Thanks United! Southwest increases Love Departures

[HowardBorden]

You know a lot of folks in Houston don't even know it was a SWA launch city? You're just here to exploit a larger airport that taxpayers made a large investment in. $72m is the price tag for the parking garage you want built for your new terminal. That's initially coming out of Houston Airport System general funds. Thanks. A parking garage has to be duplicated so you can have your own private FIS

You seem to be the only one complaining! Everyone else seems to be happy about getting an upgraded facility.

"We've combined our knowledge of the Houston flying public with our considerable expertise in airport parking," said Casey Wagner, senior vice president and managing principal of the Houston office of Walker Parking Consultants, which designed the new garage and is assisting in construction management.
"That's one reason we'll have a climate-controlled sky bridge connecting the garage to the terminal, so Houston drivers won?t be exposed to the weather when crossing between the two."
This may very well be the most exciting time in the history of Hobby Airport,"says Airport General Manager Perry J. Miller. "We've seen a dramatic transformation take place at Hobby Airport over the past five years with a new lobby, baggage claim area and ticket counters. Now, passengers are going to enjoy a new terminal building and expanded parking capacity."

Keep these numbers in mind: 1.6 billion to Houston economy, 10,000 jobs, and $130 ticket to Bogota. You're going to have to hit those numbers, and somehow live down a cozy, enabling relationship with a very marginal mayor, in order to call this a success.

Do you mean that SWA is bound by numbers produced by a City of Houston based impact study? If so, please explain how Southwest Airlines is legally bound by a study they didn't fund or request? I'm sure they will probably come close to those numbers because I'm sure Houston commissioned a realistic study, but every time you mention The City of Houston's independent report you portray it as a promise SWA made to Houston. Clearly it was an estimated impact study commissioned and funded by Houston not a promise from Southwest.

However, a study commissioned by the Houston Airport System found the new terminal would have a positive economic impact on Houston by creating 10,000 new jobs and pouring more than $1 billion into the local economy.

 

[redflyer65]

Do you mean that SWA is bound by numbers produced by a City of Houston based impact study? If so, please explain how Southwest Airlines is legally bound by a study they didn't fund or request? I'm sure they will probably come close to those numbers because I'm sure Houston commissioned a realistic study, but every time you mention The City of Houston's independent report you portray it as a promise SWA made to Houston. Clearly it was an estimated impact study commissioned and funded by Houston not a promise from Southwest.

However, a study commissioned by the Houston Airport System found the new terminal would have a positive economic impact on Houston by creating 10,000 new jobs and pouring more than $1 billion into the local economy.

Howie, you nailed it.

The Houston City Council numbers were brought up directly to Gary Kelly during his Q&A. I watched it live. He stated exactly what Southwest would bring to the table regarding jobs. That's ALL he could comment on. The one dude that was in the low income area of Houston kept pressing on 'thousands of jobs'. Gary held his ground and told him exactly what SW would bring because that's all he's responsible for.

Flop seems to be in the same bizarro world that guarantees XX thousand jobs. The other jobs will come from construction and services like vendors and taxies. Gary never guaranteed anything other than what growth Southwest would have with the new terminal. Would you expect anything more?

 

[HowardBorden]

Red: You're missing the point. Taxpayers are having to duplicate the expense. IAH was built to handle all the houston international traffic. It's ridiculous and it's never going to trickle down or in anyway make it back to the average taxpayer. It's bad policy.

Again, you're just flat out wrong, as usual. Your assertion that expenses paid toward building any additional international facilities at Hobby will never "trickle down" to the average taxpayer is fallacious.

Southwest draws on data from Campbell-Hill Aviation Group in its application that concludes that Southwest's competition will reduce fares in its four proposed Houston - Mexico markets by an average of $117 round-trip, 25 per cent below current fares and stimulate an additional 273,000 passengers annually across the four markets. The combination of these reduced fares and resulting passenger stimulation will generate $33 million annually in consumer fare savings, claims the report.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29...unch-low-fare-link-to-belize-in-latin-growth/