US/DL and SE Airports

[Flys4Fun]

Over the past few weeks the merger has been discussed in great detail. One repeated point is US Airways not serving the smaller airports in the southeastern United States currently served by DL and its express affiliates.

Reference:

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1190557&postcount=12
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1189742&postcount=34
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1188291&postcount=3
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1184351&postcount=3
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1185496&postcount=71
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1184357&postcount=8
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1183384&postcount=2
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1177711&postcount=39
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showpost.php?p=1177689&postcount=8

During work today I was bored enough to research into these airports a bit more...here is what I found...

Jacksonville, NC, Fayettville, NC, Wilmington, NC, and Florence, SC are all covered under the Department of Transportation Essential Air Service act.

Jacksonville, NC, Huntington, WV, Lynchburg, VA, and Florence, SC have been awarded subsidies as part of the Small Community Air Service Development Program.

What does this mean? Well...as far as Jacksonville, Fayetteville, Wilmington, and Florence go...air service will not *disappear* as some make it seem.

"If no air carrier is willing to serve a particular eligible point on a subsidy-free basis, the Department is required to solicit proposals for subsidized service. Any interested air carrier may submit a proposal to provide subsidized service; such carriers are expected to carefully detail the bases for their calculations of subsidy need." ("What is Essential Air Service? Office of Aviation Analysis, U.S. DOT)

 

[Heavy Set]

The point is that LCCs will not go in there and replace service, which everyone touts would happen if this merger were to occur. Essential air service? So, Great Lakes could start BE-1900 service to the hub city that would be dumped? To Lynchburg, for example, USAir flies to CLT and DL EX flies to ATL. So, maybe Colgan or Great Lakes would fill in to the hub that gets closed? LOL. Those communities get great exposure to the rest of the country with two large airlines flying to their respective hubs and then offering connecting service to the world. Big Sky or Great Lakes would offer them a small gate at an outlying terminal, with a 30 minute walk with baggage to a connection. Who else wants to fly to Florence, SC? Any other hubs nearby that you can think of? Any? How about Huntington, WV?

Another point you are missing is that many of the other airports in the region are dominated by both DL and US. Maybe 70% of the flights are flown by those two airlines, and the others may not offer as much new service as you would think. Or, they may not add any new service, and prices would sky rocket. That is what the government does not want. Asheville, Chattanooga, Huntsville, are all examples. I don't see any current LCCs, like Southwest or Airtran offering service to those cities now, and they probably could. Why aren't they now?

 

[Flys4Fun]

Essential air service? So, Great Lakes could start BE-1900 service to the hub city that would be dumped? To Lynchburg, for example, USAir flies to CLT and DL EX flies to ATL. So, maybe Colgan or Great Lakes would fill in to the hub that gets closed? LOL.

Well....Great Mistakes did win the EAS bid over Mesa Airlines in Prescott and Kingman, AZ...those aren't anywhere near one of their hubs. Granted their passenger levels have been very pitiful...theres still service.

 

[Heavy Set]

Well....Great Mistakes did win the EAS bid over Mesa Airlines in Prescott and Kingman, AZ...those aren't anywhere near one of their hubs. Granted their passenger levels have been very pitiful...theres still service.

Where do passengers have to go in PHX to get on Great Lakes flights? Last time I flew in there it was over in the old terminal 1 near the United gates, which looks like a long walk from anywhere.

 

[Flys4Fun]

Yeah it is pretty bad...its actually Terminal 2 (Terminal 1 was mowed down years ago...don't ask me why they haven't renumbered). People living in the Prescott area liked Mesa because of how easy it was to go from Mesa to America West. Now they have to ride the interterminal bus to Terminal 4 for AWA flights.

From what I heard they were going to make people flying into Terminal 2 on Great Lakes actually go onto the public side of security and clear TSA again before connecting to a flight...at Terminal 2. Kinda ridiculous because they clear security in Prescott/Kingman....but oh well its the government.

 

[General Lee]

Yeah it is pretty bad...its actually Terminal 2 (Terminal 1 was mowed down years ago...don't ask me why they haven't renumbered). People living in the Prescott area liked Mesa because of how easy it was to go from Mesa to America West. Now they have to ride the interterminal bus to Terminal 4 for AWA flights.

From what I heard they were going to make people flying into Terminal 2 on Great Lakes actually go onto the public side of security and clear TSA again before connecting to a flight...at Terminal 2. Kinda ridiculous because they clear security in Prescott/Kingman....but oh well its the government.

And you want EAS flying for the small communities that could lose service if US and DL merge? Most people would rather have a choice of major airlines with worldwide connections, but if you want them to drag their luggage around for miles trying to find the connecting airline's ticket counter, well ok then....


Bye Bye--General Lee