Ostend Airport - Latest news

[Acid-drop]

It's obviously not the focus of the flemish gov ... but are they to blame ? i'm not sure ... if investing in harbours or other good sectors brings more money and jobs, then it's logical ...

[sean1982]

Belgium is probably the most aviation unfriendly country in europe. Take a look at how landing fees for GA airplanes have risen in EBAW and EBOS in the last 3 years. As a result all flying schools are not doing touch and go's anymore at those airfields, or keep them to a minimum.

Loads of brits fly their GA plane to holland or france because it's just A LOT cheaper to land, park for a couple of days and fly back. And then we're not even yet talking about commercial traffic

[jan_olieslagers]

If you think Holland is cheaper for G/A I'm afraid you're mistaken. But France is G/A paradise, indeed, and not only because it is cheaper. And even Wallonia has some very nice places, much better than Flanders.
Just for one example: the club at EBGB used to go training at Charleroi EBCI, they had a kind of wholesale arrangement. Don't know if they still have it today, though.

[VEX802]

Only in dutch:


Ryanair keert voorlopig niet terug naar Oostende

© afp
De Ierse lagekostenluchtvaartmaatschappij Ryanair keert voorlopig niet terug naar de luchthaven van Oostende. Dat heeft algemeen directeur van de luchthaven Gino Vanspauwen gezegd. Hiermee valt een wens van onder meer het stadsbestuur van Brugge in duigen.

Vanspauwen gaf ook nog aan dat het aantrekken van nieuwe klanten een belangrijke uitdaging blijft voor de Oostendse luchthaven. "We klimmen uit het dal maar het gaat langzaam. We hebben nood aan een nieuwe klant na het verlies van MK Airlines begin 2010. Ons doel is om opnieuw richting 120.000 ton te gaan de volgende jaren", aldus Vanspauwen.

Duurzaamheid moet een kernwaarde worden binnen de organisatie. "We willen duurzame maatschappijen aantrekken. Het is niet ons doel om de vuilbak van West-Europa te zijn. Om echter op de duurzaamheidstabel nog te stijgen, moeten we investeren in gebouwen. Het huidige luchthavengebouw is zeer energieverslindend." (belga/kve)

25/05/11 16u24

Summary: According to the General Director of Ostend Airport Ryanair will not return to Ostend in the near future.

[3toons]

Do you have any idea why Ryanair are not going to return to Ostend in the near future? Ostend really needs a link to Scotland and the rest of the UK. Now that Ryanair have stopped flying from Prestwick to Charleroi, the journey from my home will take so much longer. That is if I make the journey at all. Even flying into Charleroi from Prestwick was tiring as it could take five hours from landing at Charleroi until I arrived in Ostend.

[regi]

Do you have any idea why Ryanair are not going to return to Ostend in the near future? Ostend really needs a link to Scotland and the rest of the UK. Now that Ryanair have stopped flying from Prestwick to Charleroi, the journey from my home will take so much longer. That is if I make the journey at all. Even flying into Charleroi from Prestwick was tiring as it could take five hours from landing at Charleroi until I arrived in Ostend.

I am forbidden by Ryanair insiders to give my idea because I have no clue where I talk about.
But my opinion is free. And that is that I - despite I am an aviation enthusiast - feel almost relieved that Ryanair doesn't return to Flanders most favourite city.
The flight would not have gone to Scotland but to Spain to bring Spanish tourists to Bruges. (=according Ryanair and the local politicians, but nobody believed this) Well, it is just another example that you can not rely on this company as a steady, long term business partner. This is not a criticism. It is a fact to take into account. It doesn't mean that you cannot do business with this company. It means that if you work with them, you can never give in to one of their terms or you are lost.
Before the die hards start to bash me again, can they first Google "Erfurt Altenburg Ryanair"?
http://joeingermany.wordpress.com/2011/ ... ted-route/
the airport itself said it was due to unfeasibly high marketing benefits demanded by Ryanair, which were refused.
http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airports ... nburg.html
Coming back to me, myself and I: I don't want my tax money ( council fees ) been given to a program that destroys a local company in favour of a foreign company whose employees don't fall under Belgian labour legislation and retributions, certainly not if there is no long term guarrantee.
And this line gives me more right to speak out than any of those Ryanair fans, because it goes about my money. I am not a relieve agency or a job employment office.

