Pietpaflsun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 3343 times:
Rumor has it that Allegiant Airlines is about to announce a new Florida city. I understand it's between Clearwater/St Pete (PIE) Sarasota (SRQ) or Fort Myers (RSW). This new service will commence in October or November and serve current destinations in the northeast USA. Currently Allegiant serves only Sanford in Florida. Does anyone have any information to share?
PVD757 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3375 posts, RR: 18 Reply 1, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 3314 times:
I'd bet on PIE - not that any of those 3 would surprise me. Worcester (ORH), PSM, and SWF are shoe-ins for any of those 3 IMHO...
CMHSRQ From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 985 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 3303 times:
Well you can all guess who I want it to be. Where did you hear this rumor? We will need to hear from the two resident Allegiant peeps on the board to see if it is true.
Humberside From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2005, 4901 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 3254 times:
PIE would seem to fit the Allegiant model best - small airport with limited service. And I imgaine Allegiant and USA 3000, PIE's main airline, would probably not compete with each other too much
Could MLB also be an option or is it too near SFB?
PVD757 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 3375 posts, RR: 18 Reply 4, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3239 times:
Quoting Humberside (Reply 3): Could MLB also be an option or is it too near SFB?
yes, too close if you ask me.
PBI would be a logical south Florida airport where they could tap into a shrinking airport network that has good demand to the northeast all the while avoiding all the 'attention' FLL & MIA get...
PieTpaFlSun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 3182 times:
Southeast Airlines had a Gold mine out of PIE to ABE and SFB, during the winter season they had two daily flights to each and weeks in advance would be sold out. The airport is under served but user friendly with all the amenities of the large airports but just on a smaller less congested scale. USA 3000 serves five major cities that don't overlap Allegiant's route system.
727LOVER From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5722 posts, RR: 20 Reply 6, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3064 times:
Quoting CMHSRQ (Reply 2): Well you can all guess who I want it to be.
Ditto here.
Although I wouldn't mind PIE. But RSW? That'd drive me crazy!
ERJ170 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 6626 posts, RR: 19 Reply 7, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3048 times:
Any possibility of Allegiant to GSO? Seems like the kinda market Allegiant would serve? Any rumors of LAS/SFB service?
Airwave From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 1117 posts, RR: 3 Reply 8, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3035 times:
G4 just started GJT - LAS a few days ago and they've been busy expanding existing services (ROA - SFB, for example), so moving forward, a new city announcement wouldn't really surprise me.
However, looking at the G4 routemap, I'm not sure how PIE, SRQ, or RSW fit in as currently all roads lead to either SFB or LAS.
With that in mind, would a PIE et al announcment mean that they'd be starting a new station? Or connect from SFB? Personally, I think it's more likely to see service inaugurated from the likes of OKC to both LAS and SFB than a south Florida destination, as it keeps with the existing model of the G4 route system.
Airwave
When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all.
PieTpaFlSun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2971 times:
A great source has disclosed that this announcement could involve as many as twenty five flights per week out of PIE. Airline officials have been at PIE recently on numerous occasions meeting with the Airport Authority.
CIDflyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 1991 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2966 times:
Quoting Pietpaflsun (Thread starter): This new service will commence in October or November and serve current destinations in the northeast USA
Any chance the new FL city could see some service from the midwest markets like DSM, LAN, CID and TOL for example? The Gulf Coast side of Florida is very popular with the midwest...
PieTpaFlSun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2926 times:
Quoting CIDflyer: Any chance the new FL city could see some service from the midwest markets like DSM, LAN, CID and TOL for example? The Gulf Coast side of Florida is very popular with the midwest...
I would certainly hope so. ATA had up to 6 daily non-stops from MDW and IND to PIE utilizing 738's and 753's. Southeast at the same time serviced Columbus and Gary utilizing MD80's, the Midwest has always done extremely well to PIE with the leisure market that prefers non-congested airports not to mention only 8 miles from the beach.
