Metro Orlando Airport News

[spenser1058]

22 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

or...or...maybe they are ALL corrupt and you're just making excuses for them with your "villain" identified... 

I know Jerry Demings too well to suspect that. As for the other one, I’ll leave that for you to decide. I know you tend to think all politicians are just evil, but I’ve known too many public servants where that’s not the case. 

[HankStrong]

On 5/31/2022 at 1:59 PM, spenser1058 said:

I know Jerry Demings too well to suspect that. As for the other one, I’ll leave that for you to decide. I know you tend to think all politicians are just evil, but I’ve known too many public servants where that’s not the case. 

I avoid the politics, but I'd guess there are many virtuous folks in local governments around the country and the world.  I'd guess there are plenty of scumbags & less-than-intelligent folks (I've watched a lot of OrangeTV on the train issues and WOW there are 2 local commissioners that might lose an intelligence matchup to a rock) in local governments as well.  However, I think a lot of local people are truly interested in making their locality a better place to live and the bad eggs are either looking to move to higher politics ASAP or are just lucky losers.

It is my feeling that once you leave the local level, the corruption and pure evil nature of politicians really takes hold.  At the state level and the national level there seem to be very few that even pretend to be interested in helping people.  Whether they are Demoliars or Republiars or Liarbitarians or Indepenliars or whatever they have realized they can get rich in politics, have the power they were always denied, and be important for once.  Recent political events have shown us that no matter which side of the aisle or even if you aren't on a side that the overwhelming motivation isn't to help people.

 

 

Not to mention that on a Federal level the demographics don't line up with the population at all:

• 77% of the US Congress is white
• 73% are male
• 63% are over 60 years old

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

I avoid the politics, but I'd guess there are many virtuous folks in local governments around the country and the world.  I'd guess there are plenty of scumbags & less-than-intelligent folks (I've watched a lot of OrangeTV on the train issues and WOW there are 2 local commissioners that might lose an intelligence matchup to a rock) in local governments as well.  However, I think a lot of local people are truly interested in making their locality a better place to live and the bad eggs are either looking to move to higher politics ASAP or are just lucky losers.

It is my feeling that once you leave the local level, the corruption and pure evil nature of politicians really takes hold.  At the state level and the national level there seem to be very few that even pretend to be interested in helping people.  Whether they are Demoliars or Republiars or Liarbitarians or Indepenliars or whatever they have realized they can get rich in politics, have the power they were always denied, and be important for once.  Recent political events have shown us that no matter which side of the aisle or even if you aren't on a side that the overwhelming motivation isn't to help people.

 

 

Not to mention that on a Federal level the demographics don't line up with the population at all:

• 77% of the US Congress is white
• 73% are male
• 63% are over 60 years old

What’s disquieting is the culture that’s taken hold and at the moment it’s more problematic on one side than the other (take a look at how the Democratic Party went to great lengths to engineer a moderate presidential candidate in 2020 - in 2016, the GOP did little to hold off Donald Trump even though they knew exactly what he represented; that isn’t politics, with only two parties they have a duty  to protect the Republic just as much as to elect candidates; remember when Republicans Goldwater, Scott and Rhodes told Nixon it was time to step down?)

There’s very little I agree with Rep. Dan Webster about but during his entire time in the Florida Legislature, including as Speaker, he was always above reproach and went out of his way to be even-handed even as he made his case. I was gobsmacked when he ran for Congress and all that went out the window once he was consumed by that culture. It wasn’t like that in leadership there just a few decades ago. I can say the same of former Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.

The Democrats aren’t perfect - as @jrs2is happy to point out, the politics in Illinois are a disaster and the Dems were responsible for that mess. In Florida and DC right now , however, they’re not the ones about to send democracy off the rails (heck, in Florida, Democrats haven’t had enough power in the last twenty years to hire a dog catcher, must less do anything else). 

It’s up to the Republicans right now to police their own and they’re steadfastly refusing to do it. It has to start their, including with their voters.

I’ve never had a problem policing our own on the Democratic side- you’ll recall I opposed bad apples like Rick Singh and Gary “Baggy Pants” Siplin. I’ve made the case strongly against one of the leading local Democrats now for some time (even as the UP amen corner insists he is practically perfect in every way). To preserve our democracy, Republicans have to do the same with their problem children, not just sit quietly and pull a Homer Simpson, saying “can’t someone else do it?”
 

[jrs2]

^^

My posts are too long winded.  I will just simply say this:  never take anything you see on the news at face value.     

