Richmond International Airport

[mintscraft56]

57 minutes ago, flaneur said:

@mintscraft56I think the post refers to Norfolk being unable to expand its geographic footprint via annexation as land-locked, not that it is literally land-locked in the way that Roanoke or other inland cities are. This is a legacy of the 1970s annexation moratorium decision, rooted in the legacy of racism too. All complex, but at least we're making progress, finally. 

Oh ok, I was taking it the wrong way. So, yes we are landlocked in that sense. Unfortunately after we annexed parts of counties back in 1906 and the town of Berkley, they reacted by placing/merging independant cities around us. Hence, why these "cities" are massive is because they are basically counties that gave us the middle finger. Our only hope is to merge with Portsmouth under the name of Norfolk (which might never happen) or turn the surrounding cities into boroughs of Norfolk (also might never happen because of Virginia Beach). 

Edited September 8, 2022 by mintscraft56

[mintscraft56]

Also, yes. Racism did play a role in it, Norfolk, with a primarily large black population was seen as a bad thing for it to be growing, especially after the large middle class white flight that caused our population to go on a down trend for a while.   

Edited September 8, 2022 by mintscraft56

[I miss RVA]

44 minutes ago, mintscraft56 said:

Oh ok, I was taking it the wrong way. So, yes we are landlocked in that sense. Unfortunately after we annexed parts of counties back in 1906 and the town of Berkley, they reacted by placing/merging independant cities around us. Hence, why these "cities" are massive is because they are basically counties that gave us the middle finger. Our only hope is to merge with Portsmouth under the name of Norfolk (which might never happen) or turn the surrounding cities into boroughs of Norfolk (also might never happen because of Virginia Beach). 

Very true, all the way around. I'd tend to think any mergers would be a VERY tough sell for any of the localities. Now, being local, you would know this far better than I would, but it appears that greater Hampton Roads does a MUCH better job at the "regionalism" game than does greater Richmond. I think y'all have figured out the benefits of working together where as the major players in metro Richmond have been very slow to embrace a regional approach. One example would be mass transit. Does every locality there (I'm thinking primarily Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach) have its own bus service? Or is there a "metro-wide" bus company that handles transit? I'm guessing the Peninsula is separate altogether from the cities on the south side of the river/bay/harbor?

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

it appears that greater Hampton Roads does a MUCH better job at the "regionalism" game than does greater Richmond. I think y'all have figured out the benefits of working together where as the major players in metro Richmond have been very slow to embrace a regional approach. 

Heh, you need to spend more time on the HR forums...

[Niccckk]

A very well respected trip reporter just did a trip report from RIC w/ Breeze!

He noted that this was a FULL FLIGHT! Which is great news to hear for a transcon flight like RIC - SFO... was cool to see b-roll footage of RIC from a well respected trip reporter... this is good signs for Breeze even with the few route cancellations they've had... SFO is for sure a keeper in my opinion.

 

Also don't forget to check out his blog post... he praises a lot about RIC which is really nice to hear haha 

https://www.sanspotter.com/breeze-airways-a220-300-nicest-seat/

Edited September 8, 2022 by Niccckk

[eandslee]

4 hours ago, Niccckk said:

A very well respected trip reporter just did a trip report from RIC w/ Breeze!

He noted that this was a FULL FLIGHT! Which is great news to hear for a transcon flight like RIC - SFO... was cool to see b-roll footage of RIC from a well respected trip reporter... this is good signs for Breeze even with the few route cancellations they've had... SFO is for sure a keeper in my opinion.

 

Also don't forget to check out his blog post... he praises a lot about RIC which is really nice to hear haha 

https://www.sanspotter.com/breeze-airways-a220-300-nicest-seat/

Loved this review. I’ve seen quite a few reviews of his on YouTube. Wow, RIC looks dead so early in the morning. I wouldn’t think that’d be the case with the morning rush and all.  Maybe it was the Saturday flight. Thanks for posting. Nice for RIC to get some publicity. Also, doesn’t hurt that the RIC-SFO flights are flying full!

