RDU International Airport

[NcSc74]

Anyone ever heard of expressjet. Are they adding flights to

rdu or something.

[Gard]

Anyone ever heard of expressjet. Are they adding flights to

rdu or something.

Yeah they already operate here as far as I know, they have been adding a lot of flight to places with none to RDU such as Birmingham.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Gard

[cthayes75]

^^Actually NC has some of the highest corporate taxes in the US. If anything incentives level the playing field for NC to attract business. If these incentives are used correctly they are worth it.

Instead of trying to "level the playing field" through incentives, why not just reduce the corporate tax rate here, making our existing businesses more competitive and the state as a whole more competitive to businesses wanting to relocate.

Incentives might be worth it if they actually entice someone to do something they aren't arleady planning to do. Unfortunately for a overwhelmingly majority of the incentive packages offered by the state, they are simply blackmail payments to businesses who are going to do something anyway. For example, Goodyear couldn't close it's Fayetteville plant due to its labor contract, and was going to have to modernize its US facilities to remain competitive. Yet they feign desperation and get the General Assembly to give away $20 million of our money for something they had to do anyway.

[Spatula]

Instead of trying to "level the playing field" through incentives, why not just reduce the corporate tax rate here, making our existing businesses more competitive and the state as a whole more competitive to businesses wanting to relocate.

Incentives might be worth it if they actually entice someone to do something they aren't arleady planning to do. Unfortunately for a overwhelmingly majority of the incentive packages offered by the state, they are simply blackmail payments to businesses who are going to do something anyway. For example, Goodyear couldn't close it's Fayetteville plant due to its labor contract, and was going to have to modernize its US facilities to remain competitive. Yet they feign desperation and get the General Assembly to give away $20 million of our money for something they had to do anyway.

What really matters is the total amount of tax revenue the state gets, which is a combination of all taxes, and in that regard our taxes are not spectacular. Those corporate income taxes would have to be replaced with another tax for the state to continue balancing its budget.

[cthayes75]

What really matters is the total amount of tax revenue the state gets, which is a combination of all taxes, and in that regard our taxes are not spectacular. Those corporate income taxes would have to be replaced with another tax for the state to continue balancing its budget.

You mean like collecting $1.2 billion per year in corporate income taxes and spending $1.3 billion per year in economic incentives?

Cause then, ending incentives and eliminating the corporate income tax would result in a net positive for the state's budget.

[Spatula]

You mean like collecting $1.2 billion per year in corporate income taxes and spending $1.3 billion per year in economic incentives?

Cause then, ending incentives and eliminating the corporate income tax would result in a net positive for the state's budget.

In the last post you talked about ending the tax and not the incentives, I recall. Just so you know, you can have one without the other. They're not tied to each other.

I'd point out again that our total tax burden is nothing spectacular. Contrary to what you might've said earlier, the incentives cancel out very little. Even with the taxes it's substantially cheaper to live and do business here than in a lot of states. So you could presumably reduce the incentives without changing taxes at all.

Edited January 6, 2008 by Spatula

[RDUairport]

Don't know if anybody else got out to RDU today but an ATA (Air Trans America) L1011 flew in today from LAX as a private charter. It later flew to Cancun. This is a very rare event because there are so few L1011s still flying. I managed to get a few photos which you can see below.

[ERJ170]

Just heard the word and saw the proof..

Southwest starts Denver service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport.. one time daily starting May 14, 2008..

On the flip side, also looks like United will be upgrading RDU-DEN service from the 735 to the 319. Service starts March 30th...

Good news! Good news!!!

[capitalapts]

I noticed that Delta has the RDU-LAX route discontinued on Jan. 7th... Don't know if this is for sure but it doesn't show up in the schedule after that date so it may be gone. Hate to break such news but it looks to be gone in a few days. They may pick it back up after the winter season.

Sigh...great. Out there, this flight was the ticket. Totally beat sweating out the very narrow layover windows that the Continental flights to LAX via IAH imposed. BUT, the redeye on the way back was no fun at all.

The direct RDU-LAX Delta flight may have been the easiest way to fly to L.A. from the east coast (and I'm not exaggerating), all things considered (direct flight, about 15 minutes from parking to the gate through security if you're not checking a bag, hardly ever any takeoff delays, etc.).

[Cary NC]

Southwest to add direct flight to Denver starting May 10. Hopefully Southwest will open more flight destinations from RDU. RDU to Seattle would be highly desirable. I am a little surprised that RDU to Denver can support two airlines. There must be a high demand for this trip.

I think Virgin Atlantic will provide the RDU to SFO flight. My thinking is that they are waiting for our terminal 2 to open before porviding service along with there being other larger cities that they can focus on now. Maybe by Dec 2008 they would come to RDU.

