Nashville International Airport Development thread

[MLBrumby]

On 8/29/2017 at 9:49 AM, SoundScan said:

If incentives are going to be an inevitability I think you'll see more of a push for direct trans-Pacific access before another flight to Europe.

Relatedly, Virgin America is launching service at BNA, first to San Francisco. As far as I know, no incentives here, but it will be interesting to see how many (who?) knocks on their doors with visions of future international flights. 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/industries/2017/09/01/virgin-america-begin-daily-flights-between-nashville-and-san-francisco/625398001/

[MLBrumby]

VA is owned by Alaska Airlines, which already serves BNA. https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/09/01/nashville-lands-a-new-airline-andmore-west-coast.html

Edited September 1, 2017 by MLBrumby

[markhollin]

Virgin America to start daily non-stop flights between Nashville and San Francisco beginning next Tuesday:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/industries/2017/09/01/virgin-america-begin-daily-flights-between-nashville-and-san-francisco/625398001/

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/09/01/nashville-lands-a-new-airline-andmore-west-coast.html

[Pdt2f]

Flew out of BNA today and they already had the Virgin America logo on the Alaska Airlines gate. 

[urbanplanet17]

Has there been a push by leaders in the region to make BNA a hub? Great things are already happening, but this would really help to cement the city's ascent into tier 1 status and boost its standing as a business / career-friendly city (having access to cheap direct flights just about anywhere).

With all of the upgrades occurring, I think Nashville at the very least would make a very good candidate for either UPS' or FedEx's base (they're both currently based in Louisville and Memphis). It may also help to fill United's void in that part of the country.

Edited September 2, 2017 by urbanplanet17

[smeagolsfree]

The Post reported this back in March. No new news here.

[tragenvol]

On 9/2/2017 at 9:30 AM, urbanplanet17 said:

With all of the upgrades occurring, I think Nashville at the very least would make a very good candidate for either UPS' or FedEx's base (they're both currently based in Louisville and Memphis). It may also help to fill United's void in that part of the country.

Fred Smith would not leave Memphis for Nashville.

[MLBrumby]

I don't know if it means anything, but when I looked at the Tennessean.com site this afternoon, there was a poll at the right asking: What do you think of Japan Airlines? The responses were Very Favorably (24%) Favorably (17%) Neutral (48%) Unfavorably (5%) Very Unfavorably (6%)

If you have an opinion, you still might be able to reply. 

[BnaBreaker]

1 hour ago, MLBrumby said:

I don't know if it means anything, but when I looked at the Tennessean.com site this afternoon, there was a poll at the right asking: What do you think of Japan Airlines? The responses were Very Favorably (24%) Favorably (17%) Neutral (48%) Unfavorably (5%) Very Unfavorably (6%)

If you have an opinion, you still might be able to reply. 

What a bizarre question to ask in a town without service with JAL... unless that is about to change?  

[Pdt2f]

24 minutes ago, BnaBreaker said:

What a bizarre question to ask in a town without service with JAL... unless that is about to change?  

That's what I was thinking. Probably 95% of people who have flown from Nashville to Japan and vice versa have flown domestic legacy. Every person I know who has flown to Japan the last few years, or who flies there regularly, flies American or Delta. 

[jmtunafish]

Is there a link for that poll?  I'm at the Tennessean web site and can't find it.  I've had the pleasure of flying JAL several times and would do it again in a heartbeat.

[MLBrumby]

It's in the right-side advert column, which I think rotates with other advertisers. So click the refresh a few times until it appears.

[jmtunafish]

1 hour ago, MLBrumby said:

It's in the right-side advert column, which I think rotates with other advertisers. So click the refresh a few times until it appears.

Ah ok, so it's not a "Tennessean" poll but an advertiser.  So it might not have anything to do with JAL's interest in BNA.  Darn it.

[NashRugger]

Virgin America's maiden flight from SFO to BNA arrives, scheduled at least, at 1915 (715pm) this evening and does a 1-hour turn and departs at 2015. They're flying one of their many Airbus A319s.