Edited September 9, 2022 by eandslee

[mintscraft56]

9 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

Very true, all the way around. I'd tend to think any mergers would be a VERY tough sell for any of the localities. Now, being local, you would know this far better than I would, but it appears that greater Hampton Roads does a MUCH better job at the "regionalism" game than does greater Richmond. I think y'all have figured out the benefits of working together where as the major players in metro Richmond have been very slow to embrace a regional approach. One example would be mass transit. Does every locality there (I'm thinking primarily Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach) have its own bus service? Or is there a "metro-wide" bus company that handles transit? I'm guessing the Peninsula is separate altogether from the cities on the south side of the river/bay/harbor?

Yes, however certain cities only work together. The region is united somewhat, but every one has bad and good things to say about the city next door, especially in Norfolk vs VB sense, but its not alway like that, its just more heated when we argue. 

Also, yes we have a region wide transportaion system under the HRT (Hampton Roads Transit) They run everything from Bus to Light rail in the area and every bus carries their logo and name. Its pretty nice to have unified transit.  

Edited September 9, 2022 by mintscraft56

[I miss RVA]

2 hours ago, eandslee said:

Loved this review. I’ve seen quite a few reviews of his on YouTube. Wow, RIC looks dead so early in the morning. I wouldn’t think that’d be the case with the morning rush and all.  Maybe it was the Saturday flight. Thanks for posting. Nice for RIC to get some publicity. Also, doesn’t hurt that the RIC-SFO flights are flying full!

God - I was thinking the same thing. RIC looked TOTALLY empty! Even the gates are devoid of aircraft (and you notice that most of the gates at the terminal shown at SFO have planes docked - and/or even waiting!)

RIC looks really nice -- and I'm surprised he referred to it as a mid-sized airport. Very complimentary, tbh. Gives some hope that maybe we could put some elbow grease toward REALLY growing this airport and getting things rolling. We HAVE to do it!

[Icetera]

11 hours ago, eandslee said:

Wow, RIC looks dead so early in the morning. I wouldn’t think that’d be the case with the morning rush and all.

Fairly quiet this morning, though I got here earlier than necessary.  Starting to pick up now.

[eandslee]

1 hour ago, Icetera said:

Fairly quiet this morning, though I got here earlier than necessary.  Starting to pick up now.

Great report!  Thanks!

[I miss RVA]

15 hours ago, mintscraft56 said:

Also, yes we have a region wide transportaion system under the HRT (Hampton Roads Transit) They run everything from Bus to Light rail in the area and every bus carries their logo and name. Its pretty nice to have unified transit.  

I thought that was the case but I wasn't sure -- tbh it's been SOOO long since I was last in Hampton Roads (I've been back home to Virginia exactly once in the past 21 years and even then, it was a trip in 2019 to D.C. - technically National Harbor, Maryland - and the Virginia component only involved flying into/out of DCA and schlepping to/from National Harbor.)

The light rail - that's a direct connector between Norfolk and the Virginia Beach oceanfront, yes?

[Urbanlooker]

19 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

The light rail - that's a direct connector between Norfolk and the Virginia Beach oceanfront, yes?

Ooh we wish but unfortunately it's just the 7 mile starter line built in 2011 and hasn't been expanded since. Virginia Beach with all it's regional cooperation voted the expansion to VB Town Center down as "it would bring increased crime with it". 

[plain]

I can say from both experience and just being knowledgeable about public transit systems that HRT is actually one of the worst agencies in the country and it's very unfortunate that I have to say this. And their problems run deep, and it's been like that well before the pandemic hit. Extremely unorganized, many old buses that breaks down often... just all around unreliable. They desperately need a restructuring.

[I miss RVA]

13 hours ago, plain said:

I can say from both experience and just being knowledgeable about public transit systems that HRT is actually one of the worst agencies in the country and it's very unfortunate that I have to say this. And their problems run deep, and it's been like that well before the pandemic hit. Extremely unorganized, many old buses that breaks down often... just all around unreliable. They desperately need a restructuring.

And correct me if I'm wrong (a highly likely proposition!! ) - but I seem to recall reading where GRTC was not all that long ago ranked at or near the bottom of U.S. transit systems - and in recent times it's ranked MUCH higher. I believe the PULSE line has won an award or two, something that certainly has boosted GRTC's stature among comparable systems.

[mintscraft56]

On 9/11/2022 at 12:11 AM, plain said:

I can say from both experience and just being knowledgeable about public transit systems that HRT is actually one of the worst agencies in the country and it's very unfortunate that I have to say this. And their problems run deep, and it's been like that well before the pandemic hit. Extremely unorganized, many old buses that breaks down often... just all around unreliable. They desperately need a restructuring.

