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Nashville International Airport Development thread


Lexy

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Okay, yeah, slaughtered is bit extreme and the 20.6% should be considered skewed (which it is). However, using a quick correction of 5.5% growth for the Feb 2015 number produces a 9.2% growth, which is in line with the rest of the numbers for FY2016
 
February
---- ------ ----- -------- ---
Year Total  % chg Adjusted Adj
---- ------ ----- -------- ---
2011 623697   5.1             
2012 683551   9.6             
2013 689245   0.8             
2014 728600   5.7             
2015 693479 - 4.8 768673  5.5%
2016 836046  20.6         9.2%

Conclusion, BNA is growing!
 

Edited by farm_boy
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6 hours ago, farm_boy said:

**Remember, that "slaughter" of last year's numbers is because the airport had over 95% of all flights cancelled one day due to the ice/snow storm Feb. 16. That one event skewed all numbers for the month and year

It's a lot more than that. There were 142,567 more total passengers in February 2016 than February 2015. Yes, 2015 numbers were low because of the cancelled flights....but even if you go back to 2014, there were 107,446 more total passengers.

 

March's numbers are out now, too.

2015

January - 767,896

February - 693,479

March - 979,744

3 month total - 2,441,119

 

2016 

January - 833,382 - +65,486 - +8.5%

February - 836,046 - +142,567 - +20.6%

March - 1,047,230 - +67,486 - +6.9%

3 month total - 2,716,658 - +275,539 - +11.3%

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28 minutes ago, UTgrad09 said:

It's a lot more than that. There were 142,567 more total passengers in February 2016 than February 2015. Yes, 2015 numbers were low because of the cancelled flights....but even if you go back to 2014, there were 107,446 more total passengers.

Agreed. And one day is only 25-30k, which is nowhere near 100k.

But ... 2 additional points to remember is 1) there was apparently a huge convention in February (and another one and few weeks ago) and 2) ALL USA airports are currently experiencing significant increases (not as much as BNA, but similar growth)

BNA still needs another 3m+ yearly passengers to attract serious attention from international markets. If BNA could just get over the hump, the growth would feed itself by attracting more flights and destinations. But ... BNA severely lacks facilities to accommodate the big boy planes (A-380, 747, 767, etc) - no dedicated international terminal, no transit, no on-site hotel, and no baggage claim (seriously lacking in this area). BNA has runways and gates, etc, but apparently lacks management capable of taking BNA to the next level

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23 minutes ago, farm_boy said:

Agreed. And one day is only 25-30k, which is nowhere near 100k.

But ... 2 additional points to remember is 1) there was apparently a huge convention in February (and another one and few weeks ago) and 2) ALL USA airports are currently experiencing significant increases (not as much as BNA, but similar growth)

BNA still needs another 3m+ yearly passengers to attract serious attention from international markets. If BNA could just get over the hump, the growth would feed itself by attracting more flights and destinations. But ... BNA severely lacks facilities to accommodate the big boy planes (A-380, 747, 767, etc) - no dedicated international terminal, no transit, no on-site hotel, and no baggage claim (seriously lacking in this area). BNA has runways and gates, etc, but apparently lacks management capable of taking BNA to the next level

There's no question that if Nashville wants to take it to the next level that we will have to invest in airport infrastructure. I remember seeing the report that said there were some pretty severe problems with BNA management...so that's definitely something that needs to be addressed. We have transit....but it is awful. I would love a rail line, but I think that is a long, long way off (I have already dreamed up plans for it, though). 

I love Southwest and all the connections they give us, but I do think we need one thing we need is expanded efforts from the other domestics....namely American and Delta. 

 

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Also, it's conceivable that we could hit 1 million+ passengers per month from March to December. November and December would have to be solid gains (about what we're averaging so far this year, sans February). April and September would require very modest gains.

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This was also a leap year, so there was an extra day in February this year which accounts for ~3.5% more passengers.

There have been more and more reports of prolonged wait times at security in the last few months as well. Just like everything in Nashville, the infrastructure isn't keeping up with the crazy demand that we are seeing. Roads, transit, airports, healthcare, schools, etc., just aren't able to be upgraded quickly enough to meet the demands of a population growing rapidly.

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On 4/20/2016 at 11:16 PM, Hey_Hey said:

This was also a leap year, so there was an extra day in February this year which accounts for ~3.5% more passengers.

There have been more and more reports of prolonged wait times at security in the last few months as well. Just like everything in Nashville, the infrastructure isn't keeping up with the crazy demand that we are seeing. Roads, transit, airports, healthcare, schools, etc., just aren't able to be upgraded quickly enough to meet the demands of a population growing rapidly.

Agreed.  Thankfully I have TSA Pre-Check so I largely bypass the problems, but I've seen more unusually long lines at security in the last 2-3 months than I have in the two years prior.  It's gotten so jammed up a couple times recently that the agents checking boarding passes will hold the lines there in order to ensure the central area with X-ray machines doesn't overfill.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
3 hours ago, RonCamp said:

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article77332437.html

RDU-Paris is now up and running.  Hopefully we can get an international route of our own (that isn't Canada or the Caribbean) soon!

ugh  BNA is about 20% larger than RDU, yet RDU has nonstop to London-Heathrow on American and now Paris-CDG on Delta.  Why the heck can't Nashville get a non-stop to Europe??

