Nashville International Airport Development thread

[nashscan]

I think I might be the only one who books flights with more connections so I can see more planes, airports, and experience more takeoffs and landings. It's like a drug for me. Michael, you may be the same way?!

[jcoop]

I think I might be the only one who books flights with more connections so I can see more planes, airports, and experience more takeoffs and landings. It's like a drug for me. Michael, you may be the same way?!

I don't do it intentionally, but I definitely enjoy taking off, landing, new airports, new places etc...

I recently was going from Raleigh to New Orleans for a conference and Southwest doesn't fly that direct. Now although I was tempted to use Nashville as my connection (just so I could say I went home for an hour), I decided to connect in Orlando on the way there and then in Tampa on the way back. Enjoyed both airports, getting to see both cities from above etc...so I think I understand what you are saying...

[Lexy]

Yeah Nash, I do that too! But I try to utilize BNA for almost any connectino as it's easy and I know erhe i'm going in it. LOL! Plus it helps their numbers out.

I think it's worth mentioning the American Airlines Admiral Club should be opening very soon on Concourse C at the "dog leg" attrium.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Lexy

[franktown]

Yeah Nash, I do that too! But I try to utilize BNA for almost any connectino as it's easy and I know erhe i'm going in it. LOL! Plus it helps their numbers out.

I think it's worth mentioning the American Airlines Admiral Club should be opening very soon on Concourse C at the "dog leg" attrium.

I walked by there the other day while waiting for my delayed flight and people were in it and it seemed open. It looks really great and should be a nice (re)- addition to the airport

[Clark, you serious?]

I'm new to this forum, but I have really enjoyed reading this thread. I look forward to joining the discussion on BNA, etc.

One question I have: A few people have said that American has 4 gates on concourse C available and there are maybe 2-3 open on B. I looked on the BNA website and it lists 11 gates plus an international gate as being available. Is this accurate? Also, I flew Continetal Express into BNA a few months back and we deplaned at either A7 or A8. I noticed that A6 had been totally patched up with drywall and painted like there was never a gate there. However the sign, A6, still remains on the wall over where the door used to be. What's the story? Is that from when the built the Int'l addition? Lastly, I've read that Skybus, the new ultra-low cost carrier out of Columbus, OH does not use jetways so as to save money. Could Skybus be a possibilty for Concourse D? I doubt there is a lot of demand for more flights to Columbus, but you never know. It looks like they are flying only to Columbus from a few different airports with no connecting flights available there...strange. Has anyone seen some of Skybus' destinations?...Portsmouth, NH, St. Augustine, FL, Belingham, WA, Chicopee, MA. I'll be interested to see how that works for them.

[smeagolsfree]

Cant answer your questions btu Lexy will be able to.

However welcome to the forum and look forward to meeting you at the next forum meet.

See the forum thread pinned at the top of the Nashville page. Lexy is almost always at those meets as well.

[Lexy]

I'm new to this forum, but I have really enjoyed reading this thread. I look forward to joining the discussion on BNA, etc.

One question I have: A few people have said that American has 4 gates on concourse C available and there are maybe 2-3 open on B. I looked on the BNA website and it lists 11 gates plus an international gate as being available. Is this accurate? Also, I flew Continetal Express into BNA a few months back and we deplaned at either A7 or A8. I noticed that A6 had been totally patched up with drywall and painted like there was never a gate there. However the sign, A6, still remains on the wall over where the door used to be. What's the story? Is that from when the built the Int'l addition? Lastly, I've read that Skybus, the new ultra-low cost carrier out of Columbus, OH does not use jetways so as to save money. Could Skybus be a possibilty for Concourse D? I doubt there is a lot of demand for more flights to Columbus, but you never know. It looks like they are flying only to Columbus from a few different airports with no connecting flights available there...strange. Has anyone seen some of Skybus' destinations?...Portsmouth, NH, St. Augustine, FL, Belingham, WA, Chicopee, MA. I'll be interested to see how that works for them.

I don't know what's up with A6. The A Concourse is only partially occupied at the moment with the international gates being used by Frontier for the Mexico flights and the occasional charter that needs a terminal gate. Now, those gates you listed are unoccupied, or underused, so they reamin open for lease. American has almost one entire side of C Concourse to themselves minus a few gates. Southwest occupies one entire side of C for them.

