‘Breakthrough year’ for regional airport

THE chairman of one of the country’s most successful regional airports has described the past 12 months as “a breakthrough year.”

South East Regional Airport chairman, Nicholas Fewer, predicted further growth in traffic at the Waterford airport in 2004, when it is hoped additional domestic and international passenger routes will come on stream.

Reflecting on 2003, Mr Fewer said it had been a remarkable year for all those involved in guiding the airport’s development and added it was a huge credit to all involved that passenger numbers for the 12 months to June 30, 2004 look set to reach 30,000, an increase of almost one-third on the anticipated throughput of 23,000.

In addition, there were 16,000 non-scheduled aircraft movements during 2003; up from 12,000 the previous year.

“In the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens writes of the French Revolution ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’.

"The same could safely be said of 2003 from the airport’s perspective,” said Mr Fewer. “However, through the selfless hard work of a lot of people on the board and among the staff, the best of times came after the worst of times and it is the positive days of 2003 that have left the strongest legacy.

“The year began with the airport in something of a trough after the now defunct Euroceltic Airways announced they were withdrawing from the London-Luton route with effect from late January.

"This decision left the airport facing a very uncertain future and protective notice was issued to our staff on December 16, 2002 as the prospect loomed of the airport being forced to cease operations,” Mr Fewer recalled.

“There followed a period of very intense negotiations during which every possible avenue to secure the airport’s long-term viability was explored.

"In addition to having discussions with a number of airlines, members of the board also held talks in the first half of the year with Ministers Martin Cullen, Seamus Brennan and Dermot Ahern, each of whom turned out to be hugely valuable allies in our bid to save the airport while we also liaised with several senior officials in various government departments.

“This activity culminated on April 15 with the announcement by Minister Cullen that a multi-million euro funding package from the Department of Transport had secured the airport’s future as a key piece of regional infrastructure.

“It was also at this time that we were able to confirm the imminent arrival in the south-east of Aer Arann who announced they were to operate daily services linking Waterford and the south-east with London-Luton,” added Mr Fewer.

While passenger services are the most visible element of the airport’s activities, Mr Fewer stressed the importance of other services at the airport.

“In July, Minister of State John Browne, along with representatives of CHC Helicopter Corporation and the Irish Coast Guard were at the airport to review the SAR (Search and Rescue) helicopter service that had been provided on a full 24-hour basis since June 10.

"CHC Ireland Limited operates the search and rescue service from Waterford on an agency basis for the Irish Coast Guard.

“In addition to representing an important revenue stream for the airport, there is also a very important safety dimension to the work carried out by CHC at Waterford.

“Uncertainty over the future of the service was thankfully removed and a considerable portion of the capital funding approved for the airport by the Government is earmarked for the provision of hangar and office facilities for the 21 helicopter crew and back-up personnel who operate the search and rescue services from the airport.”

Mr Fewer also noted that education opportunities in the airport’s terminal building have expanded, with accredited and well-regarded courses now provided by airport tenants to trainee professional pilots and flight crews.