Germanwings is promoting ‘The Green’ tourist product of Ireland, following on its announcement on the 19th of September it was increasing capacity on the Cologne/Bonn-Dublin route by 25% for Summer 2012 with an additional weekly frequency being added to the schedule, for a total of four weekly flights (TravelDaily News 19th September 2011). The carrier is taking part in co-operative marketing with Tourism Ireland.
It will be interesting to see how the Germanwings brand develops in the Irish market in the context of the new Germanwings/Lufthansa co-operation announced on the 14th of December. Their could be the potential to add routes from Hanover and Stuttgart at some future point.
Interestingly in 2004 the airline intended to launch Stuttgart to Dublin but it not proceed as Hapag Lioyd Express where operating on the route.
Summer 2012 will see a significant increase in capacity between Germany and Ireland Aer Lingus is to increase frequency on Dublin-Stuttgart from four to five times weekly, Lufthansa is to increase capacity on the Dublin-Frankfurt route to 3 daily A321s (800 additional weekly seats), and re-launch the weekly Munich route, and two new routes from Dusseldorf to Dublin and Ireland West Knock Airport.
Tourism Ireland stated Germany is the third most important market for visitors to Ireland with 379,000 visitors in 2010 generating €162 million in revenues on an All-Island basis (Tourism Ireland 28th April 2011).
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 19th December 2011 All Rights Reserved.