As for Skybus, I doubt it happens here. There isn't much demand for flights to CMH, and I doubt there will ever be a demand that warrants a second airline flying that route. We already have non-stops to CMH on Southwest and that alone keeps Skybus from coming here even if the loads aren't the best in the land on those flights. The important thing is those are more connecting type flights as opposed to pure O&D flights like many are. Skybus flies into airports where there is virtually no competition and very little in the way of commercial airline presence. They could do flights to Evansville, Indiana and places like Northwest Arkansas Airport with ease and do it well. But the Nashville's of the world are a whole other beast to them.

Edited June 21, 2007 by Lexy

[Lexy]

World Airways MD-11 was in town yesterday dropping off US Military personnel. It was a sight to see because she did the rarely used, runway 13 approach. That meant PERFECT angles of this beautiful "three-holer". Here she is arriving from Honolulu, Hawaii.

"World 8134 Heavy, you are cleared for the ILS approach to runway 13. You are cleared to land."

Edited June 24, 2007 by Lexy

[smeagolsfree]

I saw this one unloading at BNA Lexy. I dont know my airplanes very well as I thought it was a DC10.

I wish I had a camera with me. Interesting that the military had a perimeter ringed off around the aircraft as they were unloading. Several Joes with their M16's guarding it.

I was hoping you caught this one coming in.

[Hankster]

Great shots, Lexy. Do you ever miss anything there at BNA?

[Lexy]

Great shots, Lexy. Do you ever miss anything there at BNA?

Yes I do believe it or not. I have missed (in the last two weeks) a US Airways 757, a US Airways A319 painted in the "Star Alliance" livery, and a flock of US Navy Harrier jets just the other day. Out of that though, I don't miss too much. LOL!!!

[smeagolsfree]

Hey Lexy,

I know there is a Delta 767E coming in tonight from Italy. I didn

[Lexy]

Hey Lexy,

I know there is a Delta 767E coming in tonight from Italy. I didn

[Jonny11788]

Today, Southwest released a large array of flight changes for their fall schedule. Nashville gets an additional flight to Chicago-Midway (9 total), an additional flight to Philly (3 total), and an additional flight to Denver (2 total), all starting in November. Nothing terribly exciting, but at least we didn't lose any flights like some other cities did... and hopefully it's a sign of more things to come from them.

http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/070627_chart.pdf

[Lexy]

This is great for Nashville albeit it's just another flight to effin' Chicago. Like that is really needed when that flight could actually take you somewhere else that you may want to go to. But it is a good sign I suppose.

On the FedEx front, I have some news for us.

Starting sometime in August, the daily Airbus A300 service that we currently have will be discontinued and replaced with McDonnell Douglas MD-10 service from here on out. The sorting facility is expanding for larger aircraft as it has outgrown it's current facility here. This is great news for Nashville, having these larger widebodies in town will certainly be cool!

FedEx MD-10: This will be a common sight here starting in August.

Edited June 28, 2007 by Lexy

[Lexy]

GAWD! It's nice to have Atlanta so close by sometimes. This was a late night weather diversion for us. It came in from Anchorage and was enroute to ATL when nasty weather caused it to run low on fuel and divert here this evening. "Japanair 6016 Heavy" parked on the cargo ramp at Nashville International Airport.

[jcoop]

We've talked a lot in this thread about the inside appearance of the airport and the kinds of impressions it has on people coming to Nashville, but I wanted to get some opinions about the outside of the airport. I am not just talking about when you drive in to the airport and unload to go inside, but also when you are on a plane and pulling up to a gate...I know I also pay a lot of attention to what that part of an airport is like, mainly because I always like to have a window seat haha...

For example, I always think Raleigh's airport looks uninviting as we arrive at the gate due to these lights above the gates that look like temporary fixtures that just got thrown up there really quick. At Nashville, I have always thought the outside area when pulling up to a gate looked pretty nice. Then you have a place like Houston where you pull into the gate and you really get a good idea of how huge/nice the airport is...does anyone know what I mean? And do you think maybe they should consider this outside appearance more?

As far as when you drive to the airport, I think Nashville has done a great job and I have always liked the separate areas for unloading/loading as well as the timed spaces for waiting. I think it gives a good impression to people arriving at the airport or when they walk out to leave.

[bwithers1]

Yep, I just got word a few minutes ago.

NEWS!

Southwest has expressed some intrest in starting flights to and from Dayton, Ohio. What was interesting is that Nashville has been mentioned in the Dayton News as being one of the initial destinations for them out of that market. That should be interesting to keep an eye on IMO. Time will tell though.

