Nashville International Airport Development thread

[samsonh]

Yeah, that won't happen. JetBlue is a far better airline and their shareholders will likely not want to break from a company that is performing well and earning more and more $. I for one would be outraged and the feds probably wouldn't approve of this venture, Southwest trying to bully or buyout competition. AirTran was weak, JetBlue is not.

Southwest's current business model is becoming more unfriendly and they're continually losing market share in existing markets, such as BNA and even their home of Dallas-Love Field because their prices truthfully, outside a few times per year, aren't much cheaper. In fact, I flew American Airlines here to Norfolk instead of Southwest because the roundtrip ticket was over $220 less than if I flew Southwest. Plus, the whole cattle car-like system of boarding is ridiculous.

A of really intelligent airline analysts think it is a real possibility. Their shareholders want cash, that's all they want. If Southwest offered a 25-30% premium tomorrow it would be accepted immediately and would garner regulatory approval.

 

Industry wide you will see lower fares in the coming months as past fuel hedges roll off and the current low price of fuel is reflected in new fares. Southwest is the only airline I fly if possible. I will gladly pay a little more to be on Southwest and be on time without a hassle. Anytime I fly United or American it is a disaster. I have never flown JetBlue.

[Hey_Hey]

I really don't see any regulatory hurdles for Southwest buying out any of their targets (Alaskan, JetBlue, maybe Frontier). JetBlue was started by a former Southwest exec and is modeled similarly so would be an obvious choice. If federal regulators weren't concerned about anti-competitive motivations with AA-US Air, Delta-Northwest, or United-Continental then Southwest-JetBlue wouldn't be a concern either. 

An up and coming airline to watch is Allegiant. They are beginning to act like a more grown up airline. They might be a target for future expansion here.

 

 

Edited August 2, 2015 by Hey_Hey

[NashRugger]

Allegiant has been getting horrible press lately with maintenance issues, significant delays and cancellations, and even crew disputes. Honestly, I could see Southwest going after Hawaiian, it'd be a good fit for their model and open up a new vacation destination. I just don't want to lose JetBlue because their product is far superior to Southwest's. Lately every time I've flown Southwest out of BNA it has been delayed by over an hour, and that's been 6 out of the last 7 times.

[rookzie]

A of really intelligent airline analysts think it is a real possibility. Their shareholders want cash, that's all they want. If Southwest offered a 25-30% premium tomorrow it would be accepted immediately and would garner regulatory approval.

 

Industry wide you will see lower fares in the coming months as past fuel hedges roll off and the current low price of fuel is reflected in new fares. Southwest is the only airline I fly if possible. I will gladly pay a little more to be on Southwest and be on time without a hassle. Anytime I fly United or American it is a disaster. I have never flown JetBlue.

I too have never flown (or had a chance to have) on JetBlue, and I too have had bad luck with American and USAir primarily.  Granted, the places to which I usually have flown (or had flown back when I flew a lot) had or have been based on eastern hubs, particularly in the case of USAir, like Pittsburgh, Philly, and Charlotte, but I had problem back when USAir was still Allegheny and Piedmont was still Piedmont (way, way ago).  Piedmont was "country-er", when it had been separate, even though before the merger with USAir Piedmont actually had transcon service from Charlotte to SFO (which had been rather crampy for a 737-200). .

I realize that the distant past can be applied to the present, as the reduction due to cascaded mergers and the overall business plans and operational dynamics have changed immensely, even during some 35+ years, when one still could fly PSA, Eastern, PanAm, Braniff, TWA, Ozark; Northwest was still NW Orient; and the Republic Airlines of yesteryear (not the one of today) had yet to form from the merger of North Central and Southern Airways.  The offering of direct flights by SW out of BNA has all but steered me away from most of the other alternate carriers, primarily because of the risk of missed connections at layover, and If I absolutely have to fly, say, USAir, then it's usually been a direct flight to National (DCA), either because of last-minute arrangements, or because of departure times.

As far as op costs are concerned, time will tell whether or not the airlines reflect with even a slight reduction in fares, and I hope you're right.
-==-

[MLBrumby]

I really hated USAirways... but couldn't be cheered much by their being bought by AA.  AA is about a half notch better... and slightly better managed than USAir, but I usually try to avoid them in favor of SWA, Delta, United. I am awaiting a good opportunity to fly JetBlue.  At CHA, which I rarely fly from, our options are limited to Delta, USAir/AA and Allegiant. Delta pisses me off about once a quarter when my connection from ATL to CHA is cancelled for no apparent reason other than it is late and there aren't enough people to make it worth the airline's effort. 

