GoCHO – Charlottesville Airport Getting More Flights?

At best we’ll see a direct to Newark. We won’t see IAH though since its our of range of most regional planes and we don’t have the demand for larger jets.

The results of mergers aren’t clear until it actually takes place and the new entity begins to assert its new business plan that is drafted, re-drafted and often revised again until it is deployed. The Delta/Northwest merger took many “hits” in the media before it took place, and it has proven a success (Delta just won approval for Detroit-Tokyo service that results in one-stop to Tokyo for CHO, similar to the June 1 CHO to Detroit to Ghana service that will be available from CHO) (can you tell I’m excited by our ever-increasing international reach?). In addition, air service “deals” must pass thru hurdles that re-mold the deal so that it rarely is exactly as proposed. Last fall’s Delta/US Airways LaGuardia/Washington National proposal is a good example. Many small communities with existing LGA service on US Airways are anxiously awaiting the fate of that service, including CHO.

Comments regarding Cleveland are frequent and many, but assuming CHO would have any guarantee of Newark service may be premature. Many factors go into the decision including the airport’s desire for the service, start-up costs in the proposed community, fleet repositioning, space requirements, current market performance for the proposed destination (how many pax buy tickets for Newark now that leave our market to fly thru Newark from another airport/how many pax fly to LGA that would change if Newark became available), etc. It is also incorrect that ORD is at capacity. For example, last week Delta announced new routes, including Chicago: “Seeking to bolster its flights out of New York City, Delta Air Lines announced plans to expand service from there to nearly 30 cities worldwide, including major business destinations like Chicago, St. Louis, London and Tokyo.” Airlines increase/decrease routes every day in order to serve cities that provide the highest revenue. Some are even accused of “costing” a community an investment in service by prematurely leaving one market for another and finding the original market more attractive and going back. Fleet is another matter that also is less onerous with the merger than prior to the merger, but mainline airlines can easily select any number of sub-carriers if distance/fleet is a consideration.

Two things are certain: 1) we can debate airlines and air service decisions for days, and 2) Continental has previously served CHO and the merged airline would be able to add new routes without Continental’s current need to factor in station costs.

What really happens remains to be seen but Jim is correct the runway extension will benefit both existing & future airlines, the regional jet as well as new aircraft possibilities such as the MD-80 fleet, and the revenue produced by our local economy has allowed CHO to maintain a favorable outlook compared to many similar sized communities across the nation over the past two years. We actively engage current and proposed airline partners and seek service based on the top markets utilized by our primary market area that can sustain air service. In today’s market, airlines require more and more “certainty” in the revenue forecast and less “gamble” than in previous years, and it often takes as long as 4-5 years for a decision to initiate service to be made.

Finally, one more comment. We depend on our customers in order to attract new service. The more passengers we lose to neighboring airports, the more difficult it is prove the need for new service to an airline. In other words, “buy local, fly local” and GO CHO!

Thanks for great comments about CHO. The 6:15 am Delta Detroit flight we lost last year returns June 1 (as a jet) and US Airways is putting in an additional Charlotte flight June 1 (also as a jet). The Detroit flight allows for much improved western & international connections. US Airways has been responding to CHO’s request to review fares and this will be 7th Charlotte connection which like Detroit has great one stop connections, domestically and internationally. Not quite but almost “whole” as before the economic downturn and very pleased at airlines response to upturn in traffic.