Grand Rapids Airport (GRR) News and Developments

[egrguy]

It's about time?! Maybe this is a prelud to adding southwest? I can only hope to see GR elevate its airport.

[joeDowntown]

I think combining security and adding more concessions after the security check will help greatly - and will definitely add revenue. 

 

You only make the mistake of buying a coffee and realizing you have to pitch it once.

 

Now if they can only move the big luggage machines from the ticket area, that would be a huge improvement.

 

Joe

[sparky05]

Some renderings here:

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/12/check_out_renderings_of_ford_a.html

 

Looks nice; kind of a bummer that only ticketed passengers will have a view of the tarmac from the terminal from now on, though...

[GR8scott]

Looks nice and much needed if they want to keep this terminal verses build a new one. I agree it would be nice for unticketed passengers to be able to see the tarmac but most airports you can not do that and if this is a slow long-term transformation into a larger more efficient airport this would be a good first step. I also hope they look ahead and consider converting the front side of the terminal into a bi-level for departures and arrivals, it looks as though they possibly designed to new parking structure to incorporate that. 

[Gorath]

Can you watch planes take off and land from the top of the new parking deck?

[GR8scott]

Just noticed, United finally adding flights to Washington-Dulles and finally another additional flight option after loosing so many destinations. Its not as close as Reagan but is a major International gateway and increases United options at GRR. Hopefully US Airways comes back with flights to Reagan 

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/12/months_after_losing_dc_connect.html

[GRDadof3]

[RegalTDP]

Looks like a "Swanky Hotel Bar" scene on the Mad Men set.

[joeDowntown]

It looks like they are going to user hardier materials this time around. I think GRR is a nice little airport, but the carpet (and what looks to be) cubicle wall panels can get pretty beat up. Terrazzo for the win!

 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Major air service announcement coming Monday at 11:00...

[trongrr]

My vote is that it has something to do with Southwest and how they would fully replace Airtran at GRR... since SW owns them anyway.

[GR8scott]

My vote is that it has something to do with Southwest and how they would fully replace Airtran at GRR... since SW owns them anyway.

 

 

I hope its more than that since it was already announced that they would be staying as SW and just eliminated Tampa and Fort Myers. The only destination I see them adding for sure would be Midway and most of the other popular SW destinations or at least the markets are already served by GRR but could make for lower prices with increased competition, but every time I checked SW out of Denver (which is a focus city) Frontier and other airlines still beat them on price.

[arcturus]

Maybe the ugly baggage scanning equipment will be relocated out of view.  That's newsworthy!

[organsnyder]

As mentioned on MLive, GRR is now listed on the Southwest route map. Nonstop destinations are Denver, St. Louis, Orlando, and Baltimore/Washington.

[GR8scott]

Was disappointed as SW already announced they were staying, I was expecting something actually "major"......whopty direct flights return to St. Louis! 

[GRDadof3]

Maybe the ugly baggage scanning equipment will be relocated out of view.  That's newsworthy!

 

The entire security checkpoint system is being redesigned and moved along with the Grand Gallery renovation.

 

[arcturus]

The entire security checkpoint system is being redesigned and moved along with the Grand Gallery renovation.

 

 

Timetable?

[Raildudes dad]

Major air service announcement coming Monday at 11:00...

 

Not quite what I would consider a "major" announcement. We have known that SW was taking over AirTran, nothing in their announcment that "surprised" me.

 

I don't expect any big drop in fares either. Both Delta and Unitred do a fair bit of business here.  If they charge say $500 to get to the next hub, why would SW only charge $350 and give up $150 / seat?. I can see where they might drop $50-75 if they have trouble filling seats to  BWI or StL.

 

Why are the fares lower in Lansing, Flint, or Kazoo? Much smaller market and trying to fill seats.

 

Sorry, not very exciitng IMHO

[GRDadof3]

Timetable?

 

Some of it will begin in June of this year and go into 2014 (the major addition to the Grand Hall).

Not quite what I would consider a "major" announcement. We have known that SW was taking over AirTran, nothing in their announcment that "surprised" me.

 

I don't expect any big drop in fares either. Both Delta and Unitred do a fair bit of business here.  If they charge say $500 to get to the next hub, why would SW only charge $350 and give up $150 / seat?. I can see where they might drop $50-75 if they have trouble filling seats to  BWI or StL.

 

Why are the fares lower in Lansing, Flint, or Kazoo? Much smaller market and trying to fill seats.

 

Sorry, not very exciitng IMHO

 

I hear ya. I thought it might be something more exciting. The whole reason for the higher fares was explained to me in detail, but it didn't quite make sense. The major airlines here have no incentive to lower prices, as the leakage to other airports doesn't really hurt them (because they fly out of those airports too?). It doesn't really affect the airport, most of the airport's revenues come from the airlines renting gates and parking? Which the airport has not had trouble filling (except that passenger traffic dropped last year by 6%, but has been increasing every year for quite a while). The only ones it hurts is us, and we can't really put pressure on either the airport or the airlines (or haven't), we just go somewhere else.

 

In other words, if you complain about high fares out of GRR, nobody who can do anything about it cares.

[MJLO]

Boy does that make sense but suck.

 

You dont think it would make sense for them to consolidate air service at Muskegon and Kzoo to GRR?  Not that it would ever actually happen.  We just seem to have so many redundant airports in the West Michigan area.

[GR8scott]

just check Southwest's "special" introductory rates between Denver on the homepage.....priced above Frontier, I really hope they dont drive Frontier out because I really like them and they have always had good rates. It just goes to show that SW is not THAT cheap and having them here might not drive down prices as much as people think, although I hope otherwise. 

[joeDowntown]

Personally, I still believe that with GRR's continued improvements in facilities, # of flights and services (direct flights to more locations), it'll become the defacto choice for West Michigan departures. Short term, we may still be more expensive but I think in the long term the proximinity, flights and amenities will make it more and more attractive.

 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Personally, I still believe that with GRR's continued improvements in facilities, # of flights and services (direct flights to more locations), it'll become the defacto choice for West Michigan departures. Short term, we may still be more expensive but I think in the long term the proximinity, flights and amenities will make it more and more attractive.

 

Joe

 

Agreed. The airport is definitely going to look more grown up when they put on the addition. People arriving here won't feel like they've made some mistake and landed in Marquette.

[GR8scott]

Agreed. The airport is definitely going to look more grown up when they put on the addition. People arriving here won't feel like they've made some mistake and landed in Marquette.

I think the parking ramp alone made it look more like a midsized airport vs a small one. Of course more non-stop flights would help I think if GRR can land flights to LAX and maybe just a couple more, it will be there. I know for a fact that a lot of ppl from kzoo to Traverse City already choose GRR over AZO, TVC, and MKG. Lansing on the other hand, tend to choose FNT or DTW as I did when I lived there. 

[Raildudes dad]

Look at it this way.  Say you and your competitor both make widgets that should sell for $10. If you can sell all you can make for $9, why would you sell them for $5 just to make your customers happy?

 

As long as SW can fill their planes at a small discount to Delta and United, they are still the "low cost" carrier and doing well

 

Yes, it makes no business sense to have 3 more airports within 60 miles of GRR

 

Boy does that make sense but suck.

 

You dont think it would make sense for them to consolidate air service at Muskegon and Kzoo to GRR?  Not that it would ever actually happen.  We just seem to have so many redundant airports in the West Michigan area.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Raildudes dad