Well I need to go on the defensive here and say, while not the best, its not that bad either. You have made it seem we have stalled busses in the streets of downtown, while they actually introduce the new electric busses and remove the old. It needs internal reorganization in the sense of the company itself but its services are not bad and are maintained at regular standards. 

On 9/9/2022 at 12:55 PM, I miss RVA said:

The light rail - that's a direct connector between Norfolk and the Virginia Beach oceanfront, yes?

Unfortunately not, Virginia Beach has repeatedly voted it down and up at the same time. I think something with racism has to do with it. Because we are a primarily black city, it is brought up that we will bring the "ghetto" into VB if it is built. 

[eandslee]

 

Just saying. This is the Richmond International Airport thread.  

[I miss RVA]

5 hours ago, eandslee said:

 

Just saying. This is the Richmond International Airport thread.  

It DID get off track (or in this case, flight path), darnitall!!! 

RIC tower, request permission to course-correct for landing on runway 16R!

Edited September 12, 2022 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

13 minutes ago, I miss RVA said:

It DID get off track (or in this case, flight path), darnitall!!! 

RIC tower, request permission to course-correct for landing on runway 16R!

No worries.  Just trying to land this thread back onto the subject at hand - Richmond International Airport.  

[Niccckk]

Damn, we got 7 daily 757s now to Atlanta with Delta... I'm pretty sure we had this before the pandemic but it usually consisted of a few 737-900s, but now all 7 of these daily's are 757s, pretty cool.

While Southwest is sitting here with only 2, when they used to have 4... oh Southwest...

Edited September 15, 2022 by Niccckk

[eandslee]

Southwest has just faded here at RIC, which is pretty frustrating to those who really like the popular airline and want to use it more to get to their many destinations. I just don’t get it. SMH…
 

As for Delta and the 757s…I saw two had left RIC within minutes of each other headed to ATL just yesterday!  The ridership demand is there. 

[blopp1234]

I think I remember reading somewhere that they were trying to downsize their Atlanta hub so that might be the reason for reduced frequencies. Hopefully the downsizing at Atlanta leads to them increasing service to Midway or Denver and adding service to another hub, like Dallas Love or Orlando (Orlando makes the most sense since JetBlue will have a monopoly on that route once they merge with Spirit).
 

Glad to see Delta upgrading to 757s on this route. I’ll actually be flying on one in January, when I fly out to Phoenix so I might be able to give an update on how full the planes are looking. 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

I think I remember reading somewhere that they were trying to downsize their Atlanta hub so that might be the reason for reduced frequencies. Hopefully the downsizing at Atlanta leads to them increasing service to Midway or Denver and adding service to another hub, like Dallas Love or Orlando (Orlando makes the most sense since JetBlue will have a monopoly on that route once they merge with Spirit).
 

Glad to see Delta upgrading to 757s on this route. I’ll actually be flying on one in January, when I fly out to Phoenix so I might be able to give an update on how full the planes are looking. 

Expanded Southwest service at MDW would be good here. I flew Southwest out of Midway to Vegas close to 20 years ago. It's a shame they seem to be petering out as far as service to RIC goes - they're missing a real potential growth opportunity by easing Richmond out of their overall game plan - and it makes no sense at all.

[Niccckk]

7 hours ago, blopp1234 said:

Orlando (Orlando makes the most sense since JetBlue will have a monopoly on that route once they merge with Spirit).

EXACTLY!!! I've been saying this for such a long time since the jetBlue / Spirit merger. jetBlue will 100% have a monopoly on this route if Southwest doesn't budge in again. Orlando is big hubs for both of them and one of the biggest tourist destinations from Richmond. If Southwest doesn't pop back in, you'll definitely see Breeze in the coming years grow at Orlando since they've started operations there out of Charleston and other airports... I can see it being a Breeze focus city in the future.

[mintscraft56]

On 9/12/2022 at 8:51 AM, eandslee said:

 

Just saying. This is the Richmond International Airport thread.  

Sorry! 

[eandslee]

17 minutes ago, mintscraft56 said:

Sorry! 

No worries.  Just wanted to get us back on topic giving that this particular thread is about the airport. All good conversation though.  You’re okay!