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Europe / Global / General
Ash fallout: ferries gain from UK airports' loss
By Generation Research, 21 April 2010
Last night at 10.00 pm UK airports, including London Heathrow, Europe's busiest, ended six days of closures after carriers pressured the government to permit flying both in and around the volcanic ash cloud that has been drifting over northern Europe from Iceland.
The UK's key international airports were empty for their sixth day yesterday, due to the continued closure of large sections of European airspace and DF&TR sales losses have been mounting. But as travellers seek alternative transportation, there are likely to be sales gains in other channels such as ferries and train terminals.
"The UK is the world's most important country for duty free and travel retail sales. Last year, sales in all channels reached above US$ 3.0 billion – equal to 8.7% of the global sales total", says Yngve Bia, President Generation Research. "Airports alone represent 70% of the UK total."
UK airport operator BAA, owned by Ferrovial Group, which operates six airports including Heathrow and Stansted, has confirmed it is losing between £ 5-6m ($7.7m-$9.2m) a day during the flight ban. In the DF&TR market the worst hit retailer is WDF, owned by Italy's Autogrill. Based on 2009 sales figures from Autogrill, WDF is losing an estimated £1.7m ($2.6m) in sales each day that its UK airport stores are closed.
British Airways, which has formally requested financial compensation from the UK government and the European Union, claims it is losing £ 15-20m ($23m-$31m) daily in revenue as a result of the airspace restrictions. Based on Generation Research data for 2008, the airline's inflight losses have been in the order of £250,000 per day ($385,642).
On a more positive note, DF&TR sales should see some increases on the ferry lines.
According to the UK's Passenger Shipping Association its members have seen "unprecedented demand" and some services, for example to Bilbao and Santander in Spain, where a large number of UK residents are stranded, are full. Brittany Ferries and P&O are the main operators on these routes from the UK.
In recent days, Stena Line has seen more than a 50% increase in its business, SeaFrance has reported a 100% rise in foot passengers and Irish Ferries has been fielding double its usual amount of enquiries. PSA Director William Gibbons says: "Ferry companies continue to report a massive surge in demand for both foot passenger and car bookings – up to a four-fold increase in some cases."
Meanwhile, cross-Channel train operator Eurostar says it carried an extra 50,000 passengers between Thursday and Sunday. Yesterday it made 30,000 seats available between April 20 and April 25, but by today the majority of its trains were already sold out until Friday April 23.
The statistical content above is as up-to-date as its availability and compilation allowed at the time of publishing. All data are subject to revision in subsequent articles and charts as additional source material becomes available.
By Generation Research, 21 April 2010
Last night at 10.00 pm UK airports, including London Heathrow, Europe's busiest, ended six days of closures after carriers pressured the government to permit flying both in and around the volcanic ash cloud that has been drifting over northern Europe from Iceland.
The UK's key international airports were empty for their sixth day yesterday, due to the continued closure of large sections of European airspace and DF&TR sales losses have been mounting. But as travellers seek alternative transportation, there are likely to be sales gains in other channels such as ferries and train terminals.
"The UK is the world's most important country for duty free and travel retail sales. Last year, sales in all channels reached above US$ 3.0 billion – equal to 8.7% of the global sales total", says Yngve Bia, President Generation Research. "Airports alone represent 70% of the UK total."
UK airport operator BAA, owned by Ferrovial Group, which operates six airports including Heathrow and Stansted, has confirmed it is losing between £ 5-6m ($7.7m-$9.2m) a day during the flight ban. In the DF&TR market the worst hit retailer is WDF, owned by Italy's Autogrill. Based on 2009 sales figures from Autogrill, WDF is losing an estimated £1.7m ($2.6m) in sales each day that its UK airport stores are closed.
British Airways, which has formally requested financial compensation from the UK government and the European Union, claims it is losing £ 15-20m ($23m-$31m) daily in revenue as a result of the airspace restrictions. Based on Generation Research data for 2008, the airline's inflight losses have been in the order of £250,000 per day ($385,642).
On a more positive note, DF&TR sales should see some increases on the ferry lines.
According to the UK's Passenger Shipping Association its members have seen "unprecedented demand" and some services, for example to Bilbao and Santander in Spain, where a large number of UK residents are stranded, are full. Brittany Ferries and P&O are the main operators on these routes from the UK.
In recent days, Stena Line has seen more than a 50% increase in its business, SeaFrance has reported a 100% rise in foot passengers and Irish Ferries has been fielding double its usual amount of enquiries. PSA Director William Gibbons says: "Ferry companies continue to report a massive surge in demand for both foot passenger and car bookings – up to a four-fold increase in some cases."
Meanwhile, cross-Channel train operator Eurostar says it carried an extra 50,000 passengers between Thursday and Sunday. Yesterday it made 30,000 seats available between April 20 and April 25, but by today the majority of its trains were already sold out until Friday April 23.
The statistical content above is as up-to-date as its availability and compilation allowed at the time of publishing. All data are subject to revision in subsequent articles and charts as additional source material becomes available.
News related to "volcanic ash"
• Schiphol commercial outperforms HY1 traffic
(30 August 2010)
• Dufry sales up 11.7% to Swf.1,268m in HY1 (12 August 2010)
• European passenger traffic up 2.4% in HY1 (5 August 2010)
• International passengers up 10.6% in June (4 August 2010)
• Easyjet 3Qtr results +5.3% to $1.1bn (2 August 2010)
• Dufry sales up 11.7% to Swf.1,268m in HY1 (12 August 2010)
• European passenger traffic up 2.4% in HY1 (5 August 2010)
• International passengers up 10.6% in June (4 August 2010)
• Easyjet 3Qtr results +5.3% to $1.1bn (2 August 2010)
OLDER NEWS IN THIS REGION
• Airlines and airports face a hard week ahead
(21 April 2010)
• UK airports to reopen in very surprising move (20 April 2010)
• Second ash cloud drifts into northern Europe (20 April 2010)
• Limited flight numbers commence in Europe (20 April 2010)
• BA wants compensation (20 April 2010)
• Rémy and Aelia team up at Paris CDG (20 April 2010)
• Eau des Jardins launch (20 April 2010)
• New ash cloud heads south towards the UK (20 April 2010)
• NATS to open some UK air space tomorrow (19 April 2010)
• Europe: Retailers' stock prices tumble (19 April 2010)
• UK airports to reopen in very surprising move (20 April 2010)
• Second ash cloud drifts into northern Europe (20 April 2010)
• Limited flight numbers commence in Europe (20 April 2010)
• BA wants compensation (20 April 2010)
• Rémy and Aelia team up at Paris CDG (20 April 2010)
• Eau des Jardins launch (20 April 2010)
• New ash cloud heads south towards the UK (20 April 2010)
• NATS to open some UK air space tomorrow (19 April 2010)
• Europe: Retailers' stock prices tumble (19 April 2010)
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