Louis Armstrong International Airport

[NCB]

Armstrong International is really beginning to move again, and airport officials are now saying that by 2009, passenger traffic at the airport could exceed pre-Katrina numbers. Airlines continue to add new flights, and new airline ExpressJet now has 6 flights coming into the city.

This thread will be for all things Armstrong Intl!

[NCB]

Southwest Airlines adds over 1,000 daily seats to New Orleans market

More info

Beginning Nov. 4, 2007:

[NCB]

Here is the ExpressJet Airlines route map; through XJet, New Orleans has direct flights to Austin, San Antonio, Kansas City, Raleigh-Durham, Birmingham, and Jacksonville. NOLA will have connecting flights to at least 17 other cities through XJet as well.

[NCB]

Destinations seved by Armstrong International as of May '07. More cities will be added in the coming months. MSY also has a charter flight to Honduras, and airport officials are working to return the flight to Toronto, and to other Canadian and Mexican cities as well. Of course during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, international flights seem to pop up from everywhere.

[tombarnes]

I seem to recall much more international service from MSY. I hope that the flights to Mexico and Central America will return soon. I'd think that Mexico would be a lucrative market- especially the baeches.

[JPKneworleans]

I seem to recall much more international service from MSY. I hope that the flights to Mexico and Central America will return soon. I'd think that Mexico would be a lucrative market- especially the baeches.

[NCB]

There were many more international flights, but it still seemed to change every few years. I would expect to see the Toronto flight, the Mexican flights, and the other South American flights back on line within the next 4-5 years. Of course, during Mardi Gras, flights come from all over Europe and even Asia, I believe. And Jazz Fest is even getting international flights; I had family from Sweden come in a few years ago.

[JPKneworleans]

There were many more international flights, but it still seemed to change every few years. I would expect to see the Toronto flight, the Mexican flights, and the other South American flights back on line within the next 4-5 years. Of course, during Mardi Gras, flights come from all over Europe and even Asia, I believe. And Jazz Fest is even getting international flights; I had family from Sweden come in a few years ago.

[NCB]

Yeah, when it comes to European flights, they pop up during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, but there's nothing regular, as you pointed out. I believe Virgin Airlines had planes flying from London to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in 2004.

[northernbizzkit1]

Delta is starting up Saturday BOS-MSY service...it's a start...I still want JetBlue to run this with a daily flight.

[NCB]

Some news on new and additional flights that will be added at Armstrong Intl next month:

• One additional US Airways nonstop to Charlotte

• One additional US Airways nonstop to Washington/National

• One additional Northwest nonstop to Detroit

• New Saturday-only nonstop to Indianapolis on AirTran

• New Saturday-only nonstop to Boston on Delta

Also, an additional Southwest nonstop to Ft. Lauderdale will be added at Armstrong Intl in May. This news, along with the fact that Armstrong Intl saw its largest crowds since long before Katrina these past few days, and things are really looking good for the airport!

[JPKneworleans]

I wish United would bring back its daily nonstop to San Francisco. SF is one of the few cities to which one can no longer travel nonstop from NOLA.

[NCB]

I wish United would bring back its daily nonstop to San Francisco. SF is one of the few cities to which one can no longer travel nonstop from NOLA.

[NCB]

An update on MSY's post-Katrina recovery and revival:

The airport is at about 80% of its pre-Katrina operations, which is measured by daily seat counts. About 85% of all pre-Katrina daily roundtrip flights have been restored, and over 90%, near 93% actually, of all pre-Katrina domestic cities served by the airport are back on line.

So to sum up:

• Capacities of the flights in and out of New Orleans are at 80% of their pre-Katrina levels

• Nearly 85% of the pre-Katrina daily rountrip flights in and out of New Orleans are back on line

• Nearly 93% of all domestic cities served by MSY pre-Katrina are back on line

For anyone else who heard the horror stories directly after Katrina about Armstrong International permanently being the #2 airport in SE Louisiana, behind Baton Rouge's Metro Airport, the numbers you see above should be very good news. MSY was in a slump for a good bit of time after Katrina, but things are really moving now, and have been for over a year.

[JPKneworleans]

For anyone else who heard the horror stories directly after Katrina about Armstrong International permanently being the #2 airport in SE Louisiana, behind Baton Rouge's Metro Airport, the numbers you see above should be very good news. MSY was in a slump for a good bit of time after Katrina, but things are really moving now, and have been for over a year.

[NCB]

$200M in GO Zone bonds could build rental car facility at N.O. airport

New Orleans CityBusiness Article

NEW ORLEANS

[djp4lsu]

$200M in GO Zone bonds could build rental car facility at N.O. airport

New Orleans CityBusiness Article

[tennreb]

Is it just me, or does $142 million seem like a lot of money for a rental car facility? I hope they'll be getting some of it back through leases with the rental companies, etc.

[JPKneworleans]

Is it just me, or does $142 million seem like a lot of money for a rental car facility? I hope they'll be getting some of it back through leases with the rental companies, etc.

[UptownNewOrleans]

Why would someone really need a rental car in NOLA? To visit Metairie?

[tennis1400]

Im sure these people know what they are doing! I just never realized those things were that expensive!

[SlidellWX]

We've also got to remember that not everyone landing at MSY will be heading to the French Quarter. Several people may be heading to Houma or Baton Rouge or the Northshore or Lafayette or McComb, MS or the MS Gulf Coast...etc. You need a rental car to get to these locations. MSY is by far the most dominant airport within a 3 hour drive of New Orleans. I think a rental car facility is a great thing for the airport.

[NCB]

That's a great point, Slidell. MSY is most definately the central airport of the Gulf South, so a new car rental facility would certainly serve passengers who are headed to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Alabama to gamble and enjoy the beach, along with anyone headed over to Baton Rouge or Lafayette.

I was also very suprised by the expected cost of this facility, but after some mixed feelings, I like this development. I agree with tennreb in that it would be great to see this type of money go towards refurbishing much of the airport, but if this type of facility truly is needed and desired by many, then I'm all for it.

[NCB]

Armstrong Intl passenger count climbs 17 percent

New Orleans CityBusiness

NEW ORLEANS - Passenger totals were up 17 percent in January, to 671,703 from 574,222 the same month last year, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport said today.

[blackcoat]

More details were released today about the aforementioned rental car parking garage. Bonds issued for the expansion will be paid for by a fee added to the price of each car rental. Construction would 2010 or 2011 with a completion date some time in 2012.