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eandslee

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eandslee City

eandslee

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I don't know how significant it may be, but I scanned every state on the USA Today chart in the posting above and only Richmond among airports handling between 3 and 4 million annually anticipates a comparable increase (3.2%) in available seats by November of this year.

Unless I'm reading it incorrectly and missing out on other factors, it looks like good news to me for RIC.

You're right Burt. Richmond International Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in the nation per capita. While most airports have been suffering from loss from downsizing and flight reductions over the past few years, Richmond has been adding flights and expanding service. Still, the economic slow down doesn't exclude Richmond and we have seen a few lost flights, but we've also seen flights added, which is a more than what most airports out there can report! I'd say that Richmond International looks really attractive to airlines right now. The only disadvantage for RIC is that RIC is not located at a major metropolitan city preventing the likelihood of any hub expansion at RIC...right now anyway. If we keep growing and raising the eyebrows of more airline executives, perhaps we might land an awesome deal with an airline in the future.

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benstyree
benstyree

JetBlue to add Richmond flights to LOS ANGELES(!), LAS VEGAS(!), and TAMPA later this year!!! https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200910005309/en/

eandslee
eandslee

Today is a historic day for Richmond International Airport.  Today marks the first time in history that RIC has seen transcontinental flights marked by a direct, nonstop flight from RIC to LAX on JetB

eandslee
eandslee

LATEST NEWS - New Airline Breeze Airways will be flying between: RIC - TPA (Tampa) RIC - CHS (Charleston) * new destination RIC - MSY (New Orleans) * new destination Looks like a 1

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MicoMiles Unincorporated Area

MicoMiles

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........ The only disadvantage for RIC is that RIC is not located at a major metropolitan city preventing the likelihood of any hub expansion at RIC...right now anyway. If we keep growing and raising the eyebrows of more airline executives, perhaps we might land an awesome deal with an airline in the future.

Why in the world would you want RIC to become a hub for an airline? Airline hubs do nothing but drive out competition (other airlines) and airfares are notoriously higher at hubs than non-hub airlines. RIC does not have the facilities currently to be a hub. The only airport available right now that could be immediately setup as a hub is Pittsburgh. Both facilities and infrastructure are available for immediate use. Sorry to be a kill-joy about RIC but that is the reality of the aviation business right now. Airlines are cutting routes, costs and jobs to survive. RIC has been lucky so far.

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Shakman Burg

Shakman

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Why in the world would you want RIC to become a hub for an airline? Airline hubs do nothing but drive out competition (other airlines) and airfares are notoriously higher at hubs than non-hub airlines. RIC does not have the facilities currently to be a hub. The only airport available right now that could be immediately setup as a hub is Pittsburgh. Both facilities and infrastructure are available for immediate use. Sorry to be a kill-joy about RIC but that is the reality of the aviation business right now. Airlines are cutting routes, costs and jobs to survive. RIC has been lucky so far.

The only reason why Pittsburgh has the means to be a hub is due to the fact that it once use to be a hub. BWI is another expample, which also use to be a US Airways hub. Hub airports do not nesccessarily drive out competition and raise prices. IAD is a good examples as such. Hubs would also bring in tax dollars to the Richmond area.

eandslee - The size of a metro area does not neccessarily dictate a hub status. For example, Salt Lake City and its metro area is roughly the same size as metro Richmond. SLC is a major hub for Delta. SLC is of course much larger than RIC.

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burt Megalopolis

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Hubs and "focus cities" come and go. American, USAir and Skybus did not, in the long run, do many great favors for Raleigh, Pittsburgh or Greensboro/Columbus. But it is gratifying to note that direct flight boardings are expected to increase at RIC while declining elsewhere. How long traffic forecasts remain upbeat at Richmond International is questionable, yet the beautiful new terminal can efficiently handle expected growth well into the future.

High Speed rail wouldn't belabor us with travel volume woes. Once tracks are laid they are permanent enough to assure constant usage. Richmond could become a heavily used pass-thru focal point for Amtrak as well as a rail hub for state-wide connections.