Wow, that is a fascinating proposition. I actually grew up in the Dayton, Ohio area as lots of my family had come up from Middle TN (via the Dixie Highway, for example, prior to the Interstates) for the factory jobs there. Of course, once the factories closed, most of them returned home to TN. But I do know that there are still lots of folks in the Dayton area who at least have family here. I would definitely welcome a reasonable flight option up there to see my Dad to save on the 7-hour drive. Then again, Dayton's airport is not really close to town or anything and as I recall it is relatively difficult and expensive to fly into versus Cincinnati, Indianapolis or Columbus.

Thanks for posting that, Lexy! I'll be interested in hearing more information as it develops.

[built_ford_tough]

Okay, so I'm working today at an apartment complex on Murfreesboro Rd by the airport. All the sudden I hear this huge roar, and I assume it was thunder because there was a storm moving into the area. Then I look up and there is a fighter jet, extremely low, I don't know whether it was an F-19, F-20, etc. but it was amazing. The roar was absolutely ridiculous.

[Lexy]

Okay, so I'm working today at an apartment complex on Murfreesboro Rd by the airport. All the sudden I hear this huge roar, and I assume it was thunder because there was a storm moving into the area. Then I look up and there is a fighter jet, extremely low, I don't know whether it was an F-19, F-20, etc. but it was amazing. The roar was absolutely ridiculous.

Nashville is a popular re-fueling stop for cross-country military flights. That's probably what you saw.

[Lexy]

Another pic of the JAL 742 that was here last night. It's painted in their new livery too!!

JA8171 Boeing 747-246F/SCD Panoramic Photo:

Jcoop, the individual airlines are responsible for taking care of their ramp space on the airport grounds so thank them. The MNAA just oversees the process to ensure that the ramp is clean and orderly. This airport in particular is well ran for the most part. It's just questionable from a fiscal and airline offerings point of view IMO. But in any case Jcoop, I will gladly pass the kind words along to the respective station managers for you if you would like.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Lexy

[ATLBrain]

Lexy, why does it seem that so much cargo is being run through BNA? Is this a recent trend or has it been this way for some time? Also, how does it impact passenger capacity?

[built_ford_tough]

Nashville is a popular re-fueling stop for cross-country military flights. That's probably what you saw.

Well whoever was flying it was putting on a little show too because he flew by me twice.

[Lexy]

Lexy, why does it seem that so much cargo is being run through BNA? Is this a recent trend or has it been this way for some time? Also, how does it impact passenger capacity?

The MNAA is actively seeking more cargo operators to set up shop here so who knows. But the recent cargo movements, China Airlines and FedEx aside, are all charter flights for the most part. BNA has always, atleast in my recent memory, had a good number of heavy cargo charter traffic. We just haven't quite got to that point where we can support a China Airlines 747, FedEx MD-10, Eva Air MD-11, and other dedicated cargo operators all flying into here in a weeks time. Plus, industry around here still relies, almost religiously, on truckers to do their grunt work for them. They haven't figured out that air carriers are cheaper in the long run. It's getting busier though. China Airlines still does 6 times a week flights, FedEx is upgrading in August, and the others are still pushing away at the other cargo ramp. It really has no barring on the passenger numbers.

Time will tell but I can tellyou that August is a huge month out there again this year.

Northwest Airlines (Compass Airlines) ERJ-175-200LR (N602CZ) First EVAR!!!

This was out at the airport today doing proving runs. Nashville supposedly will be a big base for this airline. I don't know why, but NWA has made it known in no uncertain terms that BNA is a big player in the Compass Airlines model.

Nashville is a launch city for Compass Airlines with service starting August 21 of this year.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Lexy

[northernbizzkit1]

OK, I know how this will come across, but i seriously think miscommunication on airliners.net is transferring over here. The guy on airliners.net who said BNA will be a focus city for the E-175 of Compass means that Nashville will be one of the first cities to see it and that it will play prominently in BNA-MSP ops. He did not mean that Northwest is sprouting a focus city in Nashville. Why would they when the MEM hub is down the road, and according to people on this board, people in Nashville simply prefer AA over Northwest? I'm not trying to be a skeptic, but there is no point in getting a rumor blown up. I certainly think this will be a good thing for Nashville, but I wouldn't expect a large focus city to grow from this.