This got me to thinking maybe that this may be one of the biggest problems with our airport. Everyone is afraid to talk and the overall cloud of secrecy as evidenced by our own airport commission minutes on http://www.flyorh.com the past year:
- passenger numbers from our sole commercial carrier-- not there
- IMG, how are they doing with over $200,000 of our money--not there
- Allegiant indicated that they were concerned the past couple of months and may want to leave ORH, what are we doing to keep them--not there
- $455,000 for the Small Community Air Service from the FAA, how are we spending it--not there
- Parking, how much are we making--not there
- budget--not there. How can the budget not be part of the monthly meetings?
Due to the lack of a free flow of information, instead of trying to focus on our deficiencies as to why Allegiant pulled out of ORH, we waste time on things like what the Allegiant passenger loads were and were not that past week. Maybe some of our answers are in the August Airport Commission minutes, but we can not see them until the September meeting when they are voted on. Then we need to wait typically another week after that until we get them e-mailed or they are posted on the City website. By the way, has anyone heard anything regarding the departure of Allegiant from ORH from our Airport Director or Airport Liaison?
If we truly want ORH to be the airport that I honestly feel it can be, we need to have a more open process, where information is readily available as well an airport management, and hopefully less people need to be anonymous. There will be no "magical" answers in the Master Plan from Leigh Fisher, the New England Regional Air Study Plan from the Louis Berger Group or from the recruitment efforts by IMG. The answers are right here and need to be developed through lots of hard work or ORH will not survive.
14 comments:
So from now on I'll withold my comments.
anonymous:
You missed my point, but fine do as you please..
Bill
I feel bad that some people have to post anonymously or with fake names. It should not be this way.
When anonymous people comment by saying they will withold their comments, isn't that a comment? So...they're not going to tell us that they're not going to comment anymore? Oh no!
The only people who untouchable are the ones that are not in a city owned building or who are not under the evil empire of Swissport. But then they are the ones that really don't care what happens because they are not in a city owned building or fall under the evil empire of Swissport.
Big Red:
Someone needs to explain to me if SwissPort is as bad as I hear, AND why can't we have another FBO to compete against them???
Tom, there are alot of good anonymous bloggers, who for whatever feel the need to be "anonymous" that have very insightful comments. We should listen to them and try to change the atmosphere--be patient...
Then there is one anonymous bloggers (above), who must works for the airport and says things like:
1) maybe Allegiant pulling out will be a sign to other carriers to come to ORH since there is no competition?
2) or is overly concerned about the airport name in Wikipedia?
Don't let this one anonymous blogger, who is more concerned about his postion at the airport, then that of the airport bother you.
Bill, you're right that there are some good insights from people who cannot or will not identify themselves for whatever reason. But when certain ones go so far as to blanket-email city administrators without personal accountability, it diminishes the entire dialogue. I'm not saying they are wrong or right in what they say, but simply that I am skeptical if I don't know where they are coming from. You wouldn't take advice on your business from someone you don't know, would you? And in the same vein, we wouldn't operate a public safety department on the advice of an anonymous advisor. There is no exchange of trust. If they feel so strongly that they can do a better job, they should run for office! It's easy to lob criticisms from behind the lines, but the true advocate steps up and shows his face, such as you, Bill, convinced that his recommendations will be successful. All the rest are noisy timid observers, happy to hide from sight in fear of ridicule or banishment.
Bill, If you want to find out about Swissport. Maybe a poll of all the base customers on the field and see what they say. Maybe go to one af the WAPA meetings and talk to some people. They are all pilots and/or operators in the area. They would be happy to tell you about them. Or ask US Air Express about why they pulled out of ORH after being there so long. You might be disturbed on why they left. The only reason why we can't have another FBO is that the city is too lazy to put out an RFP. We have been waiting for about 7 or 8 years for one. We would have more businesses up there if they would get off there butts and get working on something.
I would strongly suggest to go to a WAPA meeting and start talking. WAPA stands for Worcester Area Pilots Association. The web site is worcesterapa.com, I think!
Big Red:
Seems pretty simple--put out an RFP for an FBO.. Not sure what would be accomplished for me to go to a meeting.. Its your group and they need to start talking--not to me,,
Maybe your group should issue some type of press release urging the City to put out an RFP while posting the reasons why on the website. I can not find anything on your website about the problems with the FBO??
Bill
Tom:
1. "You wouldnt take advice from some on your business that you dont know". This isnt Their Business, it is our (taxpayers and the flying publics) business.
2. "We wouldnt operate a public safety dept on the advice of an anonymous advisor" WE DO !!Worc Public safety depts operate REGULARLY on the advice of an anonymous advisor (tipster) and I am speaking about a lot more than just the police dept. Just ask the enforcing agent when and where the tip came in and watch them back peddle.
3. "There is no exchange of Trust" Any lack of trust in this town starts w/municipal administators who put their own and political interests and those of their friends and cronies above the interests of the citizenry at large. This is not Providence or Springfield or Chelsea, but we definitely got different strokes for different folks here in Worc. Some would call it misrepresentation (load #'s??) or politics or misfeasance or malfeasnace or corruption. Proving it may be very hard and extremely costly.
4. "It's easy to lob critcisms" AGREED, but "ridicule and banishment" is the least of the reasons.
Yes, I have made a few cynical comments here, mostly to inject some humor.
My constructive recommendation (again!) this morning: When the hell are we going to start looking at expenditures up there, esp now that ALLEg. is gone? Probably never b/c you can ALMOST NEVER get elected to Council if you're not in bed with city labor. AGAIN $100K + (including bennies)per employee up there. Mechanics, clerks, custodians, sec. guards???
I ask the administrators and and pols who I just know read this blog from time to time to give me answer. Even an anonymous response will suffice.
Jahn:
I have submitted a request for updated qtrly reports filed to the DOT that will show how the $455,000 Grant money was spent as well as updated parking numbers.
Once I get that I am going to ask for a better break-down on expenses... I still can not believe we have not hear one word from our airport director or airport liaison.
Bill
Bill, how would you feel if you got an "anonymous response" to one of your questions? You wouldn't be able to act on it, because you wouldn't know who was saying it. It would be useless to you. So, as is appropriate, queries from anonymous posters/blanket e-mailers get NO RESPONSE from the administration.
As an area pilot for 25 years I can tell you that Swissport is definitely as bad as they say they are. And they have very, very expensive fuel prices.
Go here http://www.airnav.com/fuel/local.html and type in ORH to see a report of how Swissport fuel prices compare with other airports within 45 miles of Worcester. All the pilots that I know avoid Swissport whenever possible.
Worcester Airport will not improve until someone takes over Swissport, or until another FBO opens there to offer some good competition and forces Swissport to change their attitude, increase their service, and lower their ridiculous prices. You can't begin building the airport business until this fundamental change happens.
Post a Comment