Jump to content

Metro Orlando Airport News


bic

Recommended Posts


To maybe better compete with Virgin's 2 flights daily

Depending on the time of year Virgin has had up to four daily MCO-LGW non-stops.

There really is no "competing" with Virgin on this route as they can basically sell any amount of seats they want to. It is more a matter of BA and others picking up whatever scraps they can.

The typical Virgin LGW-MCO customer visits Orlando a couple of times a year, is a Clubhouse member, has thousands of Virgin points, upgrades to premium economy - in other words they are loyal and they are legion.

Because the route is so popular BA is also able to do a good bit of business as well, evidenced by the upgrade to a 777 [yes, it is an upgrade from the 744 to the 777 with the newer seats] and the forthcoming service increase.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depending on the time of year Virgin has had up to four daily MCO-LGW non-stops.

There really is no "competing" with Virgin on this route as they can basically sell any amount of seats they want to. It is more a matter of BA and others picking up whatever scraps they can.

The typical Virgin LGW-MCO customer visits Orlando a couple of times a year, is a Clubhouse member, has thousands of Virgin points, upgrades to premium economy - in other words they are loyal and they are legion.

Because the route is so popular BA is also able to do a good bit of business as well, evidenced by the upgrade to a 777 [yes, it is an upgrade from the 744 to the 777 with the newer seats] and the forthcoming service increase.

Not to disagree with you but my understanding was the typical client on BA is more affluent than the Virgin passenger and this increase in service was to cater to the increased in UK busineesmen that are now traveling to central florida for their business interest (ie, real estate holdings, export services etc). I was relating the "competition" to be for this higher paying clientel (Business and 1st class passenger) rather than the economy clientel, but I could be way off on this.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depending on the time of year Virgin has had up to four daily MCO-LGW non-stops.

There really is no "competing" with Virgin on this route as they can basically sell any amount of seats they want to. It is more a matter of BA and others picking up whatever scraps they can.

The typical Virgin LGW-MCO customer visits Orlando a couple of times a year, is a Clubhouse member, has thousands of Virgin points, upgrades to premium economy - in other words they are loyal and they are legion.

Because the route is so popular BA is also able to do a good bit of business as well, evidenced by the upgrade to a 777 [yes, it is an upgrade from the 744 to the 777 with the newer seats] and the forthcoming service increase.

Not to disagree with you but my understanding was the typical client on BA is more affluent than the Virgin passenger and this increase in service was to cater to the increased in UK busineesmen that are now traveling to central florida for their business interest (ie, real estate holdings, export services etc). I was relating the "competition" to be for this higher paying clientel (Business and 1st class passenger) rather than the economy clientel, but I could be way off on this.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to disagree with you but my understanding was the typical client on BA is more affluent than the Virgin passenger and this increase in service was to cater to the increased in UK busineesmen that are now traveling to central florida for their business interest (ie, real estate holdings, export services etc). I was relating the "competition" to be for this higher paying clientel (Business and 1st class passenger) rather than the economy clientel, but I could be way off on this.

I don't see how you are disagreeing...

I agree that BA's typical LON-MCO customer is likely a bit more affluent, that they cater to heavier "business" loads, etc. and that they are responding to a growing market.

I guess my point was more about characterizing Virgin's typical customer than BAs. When I said that BA was "picking up scraps" I meant that in terms of total number of seats/year in which Virgin has a huge advantage, not the 'quality' of BA's typical customer.

If BA ever adds a 3-class aircraft and/or switches one or more flights to LHR then we will know for sure that business traffic to Orlando is picking up big-time.

Edited by Camillo Sitte
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see how you are disagreeing...

I agree that BA's typical LON-MCO customer is likely a bit more affluent, that they cater to heavier "business" loads, etc. and that they are responding to a growing market.

I guess my point was more about characterizing Virgin's typical customer than BAs. When I said that BA was "picking up scraps" I meant that in terms of total number of seats/year in which Virgin has a huge advantage, not the 'quality' of BA's typical customer.

If BA ever adds a 3-class aircraft and/or switches one or more flights to LHR then we will know for sure that business traffic to Orlando is picking up big-time.

I see your point. I would love to go into Heathrow personally as it offers better connections to the continent than Gatwick which would make getting from Orlando to these destinations much less of a hassle.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Looks like the Air Tran is a done deal.

Deal keeps AirTran Airways' corporate headquarters in Orlando

Says that could break ground in as little as 3 months and the project should take about 9 months to build.

Good news though unfortunately all of the big salaries [and corporate largess] will be staying in Atlanta.