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eandslee City

eandslee

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Wanted to see if any regular contributors have had a chance to visit the airport's re-launched web site at www.flyrichmond.com . We're certainly open to your feedback.

flack4ric

I actually like the new site - looks a lot more professional and more user-friendly than the old one. I'd still like to see a webcam (an outside shot of the gates or something like that to see the planes docking at the gates). Additionally, the construction update is outdated or non-existant. Someone on this site said that construction of the north parking garage has started, but there's no word of it on the website (or at least, not that I could find). Another thing, more photos of the new terminal. Heck, we've got this beautiful new terminal to show off to the world and there is just a shot or 2 of parts of the new terminal. Finally, is there a vision for the airport that could be posted? I think it would be nice if people knew where the airport is headed in the future (a vision of the next 20 years or so to include the vision of more gates, parking, new runway, etc. - what new things can we expect to see at our airport over the next decade or so barring the continuation of current market conditions. Is the airport trying to lure another discount carrier?; Does the airport have goals to become a focus city?, etc.) I want people to see that our airport is forward-thinking and also is doing the things necessary to be more business friendly - possibly even market itself on the website as an alternative to airports to the north and east and south of Richmond - possibly to include an interactive cost savings calculator to prove that RIC is the better choice! Now that would be awesome and draw more people to the airport from around the region! RIC is more centrally located in Virginia and I believe should be THE airport of Virginia. In order to bring people down from northern Virginia - the simple fact that RIC is easy to get to, fares are low (or at least very competitive), has many direct flights (more direct flights to the west will help if added in the near future), parking is cheap (especially in the satellite parking lots), less busy = less hassles, etc. should be a huge draw. There are many things that RIC has going for it that, I believe, many in Virginia don't even know about. It's all about exposure and luring business from other parts of the state and even from our friends to the south of us (namely, North Carolina). Those are the suggestions I have right now. I might add more as I think of them. Let me know what you think.

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Welcome, flack4. I like the new web site. Congratulations to those who built it.

Also Erick (a/k/a Eandslee) has contributed some sharp insight above.

I have read that Fed Ex is mulling selection among three southern cities to establish a regional hub. Why is not RIC among the competitors for this business?

It's good to see Air Tran and Jet Blue adding cities to their schedules, but does that mean that they will just shuffle flights from other destinations?

Thanks to all for their contributions.

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MicoMiles Unincorporated Area

MicoMiles

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Welcome, flack4. I like the new web site. Congratulations to those who built it.

Also Erick (a/k/a Eandslee) has contributed some sharp insight above.

I have read that Fed Ex is mulling selection among three southern cities to establish a regional hub. Why is not RIC among the competitors for this business?

It's good to see Air Tran and Jet Blue adding cities to their schedules, but does that mean that they will just shuffle flights from other destinations?

Thanks to all for their contributions.

FedEx has already chosen Greensboro (PTI) as the new hub.

Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories.../13/daily1.html

Link: http://www.highpointedc.com/fedex.cfm

Or are you referring to FedEx Ground?

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eandslee City

eandslee

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Yes, Fed Ex Ground.

Isn't Richmond already the hub for UPS Ground? If FexEx Ground came here...well, I don't think they would just because UPS Ground is here and this is their territory, if you will. Besides, I don't think that a hub for ground parcel services necessarily has to be next to an airport. Afterall, UPS Ground is just south of the James in downtown. I don't know, maybe I'm just cookoo, but that's how I see it. :dontknow:

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Shakman Burg

Shakman

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Some updates with construction within the grounds of RIC:

New North Parking Garage: Caissons and concrete pylons continue to be installed. In areas where they have been installed, reinforced columns have started to rise. (From what I observed, the structure would appear to be cast in place concrete.)

Flyover Project: Two flyovers have already received their structures that span the roadway below.

Airport Drive Reallignment: The realignment of Airport Dr looks to be nearing completion. The first layer of asphalt has been installed and new highway signs have been installed as well. This realignment will eventual tie into the proposed Airport Connector of off the Pocahontas Parkway.