The consolidation news is interesting I think because the airlines are dropping a lot of low interest routes and increasing the high interest rotues. Maybe that will pan out for RDU.Southwest cut 44 routes and moved them to exisitng routes. Denver is a hot spot for them right now. Just some thoughts of mine as in the past week as I read aobut the possible merger of Delta with either Northwest or United.

Edited January 14, 2008 by Cary NC

[ERJ170]

Southwest to add direct flight to Denver starting May 10. Hopefully Southwest will open more flight destinations from RDU. RDU to Seattle would be highly desirable. I am a little surprised that RDU to Denver can support two airlines. There must be a high demand for this trip.

I think Virgin Atlantic will provide the RDU to SFO flight. My thinking is that they are waiting for our terminal 2 to open before porviding service along with there being other larger cities that they can focus on now. Maybe by Dec 2008 they would come to RDU.

The consolidation news is interesting I think because the airlines are dropping a lot of low interest routes and increasing the high interest rotues. Maybe that will pan out for RDU.Southwest cut 44 routes and moved them to exisitng routes. Denver is a hot spot for them right now. Just some thoughts of mine as in the past week as I read aobut the possible merger of Delta with either Northwest or United.

Not Virgin Atlantic, but Virgin America.. However, I think that before Virgin America gets to RDU..there are several markets they will hit first.. I could see them doing something similar to jetBlue however.. doing transcons and adding at least 2 focus cities on the east coast...

SFO probalby wont' be a reality until 2010. LAX would come back first and I don't think it will return until 2009. SEA is at least 3 or more years down the road..

RDU can handle 2 flights to DEN.. I don't think it could handle any more than two though..

I'm really surprised WN hasn't initiated RDU-PBI/PVD/MHT/BUF? I thought they would definitely see those a some low hanging fruit.. and since they are all only slightly over 500nm.. it would be higher utilization of aircraft.. but oh well..

As far as the consolidation.. I would be NW over UA.. but I wonder how long it would take DL to get rid of those Airbus and those 747? I could definitely see them all going.. in a while.. the 747 probably in 2 years.. the Airbus probably in 5..

[Rufus]

RDU had over 10 million passengers in 2007. Only the second time that the airport has surpassed that mark, the other being 10.4 million passengers in 2000. Here is the RDU news release and the News and Observer article.

http://www.rdu.com/news/2008/release_011708.htm

http://www.newsobserver.com/print/friday/c...ory/888558.html

I like how the airport has grown from a connecting airport to a one-stop destination, even if that means major growth. The N&O article stated how that change has brought increased visitors to the hotels and restaurants in the Triangle. Way to go RDU!

[Gard]

RDU had over 10 million passengers in 2007. Only the second time that the airport has surpassed that mark, the other being 10.4 million passengers in 2000. Here is the RDU news release and the News and Observer article.

http://www.rdu.com/news/2008/release_011708.htm

http://www.newsobserver.com/print/friday/c...ory/888558.html

I like how the airport has grown from a connecting airport to a one-stop destination, even if that means major growth. The N&O article stated how that change has brought increased visitors to the hotels and restaurants in the Triangle. Way to go RDU!

Thats great!!! I hope that its only the beginning . Makes me wonder if it would have just kept going up it 9/11 hadn't happened...

[RDUairport]

Thats great!!! I hope that its only the beginning . Makes me wonder if it would have just kept going up it 9/11 hadn't happened...

It probably wouldn't have kept going up only because Midway was the reason we were topping 10 million and they were in very rough waters at the time. 9/11 was just the push that put Midway over the edge (very sad, I loved those white and yellow 737s). Also due to the economy starting to slump that year numbers would have probably leveled out and gone down a bit the next year. However I do believe that if it wasn't for 9/11 we would definitely be seeing 11 to 11.5 million today. Just my two cents...

[NcSc74]

Considering the scope of RDU and its influence over pretty much eastern NC I see this number increasing. As the Raleigh/Durham area grows more and more rural NC will be sub-urbanized and with that comes more visitors. The only thing holding the numbers down are the connecting flights to Charlotte from the feeder airports in the area such as Wilmington, Jacksonville and Fayetteville. I'm not sure but maybe Greenville or New Bern might have commercial connecting service to US Airways to Charlotte. I can't see why Rocky Mount/Wilson would have commercial service since it is so close to RDU. Maybe it is serving another carrier RDU doesn't have. It is a complex situation dealing with NC and its dueling airports. Charlotte, RDU and PTI are competing for passengers...

