Bradley International Airport

[uconn99]

I think the best bet for any new domestic airline would be Frontier. Service to Denver is under served, no non stop flights since after 9/11 when United cut the only N/S flight in the market. Jetblue probably will eventually serve BDL within the next 5-10 years, don't think any sooner. Once they get into the Florida point to point market more, BDL would be a good choice for them. JFK is simply to close to justify non stops because it would only serve as a connection point. Possibly they would also add another west coast destination out of BDL or maybe San Juan.

Spirit I would consider very doubtful, they are simply too small of a airline and not very well known.

On another note American Airlines has said that they plan on stoping service to PVD. They will still serve Chicago from PVD with American Eagle, but mainline will be gone from PVD come April. I wouldn't expect the same to happen at BDL simply because it is a much bigger business destination, and San Juan is a very good market for them out of BDL.

Edited January 9, 2006 by uconn99

[TaylorG4444]

I think Frontier would be an awesome addition to Bradley, and as far as Jet Blue goes....what about non-stop service to Oakland? Bradley doesn't have San Francisco Bay area non-stop anymore. It would definitely be a needed addition to Bradley.

[uconn99]

Jetblue to Oakland would work, it is a easy connection into downtown San Francisco. Airport to downtown only takes about 45 mins on bart. However I don't see Jetblue starting service at BDL with only one flight. I would think they would add BDL if they planed on adding Florida routes and San Juan out of BDL which are both big markets from BDL.

[TaylorG4444]

what about service to the following cities....New Orleans, Seattle, San Diego, Austin, San Antonio, Kansas City, Omaha, Denver, and Memphis? All of them are major cities that Bradley does not currently fly to.

[TaylorG4444]

I remember reading about it once, but does anybody know the estimated amount of people that live in Connecticut who travel to Europe every year?

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

I remember reading about it once, but does anybody know the estimated amount of people that live in Connecticut who travel to Europe every year?

I seem to recall the number 300 per day from the BDL market area thrown around last year - enough to fill at least one jet to Europe daily.

I think San Antonio would be a good choice - it is the 9th biggest city in the U.S., and like Hartford has a large Hispanic population.

[TaylorG4444]

I would love for San Antonio to be added to Bradley's non-stop list. The problem is finding an airline that agrees with us. I think Southwest would be best suited for the job because of their intense network in the Texas region.

[Luca Brasi]

Bradley just reported its busiest year ever in 2005:

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-18163...headlines-local

[TaylorG4444]

The article says that Bradley hit 7.4 million, but the statistics given are 20,000 away from being 7.4....what gives? And when will the official record of 2005 be out at ACI-NA?

[MadVlad]

You know, BDL is missing the boat on one huge thing..... Vermont skiing. Bradley could easily market itself as the easiest, fastest way to get to Vermont skiing. Some smart entrepreneur should start daily shuttles to each resort to and from Bradley, maybe even twice daily shuttles for the busier resorts. They could peddle their services to some of the bigger Travel Agencies and services, and really get the market going....

[TaylorG4444]

That is a great idea! Let's get on that people!

[TaylorG4444]

Does anyone know if the 2005 pax stats for the US are out yet?

[uconn99]

They are. I believe BDL saw around 7.4 million pax in 2005. If you are interested in BDL there is a really good message board on yahoo under clubs. Just look for Bradley International airport. You can ask a ton of questons relating to BDL and people usually have the breakdowns of passengers by airline and cargo activity. If you email BDL they will put you onto a email list to get monthly passenger numbers too!

[TaylorG4444]

I just found out that BDL -O'Hare used to be a United DC-10!!!!!

[uconn99]

I just found out that BDL -O'Hare used to be a United DC-10!!!!!

Yep, also American flew their first 747-100's! ORD-BDL. Eastern use to fly Lockheed widebodies from BDL to Boston onto Bermuda, and there are a few more I am missing that would be quite interesting today.

Today the only wide bodies BDL see are from Delta with 767's to ATL and Cincinatti, and American with A300's to San Juan. You might see a 747 on ocassion from a cargo carrier and 767's and other Airbus widebodies are pretty common from cargo also.

[TaylorG4444]

Yep, also American flew their first 747-100's! ORD-BDL. Eastern use to fly Lockheed widebodies from BDL to Boston onto Bermuda, and there are a few more I am missing that would be quite interesting today.

