Metro Orlando Airport News

[gibby]

Looks like Jetblue might be getting more serious about moving headquarters to Orlando.

http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzjblu0...0,7637668.story

This would be great.

[bic]

Looks like Jetblue might be getting more serious about moving headquarters to Orlando.

http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzjblu0...0,7637668.story

The Orlando Sentinel begs to differ. Link

[JRS1]

is Lufthansa still flying direct into MCO?

[codypet]

is Lufthansa still flying direct into MCO?

Hell yes it is. My girlfriend and I make a point to watch it land every day when we go to the Barber Park Dog Park.

[JRS1]

good.

I know Aer Lingus still is b/c I can spot those jets miles away b/c of the color scheme- those and those Fed Ex L-1011's and the Virgin 747's are the easiest for me to spot.

What are they building just north of the parking deck on the north side of terminal A?

[bic]

good.

I know Aer Lingus still is b/c I can spot those jets miles away b/c of the color scheme- those and those Fed Ex L-1011's and the Virgin 747's are the easiest for me to spot.

Fed-Ex doesn't have any L-1011's-- you're seeing DC-10's and MD-11's.

[JRS1]

Fed-Ex doesn't have any L-1011's-- you're seeing DC-10's and MD-11's.

...and I was thinking DC-10 when I wrote that too... I don't think I've seen an L-1011 for at least 15 years. I think Delta was the last airline I remember flying them.

[gibby]

Lufthansa will be flying the huge 747's into Orlando for the last week of May and early June.

[gibby]

I have heard that Martinair is going to resume flights to Amsterdam soon. I have not seen any details though.

[bic]

Yep. Restarting AMS-MCO and stopping AMS-MIA.

[JRS1]

I think the construction that is north of the "A" parking garage has something to do with the rental car terminal at OIA; I was told they are shifting the rental lot to get more revenue from the parking decks- if I understood correctly. Not a good move IMHO b/c one of the cool things at OIA was the ability to get a rental inside the garage, where it was covered, etc.

[cwetteland]

I think the construction that is north of the "A" parking garage has something to do with the rental car terminal at OIA; I was told they are shifting the rental lot to get more revenue from the parking decks- if I understood correctly. Not a good move IMHO b/c one of the cool things at OIA was the ability to get a rental inside the garage, where it was covered, etc.

If what you say is true ... it is a good move IMHO. While it might be a cool thing for the cars to be covered, people aren't going to stop renting cars because they aren't uncovered. Having a whole new deck of parking revenue flowing in, plus the convenience of quickly finding a space to park (cool in it own right), has a bigger up side.

Then again, I'm not sure the new rental car facility won't be covered.

[bic]

JetBlue will begin daily non-stop service from Orlando (MCO) to Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) on February 8, 2010. It will be the airline's 23rd non-stop destination served by Orlando International and the 9th to the Caribbean/Latin America.

[JRS1]

probably the right thread for this... OSI, the Orl. San. Intl. Airport... I noticed they've increased the size of the aircraft parking apron to the east of the terminal, and they increased surface parking in a couple of spots, and built a 5 story garage to the west side of the parking area. Probably all within the last year and a half.

I guess business is steady and revenue is coming in. Intl flights dropped, but domestic flights picked up in 2008.

people often forget Orlando has two legit airports- maybe 1.75 to be more accurate. I think when another regular airline flies into OSI, my perception of it will change a bit. nevertheles, there is steady progress over there. its pretty impressive compared to what was there in 1994, which was nothing.

they went from Intl charters only to handling domestic flights with the revamped Pan Am in the Late '90's-early 2000's and expanding and building a domestic terminal.

I rekion by expanding the parking apron, they may intend to expand the terminal to the east soon.

[bic]

people often forget Orlando has two legit airports- maybe 1.75 to be more accurate. I think when another regular airline flies into OSI, my perception of it will change a bit. nevertheles, there is steady progress over there. its pretty impressive compared to what was there in 1994, which was nothing

I've been all over this town but in 20 years I still have never seen Orlando-Sanford International. It's 40 miles away from my parents' home in Dr. Phillips which makes it about as convenient for us as driving the extra 25 minutes to TPA. It's definitely neat to have a unique airport like SFB in the area, though. There aren't a lot of secondary airports that have their modest domestic service overshadowed by so much heavy, long-haul, international, charter traffic.

