Telegram Editorial

Another editorial on how well the airport is doing today in the paper. Again, I think Allegiant has been a great start for ORH and Allegiant should be thanked for giving ORH a chance. At the same time how can an editorial about the airport not address the fact the airport is on track to lose $2,000,000 again this year, while costing the city between 800K-900K after the MassPort subsidy this fiscal year. Not even a mention our percentage increases from 15% to 32% on July 1st (less then two months) or that in 411 days, ORH has not subsidy whatsoever from MassPort.

Think this is the 3rd or 4th time that I have read that the TSA leasing a 1,000 square feet of space at ORH is a ringing endorsement on the future of ORH. How??? Bet the lease has a clause that allows them to leave without penalty if their resources are needed at ORH. Lastly a disclaimer stating that an employee of the Telegram is a past chairman of the aiport commission and sits on the board would be nice.

Here's the editorial:


A robust demand
Allegiant’s success should attract other carriers


As Massport and city officials seek to add new carriers, flights and destinations at Worcester Regional Airport, the most powerful tool in their sales kit may be the success of the leisure-oriented Florida service provided by Allegiant Air. Since the December launch, Allegiant has maintained an average load factor of a little more than 80 percent, with many flights booked full or near capacity. On two Saturdays in the peak vacation period in April, Allegiant had to put on extra planes to meet the demand. Allegiant’s success underscores the importance of matching services to consumer demands. Although other factors are involved, the key criteria for air travelers in Worcester Regional Airport’s “primary service area” — encompassing a population of some 625,000 — are desirable destination and competitive price.

The carriers being courted for Worcester’s airport are lean, strictly low-fare airlines that are well-adapted to today’s highly competitive air-travel market. They potentially could provide service to leisure destinations such as Las Vegas and to cities in the Midwest and Southeast likely to attract business travelers. Allegiant’s high reliability factor should allay concerns about weather patterns at the airport. Thanks in large part to sophisticated landing systems, only one flight last winter, during a storm in December, had to divert to another airport. The airport also received a vote of confidence from federal transportation officials recently when the Transportation Security Administration signed a five-year lease for space for its security personnel in the terminal building. The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission’s recent affirmation of efforts by Worcester and Massport to revitalize the airport also is welcome. Allegiant is demonstrating there is a strong market in Central Massachusetts and Boston’s western exurbs for the right air-travel product. Now, let’s have more of the same.