Earlier this month Steve Hodgetts, the commercial director of Cardiff Airport, was asked about the best ways to revive the airport’s struggling business.

Even when questioned about a possible rail line his message was very clear. As you can hear from this short video, the airport’s priority is good air routes not local improvements to access.

Transcript of clip:

Hodgetts: The reason people will use an airport is to get the flights they want. So if we can get the network rebooted and recreated then we will see people coming back to us.

 

Gething (Labour AM): So this final point about connectivity has come up a couple of times. But in terms of improving connectivity to the airport are you saying that the priority is one line in and out of the airport or a wider improvement of connectivity across the south Wales area that you’re looking to serve?

 

Hodgetts: Are we talking about access here or route network? In terms of access, again, we don’t see that as our highest priority. We need to ensure that the route network is robust. As we’ve said, Bristol [Airport] is a great example of route network supplanting access problems. We think that we would be able to connect with our market despite the fact that the last few miles of access might not be ideal.

 

(Enterprise and Business Committee, National Assembly for Wales on 8th March 2012)

Even the airport goes cold on the idea of a new rail spur in the Vale of Glamorgan.