[franktown]

I do wonder if American regrets their premature decision to de-hub us. Maybe they don't. But they gave up a lot of gates in what is now an IT city. 

I hope our greatest growth comes as a result of international interest. Delta probably won't add anything significant due to proximity to Atlanta. American now has a hub in Charlotte because of US Air. I doubt anything will happen, but the curious one for me is United, because they have no hubs in the southeast (Houston and DC being the closest).

Interestingly, I had the opportunity to ask that once.  I became friends with the CEO of American at the time by serving on the Finance and Audit Committees of my university's Board of Trustees, and one day when we were eating I asked him to go into his decision and asked if he regretted it.  

 

Long story short, he feels that he blew that one. He said said they got the cities right to start the hubs in (RDU and BNA have both gone like gangbusters since the 80s), but opening both around the same time prevented the connecting flows to get large enough to rival Atlanta.  He said BNA was one of his favorite (and customers' favorite) hubs and crew stations, and he thinks American potentially could've avoided being forced to marry US Airways had they kept a Southeast hub.  I was shocked I got such an unequivocal "win" for him on the matter!

[MLBrumby]

I suppose that was old "Crusty Crandall". Brash and outspoken, and often bluntly honest. Whatever you'd think of him as a person, he truly is a genius. 

[franktown]

Truly brilliant man who forgets more about aviation than most will learn in a lifetime. I always knew what he was thinking because he rarely held back! I got to know him and Carty who succeeded him (and who now serves on Virgin's Board). 

[BnaBreaker]

BNA adds OneJet to it's arsenal which is starting out with direct flights to Indianapolis:

http://nashvillepost.com/news/2015/8/13/onejet_adds_nashville_service

Also, on another note, perhaps this is old news but I noticed on the airport's wikipedia page it listed a Southwest flight to Portland, OR as set to begin in April of 2016.  If true, with the additions of Indianapolis and Portland, that wouldn't leave very many large markets unserviced by BNA.  I can think of Sacramento, Honolulu, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Milwaukee, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Hartford/Springfield.  Any others?

[dxfret]

I would not have a lot of confidence in a Wikipedia listing.  

I'm not so sure about a flight from BNA to Portland as it t would be a very thin route.  And with Alaska Airlines starting daily nonstop service to Seattle, PDX is well covered. Southwest offers seasonal flights nonstop BNA-SEA.  

There is today nonstop service from BNA to Pittsburg on Southwest Airlines.  

Add to the list of cities Norfolk.  Some destinations such as Hartford, Norfolk, Buffalo once had nonstop service but now require a connection.  Honolulu will never happen.

What BNA really needs is a nonstop flight on United Airlines to San Francisco so that the numerous local companies in Nashville area (Nissan, Bridgestone.) with travel needs are served via United's Asia/Pacific hub in SFO. Southwest offers a daily nonstop flight to Oakland, but OAK does not offer the same international connections that United has at SFO.

Any information about the long simmering rumor that British Airways would start service from BNA to London?  Speculation has been that both Nashville and New Orleans are contenders for this service.

[NashRugger]

I'm just wondering how much longer it'll be before JetBlue announces their starry date for BNA service. I truly have faith that this time they'll stick around and hopefully expand service rapidly.

 

Norfolk used to be daily nonstop on Southwest from BNA but was dropped, it's just not a very busy market overall, unless you work in defense, logistics, or other federal government/DOD work.

Edited August 17, 2015 by NashRugger

[Lexy]

British Airways or American Airlines will likely be flying the London flight.  We'll know more once it's formally announced, but all my sources say it's a done deal.  As for Portland, the City of Portland is wanting that flight (not the other way around) and it'll likely happen.  They have the traffic to support it, it's just getting an aircraft available to fly it for Southwest.  I totally agree on the San Francisco thoughts.  That Oakland flight is doing well, but it doesn't address the real issue...lack of Asian connections.

[rookzie]

I'm just wondering how much longer it'll be before JetBlue announces their starry date for BNA service. I truly have faith that this time they'll stick around and hopefully expand service rapidly.

 

Norfolk used to be daily nonstop on Southwest from BNA but was dropped, it's just not a very busy market overall, unless you work in defense, logistics, or other federal government/DOD work.

...Yes I do miss the days of Norfolk (ORF) - BNA non-stops.  For the nearly 15 years that Norfolk-VaBch had been my home in the somewhat distant past, I had managed to fly nearly every combo of carriers available, before mergers and desistence, between the two cities:

 Ozark, TWA, Eastern, Piedmont, USAir, Braniff, Delta, United, and lastly Southwest.