[regi]

Do you have any idea why Ryanair are not going to return to Ostend in the near future? Ostend really needs a link to Scotland and the rest of the UK. Now that Ryanair have stopped flying from Prestwick to Charleroi, the journey from my home will take so much longer. That is if I make the journey at all. Even flying into Charleroi from Prestwick was tiring as it could take five hours from landing at Charleroi until I arrived in Ostend.

With full respect to your way of spending, but there are connections between Scotland and Brussels. ( the real Brussels, not Brussels South ) From Brussels, it would take you about 1.5 h to reach Ostend.
Yes, I know, the price difference is big.

[andorra-airport]

Do you have any idea why Ryanair are not going to return to Ostend in the near future?.

To my knowledge the flemish government did not sign the deal.

[cnc]

this is getting annoying Regi, you are always first in line to insult and laugh with members like NCB but you keep making a fool of yourself.
first of all FR flights out of OST would have been subsidized by vzw Toeristische Ontsluiting
second, the deal was almost complete for 3 flights a week to BCN and FAO but politicians took over the board so they fucked up and can't make up their minds.

brgds

[3toons]

Yes there are flights from Edinburgh airport to Brussels but nothing at all from Glasgow or Prestwick on the west coast. Edinburgh airport is at least two hours travelling time from where I live. Taking that into account and the time taken to travel from Brussels airport which would be much more than 1.5 hours, the whole journey is too exhausting so I now go elsewhere. There has been talk of Flybe flying to Ostend from Glasgow or Edinburgh via Manston or Southend. This would make the journey much easier even if there was a stopover or change of aircraft en route.

[3toons]

Regi I am not a big fan of Ryanair, they show little or no loyalty to their passengers, employees or airports. However, several years ago I compared prices between Ryanair (Prestwick to Charleroi) and Glasgow to Brussels (a route that no longer exists). I can't remember the exact fares off hand but from Glasgow it was around £550 and that was with a change of aircraft at Birmingham. Ryanair was around £60. That was before they started charging for luggage! Even though I am not a big fan of Ryanair I will fly with them if they have flights that fly to and from where I want to fly and reasonable fares.

[regi]

this is getting annoying Regi, you are always first in line to insult and laugh with members like NCB but you keep making a fool of yourself.
first of all FR flights out of OST would have been subsidized by vzw Toeristische Ontsluiting
second, the deal was almost complete for 3 flights a week to BCN and FAO but politicians took over the board so they fucked up and can't make up their minds.

brgds

corrections:

• I don't insult members ( not anymore since I got a warning from the moderator in the beginning of my presence on this forum)
  laughing is healthy.
  NCB is not a member anymore ( did he not leave us twice? )
  The subsidizing would have been partly provided by my local council. My money, not yours. Where does the money of that VZW comes from? Not from a cookie sale.
  I think that the F-word is not allowed in this forum

Several local politicians I have spoken in persona have objected the entire project because this airline has been here before and left after all kind of things were already done in their favour ( starting to change the name of the airport for example)

I said "almost relieved" and that means that I force myself to welcome Ryanair. Just as another airline. But on our conditions.
You can call me a fool, but I am more realistic than you think. I am not blind for employment opportunities in Ostend. I realize the disaster when Mutoh announced the firing of 124 out of 169 employees, some of them long time friends and engineers.
I realize that Ostend is at the top of Flanders cities with peoples who live of welfare. (OCMW) So jobs for low skilled workers ( and skilled workers as well ) are welcome. But the picture isn't right, the numbers are wrong.
There is a lot (in Dutch) on the internet, just read what the state official had to say about it:
http://izegem.openvld.be/?type=nieuws&pageid=42503
http://www.travolon.com/index.php?optio ... Itemid=185
anf if you want a laugh :
http://www.replo.be/Nieuws/Luchtverbind ... and-2.html

[regi]

but politicians took over the board so they f___ up and can't make up their minds.
brgds

You have touched a serious point here. Would privatising of the airport be better?
Maybe we can start a different topic about that.

