Richmond International Airport

[georgeglass]

Just a little complaint about RIC...which I am a strong supporter of.  That said, I think it's ridiculous that TSA closes at 8p and my husband's flight was scheduled to board at 10:15 and he arrived too late (9pm) so was turned away and couldn't fly out tonight. I understand they have regular hours, but Raleigh keeps TSA open until the last flight departs. 

[eandslee]

19 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

Just a little complaint about RIC...which I am a strong supporter of.  That said, I think it's ridiculous that TSA closes at 8p and my husband's flight was scheduled to board at 10:15 and he arrived too late (9pm) so was turned away and couldn't fly out tonight. I understand they have regular hours, but Raleigh keeps TSA open until the last flight departs. 

I 100% agree with you!!

[georgeglass]

3 minutes ago, eandslee said:

I 100% agree with you!!

Sorry to be negative...  I just wish we would combine our security checkpoints and keep them open til the last flight leaves.

[I miss RVA]

37 minutes ago, georgeglass said:

Sorry to be negative...  I just wish we would combine our security checkpoints and keep them open til the last flight leaves.

Make this known to the powers that be - nothing will change if folks don't speak up and speak out. Here again, we're way behind the mark when it comes to simple things that other airports (cities, etc.) do as a matter of routine.

Definitely let them know and offer suggestions for improvement. It's the only way to make a difference.

[wrldcoupe4]

Yeah that doesn’t make any sense. I wouldn’t have thought to check that. Ever. 

[eandslee]

8 hours ago, georgeglass said:

Sorry to be negative...  I just wish we would combine our security checkpoints and keep them open til the last flight leaves.

No, you’re not being negative - this is a real problem!  You’re not the only one to have experienced this.  I’ve heard that TSA does stay longer than 8:00pm for later unscheduled flights, but I’m not sure if it’s always happening (well, obviously, it’s not happening).  I’m not even sure the airport has any power over the Federal agency that is TSA. However, this is an issue to bring up to @flack4ric .  If not here on this thread, reach out to him via Facebook Messenger, email, or he is also available on X (formally Twitter). 
 

I do know, for sure, that there are plans to combine the security areas into one so that there is free flow of passengers between the two concourses, but that won’t be completed for maybe another couple years (if memory serves). 

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, eandslee said:

No, you’re not being negative - this is a real problem!  You’re not the only one to have experienced this.  I’ve heard that TSA does stay longer than 8:00pm for later unscheduled flights, but I’m not sure if it’s always happening (well, obviously, it’s not happening).  I’m not even sure the airport has any power over the Federal agency that is TSA. However, this is an issue to bring up to @flack4ric .  If not here on this thread, reach out to him via Facebook Messenger, email, or he is also available on X (formally Twitter). 
 

I do know, for sure, that there are plans to combine the security areas into one so that there is free flow of passengers between the two concourses, but that won’t be completed for maybe another couple years (if memory serves). 

@eandslee, @georgeglass, @flack4ric -- since Perry Miller is the head of the CRAC, I think it has to start with him. I would imagine that the CRAC has the most direct dealings with the TSA when it comes to these operations at the airport. May as well go right to the top with this and push hard to get something done. He has the power as the top man of the airport commission - and I'm sure if he himself isn't necessarily the person to take the lead with the TSA he can delegate this to someone to undertake this. It needs to be done.

At the same time, we can do our part by reaching out directly to the airport via whatever customer feedback portals they may have, be it social media, direct e-mail, etc. I'd say we need to a two-pronged approach - public feedback and direct contact with the CRAC - specifically Mr. Miller.

While it's been a while since I've flown anywhere, I can attest that here in Chicago, I've flown out of both ORD and MDW at all sorts of oddball hours over the years - and there was never EVER a time that there was any thought that the TSA checkpoints would be closed. They were always open and staffed.

QUESTION (and maybe our airport gurus - @blopp1234, @eandslee, @Niccckk might have some insight): given RIC's "status" as a non-major airport (depending on whose metric is used, we MAY have finally escaped the bargain-basement category of "small", just barely sliding into the "mid-sized" category since we reached 4.755 million passenger volume last year) - does the TSA have restrictions on operational hours of checkpoints and staffing at airports below a certain level of volume? If there is a baseline (and no idea if there is) then RDU no doubt meets the qualification for full TSA service (meaning, not time-restricted) since they're at about 15 million passengers annually. Dunno what the answer is - definitely some homework for anyone who might be interested in researching this.

