Winter flight challenge (MDB)

[mike_dublin]

from today's MDB online -
Majorca Daily Bulletin

Editorial: Winter flight challenge

By Jason Moore

For the last three months we have had an excellent exchange of views both in print and online on the shortage of winter flights during the low season to Britain. Over the three months we have come to the conclusion that airlines would be willing to operate to the island in the winter if landing fees were lowered at Palma airport.

But the big question still remains;is there enough demand for flights from airports such as Manchester and Glasgow/Edinburgh to Palma during the low season?

I believe there is but some readers believe, probably quite rightly, that the airlines are not flying to Majorca during the winter because there is no demand.

I would sincerely like to get to the bottom of this argument once and for all.

Therefore I would appeal to Bulletin readers both online and in print to send me an email (jmoore@majorcadailybulletin.es) just confirming to me that they would come to Majorca during the low season (November to March) if there were flights from a nearby airport.

Now obviously we are not going to get flights to the island during the winter from the smaller regional airports. I am talking about regular flights from say Manchester/Birmingham and Scotland.

Now, judging by the response we get then we can take the information and your emails to the airlines and finally end the argument and underline the fact that there is demand.

So today I launch my ultimate winter flight demonstration of intent. If you want more flights send me an email!

 

[Luckyone]

Winter flights

I sent an e-mail on Friday and encourage others who do not have access to direct flights in Winter to do the same.
Response so far in today's http://majorcadailybulletin.com/ below:-

Winter flights: a letter from the ministry
And once more, everyone ... with feeling. Winter tourism, winter flights. Bulletin reader Ian Rice took up the matter of the absence of flights to and from Scotland during the winter with the regional tourism ministry. It took two months for him to elicit a response (signed by the minister, Jaime Martínez), but response there eventually was.
Excusing the poor English in which the reply was written, the minister (or someone) said that they were “working to improve connectivity” and that “results into (sic) the last year (had) been positive”.
In November, for example, there had been five direct flights from Scotland, whereas in November 2011 there had been none. Cause for celebration? Well, that’s for all of you trying to get to and from Scotland to decide.
Picking up on Mr. Rice’s initiative, Jason Moore launched a campaign to try and demonstrate, once and for all, that there is demand for flights from airports such as Edinburgh and Glasgow (as well as from Manchester and Birmingham) in the low season.
He called on readers to send emails confirming that Bulletin readers would come to Majorca in the low season if there were the flights; the intention being to forward information from these emails to airlines.
By yesterday, “scores of emails” had been received, while a page of letters on the flights’ theme expressed “dismay” at the decline in their number and outlined the lengths that some visitors need to take in order to get to Majorca in the low season.
One particular letter, by a Scottish apartment owner in Santa Ponsa, highlighted the “nightmare” that travel to the island involves in supporting the campaign to “get this dismal situation sorted out”.

 

[mike_dublin]

from today's MDB online -
Majorca Daily Bulletin

The ball is rolling...

By Jason Moore

Up until recently there was a general view that Majorca was a no-go zone in the winter, it was too cold and there was no demand for flights because everything was closed. It was a nice cosy agreement.

But what has come to light over recent days and thanks to the winter flights campaign is that many people do believe that Majorca could be an outstanding winter holiday destination.

Take Eduardo Gamero, who is now the President of the private institution, the Majorcan Tourist Board. Now, he is a heavyweight in tourism circles and has held key posts at the local ministry for tourism. He is convinced that Majorca could easily shine in the winter like it did 10 years ago. Infact, the Majorcan Tourist Board, operate a highly successful programme called A Winter in Majorca, which was funded by the local ministry for tourism. The events programme was scrapped because the ministry withdrew funding.

But even the airlines are coming round to the idea that there is life in Majorca after November. Yesterday, I spoke with a high-level official from one of Britain´s principal airlines who was impressed by the scale of support for more winter flights after she saw some of the messages and letters on our website.

Even hoteliers are now calling for more winter flights so that they could open earlier.

As I have said on our social media sites the ball is rolling it will be interesting to see how far it will roll but attitudes appear to be changing and that is thanks to your support.

 

[mike_dublin]

from today's MDB online -
Majorca Daily Bulletin

Editorial: Winter blues

By Jason Moore

The ball is rolling and fast! When we started our campaign for more winter flights we knew the lame excuses;that there was no demand, that everything was closed, that the weather was poor and of course the dismissive attitude which exists in many quarters as regards to the low season.