[Binbin98]

Regarding oneworld/American Airlines, one of my closest family friends works as a pilot for American Airlines (she flies a 777 for aviation nerds) and she has told me AA will definetely add more mainline service to BNA in the future. She specifically told me that Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and even Washington National were "in the cards" due to the addition of the British Airways flight (allows much more connections), however most likely nothing will be put forth into fruition until around the time the BA flight launches next year in May. Just a little heads up  

Edited September 6, 2017 by Binbin98

[LA_TN]

56 minutes ago, Binbin98 said:

Regarding oneworld/American Airlines, one of my closest family friends works as a pilot for American Airlines (she flies a 777 for aviation nerds) and she has told me AA will definetely add more mainline service to BNA in the future. She specifically told me that Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and even Washington National were "in the cards" due to the addition of the British Airways flight (allows much more connections), however most likely nothing will be put forth into fruition until around the time the BA flight launches next year in May. Just a little heads up  

Thanks for the info! Yes, getting some mainline aircraft around the BA launch timeframe is expected. I still think we need more feeder flights from places like CVG, SDF, STL, MEM, BHM, etc

[NashRugger]

And then stunning news, Indianapolis is getting a nonstop to Paris on Delta starting next year.

[jmtunafish]

50 minutes ago, NashRugger said:

And then stunning news, Indianapolis is getting a nonstop to Paris on Delta starting next year.

That is stunning news.  DL already flies nonstop to Paris from nearby Cincinnati.  Or is DL dropping its CVG-CDG flight in favor of IND-CDG?  I know DL has been dismantling its CVG hub for a while.

Another reason that's stunning news is that IND is much smaller than BNA with only 8.5 million passengers last year compared to 13 million for BNA.  DL serves 13 destinations from each airport, too.  So what gives?  Geez I wish DL would have a CDG flight from Nashville.

Edited September 6, 2017 by jmtunafish

[Binbin98]

I for one am happy for Indianapolis and welcome them into the TATL club 

In all seriousness though I fully expect (based on my predictions and by the pilot's I mentioned earlier) that after or around the time Nashville gets British Airways, more European nonstops will be announced (along with other mainline flights). Nashville is growing but is still a "virgin" market for TATL service, so therefore the success of the Heathrow flight will be important for other carriers later on in deciding whether or not to expand here. In other words be patient  

[KJHburg]

I thought that was strange too a new nonstop from Indy to Paris but after I read the story I see why.  $5.5 million in subsidies from the city over 2 years. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2017/09/06/indianapolis-international-airport-offer-first-transatlantic-flight-paris/635535001/   I am sure Delta can make that work for now. 

[Pdt2f]

I'm wondering what kind of equipment they'll use. Maybe 767's or A330s, maybe a 757. I can't imagine them using something bigger than that. 

[BnaBreaker]

6 hours ago, jmtunafish said:

That is stunning news.  DL already flies nonstop to Paris from nearby Cincinnati.  Or is DL dropping its CVG-CDG flight in favor of IND-CDG?  I know DL has been dismantling its CVG hub for a while.

Another reason that's stunning news is that IND is much smaller than BNA with only 8.5 million passengers last year compared to 13 million for BNA.  DL serves 13 destinations from each airport, too.  So what gives?  Geez I wish DL would have a CDG flight from Nashville.

I'm sure Parisians are clamoring to come see the childhood home of former Double Dare host Marc Summers, and the seventh biggest Jazz festival in the Midwest!  

Ha... I kid... Indy is a fine town... but let's be honest, it, like Raleigh, has about as much business having a direct flight to Paris as I do having pole position in the 500.  

Edited September 7, 2017 by BnaBreaker

[fieldmarshaldj]

8 minutes ago, BnaBreaker said:

I'm sure Parisians are clamoring to come see the childhood home of former Double Dare host Marc Summers, and the seventh biggest Jazz festival in the Midwest!  

Ha... I kid... Indy is a fine town... but let's be honest, it has about as much business having a direct flight to Paris than I do having pole position in the 500.  

Well, if it makes money for them, it justifies it being there.

[Binbin98]

I'm actually really excited there will be a nonstop from BNA to LHR because currently I go to school in London and live 30 minutes or so from that airport, so easy access back to Nashville

I can say for a fact London's airport is the one of the largest and best connected I've ever seen

[NashRugger]

1 hour ago, fieldmarshaldj said:

Well, if it makes money for them, it justifies it being there.

We'll see what happens in 2020 if Delta keeps it after the fairly massive subsidy.