Edited February 6 by I miss RVA

[georgeglass]

I know this isn't RIC....but it is our competition. They ended up with around 4.5 million passengers last year and they are certainly being aggressive in their attempts to fuel further growth. I hope RIC is taking notice. 

https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/02/07/norfolk-airport-planning-nearly-700-million-in-construction-projects-after-record-breaking-2023/

[I miss RVA]

1 hour ago, georgeglass said:

I know this isn't RIC....but it is our competition. They ended up with around 4.5 million passengers last year and they are certainly being aggressive in their attempts to fuel further growth. I hope RIC is taking notice. 

https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/02/07/norfolk-airport-planning-nearly-700-million-in-construction-projects-after-record-breaking-2023/

Yep - not unexpected at all. And agreed - we need to step up our game after hitting 4.755 million passengers. I'm hoping our international gate opens asap - we need as much of a head start over ORF as is possible. I wonder how close we are to getting that open, operational, etc., and snagging some international service? 

Thanks so much, @georgeglass, for posting this. As you said - it's our competition and we need to know what's going on. Time for the CRAC to seriously step up their game and light the afterburners and get things cranking forward at RIC quickly.

Edited February 8 by I miss RVA

[eandslee]

Saw this today in Facebook…and then my response:

 

[I miss RVA]

14 hours ago, eandslee said:

Saw this today in Facebook…and then my response:

 

Good! Let's go pedal to the metal and stay on these folks. We need to know something.

I'm REALLY concerned that we could have as much as a year lead on ORF - meaning, our facility is complete and ready for business a full year before ORF's is - and yet it could sit dormant. And the MINUTE ORF's is up and running - BOOM - international flights there will be announced.

I hope and pray to God that I'm wrong - and I'm not saying it's what will happen - but it is a BIG concern that I have about all of this - and that our alacrity in getting this facility built, up and running will basically be for naught if we sit on it, don't do anything with it and fritter away a potentially BIG time advantage over ORF.

Seriously, I don't think the airlines are gonna just come running to RIC on their own (again, maybe I'm wrong) - and I DO think we (meaning the airport) will have to chase THEM to GET them to come here. This needs to happen while we still have a BIG time advantage on this. Again, I might be wrong, but I do worry that once ORF gets their facility up and operational, if we don't already have something robust ALREADY IN PLACE for international service by that time, we're cooked. We'll be lucky to get table scraps (if that!) while significant international service (particularly European flights) could set up shop 100 miles to our southeast -- ONCE AGAIN -- leaving us on the outside looking in.

God forbid this a trillion times over.

Edited February 8 by I miss RVA

[blopp1234]

Speaking of new routes, Southwest has updated their schedule for Winter 2024, which has revealed a new route (although the city is already served) from RIC.

 

Figured it was only a matter of time for Southwest to add this route and I’m guessing that by next summer (summer 2025), it will be bumped to daily service as RIC is perfectly located to feed into Southwest’s focus city in Nashville.

[eandslee]

Just now, blopp1234 said:

Speaking of new routes, Southwest has updated their schedule for Winter 2024, which has revealed a new route (although the city is already served) from RIC.

 

Figured it was only a matter of time for Southwest to add this route and I’m guessing that by next summer (summer 2025), it will be bumped to daily service as RIC is perfectly located to feed into Southwest’s focus city in Nashville.

YES!!  Finally, Southwest is starting to make sense!  Yeah, one day a week is just that - weak!  Hopefully, that does increase.  It’s the little victories, I guess. Great find!

[I miss RVA]

Okay - nice to know that RIC is not getting completely shut out in 2024 with new/additional service. Here's hoping that the dam will break and Southwest will start beefing up their RIC service throughout this year. I can't fathom that after a record-setting year and leapfrogging ORF into the spot of "the Commonwealth's busiest airport excluding the Washington, D.C. facilities", that airlines would just stand pat (or even truncate service) while increasing flights and/or adding routes to other airports in the region.

@eandslee - indeed. It's not a touchdown necessarily, but it's a first down - and first downs keep the chains moving and keep drives alive, which can lead to touchdowns. I really do hope we don't see a "stalling" (or worse, God-forbid) of service additions to the roster of RIC this year. With all the new service other airports have been garnering as a reward for their setting records with tremendous growth, RIC should be able to reap similar rewards. It's not every year the airport posts a nearly 17% year-over-year increase. That's the kind of numbers the BNAs and RDUs of the world routinely post.