But slowly and obviously backed by all your hundreds of letters and emails and your support there is light at the end of the tunnel.

People and local businesses are actively talking about the low season from hotel owners to the Balearic Golf Federation.

What started off as an impossible dream is now moving forward at a great pace. The doubters have disappeared, there is a new mind set and there is new confidence about Majorca and what it could offer in the low season. The seed has been sown, so to speak, and it appears to be growing.

Now obviously winter golf is a major attraction for low season visitors. I recently spoke with one Britiish winter visitor who had enjoyed three days of fantastic golf in Son Vida. He said that he would come more regularly if there were more flights.

The more that is spoken about winter flights in a positive framework, the better. Majorca can easily be a winter holiday destination,

I know that, you know and above all thousands of people now that in Britain.

We just need to spread the message and get this island moving again in the low season. It will be a challenge but a battle worth fighting which can be won.

 

[mike_dublin]

Majorca Daily Bulletin
(19/03/15 online)

Editorial: Winter blues

By Jason Moore

What a surprise! As soon as there are direct flights from Scotland to Palma they are all packed! Whoever would have thought it!

As a regular reader points out in a letter to the editor if only they had started sooner we wouldn´t be in this position.

Finally, Majorca is no longer isolated from one of its key markets, Scotland, and there are regular and direct flights. One of the excuses for the shortage of winter flights to Majorca is that there is no demand. So why is it that all flights are now packed?

If you plan to come to Majorca in March then you could very easily come in February or even January: I was glad to see that our reader-led campaign calling for more winter flights has led to some good news, Ryanair will be flying from Birmingham to Palma from next winter which is obviously a step in the right direction.

But we want more! We want flights in the winter from Scotland, from East Midlands and Manchester.

Times appear to be changing there is more talk about winter tourism. It has inspired people in business here to believe that the island could easily become a winter holiday destination.

Sooner or later I suspect that the issue of winter flights will be resolved. There is demand, we all know that.

I suspect that the strength of sterling against the euro will also help our campaign. British tourists now have at least 15 percent more cash to spend than this time last year and I sincerely doubt that Majorca will turn them away.

 

[mike_dublin]

Online petition

From today's MDB -
Majorca Daily Bulletin

Bulletin launches on line petition for more winter flights -

https://www.change.org/p/government-more-winter-flights-from-the-uk-to-the-balearics

 

[Sparky]

I saw this on FB yesterday, have signed the petition and i hope you all do as well .

 

[ragdollabbi]

I saw this on FB yesterday, have signed the petition and i hope you all do as well .

Signed as well

 

[Brooksy]

I've also signed.

Brooksy

 

[CathB]

I have signed too

 

[Gommar Goffer]

Signed, sealed and delivered

 

[marilyn]

Signed too

 

[lollipop]

I've signed too.

 

[Tangoman]

Sent an e_mail to j moore at daily bulletin

 

[mike_dublin]

Majorca Daily Bulletin
(23/04/15 online)

Winter flight campaign flying high

By Humphrey Carter

The online winter flight petition launched by the Bulletin just under a week ago has proved a success and caught the eye of the media and travel industry in the UK.Yesterday, the number of people to have signed the petition over the past six days was nearing the 800 mark, so the petition has been attracting an average of 100 signatures a day and the momentum does not appear to be dropping.

And, what has proved interesting is that not all of the people signing the petition are UK residents either here in Majorca, although there is also a growing movement in Minorca for more winter flights, or in the UK, in particular Scotland, but also local Spanish nationals.

Although as petitions go, the figure may not appear staggering, it has received the backing of a number of major local businesses and hotels and also caught the eye of the media in the UK.

The Daily Telegraph picked up on the winter flight campaign and a number of the main travel industry publications have also contacted the Bulletin for further information about the petition. The Majorcan Tourist Board is also monitoring developments because it would like to see more winter flight connections between the Balearics and the UK and Scandinavia - during the five months of winter, there are no direct flights from Scotland to the Balearics and many Scandinavians have the same problem.

Primarily, holiday home owners are the most affected because they can only gain easy access to their properties in the Balearics for six months of the year.

But, then there are those who still have family members in the UK, or visa versa, and are left more or less cut off from their relatives during the winter, unless they are travelling to the south of England and then there are those who simply want to either go on holiday to the UK, Scotland and Ireland or come to the Balearics.

