Ryanair stops winter flights Bristol-Béziers

[NormanH]

This year for the first time since the line started there are no flights Bristol Béziers after 4th November until March.

I heard this at the market this morning from an English couple who have a holiday home here and usually come over in the Christmas period, and I immediately checked it the the President of the CCI who happened to be passing.

As it seems a busy and successful line with a good % seat occupancy I wonder if it is a first shot Ryanair's reaction to the fine that I mentioned in another thread?

In any case it isn't yet clear on their website unless you try to book a flight after the 4th November, so I suggest that if you are planning to fly on one of their routes to the South (Perpignan/Carcassonne/Nîmes/Béziers etc you check it out quite soon to see if it is maintained this Winter..

[woolybanana]

Norman, the first line of your message should perhaps read ...4th November?

[NormanH]

OOps yes...I have edited it thank you.

Old age and old eyes..

[CeeJay]

Thank you Norman, having kept an apartment in Bristol this was a quick and easy way to dash back for a week or so. Oh well, roll on the 2 day car journey!!

[NormanH]

Have just edited it again to make it clear that they plan to restart in March...

[Araucaria]

Looks a bit like there aren't any Rodez-Stansted flights after early November, either.

My memory isn't as good as it was, so I can't recall whether this complete cancellation is the same as last year. I know Ryanair have had winter flights on this route in some previous years.

[PaulT]

A recent programme on TV stated that Ryanair employs their pilots on zero hour contracts so it obviously makes it easier and cheaper for then to stop flights - I presume cabin crew are on fixed term contracts.

Perhaps this shows the difference between an airline providing a service as part of their business and one that only wants maximum profit.

[Sprogster]

A trade off you have to accept with low cost airlines is that unlike the legacy carriers they will not use higher profits earned in season during the summer to subsidise a route in winter and provide a year round service. So if you need a reliable year round service you have to be near to an airport serviced by an airline like BA. 

[Kong]

Last year there were no Rodez-Stansted flights in November then without warning they started once weekly flights in December through to the spring.

[Kitty]

easyJet used to run an old year round service (including winter) between Bristol and Bordeaux but stopped it in 2005.  Since then, it has been March-October only.

I don't understand why they don't run a once-weekly service in the winter months.  I am certain that there is demand beween the South West of England and the South West of France.

[Sprogster]

Kitty, if the demand was there I am sure Easyjet would operate the route during winter at a lower frequency,

However, the low cost carriers have to operate at 85% plus capacity to make a profit and in winter from the UK regional airports thats a tough ask and there is no doubt in recent years a lot of Brits in France have left or cut bank dramatically their expenditure and hence travel.