July 14, 2006

If MassPort Owned ORH??

If MassPort actually owned ORH, do you think things would be different right now? I do !! One fo the first thing MassPort would have considered after the tunnel collapse would have been to divert some flights to their other airport (ORH).

What incentive do they have right now with less then one year in the current operating agreement, where they subsidize 68% of the operating deficit? NONE!!!! Right now we should be not only be calling JetBlue but MassPort asking them to buy--never mind extending the current operating agreement which has a long established track record of failure!!

If MassPort owned ORH:

  1. It would provide not provide an initial one time cash infusion from the sale.
  2. Provide better commercial air service out of ORH
  3. Improve the tax base from the economic spin-offs of a successful airport

Continuing the current agreement for another 3 years would not only do none of the above but drain the City approximately $1,500,000 per year from the General Fund.

SELL ORH

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Does MassPort own Logan?

Maybe we should try and have a meeting with the city manager and see what we can do to help.

Anonymous said...

yup.. Massport owns Logan

Bill Randell said...

MassPort not only owns Logan but Hanscom and I believe the Tobin bridge (although I could be wrong).

Think about it.. It simply makes sense for MassPort to own the three commercial airports in Massachusetts.

Anonymous said...

Mea culpa if I am jumping the gun and this ad has been a round for awhile, but I just heard a radio ad on 103.3 FM (Boston based i think??) touting the benefits of flying from Manchester AND Providence and when you 'read' between the lines it is quite clear they are going after the logistical nightmare getting to Logan.

Now, I will say I tuned in 1/2 through the ad (30 second spot?), BUT what i found interesting is that:

1. These 2 airports are advertising TOGETHER !!

2. And I did not hear one mention of Southwest which is the only logical nexus between these two.

3. They even gave out the FFA symbol for each.


Now, if I am correct, here are two entites that know how to move in a coordinated fashion on short notice to fill a potential temporary market niche. Just think, the tunnel collapse was Monday, I think, and here it is 4 business days later and they have:

1. The ad presumably drawn up by an ad agency and

2. They manage to buy air time on a major Boston radio station on such short notice.

Bill Randell said...

Right now we are less then one year away from the end of our current operating agreement. An incredibly pivotal time for ORH and I can not get you the June board minutes until the end of July. God knows what IMG is doing and I can not wait until the next Master Plan Community Meeting?

Airports like Manchester and Providence blew away ORH the past twenty years and the events cited by Jahn is just another example of their superior mgmt.

Anonymous said...

So true, Jahn. There is strength in numbers, no matter who you are or what you do. Brilliant marketing strategy for them to team up and try and fill the potential vacuum so quickly, if that is indeed the case. Another demonstration of why we need a proactive airport administration, not lethargically reactive.

Bill, can you get me a list of questions for Gary?