At least, there are more hotels open in the UK during the winter, but getting to northern England, Scotland and Ireland on a direct flight is virtually impossible and the connecting flight options are not only time consuming, but costly.

The Bulletin decided to launch the on line petition now in order to keep the campaign going over the summer.

Yes, the sun may be shining and there are now plenty of flight connections from all over the UK, but unless action is taken now, winter will be here again and airlines will be pulling their connections.

Monarch and Jet2 are apparently going to expand and extend their winter flight programme, but so far, no one has mentioned operating out of Scotland.

 

[mike_dublin]

Majorca Daily Bulletin
(14/05/15 online)

More winter flights announced

By Humphrey Carter

The campaign for more winter flights between the UK and Majorca appears to be winning.

Earlier this week, Monarch confirmed that it will be operating two weekly flights from Gatwick and Manchester throughout the winter and bringing flights from Leeds Bradford and Birmingham on line earlier in time for Easter, now Ryanair is also going to be operating a winter service.

Earlier this year, Ryanair bosses told the Bulletin in Palma that, unless airport authority AENAwas prepared to freeze or reduce airport taxes during the winter, flights were not viable.

However, yesterday, Ryanair confirmed that it is going to be basing two aircraft in Palma this winter and one of its new off season routes is going to be two flights per week between Palma and Birmingham.

As yet, easyJet has yet to confirm its winter service but the carrier is expected to continue flying from Palma to Gatwick and Stansted while CityFlyer will continue its winter service from London City Airport to Palma. However, while it appears that England and Palma will be well connected this coming winter, there is still little interest in reestablishing a regular service to Scotland.

The Bulletin has contacted the Scottish government, but the official line is that it is up to the airlines, not the government, however, the Bulletin intends to challenge the Scottish authorities, which own Prestwick Airport, about this over the coming weeks.

 

[Grandad]

Use or Lose

Ryannair are flying from East Midlands all winter on a Wednesday and Sunday. But they did try last year and had to cancel as no one was using. So Use or Lose the service. Fare is under £100 so not bad and Weather in Majorca is certainly better than the UK.

 

[Tangoman]

Just tried to check out the prices for East Midlands to Palma with Ryanair for Jan/Feb 2016 - however the schedule is not available yet, they say, so not possible to cost. However the October 2015 schedule is available, and it is possible for 2 people to travel return journey for £162.00 all in.. Seems quite good!!!!

 

[P&C@29]

sign

I've signed need flights from Newcastle

 

[mike_dublin]

Majorca Daily Bulletin
(24/07/15 online)

Bulletin to talk winter flights with Scottish government
By Humphrey Carter

Temperatures may be setting new records in the Balearics but in just three months time, parts of the UK in particular, will be isolated from the islands. Once October begins, then the airlines begin to reduce their schedules and gradually, services between Palma and regional UK airports will be grounded for the winter while Scotland will again, unless some urgent action is taken, be totally cut off for most of the winter months.

Jet2 has announced it intends to begin linking Scotland with Palma from the end of February, but there is still a gap of at least three months when Scots, many of which own holiday homes, have to make a momentous trek to get here or simply do not bother at all - much to their frustration. However, the Bulletin has been pushing since last winter to try and resolve the problem and a number of influential Scots have joined the campaign.

Ian Rice, who has owned a holiday home in Santa Ponsa for many years, has finally managed to secure a meeting with his MSP, Keith Brown, to discuss winter flights and put forward questions from the Bulletin and our readers, so if you have any questions please email them to us over the next couple of weeks.

What is more, Brown is not just a member of the Scottish government, he was the Transport Minister when the Scottish Government bought Prestwick International Airport for only £1.

And, only this week, SNP ministers have come under more pressure to justify buying the loss-making airport as it emerges the taxpayer has lent it £10.8 million.

Its annual report disclosed that it returned a loss of £4.1 million in 2014/15, up from £3.9 million the previous year, and warned Ryanair’s decision to open a base at Glasgow Airport would hit its finances more “severely” in the next financial year.

And, many of the stranded potential Scottish winter visitors to Majorca would like to see the government make more use of the airport they are paying for by starting persuading an airline to operate regular flights to Majorca throughout the winter.

The initiative would also boost Scottish coffers with residents in Majorca able to visit the country during the low season.

So, email us your questions and comments.