Edited by jmtunafish
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Because of the RTP, there is a critical mass of European companies that make it their American base, primarily in pharmaceuticals and computer software. Nashville's key industries don't align as significantly with any key European city.  Tourism is the best hope for these flights in the next few years.  

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Raleigh has subsidized their Paris flight.  It wouldn't be there without help otherwise.

 

Nashville has TONS of people flying to Europe daily.  There's plenty of business there for it, but our airport authority is a joke.  They literally are a joke.  

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1 hour ago, Lexy said:

Raleigh has subsidized their Paris flight.  It wouldn't be there without help otherwise.

 

Nashville has TONS of people flying to Europe daily.  There's plenty of business there for it, but our airport authority is a joke.  They literally are a joke.  

I figured it had to be something like that.  I mean, for every Eurocrat headed to RTP on business there's probably 5 who'd rather visit Nashville as tourists.  I mean, how many non-pharmaceutical or non-tech types in Europe have even heard of Raleigh?  Besides, it's not like there aren't any Eurocrats doing business in Nashville.  I wish the airport authority would get busy and lure a trans-Atlantic flight pronto.  If RDU can support two, and on two different airlines no less, BNA could easily support one.

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I shared a row with an AA customer service manager on a flight from MIA last week and he said there was a strong internal rumor that AA is going to start a LHR/BNA direct, but he didn't have any details of substance.

RDU-Paris is especially weird since there is already a CLT/CDG direct.

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5 hours ago, Will said:

I shared a row with an AA customer service manager on a flight from MIA last week and he said there was a strong internal rumor that AA is going to start a LHR/BNA direct, but he didn't have any details of substance.

RDU-Paris is especially weird since there is already a CLT/CDG direct.

I didn't think about the CLT connection. That does make it very weird. As said above, it has to be a subsidized flight, and even then I don't understand how they could make it worth it to the airline.

As a COMPLETE aside, has anyone heard any rumors or news as to plans for ground-side upgrades at BNA? With all the wailing and gnashing of teeth regarding the potential for horrible TSA lines this summer, the airline management has to know that it's not going to be getting any better for security or for baggage claim.

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I flew back to Dallas Monday morning after a weekend at Steeplechase and was shocked by the TSA line. On the American/Southwest side it went all the way down, across the main atrium and almost over to where the Delta side's line was pouring out almost to the entrance doors. Unreal. Not sure I would've made my flight if I didn't have PreCheck. 

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^ ^ ^ They are having record-setting length of lines with TSA in Minneapolis/St. Paul (where I am today).  As you stated, Ron, much of it is due to TSA reducing the number of staff at each airport...not sure if it is a budget issue due to cuts from Congress or what.  'Tis a mess across the nation.

 

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Ron nailed it - the feds need to get out of the airport security game. They have a huge budget but repeatedly make poor decisions with the funds (can anyone say full body scanners). Also the rigid union does not allow for flexibility of the workforce e.g., part-time workers to staff up for demand and moving workers to where the demand is the highest.

"Aug 17, 2015 - The TSA has spent over $160 million on body scanners at US airports ... and resources on the X-ray scanners knowing full well they did not work."

Failed body scanners

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5 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Why would anyone want to fly to a city that is 3 to 5 hour away drive time when they can make it faster or as fast driving is beyond me.

Air travel can take an entire day just to get 8 to 10 hours away by driving. If I can drive, I'm going to do it.

Well that's only true if you have a connection. I'll take an hour flight with TSA precheck all day every day rather than spend 4 to 5 hours on I-35 just to get from San Antonio to the metroplex. 

4 hours ago, nashville_bound said:

Ron nailed it - the feds need to get out of the airport security game. They have a huge budget but repeatedly make poor decisions with the funds (can anyone say full body scanners). Also the rigid union does not allow for flexibility of the workforce e.g., part-time workers to staff up for demand and moving workers to where the demand is the highest.

"Aug 17, 2015 - The TSA has spent over $160 million on body scanners at US airports ... and resources on the X-ray scanners knowing full well they did not work."

Failed body scanners

I agree, it's a mess. I typically have at least 2 trips a month that I have to fly for and I usually hear a different song from TSA each time. The problem is how would security be regulated if the feds aren't in charge?

Do we want to go the state route? Is Mississippi going to follow their common trend and have the worst aviation security in the country? 

Private route? Certain contractors for each airport? Each airline? 

Edited by arkitekte
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3 hours ago, nashville_bound said:

Ron nailed it - the feds need to get out of the airport security game. They have a huge budget but repeatedly make poor decisions with the funds (can anyone say full body scanners). Also the rigid union does not allow for flexibility of the workforce e.g., part-time workers to staff up for demand and moving workers to where the demand is the highest.

"Aug 17, 2015 - The TSA has spent over $160 million on body scanners at US airports ... and resources on the X-ray scanners knowing full well they did not work."

Failed body scanners

Could part of the problem be that we now have 10% fewer screeners than 3 years ago, along with increased traffic, and higher bag fees from airlines creating increased scan times? You have to invest in people and infrastructure or these things will happen.

You really think outsourcing this would be the answer? Everything doesn't need to be outsourced. I know you guys hate government in all forms, but remember a Republican President started the TSA.

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