[ERJ170]

Considering the scope of RDU and its influence over pretty much eastern NC I see this number increasing. As the Raleigh/Durham area grows more and more rural NC will be sub-urbanized and with that comes more visitors. The only thing holding the numbers down are the connecting flights to Charlotte from the feeder airports in the area such as Wilmington, Jacksonville and Fayetteville. I'm not sure but maybe Greenville or New Bern might have commercial connecting service to US Airways to Charlotte. I can't see why Rocky Mount/Wilson would have commercial service since it is so close to RDU. Maybe it is serving another carrier RDU doesn't have. It is a complex situation dealing with NC and its dueling airports. Charlotte, RDU and PTI are competing for passengers...

Sort of... GSO is really the one competing, although it has it's own clientele also.. RDU kinda serves the Eastern part of NC, CLT the Western Part.. and GSO kinda serves the central and south Virginia.. RDU has a LOT more competition than GSO or CLT in that is also pulls some from GSO, EWN, PGV, OAJ, ISO, ILM, and FAY.. GSO competes mainly just with RDU, CLT, and maybe FAY.. CLT competes with GSO, AVL, ICK, GSP, TRI, and just a little with ATL..

I forsee RDU staying in the 9.2 - 11.1 Million pax range.. that' about where we will plateau because this is not a huge region.. Air service will only increase slightly and be able to sustain itself.. the smaller airports will grow some to take some of the relief off the airport (same with CLT)..

BTW.. New Bern is served by US and DL with service to CLT, ATL, and PHL (Saturdays only)..

[Cary NC]

So do any of you think RDU will upgrade their rental car service area? I would think that with the limited supply of cars and future pax growth that more cars will be needed. Just seeing what your opinions are on that.

[ERJ170]

So do any of you think RDU will upgrade their rental car service area? I would think that with the limited supply of cars and future pax growth that more cars will be needed. Just seeing what your opinions are on that.

Most, if not all, the rental car establishments just went through a expansion/relocation/upgrade within the last 2 years or so.. I don't they any of them are struggling with space right now.. Plus there really isn't anywhere to put them at this point.. Probably, and this might just be a speculation, is that when that need arises.. RDU will build the 3rd Garage tower (to the right of the one in from of Terminal A) and have the car dealerships on each of the various levels.. but, that's just my opinion..

[Subway Scoundrel]

So do any of you think RDU will upgrade their rental car service area? I would think that with the limited supply of cars and future pax growth that more cars will be needed. Just seeing what your opinions are on that.

I agree with the other poster about just being updated. Living here, I have never rented a car in the Triangle yet have rented cars in many cities. I have returned a girlfriends car once that was off the grounds of the airport. I am not sure if a rental company wanted more room, just move off grounds and keep your buses/van circling the airport.

If it came to it, they could give up the area I think is rental car and move them to another location maybe up the road that is the entrance off of I-540. Just create a large rental car area like Denver or San Jose has done.

IMHO, the best airport to rent a car is either Tucson or Wichita. Walk just outside the door and there it is. No guard to check or no spikes in the pavement to stop you. But being a small airport is the reason why.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Subway Scoundrel

[ERJ170]

Well, looks like ExpressJet is cutting RDU more and more.. JAX and BHM are next on the chopping block on April 1.. all that is left is Kansas City (MCI), New Orleans (MSY), and San Antiono (SAT). Down from 13 flights to 5.. So how long do you think it will take before ExpressJet drops their remaining destinations and just leave RDU and the East Coast?

[Gard]

From what I heard on the inside, ExpressJet had much higher hopes for RDU than what materialized and as a result, came up hastily with a list of places to serve through RDU. So basically, it was poor planning on Expressjet's part ot research the market and see if there was actually the demand they were thinking there was for those flights.

[ERJ170]

From what I heard on the inside, ExpressJet had much higher hopes for RDU than what materialized and as a result, came up hastily with a list of places to serve through RDU. So basically, it was poor planning on Expressjet's part ot research the market and see if there was actually the demand they were thinking there was for those flights.

I understand they wanted to serve routes that they had to other areas.. but even the smallest amount of research would have come up with these 5 stations..

Providence, Buffalo, New Orleans, Kansas City, and Albany..

To my surprise, I heard Birmingham was doing well.. even though it is being dropped.. and Jacksonville, I heard, is doing well for American Eagle.. I think..

[Redman84]

I have a friend that is a CPA for Grant Thorton that takes the ExpressJet flight to Birmingham at least a couple of times a month if not more, as one of his biggest clients is located there. Before this flight was introduced he had to fly US Airways to CLT and then to BHM. I am sure that if this is true, he will be quite disappointed with this news.

[DanRNC]

TBJ is reporting that RDU is looking into completely rebuilding Terminal A rather than renovation.

[RDUairport]

Sounds very interesting.. Do you have a link you might be able to post. I have some old pictures of what they envisioned for terminal A before RDUAA attained terminal C from AA. I doubt it will look anything the same but still very interesting. Hope to here more on this.