Cardiff Airport must throw off its shackles as a regional hub and define itself as Wales’ national airport according to Patrick Duffy, who was appointed managing director of the airport last month. In an interview he said a successful airport serving destinations around the world was vital for Wales’ economic growth.
The airport is running a research / marketing campaign – You Would If You Could (www.youwouldifyoucould.co.uk) – in an effort to secure new international routes for the Welsh business community. Many Welsh business travellers must go to Heathrow, Gatwick and other major airports in England for direct flights to destinations overseas.
Mr Duffy acknowledged the airport had to change people’s perceptions of it as another regional hub. He told the Western Mail: ‘Cardiff Airport has an opportunity to enhance its contribution to the economic and social well-being of the nation. There are ways we can look to do that – for example do we define ourselves as a regional airport in the UK, or a national airport in Wales?'
‘Can we be better connected with other capital cities in the world? Of course we can. In strict classification terms, we are just one of many regional airports around the UK. But spiritually we need to adopt more of a national outlook.’
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