Wish Bowling Green had an airline.

[tomocox]

Just remember, every commercial passenger flight out of Owensboro, Paducah, Pikeville is subsidized by tickets bought by passengers flying otherwise. Even Evansville is getting close to non-profitable.

[BLS2753]

Originally Posted by tomocox

Just remember, every commercial passenger flight out of Owensboro, Paducah, Pikeville is subsidized by tickets bought by passengers flying otherwise. Even Evansville is getting close to non-profitable.

+1 Any smaller community who contemplates new or expanded airline service, is either ignorant of the modern airline business, or delusional.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by tuckessee

I've noticed a lot larger planes flying out of BG this year, not just little Cessnas, but small airliners, daily. So the airport business is visibly growing. As for utilizing Nashville, I'd rather drive 45 minutes than 2 hours to the airport. .

That is what everyone says ... until they see that the flight out of Nashville are $100+ cheaper per person. That is why people end up driving to the nearest large airport than supporting the local airport.

[The Toddster]

Originally Posted by tuckessee

I've noticed a lot larger planes flying out of BG this year, not just little Cessnas, but small airliners, daily. So the airport business is visibly growing. As for utilizing Nashville, I'd rather drive 45 minutes than 2 hours to the airport. Growing up Nashville was THE city, and still is. When we wanted big city amenities that Warren county couldn't offer, like real malls and better restaurants, we went to Nashville. Christmas time was the time to go see the decorations at Opryland and hear about the yule log. Before the Hot Rods, we always went to Sounds games. I'm a huge Titans fan, and that's a difficult thing to be. Before I could drive I remember going to Louisville maybe twice, once for Kentucky Kingdom and once to the state fair. Heck, most of the time we'd go to the Tennessee state fair in Nashville. I used to ignorantly hate Louisville, as some rural Kentuckians do, but I've been all over that city now, I like it a lot, but it feels like a different state in between Kentucky and Indiana. This part of Kentucky and Tennessee just blend in together.

The larger planes in BG are cargo flights related to the auto manufacturing sector in the area.

Tuck, I'm from the BG area and you are right on about Nashville and Louisville. Why would I go out of my way for Louisville with Nashville so close? I can't say I've ever had bad experiences or been treated poorly in Louisville, but things just went so much better in Nashville. Nashville is inviting and doesn't look down its nose at everything non-Nashville.

[elevationnation]

Anyone have any updates or heard anything about the city getting service. I know that the airport has got local and state money to lure an airline. The last news I seen was Dec. of last year. Would thought by now something would be ironed out.

[EricOldTime]

Owensboro has "Alegiant" flights now....that's a HUGE advance...

My late father was a retired commercial airline captain for Braniff and USAir, he got his start flying out of Indiana and also air mail from Owensboro back in the early 60's, it's where my mom and dad met. He was typed in the DC-9, 737-200 and also BAC1-11 ( all old planes now LOL )

Anyways...

The routes have to be profitable, considering fuel cost per passenger is atsronomical, the flights need to be as full as often as possible. Not only that, it's airport runway length, is it long enough for take offs and landings in adverse weather conditions with certain aircraft? Even when an aircraft is FAA certified, airlines have to go through a bunch of beaurocracy and scrutiny before certain aircraft can be approved for take-offs and landings at certain airports. Does the airport have the facilities for a ground based ops and maintenance crew? It's expensive for airlines to shuttle mechanics and equipment around to different airports.
Also, airlines have to pay and also go through the FAA when seeking to offer routes two and from new airports, not to mention local fees......there's alot of factors involved.

My dad, back in the late 80's early 90's was involved with a budget charter shuttle airline startup out of Florida before he died. They were trying to lease a bunch of 737-300 series, 5 of them and offer routes to and from Daytona Beach Regional airport to the Mexican gulf coast, Carribean and the Bahamas, my dad was going to be a check airmen and possibly chief pilot. It was a nightmare with all of the red tape that was involved. Needless to say the investors pulled out, but they also had alot of problems with leasing with the Daytona airport for the gates ground maintenance space etc... A profitable and great idea that never got off the ground

It used to be to visit Owensboro, you had to fly into Evansville on USair or Delta into Louisville or Nashville. I'm skeptical BG will have commercial airservice from any of those given that Nashville is so close and those airlines already have operations there, it remains to be seen I guess.

[elevationnation]

Seems like this has actually happened. It took 44 years but Bowling Green, KY now has an airline. Contour Airlines will fly to Atlanta twice a day M-F and once on Saturdays and Sundays from Bowling Green, and Seasonal to Destin, FL. http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/bg-a...d2ad38898.html

[hogsrus]

Originally Posted by elevationnation

Seems like this has actually happened. It took 44 years but Bowling Green, KY now has an airline. Contour Airlines will fly to Atlanta twice a day M-F and once on Saturdays and Sundays from Bowling Green, and Seasonal to Destin, FL. http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/bg-a...d2ad38898.html

I just read about this...good for Bowling Green!

[elevationnation]

It is such a great thing. The community now needs to support this air service and show that the city if ready for this. Makes me a bit nervous!