I would like to thank our new Airport Director for answer the questions below and I will leave them up for the week-end and make no other posts so as many people as possible can see:
1) What have the average loads been with Direct Air?
In the nearly two months that Direct Air has been flying from ORH, Worcester is at the top of their new cities in terms of bookings. Some of the flights have been full, some have not. The bottom line is more people need to use the service.
2) If ORH was downgraded to General Aviation how much would be saved as at ORH?
The airport is a Part 139 certified airport which allows for scheduled and unscheduled commercial service of more than 30 seats. Massport believes the Part 139 certification should be maintained and is needed to attract more commercial service. The last eight years have been among the most challenging in the history of the airline industry. More than 100 US cities lost all air service in 2008. ORH is getting air service. This is an asset that needs to be maintained and protected for the long term. The city and Massport are working to maintain and enhance airside and landside infrastructure in a cost-effective, prudent manner. That said, General Aviation, however, has a significant place at ORH.
3) Why do you think Allegiant left ORH, when their loads what were considered excellent?
That is a question that should be addressed to Allegiant.
4) Why does Cape Air not come to ORH with shuttle to Logan with their JetBlue codesharing agreement like they have for Hyannis, P-town, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket?
Massport is in discussions with many airlines about service opportunities, but I would not want to be more specific than that.
5) How much money is left in the Small Community Air Service Grant?
That grant was used to promote Allegiant and Direct Air and has been spent.
6) Are we still working with IMG?
That was a contract with the City of Worcester and I am told that contract ended.
7) Any chance of us getting one, or two, of the JetBlue Embraer shuttles to JFK diverted from Boston to Worcester?
JetBlue is growing at Boston Logan, not pulling down service. As I said before, Massport is in discussions with many airlines about service opportunities.
8) How important is FREE parking initially for ORH and would you consider lobbying the City Council and the City Manager for FREE parking?
I think there are bigger issues for motorists, such as improving access to the airport from I-90. The parking at ORH is already a bargain, lower than at BOS, PVD or MHT and it is an important source of revenue to help offset operating costs of the airport.
Same Time Next Year
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It’s been nearly a year since I wrote about the problems that come from
having 11 bosses who are not on the same page about anything, as well as
suggestion...
5 months ago
14 comments:
EXCELLENT INTERVIEW!!!! Great job, Bill...and a warm Worcester welcome to the new head of ORH, too!!
Harry T
Worcester, MA
YES - Great interview. I was headed back to work yesterday and saw the 4:30 on final over lake Q. Would be great to see more airlines.
In any case the new director is another step in the right direction
Sounds like a very good professional manager. Now we have to get rid of Niddrie and keep Jacobson on the task of leasing out store space in the new parking garage at union station. The airport and anything to do with it is off limits to her.
ben
to be honest I wish there were a few more details like what the loads have been??
At the same time this is a great step in the right direction and I want thank the new Airport Director who only got these questions about a day or two ago.
Lets hope this is a sign of things to come.
Questiion 1. Non responsive
Question 2. Non responsive
Question 3. Agreed
Question 4. MMMMMM...OK
Question 5. Answered
Question 6. Amswered
Questions 7. MMMM...OK
Question 8. MMMMMMM...YA...OK...Punch access road through to I-90 (Pike)...wowee ...I like that but not via Rte 56....maybe in 2020 after the depression...City Blew it 10 yrs ago......
I heard this morning that TJX warehouse in Airport park laid off 50 this past week and is giving Monday off to all employees (not a regularly sch'ed holiday for them...thay aint city 'eees).
I was suprised to learn about 950 people work up there............800 in union production (shipping) jobs. Also heard they may eliminate the 3rd shift and more layoffs are in the wind.
Never realized they were such huge a huge private sector employer. Nice to have them.
Anonymous, May I ask what experience Ms Jacobsen has leasing comm. real estate and also what exp. Ms Jacobsen has in any comm. real estate ...that makes her qualified to be in charge of Union station.
Shouldnt we have this listed with a large comm real est. leasing agennt?...or myabe we all ready do.............what %'age of the space there is sstill avaliable.
And what about the Maxwell's expansion in Union station...........i trust they are progressing......i think it was last Sept of so that deal was annonuced.............where do we stand.........or maybe the hard hats are already on site...????
Bill and Jahn,
Don't disagree with your assesments but as you say Bill, his response alone is a step in the right direction. He seems to at least understand we're here to help and that this medium reaches a great deal of people.
VIVA LE SILLY BLOGGERS!
Paulie, there is one form of "Urban Homo Sapien Eructus" that I have yet to observe this winter. Typically this urban creature comes out of hibernation in weather like this.......as in COLDDDDDDD.......
It has been spotted by frequeting places like Honey Farms, the gas station & and check cashing store
This creature is easily spotted b/c it has on short pants when temperatures are in the single digits...typically jeans material and typically baggy as well. This creature is also typically very overweight (T.Y. Mc Governs food stamps)...which body fat is needed to be able expose ones legs in mid winter cold.
Paulie b/c you coined the term Pajama People or Paulies Pajama People......I'd like you to come up with a copywrited name (term) for this unique 2 legged urban creature.
Thanx !!!!!
Jahn--I was being sarcastic about Jacobson. She seems to have her hands involved in every mistake the city has made. She's already tried leasing out the shops at the station but they're still empty. She's the one who forced out the only tenants the the station had by taking such a heavy hand. She's the one who tried to take the liquor store out at the circle by denying an access from the circle and then blocking their only entrance by blacktopping the road in front when she was having an event there. Jacobson ought to get a job where she lives--in Paxton.
ben
Ben:
Think you are being a little tough on Julie. Think this is more of a question of why does the City of Worcester have Julie, or any other employee, doing things that I would not consider their professional expertise.
They should put out an RFP to have brokers who specialize in commercial real estate do this work. Kind of goes back to the fact we should not be in the golf course or airport business. Find the most qualified people who know how to run golf courses, run airports and lease property do what they do best.
Bill
Bill,
She has an MBA and as Ass't City Mgr is supposed to be the lead person in "Business Development" for the city. She's the one who wrote the RFP's for airport parcels that no one would touch. Does she have anything to do with City Builders parcel???? She doesn't have any sense of what a city should do to accommodate esisting businesses let alone attract new business. Where'd she get her MBA anyway?
ben
Ben
I have no idea who wrote the airpor RFP's. Trust me I think Julie is a smart person, but asking her or anyone else to do things that is not their expertise makes no sense to me.
You right the airport RFP was a waste of time and I said that every time they went out. Bottom line is that we should have a company like Avports running the airport and leasing out parcels. Same with the golf course, get a company like Johnson Golf.
There is no way that we should not have a commerical real estate broker leasiing out places like Union Station.
Bill
Ben MBA's area dime a dozen. Most of them are those who opted not to take bizz courses as undergrads....so they took almost teh identical courses at grad level.
Didnt the only tenat(s) in there (Un Sta Blues & Restaurant) basically just succumb to market forces. If she didnt boot them back then....Ill tell you for sure they'd be gone on their by now ......b/c the rest. bizz ALL AROund is in rough shape right now
Ya know, as I sit here and think of the businesses the city should not be in.........teh city close dup city hospital 20 yrs ago and it took them only about 6-8 yrs to drag their feet and get it done . Now compare that with this airport........how much longer are we going to lose $1M per yr before Deval patrick tells them he aint giving local aid just to keep this money pit alive aNYMORE.......... i.e. cut/eliminate your city budget as re the airport
I'd rather watch Julie give more updates at the city council meetings...new either good or bad.
I love listening to her. She's a hottie!!!
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