C'mon airlines... take notice, please. 

Edited February 8 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

BREAKING!!!! SENATOR TIM KAINE SAYS RIC'S INTERNATIONAL GATE WILL (HOPEFULLY) BE UP AND RUNNING "PROBABLY BY APRIL"!!!!

I'm trying to find more information - this is the first i've seen on this - a video from the Times-Dispatch. Sen Kaine was at the airport and gave an interview detailing the state of play and the recent history of the funding to get the international gate re-operational. This just moved/posted on the Richmond.com website late this afternoon.

@RVABizSenseMike -- any chance RBS will have something on this tomorrow?

From this afternoon's Richmond Times-Dispatch/Richmond.com:

https://richmond.com/news/us-sen-tim-kaine-speaks-about-the-upcoming-international-terminal-at-richmond-international-airport/video_58e97dad-8b74-5ef1-b005-543ba0623000.html#tracking-source=article-bottom

Edited February 14 by I miss RVA

[I miss RVA]

FOLLOW UP:

Here's WTVR TV-6 News' reporting. Looks like the airport has been in talks for quite some time with airlines to bring international service to RIC - hopefully sooner than later. Caribbean is the likely first bite of the apple - and Canada is very much on the table as well.

Another HUGE takeaway from the TV6 News story:

The customs area will be serviced by one gate, B 15. But officials said the design of that end of the terminal could allow for more to be added.

Obviously, both concourses are eventually going to be expanded (with additional gating to get us to 44, according to the airport master plan) - but it sounds very promising that it at least LOOKS like they're talking about - PERHAPS - international service being handled by more than one gate/multiple gates down the road.

From WTVR TV6 News:

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/new-customs-screening-facility-richmond-international-airport-feb-14-2024

Edited February 15 by I miss RVA

[Niccckk]

12 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

FOLLOW UP:

Here's WTVR TV-6 News' reporting. Looks like the airport has been in talks for quite some time with airlines to bring international service to RIC - hopefully sooner than later. Caribbean is the likely first bite of the apple - and Canada is very much on the table as well.

Another HUGE takeaway from the TV6 News story:

The customs area will be serviced by one gate, B 15. But officials said the design of that end of the terminal could allow for more to be added.

Obviously, both concourses are eventually going to be expanded (with additional gating to get us to 44, according to the airport master plan) - but it sounds very promising that it at least LOOKS like they're talking about - PERHAPS - international service being handled by more than one gate/multiple gates down the road.

From WTVR TV6 News:

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/new-customs-screening-facility-richmond-international-airport-feb-14-2024

This is HUGE! So I don't know entirely how leasing gates works, but would multiple airlines be able to operate out of this one international gate? Or would it be restricted to one airline until we get a Concourse B expansion?

Also I feel like we should've had one route announcement *at least* that is international by now considering it is opening in April. I guess time will tell. As long as we get an announcement this year for one or two international routes, I'll be happy.

Edited February 15 by Niccckk

[eandslee]

34 minutes ago, Niccckk said:

This is HUGE! So I don't know entirely how leasing gates works, but would multiple airlines be able to operate out of this one international gate? Or would it be restricted to one airline until we get a Concourse B expansion?

Also I feel like we should've had one route announcement *at least* that is international by now considering it is opening in April. I guess time will tell. As long as we get an announcement this year for one or two international routes, I'll be happy.

For real - should have had an announcement by now, which has me believe that either the airport is really behind in courting an airline(s) to fly internationally or a particular airline gave the airport some sort of agreement that they would start international service, then backed out and now the airport is scrambling to find a replacement.  Perhaps I’m reading into it too much, but that’s the way it appears to me. 

Edited February 15 by eandslee

[I miss RVA]

FOLLOW UP:

Here's the Times-Dispatch's full reporting on the story.

I'll include a link (below the RT-D link) that popped up in my newsfeed from WAVY-TV in Norfolk about new federal grants that are impacting airports all across the state. While the story is ORF-centric (given where it's coming from), it includes a blurb that RIC is to receive more than $6.8 million in federal funds. It doesn't go into WHAT the airport is going to use it for. ORF is using their $6.5 million grant to fund their international inspection station. Dulles is getting $35 million for a new 14-gate terminal building. Wow...  Maybe RIC will get some funding down the road for concourse expansion or terminal expansion one day!

