547 replies to this topic

[metrogrkid]

TAKE THAT FROM SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, GRR HATERS!!: http://www.woodtv.co...e-airtran-in-gr

AND THESE NEW FLIGHTS FROM FRONTIER AIRLINES TOO!!: http://www.anna.aero...tional-airport/

Edited by metrogrkid, 20 January 2012 - 03:08 PM.

[RegalTDP]

GRR has haters?

[SupercityGR]

The people from Lansing

[walker]

metrogrkid, on 20 January 2012 - 03:02 PM, said:

. . . AND THESE NEW FLIGHTS FROM FRONTIER AIRLINES TOO!!: http://www.anna.aero...tional-airport/

You win some you lose some, while Frontier has started their three day a week service to Washington National, Delta will be dropping their daily service to Washington National from GRR in mid July. Interestingly the Frontier service is really a Denver to Washington flight with Grand Rapids as an intermediate stop. The reason for the GRR stop (along with the Madison stop on alternating days) is that almost all allocated slots to Washington National including this one are restricted to cities no more than 1500 miles from Washington. Denver is too far away to use this airport slot for a non-stop.

Edited by walker, 21 January 2012 - 08:40 AM.

[MJLO]

so why not just fly into IAD to serve that market then

[LA Dave]

MJLO, on 21 January 2012 - 09:43 AM, said:

so why not just fly into IAD to serve that market then

What market at IAD?  Dulles is a joke.  I speak as one who, because of geography, cannot board a plane at LAX that will land at DCA.  If you are connecting to a transatlantic flight, JFK or BOS are better options.  For that matter, ORD or DTW are even better.  

I think Walker nailed it -- the loss of the daily Delta flight is big.  On the other hand, I remember having to connect at DTW in the past, so I guess Frontier's 3 a week is still a better option.

[Explorer55]

FYI - I live in Denver and I know Frontier flies non-stop between DEN and DCA since I fly that route frequently.  It's a favorite of all the federal employees out here (and sometimes Members of Congress, too).  Before Frontier offered that option, I had my choice of changing planes at DFW (awful!), ORD, and sometimes St. Louis.

[walker]

Explorer55, on 23 January 2012 - 08:54 AM, said:

FYI - I live in Denver and I know Frontier flies non-stop between DEN and DCA since I fly that route frequently.  It's a favorite of all the federal employees out here (and sometimes Members of Congress, too).  Before Frontier offered that option, I had my choice of changing planes at DFW (awful!), ORD, and sometimes St. Louis.

There are a few slots that are exempted from the perimeter rule, including several from Denver. I was wrong about the mileage limit. It is 1250 miles, not 1500 as I had stated. If you look at the Wikipedia entry for Washington National Airport there is a good discussion (most of it toward the botton of the entry) of the perimeter restrictions and the slots that are exempted and a little about the politics involved in those exemptions.

http://en.wikipedia....tional_Airport

None of this has much to do with GRR other than Frontier is using GRR as an intermediate stop as a way of getting around the perimeter rule using a non-exempt slot. I imagine this is the same reason that Sun Country Airlines stops in Lansing on their way from Minneapolis to Wahington National.