Ryanair Cuts Flights at Stansted
Ryanair has announced that it is cutting flights at London Stansted this winter.
Michael O’Leary blames the British Government’s Air Passenger Duty and high charges at the airport. He’s probably right to a certain degree, but in the statements of his, I’ve heard, he doesn’t blame the recession.
I do!
I also think that people are thinking much more about their holidays and travel plans. I travel to Holland quite a bit and although, I can fly, I prefer to drive using Norfolk Line from Dover to Dunkirk. It takes a few hours longer, but then I live alone and enjoy a restful drive through the countryside. And if I pick my times right, I can even get across the Dartford Crossing with ease.
You have also to look at the economics.
A typical low-cost flight on Ryanair or EasyJet costs about £70 return, which is about the same as the cost of the ferry. So with the ferry I have to drive perhaps another 600 miles, which costs me about another £70 for diesel. But then it costs me at least £30-40 to park at the airport and then there is the train trip at the other end.
So although the low-cost flight is nominally cheaper, it’s unlikely there is more than about £30 in it. And of course the whole thing is blown apart if I need to hire a car at the other end.
It does take longer, but then I’m in comfort and I haven’t had to get to the airport and wait for a flight at some time that is inconvenient to everyone.
But where it gets interesting is that in my last trip to Holland, the car was quite full, in that I had a couple of boxes and my Brompton bicycle.
Try taking that on Ryanair with their 10Kg limit!
Biking Along the Beach
When I travel, I often travel with my Brompton bicycle in the boot. These are the Rolls-Royce of folding bicycles and they ride just like something best described as proper. Mine is about seven or eight years old and was a present from my late wife.
Brompton Bicycle by a Lotus Elan
I’d already ascertained that there was a cycle path all the way along the front, so I cycled all of the way to the South Pier and the Pleasure Beach. It wasn’t a great distance, but it was enough to stimulate and wake up my body.
Blackpool is in desperate need of a makeover and it is getting one.
Amusement Arcades in Blackpool
This shows the rebuilding on the front, where they are smartening it all up and Blackpool’s problem; endless tatt and amusement arcades. They ought to put a wrecker’s ball to most of them.
But things will be better.
Blackpool's New Promenade
It’s all steel and nice finishes. It should be as they’re spending £174 on it according to the ReBlackpool web site.
But I wonder if they’ll get it right. The cycle path is long and very useful. But it has gaps and is badly signposted so that visitors like me aren’t sure where it goes.
The Anonymous Widower 