NOTE: I followed the link through to the FAA list of grants - it just shows what facilities are receiving how much, but not what the money is going for. I don't recall this announcement happening previously - it sounds like new funding for new projects, and while the article doesn't state WHEN this announcement came down, it seems like it happened VERY recently. Nothing on the FAA list shows a date of when this was put together or when the information was released. THAT said, not at all sure what RIC's portion is slated to cover.

If anyone has some insight or intel, please post it!

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/richmond-airport-customs-international-canada-mexico/article_8fe18c18-cb7e-11ee-bda0-b7ac4b1ba0d3.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

From WAVY-TV in Norfolk:

Virginia airports, including Dulles, Norfolk and Richmond international airports to receive millions in funding | WAVY.com

Edited February 15 by I miss RVA

[ancientcarpenter]

16 hours ago, I miss RVA said:

FOLLOW UP:

Here's the Times-Dispatch's full reporting on the story.

I'll include a link (below the RT-D link) that popped up in my newsfeed from WAVY-TV in Norfolk about new federal grants that are impacting airports all across the state. While the story is ORF-centric (given where it's coming from), it includes a blurb that RIC is to receive more than $6.8 million in federal funds. It doesn't go into WHAT the airport is going to use it for. ORF is using their $6.5 million grant to fund their international inspection station. Dulles is getting $35 million for a new 14-gate terminal building. Wow...  Maybe RIC will get some funding down the road for concourse expansion or terminal expansion one day!

NOTE: I followed the link through to the FAA list of grants - it just shows what facilities are receiving how much, but not what the money is going for. I don't recall this announcement happening previously - it sounds like new funding for new projects, and while the article doesn't state WHEN this announcement came down, it seems like it happened VERY recently. Nothing on the FAA list shows a date of when this was put together or when the information was released. THAT said, not at all sure what RIC's portion is slated to cover.

If anyone has some insight or intel, please post it!

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

https://richmond.com/news/local/business/richmond-airport-customs-international-canada-mexico/article_8fe18c18-cb7e-11ee-bda0-b7ac4b1ba0d3.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

From WAVY-TV in Norfolk:

Virginia airports, including Dulles, Norfolk and Richmond international airports to receive millions in funding | WAVY.com

Quote

• Richmond International: $6,860,460
• Charlottesville‐Albemarle: $2,976,334
• Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field): $2,917,043
• Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field: $1,281,601
• Shenandoah Valley Regional: $1,007,091

 

RVA really took the cake here with almost $7million. 

All other airports not on this list are getting 6 figure funding.

[Flood Zone]

Well, $35M might pay for the paint job for the new Dulles terminal building.

[I miss RVA]

4 hours ago, ancientcarpenter said:

 

RVA really took the cake here with almost $7million. 

All other airports not on this list are getting 6 figure funding.

So I'll ask again: WHAT is this money for? There's nothing in the WAVY-TV story (nor would I expect anything to be there) regarding RIC. I'm not complaining by ANY stretch - but there seems to be absolutely ZERO information - no details whatsoever - beyond the straight-up fact that RIC is receiving $6.86 million in federal grant money.

My two questions are:

1.) This $6.86 million - this is a fresh, NEW grant, yes? In other words, we've not heard of this prior to yesterday, correct?

2.) What is this grant going to fund at the airport?  We know (courtesy of WAVY-TV) how ORF and IAD are going to spend their funds. How is RIC going to spend this money? Will this go toward runway/apron improvements? Consolidation of the TSA checkpoints? Terminal improvements? Inquiring minds want to know.

WRIC-TV8 News has this - but it's nothing more than a verbatim cut-N-paste of the WAVY-TV story.

@RVABizSenseMike - are y'all hearing ANYTHING about this over at RBS? This seems to have become somewhat of a black box.

Edited February 16 by I miss RVA

[RVABizSenseMike]

1 hour ago, I miss RVA said:

 

@RVABizSenseMike - are y'all hearing ANYTHING about this over at RBS? This seems to have become somewhat of a black box.

This is on our to-do list. 

[I miss RVA]

25 minutes ago, RVABizSenseMike said:

This is on our to-do list. 

Thanks, Mike!

[eandslee]

I found this, but the grant amount doesn’t match. Perhaps, this was from a previous grant award that helped pay for the new customs area (which we know is almost complete).  Otherwise, it may be to pay for 21 new jet bridges, but that’s just a guess:

 

Edited February 16 by eandslee