BillReid From Netherlands, joined Jun 2006, 847 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2904 times:
Is PIE the logical choice?
SRQ is the fastest growing airport in North America by percentage. PIE is a dying airport and any service is severely dwarfed by SWA service at TPArnonly 8 miles from PIE.
PIE is a true dying airport because 60% of traffic at TPA is lowcost. (as reported by TPA)
USA3000 does OK at PIE but is vulnerable to any changes to the economy. The CEO was the CEO at Canada3000 during 9/11 and fell victim to the reduction of travel after 9/11. USA3000 is running the identical model with virtually the same possible problems.
SRQ just landed B6, and has several other opportunities on the horizon. As Boyd stated SRQ is the best opportunity in Florida because it is the worst served market with the strongest economy on the west coast of Florida.
The question remains whether an airline is happy getting $89 per seat at PIE with SWA breathing down its neck, or $129 per seat with better isolation from the TPA lowcost environment?
Some people don't get it. Business is about making MONEY!
PieTpaFlSun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2881 times:
Quoting BillRied Is PIE the logical choice?
SRQ is the fastest growing airport in North America by percentage. PIE is a dying airport and any service is severely dwarfed by SWA service at TPArnonly 8 miles from PIE.
PIE is a true dying airport because 60% of traffic at TPA is lowcost. (as reported by TPA)
USA3000 does OK at PIE but is vulnerable to any changes to the economy. The CEO was the CEO at Canada3000 during 9/11 and fell victim to the reduction of travel after 9/11. USA3000 is running the identical model with virtually the same possible problems.
SRQ just landed B6, and has several other opportunities on the horizon. As Boyd stated SRQ is the best opportunity in Florida because it is the worst served market with the strongest economy on the west coast of Florida.
The question remains whether an airline is happy getting $89 per seat at PIE with SWA breathing down its neck, or $129 per seat with better isolation from the TPA lowcost environment?
KcrwFlyer From United States of America, joined May 2004, 3629 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2869 times:
Ah, another G4 thread.
So, whats going on here. Are they going to pull another SFB-like focus city?
Would be nice to see some new cities getting florida service. Cities not served by G4 at all.
CMHSRQ From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 985 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 2835 times:
BillRied you make good points however LAS and Orlando are both huge WN stations and have massive amounts of LLC traffic. I doubt that Alligent is scared of them.
The St Pete beach area does have more hotels. However it is only 90 minutes to Sanford. SRQ is much more centrally located. 1 hour north to PIE/TPA, 70 minutes south to the Ft Myers area. Traffic is much more seasonal however. SRQ would better cover the whole Gulf Coast. I'm sure they would offer Mouse / beach packages. 3 days in Orlando and 3 days on the Gulf of Mexico etc etc. SRQ is so much more relaxing than St. Pete. Plus I don't know anyone who drives past TPA and over the Howard Franklin to fly out of PIE. I'm still happy that JetBlue announced SRQ than a week later announce CMH.
CIDflyer From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 1991 posts, RR: 3 Reply 16, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 2808 times:
Some good points brought up about PIE. But also do remember that G4 isn't aiming at the people flying SWA to TPA, as it serves smaller/mid sized markets (which they have done successfuly at SFB over MCO) that have little if any LCC presence and are generally underserved, and also aiming at the travellers buying vacation packages. Doesn't TPA have a cruise ship terminal? Perhaps flights to PIE could tie in with cruise as well as the standard vacation packages.
Mkirch72 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 198 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2644 times:
Quoting BillReid (Reply 17): Yes it does but its on the other side of TPA airport much further away from PIE than TPA.
Agian PIE offers nothing that TPA doesn't.
Absolutely wrong.
First of all, it's about a 20-30 minute drive to the cruise ship terminal from PIE depending on traffic. Most of the cruise ships leave Saturdays and most passengers arrive before noon when there is little to no traffic.