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flack4ric Whistle-Stop

flack4ric

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Thanks for the quick feedback. Addressing some of the comments:

eandslee:

  • I would appreciate airport any webcam links where you think they're doing a good job. There are some potential operational and security concerns regarding this issue for airside cameras.
  • Aside from information which might assist customers using the airport, construction projects are not emphasized on the site currently. More info soon though as the Airport Drive improvement project (I-64/Route 895 connector) moves towards completion. This is one of three projects (Henrico will improve Airport Drive-Charles City Road intersection, and Transurban will build Airport Connector off Route 895) that will collectively improve airport access to/from the southern portion of our service area. Shakman posted a good general recap of observations about two projects currently underway.
  • Future development: the airport is working on an update of its Master Plan, and soon expects to submit it to the FAA. Once this effort is completed, a section of the web site will include an overview of a development roadmap for the next 20 years.
  • We actively market RIC as an option in areas outside of the core market area, and have seen good results due to highway congestion/high fares/limited service in other metro areas.
  • Focus cities are driven by air carrier needs, and population is one important factor. We are on the small side - definitely - for a hub, and a bit of a reach even for a focus city. Focus cities also tend to concentrate a majority of operations under one marketing carrier's umbrella. At present, Richmond Region travelers are seeing the benefit of increased competition.
  • Regarding growth, in the current environment, we have been fortunate to maintain seat capacity as energy costs are dramatically changing service patterns across the country, to cities large and small. Assuming the climate changes in the future to one more supportive of new route development, we would love to fill some service gaps (destinations), and expect that our best prospects are with carriers presently in the market.

burt: the AirTran (LGA) and JetBlue (MCO) additions do not come at the expense of other service offered from RIC, respectively, by each airline. Also, a FedEx regional ground hub could certainly be explored without airport participation, but I can say that FedEx runs a tight ship here for its air services.

Again, thanks for the feedback about the new site.

flack4ric

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Flack4, many, many thanks for your insightful information about RIC and its aims and aspirations.

When will work begin on the Rt 895 connection? Last month I saw all the roadway construction approaching the terminal and tried to figure it all out in my brain, but with little success. Perhaps nearer to completion the RTD will run a graphic that will explain which ramp goes where and how.

Here are the flight skeds for AirTran's new Laguardia service beginning tomorrow.

From today's inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...08-06-0206.html

Flack, do you think AirTran LGA service will bite into JB's JFK flights?

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flack4ric Whistle-Stop

flack4ric

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When will work begin on the Rt 895 connection? Last month I saw all the roadway construction approaching the terminal and tried to figure it all out in my brain, but with little success. Perhaps nearer to completion the RTD will run a graphic that will explain which ramp goes where and how.

Flack, do you think AirTran LGA service will bite into JB's JFK flights?

burt, the Route 895 folks recently had a pre-bid meeting, so it would appear we're that much closer to seeing the work south of Charles City Road kick off. I don't know a hard date, but can offer useful information here: http://www.pocahontas895.com/development/a...ad_project.html .

Regarding service from RIC to the NYC metro area, we're certainly not underserved: 22 daily departures offered by five airlines (B6, CO, DL, FL & US) to three airports. I have watched both JetBlue and AirTran develop loyal customers, so I would avoid guessing how it all might shake out, but will be watching closely. A schedule for the new service is posted on the airport web site at http://www.flyrichmond.com/Load.php?Content=News_64 .

flack

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flack4ric Whistle-Stop

flack4ric

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flack4ric,

I would like a direct flight from RIC to Kansas City and Indianapolis. Thank you very much.

Henry, I always appreciate route requests, but looking at 2007 traffic, IND was RIC's 36th-largest O&D market, MCI #33. Unless either of those markets see a carrier establish a meaningful focus operation, unlikely to see this develop soon.

The only comparison in recent times was Skybus connecting Richmond & Columbus (40+ ranking). Traffic went through the roof, but the carrier's business model could not survive record-high energy costs.

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