AirTran "keeping" its corporate headquarters in Orlando/Florida is still more of a tax dodge than a genuine move to adopt Orlando as it's true home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have no idea why they keep atlanta as their hub and dont move it down to orlando. i avoid airtran when its not a direct flight simply because ive never had a good experience at the jammed atlanta airport. whether delta or airtran.... always delayed going in or out. with some incentives to attract them, mco could build out the airside 2 and have airtran's main hub here in orlando between airside 2 and 4.

all this without even needing to start the south terminal expansion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have no idea why they keep atlanta as their hub and dont move it down to orlando. i avoid airtran when its not a direct flight simply because ive never had a good experience at the jammed atlanta airport. whether delta or airtran.... always delayed going in or out. with some incentives to attract them, mco could build out the airside 2 and have airtran's main hub here in orlando between airside 2 and 4.

all this without even needing to start the south terminal expansion.

is there a cost effective advantage to doing that? in that, if an airline were to make MCO a hub, and since tourists come here, would making it a hub perhaps increase business for said airline b/c of the natural frequency of flights hence get more patrons to use it b/c there's more available flights? did I ask that right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have no idea why they keep atlanta as their hub and dont move it down to orlando. i avoid airtran when its not a direct flight simply because ive never had a good experience at the jammed atlanta airport. whether delta or airtran.... always delayed going in or out. with some incentives to attract them, mco could build out the airside 2 and have airtran's main hub here in orlando between airside 2 and 4.

all this without even needing to start the south terminal expansion.

It really doesn't make sense to move it to Orlando. Atlanta is a mid point in their route system thus the location minimizes the fuel it takes. Orlando being on the edge of the route system would greatly increase the fuel cost to where they couldn't compete. As frustrating as busy airports are, it's ticket prices that drive the market, not convenience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These people like being able to enjoy a local world class symphony, they like the much wealthier and well-established social scene, they like having dozens of great [non-chain] restaurants to choose from. They enjoy being able to catch a major league baseball or football game. They like that their children have several choices of a world-class college education while staying at home.

You forgot the world class dog fighting as well. I heard Michael Vick was looking at relocating Bad Newz Kennels Headquarters to the College Park area...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You forgot the world class dog fighting as well. I heard Michael Vick was looking at relocating Bad Newz Kennels Headquarters to the College Park area...

LOL. Are you sure it wasn't in College Park? One of my friends was a cop out there and the stories I've heard--- wow. No wonder he hates Atlanta. AirTran's office is right on the border of College Park and are the disorganised.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is plenty of money to made in Orlando from point-to-point flying but not a hub. Every airline who has tried it has either given it up or gone out of business.

I was watching Southpark and at the end there's always a plane that says Braniff. I looked it up and it says that its a failed Orlando, Fl based airline. Would that be one of the airlines you had in mind?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was watching Southpark and at the end there's always a plane that says Braniff. I looked it up and it says that its a failed Orlando, Fl based airline. Would that be one of the airlines you had in mind?

Yep, the ones that headquartered / hubbed in Orlando and subsequently went out of business were Braniff II and III, Florida Express, and Airways Corp [the original AirTran] which was acquired by Valujet.

The ones that tried a hub but dropped out though continued to stay in business were Delta and Comair.

Truth be told Orlando has never, by definition, really been a hub for anyone. Florida Express was headquartered in Orlando but didn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Birmingham people made the argument 20 years ago why Hartsfield should get all the Delta traffic when Birmingham was more centrally located. Braniff of old, if I'm not mistaken, was a Texas-based airline. That airline went under like Eastern, etc. MCO's current terminal opened in, what, 1980 or so? MCO as of a couple of years ago is one of the Top 5 O&D airports in the US (along with ATL, ORD, JFK, LAX, etc...). I don't think that just b/c Braniff as an airline failed like 20 years ago should be the litmus test as to why MCO won't work as a hub in the future. Even MIA is somewhat of a hub for American.

I think it's easier to be a hub airport than an O&D airport. O'Hare is nowhere near being centrally located to have to always connect there on United. Neither is Detroit if you want to take NW to places like Amsterdam. There's too many screwy routes b/c of the decision making on hub traffic. It just is what it is.

At least Orlando is a top destination for hub travelers to have the option to stop off and visit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't really get into this air traffic topic, but didn't someone mention that NetJets is related in some way to Orlando? The reason I ask is that I saw an ad last night during the LSU - OSU game.
Net jets was looking to relocate here form up north (Columbus, OH ?) but recently eliminated Orlando as a player! Now looking at Raleigh (Why???) and somewhere else (I've forgotten).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.