[prahaboheme]

The mere presence of OSI is good reason to phase out the airport downtown and integrate the space into the existing fabric of downtown.

Hell, should Orlando even bit for an Olympic games this would be an ideal site for an Olympic Village. Orlando 2020?

[spenser1058]

The mere presence of OSI is good reason to phase out the airport downtown and integrate the space into the existing fabric of downtown.

Hell, should Orlando even bit for an Olympic games this would be an ideal site for an Olympic Village. Orlando 2020?

Herndon Airport (Orlando Executive, if you must) is one of downtown's biggest selling points. If it goes, you will virtually eliminate further growth in the core other than government and not-for-profit. Any CEO or high-roller LOVES that access. I, too, can imagine all sorts of more interesting things to do with that space, but just like Reagan National (I included Reagan just for Red Star :-) is sacred to top-level muckety-mucks in DC, so is OEA for Orlando's downtown movers and shakers (not to mention WP and more than a few others from the 'burbs who like the easy in and out).

[prahaboheme]

^I see what you are saying but I find it hard to believe. How many CEOs are there in downtown Orlando anyway? There is not a single fortune 500 company downtown. The largest sectors in growth downtown are healthcare and small business.

If this is really the only benefit then I say bulldoze the airport yesterday and build a 900 footer on Orange Ave.

Edited October 9, 2009 by prahaboheme

[JRS1]

^^

I agree about Orlando Exec being there. What I think they should do is beef up operations there and make some improvements; since they were talking about Lymmo service to Balswin, why not do a loop that includes Orlando Exec? Since its there, they should celebrate that its there and really go gangbusters with it.

I would also see if its feasible to offer Orlando Exec to OIA air service for last second travelers.

[spenser1058]

^I see what you are saying but I find it hard to believe. How many CEOs are there in downtown Orlando anyway? There is not a single fortune 500 company downtown. The largest sectors in growth downtown are healthcare and small business.

If this is really the only benefit then I say bulldoze the airport yesterday and build a 900 footer on Orange Ave.

Well, the HD Supply folks, while no longer a separate Fortune 500 company, still have quite a few execs with access to private corporate aircraft. Execs from the major banks, attorneys, the hospitals (not just FL Hospital, remember, but Sunbelt Health or whatever the parent is called these days).

In any event, when recruiting, you only have to entice a few with such a perk. Remember, not that many people go to the ballet but may God help you if you can't show an arts presence to the few that care (and, yes, I'm one of the poor folks with season tickets to the Phil, but the point is still valid).

Believe me, I've long wanted to lose it too, but I was corrected on the point long ago when working for a state senator here. (I'd be very happy just to dispose of some of the tacky hangars along Crystal Lake Drive - at least they did finally paint them a few years back.)

[bic]

What I think they should do is beef up operations there and make some improvements; since they were talking about Lymmo service to Balswin, why not do a loop that includes Orlando Exec?

I don't think anybody would take public transportation to the Executive Airport unless they worked there.

[JRS1]

^^

I'm just trying to figure out what else could be done to make downtown that much more desireable and to integrate Orlando Exec into the downtown fabric, if it needs it.

Case in point, OIA has a helipad on the roof of the landside garage by Hyatt... that's pretty slick. It will attract a certain type of clientele albeit not very often. Also, in LA, some of those buildings have helipads on their roofs.

They already redid Maguire and its really nice. Does the Crystal Lake exit (is there one EB 408?) have signage specifically for the airport?

They should have a helicopter service to OIA from the airport for people who need to bypass rush hour traffic. Maybe they need more people here to justify the business ala ridership...

[bic]

Martinair, the Dutch airline that pulled out of MCO in order to consolidate its Florida flights at MIA, will be resuming its non-stop service from Orlando to Amsterdam on Thursday, flying 3x weekly.

Edited October 15, 2009 by bic

[JRS1]

I'm thinking GOAA needs to widen the Arrivals entrance ramp on A & B sides at OIA. It will be hard to do. Once you are on final approach, if you stay right you go to Departures, middle, Arrivals, left, Rent-A-Car and parking. They need to widen it at least one lane going in and going out b/c when leaving Arrivals, the two thru lanes taper back to one exit lane and traffic bottlenecks. Not good.

[bic]

The CEO of JetBlue met with Governor Crist yesterday to discuss the possibility of moving the JetBlue headquarters from NYC to Orlando. It looks like the company is getting more serious about setting up shop in Central Florida.