While obviously some carriers bookings were "way out of the way", they had been the only ways available during certain times of a day during their years.  American had started some convenient direct flights during the mid-late '80s, finally providing direct service between the two (as I personally can recall).  Of course the downsizing of American and the elimination of the BNA hub early on, killed the American convenience.
-==-

Edited August 18, 2015 by rookzie

[Lexy]

If you want to know what Nashville's airport will look like in the distant future, look no further than Orlando or Los Angeles.  It'll be a healthy mix of carriers flying a good mix of nonstops to various markets.  It'll take the MNAA thinking out of the box, but it'll get there...eventually.

[NashRugger]

Yep, it's time to stop trying to cater to the low-cost carriers and start trying to tow in the big boys. 

That said, so happy JetBlue is returning because they're product is so much more complete and better than Southwest and won the customer service award from JD Power again. Also, bringing in Alaska Airlines is good stuff as well, direct to Seattle benefits both business and pleasure travelers.

Edited August 18, 2015 by NashRugger

[bellinibean]

Yep, it's time to stop trying to cater to the low-cost carriers and start trying to tow in the big boys. 

That said, so happy JetBlue is returning because they're product is so much more complete and better than Southwest and won the customer service award from JD Power again. Also, bringing in Alaska Airlines is good stuff as well, direct to Seattle benefits both business and pleasure travelers

+1 on the direct flight. I could have used that when I lived in Seattle and visited family in Smyrna about 10 times in a two year period. Instead I reached up miles on the sea to msp to bna route. Luckily msp is a great place to layover and get have some beers with miners catching hops to the Dakotas

[Lexy]

Alaska has upgraded the aircraft model from the 737-800 to the 737-900 for ALL flights starting next month between Nashville and Seattle.  Al flights are at or near sold out status.

[rookzie]

Yep, it's time to stop trying to cater to the low-cost carriers and start trying to tow in the big boys. 

That said, so happy JetBlue is returning because they're product is so much more complete and better than Southwest and won the customer service award from JD Power again. Also, bringing in Alaska Airlines is good stuff as well, direct to Seattle benefits both business and pleasure travelers.

I had not even the "slightest", that Alaska was coming to BNA.  I used to enjoy flying it from LAX to Seattle. -==-

[NashRugger]

Alaska has upgraded the aircraft model from the 737-800 to the 737-900 for ALL flights starting next month between Nashville and Seattle.  Al flights are at or near sold out status.

And you know other airlines are going to see that and seriously look at their own operations.

[MetroTN]

And you know other airlines are going to see that and seriously look at their own operations.

They need to! Last year I flew on the same size plane to NYC that I was on when flying out of Knoxville. 

[Lexy]

And you know other airlines are going to see that and seriously look at their own operations.

Part of that rest on the airport authority and the airlines.  They've been focused on frequency more than what size airplane they fly into here.  It bears mentioning, this is one of the few airports in the US that see's 12 million passengers a year while rarely having flights on anything larger than a 737.  Frankly, that's pathetic from a flyers standpoint.  There's still a TON of 50-seat regional flying out of here while the mainline mix has picked up slightly. 

[Nathan_in_DC]

They need to! Last year I flew on the same size plane to NYC that I was on when flying out of Knoxville. 

Whoa, I had no idea any airlines flew -900s out of TYS!

[MetroTN]

 

Whoa, I had no idea any airlines flew -900s out of TYS!

I don't know the plane sizes in terms of numbers, but the seat arrangement inside and the cramped space was the same. I like the Southwest planes.

[Nathan_in_DC]

Part of that rest on the airport authority and the airlines.  They've been focused on frequency more than what size airplane they fly into here.  It bears mentioning, this is one of the few airports in the US that see's 12 million passengers a year while rarely having flights on anything larger than a 737.  Frankly, that's pathetic from a flyers standpoint.  There's still a TON of 50-seat regional flying out of here while the mainline mix has picked up slightly. 

THIS. There is absolutely no reason the parking ramp at BNA's biggest aircraft are old DC-9 series and 737 series aircraft, with the majority seeming to be little 3 and 4 row regional jets. You'd think that this would be a market that the big airlines would want to start flying more high capacity aircraft through, as it is much more efficient than packing these 30-50 passenger aircraft. Charge a little less to the consumer, and still make more money. It's a win/win.

[TNinVB]

That guy is so freaking annoying. I just bite my tongue on his comments. He's obviously trying to stir stuff up. Just stay in Louisville and keep your comments to yourself if you love it so much and hate Nashville.

Sorry guys. I wrote this while in the Nashville Photo thread and it ended up here???

Edited August 24, 2015 by bruceman73