[spenser1058]

OSI names former Seminole County Manager Nicole Guillet as the airport’s new President and CEO:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-orlando-sanford-airport-president-guillet-20220622-qsvqgbrv2bfprgd4273wj7k57a-story.html

There’s an insider quality to leadership picks at OSI (a former Sanford mayor, then the current choice sticking for just two years before deciding to “retire” and now a former county exec), but generally it hasn’t been quite as questionable as OIA personnel decisions. Of course, there’s several orders of magnitude difference in the amount of money involved.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/seminole-county/os-ne-orlando-sanford-airport-president-guillet-20220622-qsvqgbrv2bfprgd4273wj7k57a-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

Edited June 22, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Been jonesing for a nonstop fight from MCO to Charleston, SC? Breeze Airways, the latest carrier started by the original JetBlue founder, began local service today. It continues from there to BDL.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-orlando-airport-new-breeze-20220624-xuj246ncmjffja3frvp7eairly-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

Edited June 24, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

“In terms of delays, Newark was also one of the top two most aggravating airports to fly out of, delivering people to their destination late nearly 30 percent of the time. Only Orlando International had a comparable percentage of delayed flights.”

Oops.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/travel/summer-travel-flight-delays-cancellations.html?referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

Edited July 1, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

“In terms of delays, Newark was also one of the top two most aggravating airports to fly out of, delivering people to their destination late nearly 30 percent of the time. Only Orlando International had a comparable percentage of delayed flights.”

Oops.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/travel/summer-travel-flight-delays-cancellations.html?referringSource=articleShare

From The New York Times 

Pay wall.

OIA is a large O&D airport.  I know for a fact airlines like American were canceling flights because of a pilot shortage.  You would think that would mean that MIA, ORD, ORD, and JFK would be hit hard by those cancelation numbers.  But because those are major hubs for American, their connections numbers do not affect those numbers as much.  It's misleading.

Are the delays caused by GOAA employees or because flights are arriving late?

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Pay wall.

OIA is a large O&D airport.  I know for a fact airlines like American were canceling flights because of a pilot shortage.  You would think that would mean that MIA, ORD, ORD, and JFK would be hit hard by those cancelation numbers.  But because those are major hubs for American, their connections numbers do not affect those numbers as much.  It's misleading.

Are the delays caused by GOAA employees or because flights are arriving late?

I don’t think it’s really OIA’s fault. Most of the Florida cities are having issues. Vacationers are booming and lots of relocations.

The crux of the problem seems to be the cheap airlines and we’re awash in them.

[shardoon]

I'm stressing. I have an overseas family trip next weekend. We connect in Newark. It's crazy that I'm daily checking the performance of my outbound leg out of Orlando and I'm not too confident. Yesterday it was diverted. Day before cancelled. Day before that delayed 2 hours (would have missed connection). It's so frustrating because I usually like to give myself at least 4 hours for a big connection like this, but over the past few months the flight kept on changing until the most recent incarnation where I only have just over an hour. 

 

Crazy times

[smileguy]

1 hour ago, shardoon said:

I'm stressing. I have an overseas family trip next weekend. We connect in Newark. It's crazy that I'm daily checking the performance of my outbound leg out of Orlando and I'm not too confident. Yesterday it was diverted. Day before cancelled. Day before that delayed 2 hours (would have missed connection). It's so frustrating because I usually like to give myself at least 4 hours for a big connection like this, but over the past few months the flight kept on changing until the most recent incarnation where I only have just over an hour. 

Crazy times

I flew last week and my flight time kept creeping leaving me with a 40 minute connection.  I was able to standby an earlier flight -- see if you can do the same? 

[shardoon]

21 hours ago, smileguy said:

I flew last week and my flight time kept creeping leaving me with a 40 minute connection.  I was able to standby an earlier flight -- see if you can do the same? 

Very difficult because there are 7 of us

[spenser1058]

“Orlando International Airport will receive $50 million in grant funds from the Federal Aviation Administration as part of airport assistance flowing out of last year’s infrastructure act. The announcement Thursday put Orlando’s airport among the top winners of FAA grants totaling $1 billion for 85 airports. The $50 million is to help complete Orlando International’s south terminal, which is scheduled to open in September.”

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-faa-grant-orlando-international-20220707-vwqpfb4t3jh3xfhqiklawkh7pq-story.html

From The Sentinel

Did we mention the FAA is overseen by Secretary Mayor Pete!?!

