, I cannot quantify that benefit.
The best I can do is note that Eglinton handled some 15,000 aircraft movements in 2005 (for comparison: Aldergrove was 40,000). There are (correct me if I’m adrift here) some 28 flights between LDY and DUB each week: say 1400-1550 a year. So this accounts for about 10% of the aircraft movements at Eglinton, and about the same percentage (29,500 in 2003, my latest figures) of the passengers.
Your comment did make me realise that, although the aircraft and staff on this service are in BA livery, and the ticketing is through the BA codes, in fact the service is run by Loganair, “Scotland’s Airline”.
One learns something new every day:
It keeps the Alzheimer’s at bay.Might one also wonder what the “benefit” from those famous “rendition” flights could be?
Posted by on May 26, 2007 @ 06:22 PMIf the nitwits (that we continue to vote for in NI) would go to some medium sized coastal city like The Hague or Oslo, they just might learn something about how to organise a transport system. The primary objective should be an integrated system. They could start by making a short spur to Aldergrove from the main railway line linking Belfast and L’Derry. The second would be a short spur to Eglinton. A half-hourly service in either direction would do away with the need for an airport in L’Derry. It would be a ‘green’ solution. This alone should please some of the Council members. Not being orange it would horrify the others no doubt.
Posted by on May 26, 2007 @ 08:51 PM@John Hubbard - make the Derry-Belfast railway viable? As if Translink would ever let that happen!
As for a northwest airport - there’s always Carrickfin I suppose. :)
Posted by on May 26, 2007 @ 09:08 PMHi,
Quote As for a northwest airport - there’s always Carrickfin I suppose. unquote
Two new bus sheds stuck together in Gay Byrnes back garden.
Keep Derry open.
Posted by on May 26, 2007 @ 09:19 PM