[regi]

Regi I am not a big fan of Ryanair, they show little or no loyalty to their passengers, employees or airports. However, several years ago I compared prices between Ryanair (Prestwick to Charleroi) and Glasgow to Brussels (a route that no longer exists). I can't remember the exact fares off hand but from Glasgow it was around £550 and that was with a change of aircraft at Birmingham. Ryanair was around £60. That was before they started charging for luggage! Even though I am not a big fan of Ryanair I will fly with them if they have flights that fly to and from where I want to fly and reasonable fares.

I do fully respect your situation. I have flown Ryanair because of price reasons, not really because they were cheaper, but because the other solution was just too expensive.
Allow me to use the words of Airasia " Now everybody can fly"
Btw , are you aware that at the start of this possible return of Ryanair, Scotland was named as one of the 2 destinations besides of Spain?
It is still not away from the drawing board, so fingers crossed !

[3toons]

Yes I was aware that the Flemish government and possibly the airport management wanted Scotland and I think it was also Manchester as destinations from Ostend. Ryanair wouldn't be my first choice but it would be much better than nothing. I flew back from Alicante to Prestwick last night and I have to say they were ok. However, if you ever plan to fly to and from Alicante make sure you have a LOT of money to pay for something to eat and drink. The catering at the new terminal is extremely expensive and not very appetising!!
Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that an airline starts a regular scheduled service from Prestwick, Glasgow or Edinburgh to Ostend.

[cnc]

but politicians took over the board so they f___ up and can't make up their minds.
brgds

You have touched a serious point here. Would privatising of the airport be better?
Maybe we can start a different topic about that.

Ah there we have it! Didn't they try that already?
Seriously who would want to invest in an airport with very few current clients, 50 year old infrastructure and a lot of personel with a "ambtenaar" status, a night curfew (actually more like 30 or 35 night flights a month) and local politicians who want to close it because of high value ground and some votes.
Also Belgium doesn't need that many airports imho.
btw OST is a diversion airport for my company so i'm no expert but i do know the airport from personal experience

[sean1982]

but politicians took over the board so they f___ up and can't make up their minds.
brgds

You have touched a serious point here. Would privatising of the airport be better?
Maybe we can start a different topic about that.

Ah there we have it! Didn't they try that already?
Seriously who would want to invest in an airport with very few current clients, 50 year old infrastructure and a lot of personel with a "ambtenaar" status, a night curfew (actually more like 30 or 35 night flights a month) and local politicians who want to close it because of high value ground and some votes.
Also Belgium doesn't need that many airports imho.
btw OST is a diversion airport for my company so i'm no expert but i do know the airport from personal experience

This airport is a great example of Flanders' current policy on aviation, or better, lack thereoff.You oppose using your tax money to attract an airline as customer, but in the mean time the airport is practically lying idle, with now very few charter and cargo flights, thus hemmorrhaging money. Who do you think is paying that? Good answer, you as well!!

[Acid-drop]

The role of the gov is to invest in the sector that will grow the most and create the most jobs.
If they believe aviation is not interesting and their prefer investing in harbours and the chemistry sector, who can blame them ...

[sean1982]

The role of the gov is to invest in the sector that will grow the most and create the most jobs.
If they believe aviation is not interesting and their prefer investing in harbours and the chemistry sector, who can blame them ...

I agree, but then close the airport instead of throwing money in the bottomless pit

[jan_olieslagers]

The role of the gov is to invest in the sector that will grow the most and create the most jobs.
If they believe aviation is not interesting and their prefer investing in harbours and the chemistry sector, who can blame them ...

Meaning you are not in the least bothered about an airport slowly dying. Perhaps you are thinking that every movement lost in Ostend may be one gained at yours?