Grand Rapids Airport (GRR) News and Developments

[LA Dave]

My wife is planning our family trip back to GR this summer. But guess what? No flight for us to KGRR. The prices are outrageous and the planes are too small. We anticipate either a pleasant rush hour jaunt through Chicagoland or a dreary ride from Wayne County.

Seriously folks -- towns with minor airports are at a serious business disadvantage with competitors.

[GRDadof3]

My wife is planning our family trip back to GR this summer. But guess what? No flight for us to KGRR. The prices are outrageous and the planes are too small. We anticipate either a pleasant rush hour jaunt through Chicagoland or a dreary ride from Wayne County.

Seriously folks -- towns with minor airports are at a serious business disadvantage with competitors.

Yeah, I just read recently in an online business mag that Richmond International Airport shot up from 2.4 to 3.6 Million passengers in a few short years (?) with just the addition of Airtran and JetBlue.

*edit: from 2004 - 2007

[NorthEnder]

Yeah, I just read recently in an online business mag that Richmond International Airport shot up from 2.4 to 3.6 Million passengers in a few short years (?) with just the addition of Airtran and JetBlue.

UAL is adding about 80 more seats daily to DEN in the summer months. That's a start?

[highwayguy]

My wife is planning our family trip back to GR this summer. But guess what? No flight for us to KGRR. The prices are outrageous and the planes are too small. We anticipate either a pleasant rush hour jaunt through Chicagoland or a dreary ride from Wayne County.

Seriously folks -- towns with minor airports are at a serious business disadvantage with competitors.

Out of curiosity, I did a few quick searches on Kayak, picking some random dates in June:

Friday 6/13 - Monday 6/23

LAX-GRR: $361

LAX-DTW: $316

LAX-ORD: $279

Wednesday 6/11 - Wednesday 6/18

LAX-GRR: $316

LAX-DTW: $285

LAX-ORD: $219

GRR is definitely more, but I don't know if I'd call it outrageous. I can see where a family could save some significant money by flying into ORD or DTW, but for one or two people I'd probably still choose GRR.

[d8alterego]

I was just talking to my mom about this (she was an American Airlines flight attendent back in the day). She tends to fly a lot these days because she's closer to retirement and has some extra cash. Our discussion was about her moving, once in retirement, so that she could be closer to a big airport (possibly Chicago). For the past few years I've been showcasing GR to her, but she points out that most flights out of GR are small regional ones that have roughly 40 seats to them. She flies mainly stand by, so if the flight books up (which at 40 seats it does) she can't get to or from GR. She rarely flies out of GR currently and ops usually for Dtown.

[LA Dave]

The cost differential that we have looked at (flying in July or August) is somewhat greater than suggested by an earlier post, and there are three people flying. Plus, as someone else pointed out, there may be no seats available to GRR. Flying to ORD or DTW gives us a 767 or 757, depending on the carrier. Flying on to Grand Rapids means an RJ and possibly no decent connection.

It would be great if GRR got a Jet Blue or AirTrans or Southwest. But don't count on that happening in the near future.

[highwayguy]

I must admit, I'm a bit biased after my 2 most recent trips. The first, direct flights between GRR and Orlando, saved me a lot of time and hassle, and the money saved by getting dropped off, as opposed to paying for parking in Detroit and gas to get there, made it cheaper to fly from GRR. The second, flights out of/into DTW with connections in Houston, ended with me finally getting home from my trip at 3:30AM. Flying into GRR would have got me home about 4 hours earlier than that, and would have eliminated a middle of the night drive across the state.

Edited March 15, 2008 by highwayguy

[jas49503]

I think that the additional cost to fly out of small airports is a small price to pay for the convienience especially if one is much closer. When I fly out of flint I can be from my living room to my gate in 30 minutes at any time of the day. I may have to fly on a smaller plane but that doesn't really bother me as they are much faster to board and unload and if my carry on is too large I can check it at the gate and pick it up at the gate rather than go through baggage claim. The amount that you save in time, gas, and parking more than makes up for the increased cost. the only downside is that without many direct flights the trip almost always takes longer. how much longer depends on your layover.

[sparky05]

March 16, 2008:

[Nitro]

For some reason this picture reminds me of the scene in the Blues Brothers where they just about drive off the end of the bridge..........