Today the only wide bodies BDL see are from Delta with 767's to ATL and Cincinatti, and American with A300's to San Juan. You might see a 747 on ocassion from a cargo carrier and 767's and other Airbus widebodies are pretty common from cargo also.

Was it the American 747SP? Either way that's NUTS!!!! BDL HAD 747 SERVICE!!!! I also am pretty sure that the BDL- BOS- Bermuda was a Delta flight and I'm also pretty sure that Delta no longer uses the 767 to Cincinnati anymore and might or has already pulled it from the BDL - ATL as well.

[uconn99]

Delta did do BDL-BOS-Bermuda but I believe Eastern started it and then Delta took over when they bought Eastern, I forget. Delta usually adds and drops 767's at BDL, so one day they might be there and the next they won't. Now that I look back on it, it wasn't AA that used a 747, it was UA and they flew the 747-100 BDL-ORD.

[TaylorG4444]

Delta did do BDL-BOS-Bermuda but I believe Eastern started it and then Delta took over when they bought Eastern, I forget. Delta usually adds and drops 767's at BDL, so one day they might be there and the next they won't. Now that I look back on it, it wasn't AA that used a 747, it was UA and they flew the 747-100 BDL-ORD.

still it was a 747! But what I want to know is why Bradley doesn't have those big type planes anymore when we DEFINITELY get WAY more traffic these days. It doesn't make sense to me why they'd use a 747 way back then and not atleast a 767 now....the biggest plane that goes to Chicago now is a UA 757!

[TaylorG4444]

current list of planes for Bradley

Air Canada - BEH, DH1

American - A300, 737-800, ER3, MD-80, MD-83

Continental - ERJ

Delta - 737-200, 737-800, 757-200, 767-200, 767-300, CR7, ER3, MD-80

Midwest Express - FRJ

Northwest - A319, A320, CRJ, DC-9

Southwest - 737-300, 737-700

United - A319, A320, 737-300, 737-500, 757-200, E70, ER4

US Airways - A319, A320, A321, 737-300, 737-400, 757-200, CRJ, DH8, E70, SF3

Red are widebody jetliners

[TaylorG4444]

I just read something that I consider to be a crushing blow for any chance of Trans Atlantic flights from Braldey. The article was announcing that Delta will be offering non-stop service to JFK to make it easier for passengers going across the pond. That just plain sucks. Why the hell would you agree to that if you're supposedly talking to International airlines???? I don't get it. Just an example of why the airport needs to be run a different way.

[beerbeer]

I disagree with Taylor.

The connections to JFK to overseas from Bradley will prove the demand. The numbers should be high enoungh to demonstrate a need for non-stop service to Europe. A big key will be how many passengers take the flights from JFK to Bradley. That would prove international demand for flights to Connecitcut. If these numbers are high enough, the non-stops will show up quickly.

In the short term, it helps Bradley (and the region economically) to offer regularly scheduled flights to Europe.

[drc72]

I disagree with Taylor.

The connections to JFK to overseas from Bradley will prove the demand. The numbers should be high enoungh to demonstrate a need for non-stop service to Europe. A big key will be how many passengers take the flights from JFK to Bradley. That would prove international demand for flights to Connecitcut. If these numbers are high enough, the non-stops will show up quickly.

In the short term, it helps Bradley (and the region economically) to offer regularly scheduled flights to Europe.

That would be great to get some Europeon flights out of Bradley. I visit Italy once in awhile and I always fly out of JFK. I would gladly pay extra for a flight out of Bradley instead of JFK to Italy.

[TaylorG4444]

That would be great to get some Europeon flights out of Bradley. I visit Italy once in awhile and I always fly out of JFK. I would gladly pay extra for a flight out of Bradley instead of JFK to Italy.

Non-stop to Rome from Bradley will never happen. Last time I checked Frankfurt and Amsterdam are the cities being considered.

[uconn99]

BDL to Rome may never happen but BDL to a major International Hub with a short connection to Rome would be a lot easier than having to drive to JFK or BOS for a flight.

All the times I have flown to Europe has been on Continental with a connection in Newark, so the new JFK flights really are nothing special since EWR connections to Europe have always been there.

[drc72]

Non-stop to Rome from Bradley will never happen. Last time I checked Frankfurt and Amsterdam are the cities being considered.

Yeah I know, but maybe down the road something might change. Doesn't Bradley do some flights out to Ireland?