Edited July 7, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

4 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

“Orlando International Airport will receive $50 million in grant funds from the Federal Aviation Administration as part of airport assistance flowing out of last year’s infrastructure act. The announcement Thursday put Orlando’s airport among the top winners of FAA grants totaling $1 billion for 85 airports. The $50 million is to help complete Orlando International’s south terminal, which is scheduled to open in September.”

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-faa-grant-orlando-international-20220707-vwqpfb4t3jh3xfhqiklawkh7pq-story.html

From The Sentinel

Did we mention the FAA is overseen by Secretary Mayor Pete!?!

Fantastic; they secured that money!  Yeah, that building needs to be complete;

I did notice that I have yet to see a connective hallway between Terminal C and the Intermodal Center.  Google Map shows pylons but no structure yet.  I wonder if this was planned to be paid for using that money.

[shardoon]

I also would like to know the timeliness on phase 1A, which already had ground work and went vertices a few years, but was suspended due to covid. We cant have an unfinished eyesore wing sitting there.

[codypet]

https://www.orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/terminal-c/

Did we all already know this?  I'm excited for JetBlue being there, being that my dad exclusively flies JetBlue and my friend is a pilot there.

Edited July 8, 2022 by codypet

[spenser1058]

I like that on the Aer Lingus website, its info about Orlando includes info about Gatorland and other offbeat things in addition to the usual suspects.

Let’s hear it for the Irish!

[Alleri459]

On 7/8/2022 at 1:54 PM, spenser1058 said:

I like that on the Aer Lingus website, its info about Orlando includes info about Gatorland and other offbeat things in addition to the usual suspects.

Let’s hear it for the Irish!

It's funny you mention this! I live in the Hunter's Creek area not far from Gatorland, and along most of the stretch of OBT there are quite a variety of ethnic eateries and markets (South American, Caribbean, South Asian, Southwest Asian, and many more). Although I would not consider that area touristy you get the 'adventurous' tourist especially a few Europeans and Irish at these restaurants and markets. You can barely get Central Florida residents to venture to different neighborhoods and to try different foods, yet here are these tourists from across the pond and beyond so willing and exciting to try all these different places and talk with the business owners and other patrons. Interesting observation I thought I would share, maybe these ads are why! 

[jrs2]

On 7/8/2022 at 1:24 PM, codypet said:

https://www.orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/terminal-c/

Did we all already know this?  I'm excited for JetBlue being there, being that my dad exclusively flies JetBlue and my friend is a pilot there.

Hmm. Even the map of the Terminal C layout on that link shows the absence of that elevated connecting hallway to the intermodal center.  But they do depict a narrow path at the southern edge of the garage instead..  I’m assuming its open air. So, for now they are not planning on passengers landing at C and using the APM to A & B for rental cars and/or buses conveniently?

[codypet]

As of last week they are building the connection now.

[spenser1058]

So it’s not just Elon with problems acquiring companies- so far, Frontier is being held at bay by Spirit shareholders. Will Jet Blue win?  Right now, it’s too early to say who’ll win or if they’ll just say “never mind “.

However it goes will have significant impact on OIA as all three carriers have a big presence here:

Frontier Airlines says it lacks the votes for Spirit merger
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/fl-bz-frontier-spirit-merger-delay-20220711-fu2z3brgvngjbkmab5jnzu2zfu-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

Edited July 12, 2022 by spenser1058

[shardoon]

I think it's in our best interest for Jet Blue to win. They may open a real hub in Orlando with their terminal C location. Also, rumors of them shutting down a lot of caribbean flights out of Fort Lauderdale

[HankStrong]

To me, JetBlue is 10x the airline that either Frontier or Spirit is.  

[spenser1058]

“You really do have wings. You can do all these things. Let us be your wings. Eastern - The Wings of Man.”

*spoken in my best Orson Welles voice*

Did you know Eastern was once Orlando’s largest carrier - first at Herndon and then the Orlando JetPort at McCoy?

[jrs2]

If you look at an overhead view of OSI on google map, you will see most of the gates occupied by an Allegiant Airlines jet.  There are quite a few of them there.  The renovations are complete and it looks like they added a handful of new gates at a new airside.  It looks like they have 16 physical gate gantries and 10 of them have jets parked at them in the overhead shot, with 4 more parked to the side on the tarmac.

I didn't see any of the overseas charter carriers though.  I think the lockdown might have killed all of that business.