[LA Dave]

Summer travel plans:

We gave up on the GRR alternative early in the process, so the choice was between Northwest to DTW or JetBlue/American to ORD. American was more expensive than JetBlue(fares change by the hour -- check it out). Northwest was also somewhat more expensive but still in the running because it was closer to Ann Arbor, our first Michigan destination. However, given the uncomfortable option of being stuffed into a Northwest 757 for five hours (industry minimum seat pitch and no entertainment to keep a teenager occupied) plus the opportunity to spend some time in Chicago, one of our favorite cities, the choice was easy; we opted for JetBlue.

[Rizzo]

In a MiBiz article, Northwest says that Ford is a jewel in their system.

[eagle]

The amount that you save in time, gas, and parking more than makes up for the increased cost. the only downside is that without many direct flights the trip almost always takes longer. how much longer depends on your layover.

I agree. I've been flying out to Dever quite a bit over the last few months for a job. While it's cheaper to fly out of Chicago it's never been worth it when I had in the extra expenses. The last trip we did use Chicago becuase it was about half the cost but by the time I paid for meals, gas, tolls, parking, tips and hotel (flight left at 0600) it ended up costing me more money.

Granted, this was only for 2 people, I can see how saving $100 per ticket for a whole family can be significant.

It sure is a whole lot easier though flying out of GRR than ORD.

[MJLO]

perhaps this has been answered already, but when is the apt ramp expected to be completed?

[sparky05]

It's been a while since we've had a shot of the ramp in process. Note that we now have a tower crane in place, and that the massive swooping trusses that will eventually overhang the road in front of the terminal have started to be assembled. Lots of concrete being poured out there, too. The ground floor of the ramp is being poured from south to north, and forms are up for level two on the south end of the ramp.

[metrogrkid]

It's been a while since we've had a shot of the ramp in process. Note that we now have a tower crane in place, and that the massive swooping trusses that will eventually overhang the road in front of the terminal have started to be assembled. Lots of concrete being poured out there, too. The ground floor of the ramp is being poured from south to north, and forms are up for level two on the south end of the ramp.

Sweeeeeeeeeetness! Now if we can just accelerate the SE transit rail link from this expansion to Central Station. The 20 year wait status quo is killing me though.

Edited April 18, 2008 by metrogrkid

[sparky05]

Noticed that there are now two trusses completed, sitting side by side. I'll try to drive through and get some pics at some point in the near future.

[wingbert]

and that the massive swooping trusses that will eventually overhang the road in front of the terminal have started to be assembled.

I was driving down Patterson when they were trucking in a couple of those truss sections on "Oversize Load" tractor trailers. They are definitely big. I was bummed I didn't have a camera with me. It was rubbernecker heaven.

[sparky05]

Here's a couple of screenshots of some video I shot last night. Yes, I did drive through the airport with a video camera. I swear one of these days I'm going to get arrested.

[GRDadof3]

Here's a couple of screenshots of some video I shot last night. Yes, I did drive through the airport with a video camera. I swear one of these days I'm going to get arrested.

Yes, but well worth it sparky! These shots are awesome. I had no idea how fast this was going up. And tower cranes!

[sparky05]

What? No full video?

I could post that, but since I was holding a heavy camera while simultaneously trying not to run the van directly into the construction area, I think the seasickness quotient would be too high...

[metrogrkid]

FOUND MORE RENDERINGS OF FORD:

sweeeeetness!!

[fotoman311]

FOUND MORE RENDERINGS OF FORD:

sweeeeetness!!

Hey Rizzo, can you paste one of your light railcar renderings into the center lane of this drawing? Possibly some of the others as well. Those people in that last rendering look for sure like they're waiting for a light rail train.

Those look REALLY awesome! I had no idea on the large scope of this project.

Edited April 25, 2008 by fotoman311

[Rizzo]

Here's a couple of screenshots of some video I shot last night. Yes, I did drive through the airport with a video camera. I swear one of these days I'm going to get arrested.

Why risk being arrested when you can get their permission? Here's the link.

[metrogrkid]

Hey Rizzo, can you paste one of your light railcar renderings into the center lane of this drawing? Possibly some of the others as well. Those people in that last rendering look for sure like they're waiting for a light rail train.

Those look REALLY awesome! I had no idea on the large scope of this project.

i like it, I like it, I LIKE IT !! You're thinking in all the right ways! Ford Airport is the southernmost point of the proposed GVSU-Main Campus/Downtown/Ford Airport lightrail concept. KEEP HITTIN' 'EM OVER THE HEAD WITH THAT!! The more it's said the more it will coalesce.