RDU International Airport

[KJHburg]

from the Triangle Biz Journal

""As Copa Airlines moves closer to its launch at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, it’s reporting positive bookings — a good sign for the flight's future in the Triangle.

CEO Pedro Heilbron told analysts on an earnings call last week that the numbers bode well for RDU’s first nonstop flight to Panama City, Panama. Copa is planning to launch three destinations from its Panama City base next month. In addition to RDU, they include destinations in Brazil and Mexico.

“I’m glad to comment that early bookings are coming in at healthy levels,” Heilbron told analysts last week.  His statements come just weeks after Heilbron came to the Triangle to talk about the RDU opportunity. The flight starts June 21 and will run four days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. But that could be just the start as Copa builds up its fleet. Heilbron told TBJ that the plan was to “grow our frequencies as the market develops.”"

Copa Airlines sees demand for RDU-Panama City flight - Triangle Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

[KJHburg]

More on upcoming RDU construction projects.

RDU Has Big Plans to Grow | Aviation Pros

[dmccall]

Here are a few points:

1. I think the better term for the gate expansion for Terminal 2 (Concourses C and D) is that they will corrugate the runway side of the building to add the gates
2. The decks they will demolish in from of Terminal 2 are the remnants of the old Terminal C, the stuff that opened in 1987.
3. It's funny to see all of these airports consolidate rental car parking and operations back to the terminals. Tampa just finished a monorail out to their hub a few years ago. Doh!

I've always just wished that RDU had built a central terminal on the south edge of the parking garages and run people movers out to gate pods, like Tampa and Orlando have.  It seems like it would have made for a more efficient situation than having 2 airports ... across the street from each other.

[RALNATIVE]

7 hours ago, dmccall said:

Here are a few points:

1. I think the better term for the gate expansion for Terminal 2 (Concourses C and D) is that they will corrugate the runway side of the building to add the gates
2. The decks they will demolish in from of Terminal 2 are the remnants of the old Terminal C, the stuff that opened in 1987.
3. It's funny to see all of these airports consolidate rental car parking and operations back to the terminals. Tampa just finished a monorail out to their hub a few years ago. Doh!

I've always just wished that RDU had built a central terminal on the south edge of the parking garages and run people movers out to gate pods, like Tampa and Orlando have.  It seems like it would have made for a more efficient situation than having 2 airports ... across the street from each other.

I couldn't agree more. So much underutilized space at RDU and Terminal 2 has already become cramped.

This disaster has been in the making for over 40 years, when there was a cheap Days Inn or something located between both terminals, where the central parking deck sits. Rather than just fix that mess years ago and build a central terminal, they decided to renovate both terminals and have never stopped. You can only kick the can down the road but for so long.

[KJHburg]

from RDU socials 

""Just in: RDU is now the fastest-growing Top 50 airport in the U.S.  
The airport welcomed a record 14.5 million passengers in 2023, finishing 22% over 2022's total.""

[KJHburg]

On 5/31/2024 at 7:44 AM, KJHburg said:

from RDU socials 

""Just in: RDU is now the fastest-growing Top 50 airport in the U.S.  
The airport welcomed a record 14.5 million passengers in 2023, finishing 22% over 2022's total.""

RDU #1 in Passenger Growth in 2023  - Raleigh-Durham International Airport

[Richhamleigh, DC]

The odd thing about RDU numbers...they dont appear anywhere else...not even USDOT and the press release doesnt identify a source, which is also odd?

[KJHburg]

 

[KJHburg]

Saw an IcelandAir jet coming in no photo but did catch an Air France from Paris coming into RDU check it out.  Might need to enlarge.

[KJHburg]

route-map with the new additions for RDU 

Nonstop Destinations - Raleigh-Durham International Airport (rdu.com)

 

 

Edited June 19 by KJHburg

[Richhamleigh, DC]

AF has increased service and equipment.  Service is now daily on A350 vs 787, about 100 more seats.  

Pix of AF and LH

[KJHburg]

Copa Airlines began flights today to Panama City, Panama first nonstop flights to that country from the Carolinas.

RDU flights: Panama City is latest international destination from Raleigh-Durham, via Copa Airlines | WUNC