Second - PIE offers a much more passenger friendly environment - park right in front of the building, check in, go through security, wait at the gate, and board - all within a short walking distance.
Third - less flights mean quicker turnaround for pax at baggage claim.
Fourth - the 925,000 residents of Pinellas County as well as the 386,000 of Pasco (not to mention there ARE people who cross the bridges from Hillsborough and Manatee counties) would love more service out of their own airport.
Fifth - Avoid the construction - avoid the frequent traffic jams on the Howard Frankland - avoid the parking - the trams to the terminal, the lines through security - avoid the growing pains that TPA is and will be going through in the near future.
I have nothing against TPA. I use it as much as PIE. However, given the choice I choose PIE. PIE's biggest issue is that most people nowadays in the greater Tampa Bay region are transplants and are not familiar with the area. Other than a few billboards around Pinellas County by USA3000, PIE does no marketing at all. I think you would be surprised about the results if PIE could get together the funds for a marketing campaign and people in the whole region knew that they were actually there.
I live in Pinellas County and work in Tampa (near Brandon) and people I work with didn't know there's an airport there. Some of these people have driven the 2 hours to SFB to take Allegiant flights. If done right, Allegiant will be very successful at PIE.
Mkirch72 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 198 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2638 times:
Also - as a little side note, PIE recently conducted a Passenger Destination Survey asking what cities people would most like to see service to. The #1 destination with 1 out of 3 respondents was LAS. If Allegiant goes forward with getting some aircraft that can handle that distance, they've got a hit. Here are the other cities that showed up in the top ten:
NYC, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Indianapolis, DC, Gulfport/Biloxi, Chicago and Denver.
Not to mention the cities that were served by Southeast.
You can check out the survey on PIE's website at www.fly2pie.com
727LOVER From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5722 posts, RR: 20 Reply 21, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 2594 times:
Quoting Mkirch72 (Reply 19): I live in Pinellas County and work in Tampa (near Brandon)
Ouch! That must be some weekly gas bill.
Quoting Mkirch72 (Reply 19): Fifth - Avoid the construction - avoid the frequent traffic jams on the Howard Frankland - avoid the parking - the trams to the terminal, the lines through security - avoid the growing pains that TPA is and will be going through in the near future.
HEY, why dog the monorail They're fun!
Quoting Mkirch72 (Reply 20): Also - as a little side note, PIE recently conducted a Passenger Destination Survey asking what cities people would most like to see service to. The #1 destination with 1 out of 3 respondents was LAS. If Allegiant goes forward with getting some aircraft that can handle that distance, they've got a hit. Here are the other cities that showed up in the top ten:
NYC, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Indianapolis, DC, Gulfport/Biloxi, Chicago and Denver.
LAS, NYC, IND, MDW all were served from PIE by ATA, obviously didn't help them. Maybe SJU too, not sure.
PieTpaFlSun From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 2588 times:
727LOVER, according to ATA statistics PIE was the number two city in the system. It went way back to the beginning of scheduled service and was always used for new expansions. The airline had poor at best marketing.
ATA767 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 419 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 2550 times:
Quoting PieTpaFlSun (Reply 22): 727LOVER, according to ATA statistics PIE was the number two city in the system. It went way back to the beginning of scheduled service and was always used for new expansions. The airline had poor at best marketing.
I agree ATA had poor marketing. The loss of service to PIE baffels us all to this day. I think SWA had something to do with it and actually if that is the case then it did not serve the consumer well. That was a great airport to fly in and out of compared to TPA.
Mkirch72 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 198 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2512 times:
I think marketing is the key for any airline choosing to serve PIE, but also for the airport itself.
25 BillReid: ATA left PIE because SWA didn't want to have it competing with itself. What this means is that SWA sees itself as the airline to all those nice desti
26 PieTpaFlSun: Yes, PIE does need some upgrading but the facility fees are less then half of the other mentioned Florida destinations. PIE offers no jetways but look
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