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Update.......Little Rock National Airport.


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Interesting. You'd think that Memphis, and MAYbe Omaha could be mainline markets, but I guess the reality anymore is that mainline is tough to snag just about anywhere.

Well I agree that markets such as MEM and OMA, and heck even BNA, should be mainline. The problem is that the amount of mainline aircraft that Continental has is much less than the demand for them. Basically, only the markets that comand a high yield on aircraft, such as the Boeing 737-500, get the mainline flights. Places like New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Orlando, etc. The rest of the country is left to fend for themselves with Express Jet. I hate that, but you are right about getting mainline metal in your town. It's as hard to do right now with both American and Continental as it is with Air Canada to get a non-Air Canada-Jazz flight. LOL!

Continental is expected to start taking delivery here in the next year or so on some more planes for domestic flying. Perhaps after then things will open up a bit and some markets that were once almost all mainline, like here in Nashville and other places, will once again get some mainline flights back.

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While i think a non-stop international flight to XYZ isn't in the near future, LIT could support more than 1 daily ERJ to Orlando. The only reason why we don't have anymore LIT-Florida is because its easer to connect via DFW, CLT, ATL then to run a Florida flight. Not to say that i enjoy connecting. I just believe that for the airlines, its easer for them. I think 2x or 3x to Orlando and a flight to MIA or FLL would do really good. Any Possibilities?

congrats to LIT for the extra Continental Flights to CLE. This makes up for the lost STL flights via AA.

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While i think a non-stop international flight to XYZ isn't in the near future, LIT could support more than 1 daily ERJ to Orlando. The only reason why we don't have anymore LIT-Florida is because its easer to connect via DFW, CLT, ATL then to run a Florida flight. Not to say that i enjoy connecting. I just believe that for the airlines, its easer for them. I think 2x or 3x to Orlando and a flight to MIA or FLL would do really good. Any Possibilities?

congrats to LIT for the extra Continental Flights to CLE. This makes up for the lost STL flights via AA.

Do we know, officially, if AA has dropped STL from LIT? I haven't seen anything other than an assumed posting on airliners.net.

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An article in today's Democrat Gazette stated that LR National is going to increase its incentives budget from $100,000 per year to $250,000. They are specifically targeting flights to Mexico. One problem is there is not a customs area at LR National and they don't want to build a facility since there are plans to either expand the existing terminal or build a new one. Some solutions include having the flight stop at a US airport that has a customs facility then fly to Little Rock or for the federal government to allow the customs office to be in Mexico. Canada has "preclearance" and Mexico is pushing for the same.

Another interesting fact from the article was that LR National's average fares are $26 lower than Memphis. The Southwest Effect in full effect.

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Yea, but what would Frontier Fly there? they dont fly mainline into LIT, and they dont fly the E-170 to cancun. Maybe a sat. only flight. or 3 days a week. I hope the new Director is good. We saw some really good things with the last one, yet some bad things too. Does anyone know anything about the new one? has anyone been announced as the replacement?

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Yea, but what would Frontier Fly there? they dont fly mainline into LIT, and they dont fly the E-170 to cancun. Maybe a sat. only flight. or 3 days a week. I hope the new Director is good. We saw some really good things with the last one, yet some bad things too. Does anyone know anything about the new one? has anyone been announced as the replacement?

I believe F9 is flying the E170 between Albuquerque and Puerto Vallarta later this year...

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The increase in incentives from 100,000 to 250,000 was a step in the right direction. All major airports have incentive funds in their budgets, which include items such as waiving overnight fees etc. Check out this excerpt from the ADG regarding DFW:

Airports of all sizes have incentive programs. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, for example, caps its program at $ 7 million per year and includes landing fee rebates and marketing support for service launch and new carriers. For example, a new international route with a Boeing 747 could receive $ 1. 4 million versus $ 200, 000 for a regional jet flying to Mexico.

That's $200,000 in incentives for a RJ to Mexico! That's what LIT is up against! As far as WHERE this Mexico flight would be taking us...

Philip Launius, spokesman for the airport, said AeroMexico, Mexicana and Frontier airlines will be contacted about adding service to a Mexican destination in the near future. Although there
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  • 3 weeks later...

Could a ERJ to mexico work from LIT? I think it would be a huge step in the right direction.

If Frontier started n/s mexico flights it would probably be on E-170's. They'll probably just continue on another flight, say CUN-BNA-LIT on an A319. Aeromexico has ERJ-145's and Mexicana only has A318's i believe...

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Looks like Little Rock National is going to have some more food options next year. The airport commission voted to extend HMSHost's contract by 7 years in exchange for $2.3 million in upgrades to airport concessions. The plan includes developing a sit down restaurant and bar where the current art gallery is (the art gallery would be moved to a pre-screen area near the gift shop), replacing the Cinnabon with a Quizno's Sub, replacing the food cart near baggage claim with another Starbucks outlet and eliminating the Ouachita Brewhouse to add seats for the food court. Some commissioners wanted the sitdown restaurant to be a Chili's or Friday's but HMSHost said that the cost for that would be higher requiring a longer extension of the concessions contract in order to recoup their investment.

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Looks like Little Rock National is going to have some more food options next year. The airport commission voted to extend HMSHost's contract by 7 years in exchange for $2.3 million in upgrades to airport concessions. The plan includes developing a sit down restaurant and bar where the current art gallery is (the art gallery would be moved to a pre-screen area near the gift shop), replacing the Cinnabon with a Quizno's Sub, replacing the food cart near baggage claim with another Starbucks outlet and eliminating the Ouachita Brewhouse to add seats for the food court. Some commissioners wanted the sitdown restaurant to be a Chili's or Friday's but HMSHost said that the cost for that would be higher requiring a longer extension of the concessions contract in order to recoup their investment.

I actually dislike that plan. You're taking away the place to get beer or wine and replacing it with more seating and a Quizno's? Some people like to have a couple of drinks if their flight is delayed or cancelled. I would like to see the sitdown restaurant be a Chili's or Friday's, that would fix that problem. As it is, I kind of worry it's going to end up being worse.

The smokers are going to be pissed the Brewhouse is closing, that's the only place to smoke.

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  • 2 weeks later...

any more news on a new terminal/addition? The more investments they put into the current terminal, the more likely they will just renovate and add on to it instead of building a brand new one. <_<

I had dinner the other night with a business partner of one of the commissioners. I asked this question, and he understood that it was still a priority and that a major overhaul and/or new terminal was inevitable.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Supermarine of Arkansas LLC, which operates an FBO at the airport (in the old Omni Air facilities) is about to break ground on a new $25 million construction project at the airport. According to an Arkansas Business article, there will be six new hangars with 180,000 SF under roof and a 9,700-SF executive terminal. It will spread over more than 23 acres at 2101 Frazier Pike and should be completed in about 18 months.

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Definitely a Regional Jet as the tightest configuration only allows 80 passengers. Also, these two daily flights are operated by "Republic."

Gotcha. Its just that usually, a "regional" affiliate uses a different name, but I see no "Express" or the like in the emblems, etc.

The larger equipment is a good sign however. I've been sort of concerned about their passenger loads with the reintroduction of United service to Denver.

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