November 13, 2005

Great Diane Williamson Story Today

Although I agree 100% with her assessment of the study, we can be more then a general and business avaition airport. True a name change by itself will do absolutely nothing, but if we were to implement many of our other recommendations from WIP a name change would actually mean something--a new improved airport.

In addition to general and business aviation, we can have a leisure market. Unlike the business-traveler who need multiple daily flights with many options, ORH can not support this market (business-traveler) without an access road and with 4 airports (Manchester, Providence, Hartford and Boston) all within an hours drive.

On the other hand ORH can support the leisure traveler who can accept 2 to 4 flights per week. Lack of an access road would be outwieghed by reasonable direct flights, free parking, free wifi and a coffee stand, which we do not have--why not??. We took the first step with flights to Orlando on Allegiant, now we have to start picking up direct flights to all the other markets in Florida:

  • Tampa/St Pete
  • Fort Myers
  • Fort Lauderdale

The Central Mass market to Florida alone is huge, we need to tap this market. Once we get that done, we need to look at Myrtle Beach and the Bermuda. At first this sounds like a pipe dream but we only need two airlines to come to ORH to service all of these markets above--USA3000 and Hooters.

For the life of me, I am still amazed that IMG did not even recommend Apple Vacations, the vacation (charter) partner for USA3000, both based in nearby Philadelphia. We should fly the City Manager and Mayor to Philadelphia and make a presentation to Trevor Sadler at USA3000 and Apple Vacation luring them to ORH. After that, a trip to Myrtle Beach and a meeting with Mark Peterson of Hooters Air. This would be money well spent.

Lastly how can IMG simply dismiss an ideas for privatization and recommend negotiations with MassPort only?? I will bring up the house an analogy. If you were selling your house , would you let your house fall into desrepair and only attempt to sell it to your next door neighbor?? No, you would paint the house, mow the lawn, remodel the kitchen and market it to the world. We need to get free WIFI, attract airlines like USA3000/Apple Vacations and Hooters today and market our airport to the world.

Can we once and for all put DJAir belongs, in the 100 to 1 long shot/don't depend on them category. Imagine being a venture capitalists and a couple guys walk into your office looking for 100 million to start an airline targeting both the business-traveler and leisure traveler with the base of operations at ORH. On the other hand, I do see Hooters and USA3000 taking a very close look at ORH, if asked.

Great job by Diane Williamson calling a spade a spade and what about Michael Boyd's comments "The fact you paid $100,000 on that study just amazes me."

No comments: