Charley is Back

I know alot of people do not like Charley and I do not agree with everything that he says, but I think it is good to have him back.. Review his website, http://www.closeorh.blogspot.com.

Coalition

What if a group of secondary city like Portsouth, NH, New Haven, Ct, Youngtown, Oh, Gary, Indiana and Worcester, MA all pulled their resources together and approached JetBlue to have an Embraer service their city???

JetBlue Embraer 190

Let us not forget the first thing we ever talked about was getting JetBlue to flying their Embraer 190 from Worcester to their hub (JFK) 2-4 per day, from which you can get direct flights around the country. Check out this story of the Embraer forwarded to me by Harry--thanks Harry.


http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B44180398%2D9A09%2D43EE%2D8190%2D570300E9228B%7D&siteid=mktw&dist=

Here is part of it:



JetBlue chose that heavily traveled corridor in early November to try out the first of its newest planes, whose 100 seats mean its capacity is about one-third smaller than the airline's mainstay jets. It was no ordinary part of the country to introduce the Brazilian-built plane.
First there's the formidable winter weather. Then the fierce competition. And the mix of business travelers and college kids. And it's one of the busiest travel markets.
But such conditions made for exactly the kind of mix JetBlue wanted for the debut the Embraer 190, with 56 fewer seats than its workhorse Airbus A320.

Changing planes like that is all the more remarkable for an airline with an increasing group of its most faithful fliers drawn to the consistent service and feel of the bigger Airbus jets. "I think truly the risk would've been not moving forward with the Embraer 190 as opposed to moving forward with [it]," Barger said. Customer and crew member feedback has so far been good, he said. Most low-cost carriers don't mix up their fleets, but JetBlue is moving ahead, becoming the first airline to put the plane into use, and it has committed to acquiring 101 of them, with options for 100 more. The shift in strategy comes at a critical time as the company's profitability is on the wane.

Though it operates an uncommonly lean business with high margins by its industry's standards, the low-cost carrier isn't immune to high fuel costs. On Wednesday, JetBlue is expected to report a first-ever annual loss, according to a Thomson First Call survey. The airline needs revenue from new routes served by the Embraer jet as well as its other Airbus jets it's acquiring to grow faster than its costs.

JetBlue believes the Embraer 190 will give it the ability to fly to 800 new routes. On those it already serves, executives say, it can better match capacity with demand -- smoothing out earnings by reducing the number of empty seats in the off-season.

FAA Spends $40 for L:aGuardia Tower

Obviously ORH is not LaGuardia but $8 million is not $40 million either... We need a Category 3 Landing System before people really believe in ORH and the tax-payers of Worcester should not pay for it.



NEW YORK -- The Federal Aviation Administration has approved at least $40 million in funding for a new air traffic control tower at La Guardia Airport, a project U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said will help to ease flight delays and improve safety.

The new tower would replace the existing 42-year-old structure, which Schumer's office said lacked the size and capability for new equipment. The building has developed leaks because of its age and the installation and removal of equipment from its roof, the statement said. The FAA's decision to approve the funding means the project will be allotted as much money as needed to finish construction, the statement said.

Today's Flights

Went great. In fact the last few flights have been perfect, but the weather has been good also. The good thing to be learned here is that unlike PanAm, for example, Allegiant is reliable. The only reason flights have been delayed were due to inclement weather.

I am still real concerned how a Category 1 System will perform at ORH.

GWV Charters

Today I heard an ad on the radio for GWV Vacations. Upon further review, based out of Needham, MA, their main departures are Providence and Boston, why not ORH???

New York State Helps Small Airports

Read this story yesterday, here is part of it below. We need some money direct from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, not the tax-payers of Worcester, to pay for a Category 3 Landing System.



NYSDOT: $76.4 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR AVIATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
New York's Small Airports to Receive $30 Million in First Two-Year Round of Funding
ALBANY, NY -- (01/26/2006; 1400)(EIS) -- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Thomas J. Madison Jr. today announced $76.4 million in a new aviation improvement funding program that will help New York's small airports make infrastructure and aviation security improvements that will secure and modernize the State's public-use general aviation airports. Made available through the $2.9 billion Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act, the funding will provide approximately $30 million for improvements in the first two-year round of funding through 2008. The remaining $46.4 million in funding will be made available from 2008 through 2010.

"Thanks to the support of Governor Pataki and public support for the $2.9 billion Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act, we have the resources necessary to ensure that our airports remain secure and competitive," Commissioner Madison said. "We encourage all eligible airports to take advantage of these opportunities to improve their facilities and help their communities and customers in the process."

Palwaukee Airport

Great website http://www.palwaukee.org. Similar secondary airport, here is a story about them and why we need to invite someone like Linear to ORH.


New technologies in aviation could make Palwaukee Municipal Airport a very desirable place to fly in and out of, and officials in Wheeling and Prospect Heights need to plan ahead to accommodate those technologies.

That's what the Wheeling Village Board, Prospect Heights City Council and Palwaukee Airport Board heard from experts in the aviation field during a joint meeting at the Radisson Hotel in Northbrook Jan. 17. Ken Ross, of North American Jet, brought in an expert from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and a retired economics professor to talk about the impact of new technology on smaller airports such as Palwaukee.

Very light jets are hitting the market this spring. These small jet planes will carry four to six passengers, along with a two-man crew, aviation experts said. These jets will be able to use all three runways at Palwaukee, and will ring in a new way people use aviation.

Ryan Air

Noticed a couple Ryan International Airlines jets have been to our airport lately. There was one last night at 7pm. Does anyone know anything about Ryan International???


Bill

How Have DOT Grant Monies Been Spent??

The summer before last Chris Philbin, McGovern's Chief of Staff, arranged a meeting with the Congressman and various people from the City Administration to discuss the airport. There were alot of people in the room, including representatives from the FAA, but our main topic of discussion was the pending DOT (Department of Transportation) grant application. The previous two years, ORH was unsuccessful.

The Congressman told us that he would do anything that he could to make sure we received the grant. I must say due to the Congressman's efforts, the City in the end received $455,000.

Flashback to a meeting last year that a group of us had with the Mayor, what was the topic of conversation? The DOT grant and how should we spend it. The answer was to form a Blue Ribbon Committee to figure out how best to spend the $455,000. In the end the committee was never formed.

Actually I have no problem with that, but I think that we should have some input into how the monies will be spent since we worked to help the grant become a reality. Instead, we can not even get a copy of a report that we file with the DOT showing how the monies have been spent?

Gary Indiana Airport

Read this story about Gary Indiana Airport. Check it out. Please note $57 million of Federal money to help the airport expand?? Why can't we ask for $8 million for Cat 3 Landing System?? By the way Gary's Airport is now called Gary-Chicago Airport, lets call ORH Worcester-Boston and get some Federal monies too??





At times, the frustrations of air travel can be quite overwhelming, no matter what airport you're using. But for airplane passengers in the Chicago area, those frustrations have finally peaked.
The basic problem is that, though Chicago boasts two large airports, O'Hare and Midway, the city is still not able to meet the demands of travelers. O'Hare will be making some renovations and expansions, but those will not be finished for years.

This means that another airport is absolutely essential for the Chicago area. There's no way around it. Some people support the construction of a new airport in Peotone, Ill. Others favor a more sensible plan: the expansion of the already-existing airport in Gary, Ind. Gary is one of Indiana's largest cities, and, located less than 25 miles from Chicago, is easily accessible from several major highways, making it a reasonable drive for Chicago's air travelers.

Also, there is already an airport in existence in Gary, whereas in Peotone, there is none. Illinois is currently seizing acres of Peotone's farmland for an airport that may never even be built. It makes much more sense to improve and expand an airport in a prime location rather than construct an entirely new one.

The national government also seems to think Gary is a good candidate for Chicago's third airport, as the Gary-Chicago airport just received $57.84 million in federal funds to help cover the costs of expansion. The local government will probably need to add about $13 million dollars of its own to pay for the expansion, but that's a small price to pay considering the numerous benefits that would come from the Gary airport's improvements.


If Gary does indeed become the home of Chicago's third airport, the area will gain about 320 new jobs. The cities of Gary and Chicago would also enjoy tax revenues from the improved Gary-Chicago Airport, therefore giving a great boost to the Indiana economy. Anyone who has recently traveled by plane in Chicago knows that a third major airport is essential. The Gary-Chicago Airport is the prime location for such a place.

December Board Meeting On-line

Please note that the December minutes are on-line at http://www.flyorh.com. Maybe some of our questions will be answered at the January meeting. Please note I have received no reponses to any of my three e-mails to Airport Chairman Nemeth the past week.

JetBlue Embraer

We should be working with MassPort/JetBlue to get the Embraer to fly ORH-JFK, ORH-DC. Here is an updated story on where the Embraers are going:


JetBlue Airways Corp. plans to add flights to 10 more cities this year as the low-cost carrier begins to put its new, short-to-medium range Brazilian-built Embraer 190 aircraft into service in markets now served by regional airlines such as American Eagle and Delta Connection.The Forest Hills-based airline has so far announced only two of the 10 destinations. It will begin service to Richmond, Va., March 31. JetBlue will announce the other destinations later this year.
Embraer service from Austin, Texas, to Kennedy Airport, and between Austin and Boston began Thursday. Embraer flights between Washington, D.C., and Boston began Jan. 17.JetBlue, now the largest operator at Kennedy Airport, is attempting to increase its share of the domestic market while competitors such as Delta Airlines and United Airlines, in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy, are looking at international routes.

Jenny Dervin, a JetBlue spokeswoman, said yesterday that the carrier will add 18 Embraer 190 airplanes and 17 Airbus A-320 aircraft - the type of longer-range passenger airplane it has traditionally been flying - this year."We're taking delivery of a new aircraft every 10 days this year," Dervin said. JetBlue has firm orders to buy 100 Embraer airplanes and options to purchase another 100.

David Neeleman, JetBlue's founder and chairman, told an audience at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business about the new routes in a speech Friday. JetBlue confirmed the plans yesterday.JetBlue will be going head-to-head against the Delta Connection planes in the JFK-to-Austin route. The Embraer airplanes seat 100 and have a range of about 2,000 miles, which makes them desirable in smaller markets. American Eagle and Delta Connection utilize several types of planes for smaller markets. Some of the jets used by the other carriers seat only 50. JetBlue, therefore, can take in more revenue per flight.

On the other hand, analysts say, the Embraers, although highly fuel-efficient, will use more fuel than 50-seat airplanes. Airlines have been paying a record $1.90 per gallon for fuel. Fuel prices have tipped some carriers into bankruptcy and cut earnings at others.Even JetBlue, which has been one of the nation's most profitable airlines, has said it expects to post a quarterly loss - its first ever - when it releases fourth-quarter and year-end earnings on Feb. 1. But JetBlue's losses are expected to be short-lived. Stefan Lumiere, who follows the airline industry for the investment firm Oscar Gruss & Son in Manhattan, said he expects JetBlue to be "slightly profitable or flat" in the first quarter of this year.

CloseOrh Blog

Is Charley Farley gone? His blog is. Is this a good thing? Some may say yes, but I feel Charley actually brought up alot of good points that were never answered. As someone who feels the airport can be an asset, I feel his frustration and may be advocating for the closure of ORH if we do not get better results soon.

One airline flying four times per week during its peak season does not provide adequate return on the City of Worcester's taxpayers investment in ORH, especially when we are losing $2,000,000 per year. If nothing else, Charley at least told you what he thought and why. I personally will miss Charley.

Bill

PS Will pick up the airport minutes for the December meeting and post hopefully today on http://www.flyorh.com.

ATA Still Around

INDIANAPOLIS -- ATA Airlines, which for months has cut flights and asked for employee concessions as it moved through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, is trying to build its future by drawing on its beginnings as a charter service flying mostly to vacation spots. ATA on Monday announced it would expand service to four cities, increase flights to Hawaii and add an average of six daily flights throughout its system."

The airline is showing signs of showing a pulse," said Michael Boyd, president of Colorado-based aviation consultancy the Boyd Group. "What they're doing is going back to where their historic strength is."Starting in April, the carrier will begin flying from Houston's William P. Hobby Airport to New York. The airline also will begin flying from Hilo International Airport in Hawaii, Oakland International Airport and Ontario International Airport near Los Angeles.ATA also will increase its non-stop flights from Honolulu and will add a fourth daily round trip between Chicago's Midway Airport and Dallas-Ft. Worth.

Charley Farley Front Page Story

You heard it right. Charley Farley made the front page of the Telegram and was the talk of the Hank Stoltz show on WTAG this morning.. As I have said many times, I disagree with Charley that we should close the airport but he has a right to state his opinion especially when he bases it on facts. Review his blog http://www.closeorh.com , it looks pretty factual to me although clouded in sarcasm.

What particular caught my attention was this quote from our airport commissioner. “I’m really frustrated with this guy (Charley Farley), and I despise people who hide and don’t reveal themselves,” said Mr. Nemeth, inviting Mr. Farley to an Airport Commission meeting. “I have no problem with him coming forward and having a dialogue with us on the airport.”

That is good to hear since we are not anonymous, I look forwad to having dialogue on the questions/requests below:

1. The most recent qtrly report to the DOT showing how our 455,000 of grant monies have been spent to date.
2. On top of the 100,000 that we paid for the IMG report, did we contract with them at cost of another 50,000 to prepare presentations to the targeted airlines identified in the IMG report
3. Can you forward a copy of the 1st monthly parking report (Dec) from LAZ mgmt.
4. Please make the qtrly DOT grant report and the monthly report from LAZ parking of the monthly meetings.
5. As of December 31, 2005, we are six months in to this fiscal year can you try to find out how much money we lost so far.

Please note I e-mailed this to Mr Nemeth.

Text of Telegram Story on Farley

WORCESTER— Who is Charley Farley? The movers and shakers at City Hall don’t know, but many of them wish he’d just go away. Mr. Farley, if that’s his real name, and most assume it’s not, has been inundating city officials, media types, and others with e-mails advocating the shutdown of Worcester Regional Airport.

The e-mail recipients said they respect Mr. Farley’s right to opine about the struggling airport, but they quickly added that they get his point and they wish he would stop his incessant electronic letter-writing campaign, which has been clogging up computer mailboxes across the city. City officials said they’re particularly frustrated because, short of sending off a responding e-mail, they can’t “dialogue” with Mr. Farley because he chooses to remain anonymous.

Mr. Farley’s persistent attacks have even prodded Robert Z. Nemeth, the chairman of the city’s Airport Commission, to recently fire back an electronic broadside of his own. “Do you really think anybody cares about your drivel, you demented coward?” said Mr. Nemeth, in an e-mail sent to Mr. Farley’s web address, abusedtaxpayer@gmail.com “Why don’t you come out of the closet and reveal yourself?”

That communication triggered the following response from Mr. Farley: “Dr. Nemeth, I’m amazed that you can diagnose dementia by reading e-mail. Although at some point, I will probably develop Alzheimer’s, a form of dementia, my doctor assures me I am currently showing no symptoms.”

Thaddeus J. Jankowski, the assistant city manager for operations, said administration officials have received “a stack” of e-mails from Mr. Farley. Like messages sent by others with an interest in what’s happening in Worcester, Mr. Jankowski guessed that all of Mr. Farley’s e-mails have been read by the recipient administrators. “We try to read everything that comes in,” said Mr. Jankowski. Officials said they started receiving e-mails from Mr. Farley about two months ago, and noted that some of the messages were prompted by developments at the airport, such as a news report that an Allegiant Air jet was diverted to Providence because of fog in Worcester.

Mr. Nemeth said he’s angered by many of Mr. Farley’s e-mails because of misinformation contained within them. “We’re trying to make this airport fly, sort of speak, and he’s doing everything he can to tear it down,” said Mr. Nemeth, the former chief of the editorial pages at the Telegram & Gazette. Mr. Nemeth, who stills writes a column for the Sunday Telegram, said he considers Mr. Farley’s e-mails an invasion of privacy, and added that he’s asked his computer server to block them out. “I’m really frustrated with this guy, and I despise people who hide and don’t reveal themselves,” said Mr. Nemeth, inviting Mr. Farley to an Airport Commission meeting. “I have no problem with him coming forward and having a dialogue with us on the airport.” City officials said they have no idea who Mr. Farley is.

Councilor-at-Large Konstantina B. Lukes said she received some e-mails from Mr. Farley and subsequently e-mailed him back, asking him to appear on her cable television program, “Coffee with Konnie.” Mrs. Lukes said he called her, declining the invitation. “He didn’t seem irrational, and it sounded like he was in his mid-50s with a professional or academic background,” said Mrs. Lukes.

Though city officials don’t know who Mr. Farley is, they believe there might be clues in the use of his pseudonym. An examination of pop culture resource materials by the Telegram & Gazette shows that Charley Farley was a character in a long-running British sketch series in the 1970s. The series, “The Two Ronnies,” aired for 12 years and featured a serial with two comic detectives, Piggy Malone and Charley Farley.
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Telegram Today

Nice big ad from Allegiant in today's Sunday Paper. For more information link here

Cape Air Buys Simmons Air

Cape Aire buys airline that was flying between Ocean City and Baltimore.

Simmons Air confirms Cape Air partnershipBy Jaime Malarkey Daily Times Staff Writer

OCEAN CITY -- After struggling to stay afloat in its first four months of operation, Simmons Air officially confirmed Thursday a partnership with Cape Air, one of the largest independent regional airlines in the country.

Simmons Air, which debuted in September, is suspending all flights between Baltimore and Ocean City until Feb. 14, officials said, when scheduled flights will start tentatively at 7 a.m. daily. Hyannis Air Services Inc., a division of Cape Air, will be providing pilots and planes.
1.25% discount on federal rate. Low rates, fast processing. Everyone qualifies for discount.
All tickets will be $99 each flight, significantly higher than the $35-one-way fare company president Wayne Simmons began the business with. The fare increase was blamed on rising fuel prices and enables the company to provide year-round service, officials said.

"It is amazing what can be accomplished with hard work and the right formula," Simmons said in a statement. "We are extremely excited and honored to be paired with a company reputation in the airline industry that is second to none."

Simmons suggested in his statement the joint venture could allow Simmons Air to expand to other cities in the future. Simmons slowed and eventually halted flights in November after severing ties with his former pilot provider, Hinson Corporate Flight Services, citing a breach of contract. He said he paid out of pocket for chartered flights, hotel stays and van rides for stranded passengers.

Cape Air specializes in niche resort towns with year-round attractions, including Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and the Micronesian Islands, said company spokeswoman Michelle Haynes. The airline makes nearly 125,000 flights each year.

Very Light Jets Are Coming

We really should be talking to Linear which will be very similar to POGO, who has already picked Westfield as one of their home bases. For the full story http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/13670398.htm -here is a short piece.




America's already crowded skies are about to become more congested. Taking off for the first time this year will be small, speedy, inexpensive jets that big airlines worry will cause traffic jams around major metropolitan areas. Called "microjets" or "very light jets," they've been likened to SUVs with wings. With two engines and seating capacity for five or six people, they cost half as much as the most inexpensive business jet now in service.

Three thousand of the little jets are already on order at three manufacturers. Albuquerque, N.M.-based Eclipse Aviation has 2,350 on back order and expects to receive Federal Aviation Administration certification for its E500 by June. The first E500 - which takes less than five days to make - will be delivered 10 days later.

The FAA and airline pilots are wary of the sudden emergence of a new class of jets. But Vern Raburn, the founder of Eclipse Aviation, scoffs at the notion that the aircraft will blacken the skies. The airlines and manufacturers that have been around for decades have the attitude, Raburn said, that "if it hasn't been done before, it can't be done or it won't be done or it shouldn't be done." "The question is exactly where they're going to be flying," said FAA chief Marion Blakey. "How much is in congested airspace? It's probably not knowable at this point."

Supporters of the little jets predict they'll go to out-of-the way sites, in the vast empty skies between more than 5,000 small, underused airports. "We're going to offer service where the airlines don't," Raburn said.

Youngstown Blog

Check out today's post . Here is the crux:

Good News! Steve Bowser Has reported a NET-Operating Profit of: $27,497 for the year. Considering all circumstances, that is very good without any airline service.

It is January 20th, the airport director has let the FlyYNG coalition know the performance of the airport the prior 12 months. Impressive. Although it is post 9/11 for Youngstown also and they still have no commercial air service, they made $27,497 last year. Why do we lose $2,000,000 and they make $27,497???

Nemeth's E-Mail War

Title of story in this week's City Desk of Worcester Mag... titled "Rise of the Latino Middle Class." Not on-line yet so here it is:

There's some anonymous crank who keeps sending e-mails to local politicians and media outlets under the name "Charley Farley." He or she is angry about tax funds going to the airport, and clearly has alot of free time, given the frequency of the e-mails. Most folks we talk to say they just delete them, but patience seems to be thinning.

First, city Airport Liaison Phil Nidrrie wrote back when "Farley" complained about a weather-related clsoure. Now comes this angry note from Airport Commission Chair Robert Nemeth, the former editorial writer for the Telegram:

"Do you really think anybody cares about your drivel, you demented coward? Why don't you come out of the closet and reveal yourself?"

Nemeth hit the "reply all" button, making his venom public. "I acted out of frustration because I feel it is an invasion of privacy, and I regret acknowledging it, because it is not worth of acknowledgement," he says.

Follow-up to Airport Chairman Nemeth

There were alot of e-mails (too many) the other day. In case Mr Nemeth missed it Tuesday, I thought it best to resend. Please try and get us the following information/answers/requests:

1. The most recent qtrly report to the DOT showing how our 455,000 of grant monies have been spent to date.
2. On top of the 100,000 that we paid for the IMG report, did we contract with them at cost of another 50,000 to prepare presentations to the targeted airlines identified in the IMG report
3. Can you forward a copy of the 1st monthly parking report (Dec) from LAZ mgmt.
4. Please make the qtrly DOT grant report and the monthly report from LAZ parking of the monthly meetings.
5. As of December 31, 2005, we are six months in to this fiscal year can you try to find out how much money we lost so far.

Please note I have e-mailed this to Mr Nemeth.

Airport Director & Liaison E-Mail

Is it just me or does the fact that e-mails to Mr Waldron and Mr Niddrie were returned to Charley Farley and Steve today. It may be more symbolic then substance but trying to make ORH the easy convenient place to fly for Central Massachusetts residents means being able to drop the director and liaison a question or maybe a comment about their experience.

A response back would help solidify ORH as the "friendly" local airport. On the other hand, "mail unavailable or access denied" is not the message we want to send. Lets hope this is rectified ASAP.

Charley and Steve thanks for pointing this out for us.

Request to Airport Chairman

Just received an e-mail from Airport Chairman Bob Nemeth commenting on Charley Farley's comments.

"Charley Farley: Do you really think anybody cares about your drivel, you demented coward? Why don’t you come out of the closet and reveal yourself?"

I will let Charley defend himself. If you want to see his comments, go to http://www.closeorh.com.

Although Mr Farley and myself are on opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to ORH, I believe the airport can be saved while Charley thinks it should be closed. We both realize, however, that the mismanagement of the airport can not continue. The last 8 fiscal years, we have lost $12,915,432, thats an average of $1,614,424 per year, $134,535 per month, $4,423 per day or $184.29 per hour.

Now that you are done with Mr Charles U. Farley, Mr Nemeth can you please get me some answers to the questions below that we can not get answers to. I will post your answers on the blog and website:

1. The most recent qtrly report to the DOT showing how our 455,000 of grant monies have been spent to date.
2. On top of the 100,000 that we paid for the IMG report, did we contract with them at a cost of another 50,000 to prepare presentations to the targeted airlines identified in the IMG report
3. Can you forward a copy of the 1st monthly parking report (Dec) from LAZ mgmt.
4. Please make the qtrly DOT grant report and the monthly report from LAZ parking of the monthly meetings.
5. As of December 31, 2005, we are six months in to this fiscal year can you try to find out how much money we lost so far.

Please note I e-mailed a copy of this blog to Mr Nemeth.

Charley Farley

You got to love him... I was trying to say that in order for our airport to be a real airport, we need to have a Cat 3 landing system. In retrospect an old run-down terminal with Cat 3 Landing system would have been better then a brand new terminal with a Cat 1 system.

At the same time, this should not fall on the tax-payers of Worcester. An efficiently run regional airport in Worcester would benefit not only Central Mass residents but Logan also. Charley, I am NOT saying that the tax-payers of Worcester should pay for it but why not the State or Federal Government??? In fact, if the burden to install a Cat 3 system fell on the tax-payers of Worcester, I would join Mr Farley to close ORH.

One month into Allegiant Air at ORH and it is evident to me that the Cat 1 system simply will not allow our airport to ever be successful... We have two options:

1. Get a Cat 3 system installed. This needs to be paid by someone else, anyone else except the tax-payers of Worcester.
2. Close the airport. A Cat 1 system will only allow Worcester to continue as an unreliable airport that will continue to lose millions of dollars per yeat.

JetBlue

Anyone see the ad today in the newspaper for JetBlue to DC?? Where are the Allegiant ads?? I can not remember the last time that I have seen anything...

Bill

Today's Boston Globe --DC number 1

The planned launch tomorrow by JetBlue Airways Corp. of six daily round trips from Boston to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia reflects a dramatic change in local air travel: Washington is the new New York.

After decades of being by far the leading destination for passengers at Logan International Airport, metropolitan New York has in the past two years slipped to second place behind the Washington, D.C., area. Today, nearly one in every eight Logan passengers is headed to one of the area's three airports -- Dulles, Reagan National, or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

VIrgin Atlantic Game Plan

With the money, Virgin America is poised to launch cheap seat service out of San Francisco in 2006. A320s will be the aircraft of choice, the same craft that helped JetBlue become successful on the East Coast.

Clearly, Virgin America hopes to replicate the kind of success on the West Coast that JetBlue has built back East. The Virgin group of companies (headed by billionaire Richard Branson) is committed to providing the remainder of Virgin America's start-up money. This is in line with U.S. laws, which limit foreign ownership.

The United States Department of Transportation has yet to determine whether Virgin America is fit, willing, and able to operate as a U.S. airline. The department will work with the Federal Aviation Administration to review the airline's planned operations and equipment to ensure that they are safe.

ORH Achilles is the Landing Systems

Over the past two years, we have talked about various airlines that ORH should recruit. In addition, we have made a list of recommendations to make ORH better. Refer to our home page http://www.flyorh.com under "Vision and Recommendations".

Last night driving home in the fog reflecting on the delays Allegiant has faced in its first month of operations, we may have missed the biggest problem facing ORH. It is becoming obvious to me that the Category 1 Landing system is not sufficient. What difference does it make if you have a direct access road, but your plane can not take off? Although airport management assured us that Category 1 was adequate, numbers do not lie.

What do we do next??? No way should the tax-payers of Worcester should pay for it!!!! Our city, state and federal delegation should go to FAA and explain the merits of an efficient ORH would gave on the entire region, not just Worcester. Lets not forget about New England Regional Air Study plan, we should make one of their recommendations be an upgrade of ORH to a Category 3 Landing System.

This is yet another example of the mismanagement at ORH. In retrospect an upgrade in the Landing System should have been implemented before a new terminal was ever considered.

Charley Farley Nov. 24th Blog

Here is a copy of Charley's November 24th blog. No matter what you think of Mr Farley, he appears to be dead-on correct with this one.




Page 9 of the IMG Report perpetrates the greatest misinformation ever paid for by the city TaxpayerFrom IMG: “With existing Instrument Landing System (ILS) technology, inclement weather, such as fog, is not a material obstacle to commercial service operations. ** Based on a non-technical review of facilities and interviews with Airport staff and stakeholders. A technical assessment is included in the Master Plan currently underway and will identify any specific operational limitations, recommend solutions and capital investments required.”

Charley Says: With one statement, this report attempts to dismiss the fact that planes can’t land at ORH in clouds. The carefully chosen phrase “with existing technology” intentionally mis-leads the reader. Worcester simply does not have this “existing technology”. They cover themselves with their disclaimer that the Master Plan will identify limitations and recommend solutions.

Translation: The taxpayers will need to cough up even more for the necessary upgrades to the ILS. A quick internet search shows that the FAA defines ¼ mile visibility as being ‘fog’. Further research shows that a Category 2 or Category 3 ILS is required to land in these conditions. The final piece is the fact that ORH has a Category 1 ILS. Plain and simply, aircraft cannot land at ORH in the fog.

Category 3 Landing Systems

As we all know there have been problems with too many of the Allegiant flights since inception. Here is a quote from today's paper:

"Four of the 17 flights were subject to the airport’s traditional nemesis — fog." Actually think it is more then that since there were problems on 1/8, 12/30, 12/29 and 12/26, but for arguements sake 23.5% of flights have been delayed due to fog. By the way, these are not short delays, but rather long ones (8-10 hours) or the flights were diverted to Providence then bused to ORH.

I am starting to think that the assesment by the airport administration and IMG that the Category 1 landing system is sufficient is not correct. There is no way any airline, even if they have the lowest prices in the industry and we provide free parking, etc, can survive with 25% of the flights having delays.

How much would it cost to upgrade to the Category 3 landing system?? I have read somewhere (I forgot where) that it would cost around $8,000,000. Ironically enough approximately the same to amount that it would cost to close ORH. Started to get very worried about the future of ORH.

Today's Flights

Looks like flights 775 and 776 went off perfect.... Meeting tonight on airport, refer to message below, try to attend.

Cape Air Looking at Ocean City Company

Cape Air in talks with company to take over the Ocean City to Baltimore shuttle. Hopefully they are in talks with ORH about summer shuttles to the Islands.


OCEAN CITY -- Officials from one of the country's largest independent regional airlines confirmed Wednesday they are negotiating a partnership with Simmons Air, the struggling low-rate air shuttle based in the resort's airport.
Executives from Cape Air have met several times in recent weeks with Wayne Simmons, president of Simmons Air, according to Cape Air spokeswoman Michelle Haynes, who said discussions are in preliminary stages. Simmons alluded to a possible partnership with "a major scheduled air carrier" earlier this month after denying rumors the airline operating between Ocean City and Baltimore had temporarily shut down.

"We are in talks with them," Haynes said. "Nothing is final and nothing is concrete by any means, but (Ocean City) is an extraordinary area and it certainly fits the destinations we fly to."
Haynes said Cape Air could be supplying aircraft and pilots to the airline, similar to an agreement between Simmons and Hinson Corporate Flight Services before the parties severed ties in November.

Simmons, who did not return a phone call Wednesday, said in the past he is relying on expensive chartered flights since his split with Hinson until he finds new pilots. The startup company has struggled since its September debut, and Simmons has paid expenses -- including overnight hotel stays and van rides for passengers -- out of his own pockets.

Airport manager George Goodrow said a Simmons flight has not left the municipal airport in several weeks. He said Cape Air officials toured the airport last week and were "pleased" with the facilities but discussed problems with maintenance capabilities that would need to be resolved before an agreement could be reached.

Jet Blue Logan to Dulles

Again to bad we could not pick off even one of these flights per day from our partner, MassPort.



JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq:JBLU) today offers $25(a, c) fares between Washington, DC (Dulles) and Boston, MA, in order to further assist customers affected by the cessation of Independence Air service, which had operated five daily flights. JetBlue begins nonstop service between Washington, DC (Dulles) and Boston on Jan. 17, 2006 with up to six daily flights.
"At JetBlue, reliability is just as important as low fares and so is getting more for less," said JetBlue CEO David Neeleman. "As the only low-fare airline between Washington Dulles and Boston, we're pleased to welcome customers previously booked on Independence with this special fare. Customers on all JetBlue flights, including between Dulles and Boston, will enjoy our award-winning service and great amenities, 36 channels of DIRECTV programming and more than 100 channels of XM Satellite Radio."
JetBlue's special $25(a, c) fare is available for purchase through Jan. 10, for travel through Feb. 15. A seven-day advance purchase is required. In addition, JetBlue is offering a Winter Clearance sale for travel through April 4 with fares starting as low as $40(b, c) each way.

Letter to the Editor

We have not done a good job marketing the airport itself. You can always find a flight cheaper when you are within one hour or Providence, Manchester, Boston and Hartford. We have to market ORH as 1) being competitive and 2) convenience. Things like free parking, free wifi, a restaurant and maybe a kids area like they do a Bob's Furniture would make ORH a convenient place to fly. Here is the letter in today's paper:

Southwest was choice for this Florida trip


I’d like to respond to a recent letter to the editor regarding Allegiant Air. I also found the cost of a round trip ticket to Orlando, Fla., outrageous. At $434.40 per person, the cost for my family would total $2,172. My dates were flexible, with departure and return dates midweek. I was excited at the prospect of departing from an airport closer to home, but I will continue to travel out of Providence via Southwest Airlines. I was able to secure tickets via Southwest at about half the cost of Allegiant Air. The likelihood of Allegiant Air finding a comfortable home in the city of Worcester is not likely if they are not willing to be a good neighbor. We all know good neighbors are hard to find, and it’s worth the travel to continue a reciprocal relationship.

Judith Brogan
Spencer, MA

Continental Airlines

Rumor has it that they will be the next airline to file for bankruptcy... How will DJ Air get the 100,000 million in venture capital?? I simply do not see it happening.

Meeting Thursday Night??

Airport discussionWORCESTER — City Manager Michael V. O’Brien will present a regional perspective on Worcester Regional Airport at 7 p.m. Thursday at the quarterly meeting of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission at 35 Harvard St., Worcester.

Harry Tembenis Letter to the Editor

O’Brien should work on a Bay area two-fer

News is that the city manager was recently in San Jose for meetings with the San Jose Sharks NHL team about relocating their AHL franchise to Worcester. Worcester could realistically get a two-for-one deal. In addition to the business of hockey, Worcester has another vested interest in the Bay area: The corporate headquarters for Virgin America Airlines, the U.S.-based, startup, discount airline of Virgin mogul Richard Branson will be based in the Bay area. The Virgin America Airlines business model will be based on and compete directly with Southwest and Jet Blue. It will have the money, management and expertise in place to compete. All it will need will be airports. As Southwest has Providence and Manchester covered and Jet Blue has Boston, why not pitch Worcester as a New England hub for both the hockey team and an airport ?

No Meeting Tonight

Although the meeting is suppose to be the 2nd Monday every, there is no meeting tonight and will be on the 4th Monday --January 23rd......

Guess all our questions will wait to then.

Airport Meeting

Is there one tonight??? It is suppose to be the 2nd Monday of every month but go to the City web page

http://www.ci.worcester.ma.us
hit city clerk link (left)
hit public agency meetings (right middle)

I see no listing for any airport commission meetings??? I knew that the agenda was not posted anywhere but I believe this needs to be posted??


Help

Allegiant Advertising

Yesterday, I was in the Webster House and they had a couple fliers in the front hall. Other then that I have not seen anything anywhere in the newspaper, Television or newspaper advertising Allegiant. Alec reminded us about the malls but please anyone comment here to anything that they have seen??

Youngstown Charter

They have one airline flying out of there right called Preferred Casino Tours, maybe we should reach out to them... Unlike Youngstown, however, we have the Ct. casinos close by so I am not sure how well Atlantic City would do but I know Las Vegas (maybe w/ one stop) and the Bahammas would do well.

Thanks

Bill

Airport Commission Meeting Tonight

I hope that I will be able to provide the following after tonight's meeting:

1. most recent qtrly report to the DOT showing how the $455,000 has been spent to date.
2. other then the $100,000 to IMG for their report, have we in fact contracted with them to prepare presentations to targeted airlines at a cost of an additional $50,000
3. December monthly report from LAZ detailing the receipts and expenses.

Thanks

Bill

Today's Flight

It appears to me that the Pease and ORH flights were combined. Not only were there huge delays but there were stops at Pease.

A plane left Sanford today but instead of getting to ORH at 10:30, it landed here at 6:30PM and then on to Portsmouth. In other words they dropped and picked off people at ORH, flew to Portsmouth dropped and picked people up there and then on to Sanford???

I am trying to decipher this on-line so if I am wrong someone correct me, but this is the way it appears to me.. Picture yourself sitting at ORH expecting to depart at 11:00AM this morning for your direct flight to end up leaving at 6:30 PM then stopping off at Pease. Again if I am wrong, someone correct me but this looks like another bad day for Allegiant at ORH.

Allegiant Advertising

I just went through the paper and although there was an ad from AirTran, I saw nothing from Allegiant... Other then signs in the malls how is Allegiant promoting themselves?? If anyone see any advertising post a comment here.

Pease Airport

Free Parking:

Why fly Pease?
Direct access from Interstate 95 & the Spaulding Turnpike without the traffic hassles
Plenty of Free parking
Convenient to Boston, Portsmouth, Portland & Manchester
Friendly New England small town atmosphere

Airport minutes on-line too http://www.peasedev.org/web/aviation/aviation.htm. Think there is an airport meeting Monday at 6:15PM so I will have the minutes of the December meeting on-line Tuesday.

Meeting???

Last time we met at the airport, I did not think we got anything accomplished.... At the same time I think we should get together to kick around some of these ideas in person. Lets see what the December Board minutes look like then decide a place to meet--coffee in the morning or drinks after work?? Open to suggestions..

JetBlue Follow-up

Consider the following:

1. JetBlue Embraer 190 shuttle to JFK (JetBlue's hub) was our first recommendation almost two years ago.
2. Dave Ulmer, JetBlue stategic planner, actually visited ORH about last summer when Tom Moore invited him to our airport. We had about 40 people from various businesses and colleges there to greet him. Think he was somewhat impressed.
3. MassPort controls both Logan and ORH
4. JetBlue is working closely with JetBlue in Boston.
5. Right now JetBlue has the Embraer out of Boston flying 10 shuttles per day to and from JFK and 6 shuttles to and from Dulles. Please note our airport director, Eric Waldron, told us 18 months ago that Boston would never want a shuttle to JFK.
6. JetBlue knows where their passengers live. The fact they advertise in the Telegram indicates to me that they know JetBlue passengers live in our catchment area.

Why can't we work with MassPort to convince JetBlue to divert 1 or 2 of the 10 JFK shuttles and 1 of the Dulles flights to ORH???

Flight 775 and 776

Both on time today. Starting to see a new (better) trend.

FlyGary.org

Another group like ours in Gary, IN http://www.flygary.org.. Small airports like ours, Youngstown, Gary and Portsmouth NH need to band our rescources and recruit airlines as a package... Why not get one mgmt company like TBI, who runs Sanford, come in and take over all these airports. The economies of scale would create savings for all of these small underperforming airports.

Linear Air Story

Linear Air Closes $2.5 Million in Funding;

Proceeds to Fund Expansion, Including Initial Deposits on 30 Eclipse 500 VLJs LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2006--Linear Air, a premier air-taxi service that is transforming the private air travel industry, today announced it has closed $2.5 million of additional funding. The proceeds will fund initial deposits on 30 next-generation very light jets, or VLJs, from Eclipse Aviation Corp., and support the company's expansion in Boston, New York and the Caribbean.

"Linear Air's strategy with the VLJ market has given us credibility with investors and with Eclipse, which has recognized our success by putting us near the head of the line with our jet order," said William Herp, CEO and president of Linear Air. The funding round comprises new and existing investors, mostly private individuals and including a number of prominent business and financial professionals. "In securing this current round of investment funds, we will be the first operational aircraft company to include VLJs in our fleet in 2006," said Herp. "The unprecedented economics of these new small jets will make private jet travel more affordable than ever before, helping bring business travel to the next plateau."

The announcement comes 18 months after the company received an initial round of funding to begin operating propjet aircraft in the emerging jet-taxi business. In just over a year, Linear Air has grown from two to 25 workers, increased business partnerships, and bolstered its aircraft fleet to an expected nearly three dozen by 2007. Linear Air's per-seat and on-demand air service will effectively revolutionize the travel industry as the new Eclipse 500 aircraft will allow the company to expand its existing propjet service to smaller markets within point-to-point 500-mile regional networks and around major metropolitan areas.





The company plans to add service in several additional major metropolitan areas by the time the Eclipse aircraft begin entering the fleet next year. Linear Air currently operates the largest fleet of luxury Cessna Grand Caravans in the Northeast.

About Linear Air

Linear Air, based in Lexington, Mass., is a premier air-taxi service that is transforming the private air travel industry. The carrier currently operates from Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., near Boston, Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. and Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., both just outside New York City, and from San Juan, Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. Linear Air provides short-hop private air travel at airline rates. The company offers executives and families personalized customer service, flexibility and convenience at attractive fares.

For more information about Linear Air or to book a flight, please visit http://www.linearair.com/ or call 781-860-9696 or 1-877-2-LINEAR.

JetBlue Ad

Another hugs ad in the Telegram from JetBlue advertising flights out of Logan.. Nothing from Allegiant??? JetBlue would not be advertising in our catchment area unless they have alot of people buying tickets from here.

Again anyone please comment here to any Allegiant advertising that you have seen of late.

Story on Gary, Indiana Restaurant

Near noon Friday, a scene that would warm the heart of any Gary/Chicago International Airport supporter was unfolding at Mendoza's Mexican Mix.Families and Florida snowbirds were streaming in, stuffing travel bags under tables and ordering tacos, pretzels and Pepsis. Through a bank of windows, security guards could be seen setting up at gates.
Hooters Air Flight 9422 was due to arrive soon from St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and Flight 9421 would be making the trip back.

Restaurant owner Mellonie Mendoza was working the cash register and her dad, Pete Mendoza, was working the grill."My employee comes in at noon; I think we'll be all right," she said. "My dad's helping out till then."Everything did go well Friday, with the restaurant racking up steady sales. Around 3 p.m., Mendoza and company cleaned up and went home.

But this week, Mendoza is not so sure.Hooters will suspend all flights out of Gary on Friday and not resume flying again until March 6. It is a step Hooters is taking in six other cities, citing increased fuel costs and low passenger loads.Hooters is the only regularly scheduled passenger airline operating at Gary/Chicago.

Despite the setback, the 31-year-old-entrepreneur is determined to see it through at Mendoza's Mexican Mix until Hooters comes back or another airline comes in."They are promoting so much that is good in Gary and trying to get away from that high crime rate thing," Mendoza said during a brief break in Friday's action. "It would be bad to have one more failure."For starters, Mendoza plans to draw a breakfast and lunch crowd from nearby businesses and Industrial Highway by staying open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. She has applied for a liquor license, saying drinks are the No. 1 request she gets but can't fulfill.She also wants to serve more take-out and grow her catering business.

Mendoza competed against six other bidders to get the concession last June. A seldom-open Quiznos franchise operated there previously.Right now, Mendoza's job is symbolic of a whole wave of blue-collar jobs airport officials say airport expansion could attract if the FAA approves funding for runway work.Customers on Friday were hoping Mendoza can see it through until flights again are swooping in and out.

Elsie and Paul Nadeau, of Portage and Bradenton, Fla., self-described "snowbirds," said the airport and the restaurant beat everywhere else."Our kids can get us here in like 20 minutes," Elsie said. "This is the best spot we've ever found. We just hope they can develop it into more."Jerry and Beth Siminski, reconnecting with their region roots for the holidays, said they always use small airports when possible."We just like little airports," Beth said, as children Jared and Megan sipped on pop. "There's less hassle at little airports, and they're a lot more friendly."

Mendoza hopes the restaurant's small but growing reputation can pull it through the next two months. At the same time, she prays airport officials can "pull something out of their hat" and land another airline."Everyone has just been so glad to have us here," she said. "The airport employees, security guards, the people who fly. They have all just been so nice to us."

Advertising

Last week I asked anyone to comment on any ads that they have seen. Myself I have seen nothing and Alec commented that he saw some signs in the malls. Again, I will ask if anyone seen any ads in the paper, on the radio or on television to make a comment here.

Linear Air

Linear flies scheduled flights from Hanscom to the Islands, like Cape Air and Tetterboro/White Plans (unlike Cape Air)... IMG identified Cape Air as a targeted airline, I say invite Linear to ORH because of the 30 Eclipse VLJ's (Very Light Jets) that they will be receiving. Check out story below:


BOSTON—One of the most breathlessly anticipated revolutions in aviation is poised to take off in 2006, as new super-fast, relatively cheap airplanes called ``very light jets" finally go into service.

Thanks to breakthroughs in the performance of engines for small jets, along with better airplane manufacturing techniques, companies like Eclipse Aviation of Albuquerque, N.M., and Adam Aircraft of Denver, Col., are promising a new breed of aircraft for a new category of travel: jet-speed transportation between as many as 5,500 U.S. airports, in planes that cost as little as $1.5 million (U.S.). That's a fraction of the price of today's private jets.

One crucial innovation behind the Eclipse design is the engine, made by Pratt & Whitney Canada, which thanks to cutting-edge design software and steady advances in technology miniaturization is barely bigger than a washing machine. But it can propel the plane to top speeds of over 430 miles per hour. Pending final certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration this winter, which is likely, Eclipse's six-seater E500 could take to the skies in July.

A private charter service based at Hanscom Field in Lexington, Linear Air LLC, has already ordered 30 of the Eclipse very light jets and plans to put them in service between August and late 2008. The planes can cruise at over 400 miles per hour, twice the typical speed of private propeller-driven planes.

``This is the absolute future, and everybody in the aviation business knows it," said Arthur Allen, chairman of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission, which oversees 38 smaller airports around the state. Because VLJs weigh as little as a minivan, they can land on runways as short as 3,000 feet — compared to the 4,000 or 5,000 feet required by the smallest private jets today. Allen envisions them opening up new markets for air-taxi and charter services.

"It's like an executive car service, with wings," said Bill Herp, Linear Air's chief executive. ``VLJs are going to revolutionize the way a large percentage of the traveling public gets around.'' Linear currently offers two kinds of service: traditional private point-to-point charter flights, and separate ''scheduled charter by the seat" service that functions like a one-flight-per-day airline between Hanscom and airports in Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, White Plains, N.Y., and Teterboro, N.J.

Part of Linear's plan with scheduled charter service is to introduce passengers to the private plane experience and convert them to prospective customers for $1,500 or $3,000 charter flights, either for business or vacation travel for affluent consumers, using conventional turboprops now and VLJs in the future. For Herp, the huge advantage of VLJs is they will cost potentially a third as much to buy and half as much to operate per hour as traditional small jets, vastly broadening the market for air taxi and charter services. "If you can fly in a private jet for 50 per cent less than the cost of current private jets, there's going to be big demand for that," Herp said.

Richard Jaycobs, who commutes weekly from his home in Nantucket to his job as chief executive of The Clearing Corp., a Chicago financial-services firm, said he thinks VLJs could dramatically change the way he and many other private-aviation passengers travel. "What I think this will really do is open up a whole new universe of flight possibilities for me and open up private travel service to a lot more people," Jaycobs said. Typically, he flies from Nantucket to a connecting flight in Boston or Providence. But as he analyzes VLJ costs, Jaycobs said, "a trip from Nantucket straight to Chicago is now possible at a price point that's interesting to me, especially when you couple that with all the hassles of going through the airport.'
'
Eclipse's financial backers, including Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates Jr., have put $320 million into the company. Last month, it reported orders in hand for 2,357 planes, including 1,592 "firm orders" and option deals for another 765. That represents more than three years of maximum current production capacity. Some of the most zealous evangelists for VLJs have predicted the planes will quickly replace hub-and-spoke misery for high-end business travelers, the lifeblood of commercial airlines, with millions flying in small, comfortable planes from suburb to suburb — paying prices comparable to those for first-class tickets but avoiding big airports entirely.

Others say that even if the potential for VLJs to replace traditional first-class travel is overstated, the planes could still find a big market among the owners of private turboprops who want to upgrade to jets. The jets could be used as air ambulances, for example, or for emergency logistics operations, such as delivering a critical part to a factory to keep a multimillion-dollar production line operating.

Indepence Air is No More

Just do see how DJ Air can ever get off the ground with companies like SouthEast, TransMeridian and now Independence Air going out of business?

NEW YORK (CNN/Money.com) - Low-cost carrier Independence Air will shut down as of Jan. 5 due to bankruptcy, a company statement said Monday. FLYi Inc., the airline's parent, said in the statement refunds should be available for all customers who have tickets for flights after the company shuts down, pending approval of the bankruptcy court.

The company's shares are expected to become worthless as an outcome of bankruptcy proceedings, the press release said. "To date there has not been a firm offer put forward that meets the financial criteria necessary to continue operations as is," said Independence Air chief executive Kerry Skeen in the statement.

The last scheduled flight is flight 1777 from White Plains, N.Y., to Washington Dulles departing at 7:26 p.m. ET, the press release said. The company said in the statement it will offer customers who have departures scheduled while the airline is still flying, but return dates for after Jan. 5, the opportunity to change their return times at no cost.

The company said it will not give refunds for free tickets or vouchers, according to the statement. Independence Air began service on June 16, 2004 and has over 200 daily departures to 37 destinations, the press release said

2006 Goals

If the airport keeps losing $2,000,000 per year, it will be scaled back to general aviation airport. Chances of ever upgrading again to a commercial airport will be slim to none. The next 6 months are key. What needs to happen?

1. Allegiant needs to be successful at ORH. Things like free wifi, restaurant, free parking and more advertising by Allegiant needs to happen. By the way so far the only advertising anyone has seen the past week are the signs in the malls.
2. Two other airlines need to be recruited now. Hooters flights to Myrtle Beach would be perfect even just for their golf season and USA3000 to other destinations in Florida and Bermuda.
3. For the summer a Cape Air or Linear needs to be providing scheduled service to the islands.

By July 1, 2007, the future of ORH will be known to all. If we only still have Allegiant 6 months from now it will be pretty tough to justify to me the need for 4 flights per week to Orlando at a cost of $2,000,000 per year to the tax-payers.

Tim's Sunday Flight

Left on time (776) this morning, actually 8 minutes late (on time) and arrived 5 minutes early..

Tom, I will have a better idea how responsive the airport commission is to my requests for items on the agenda when I see the December minutes. Stay tuned.

Agreed next month we should put an item on their agenda to consult with the City Manager about the requirements of the Airport Commission. Not only why a city employee can not be on the board but when about someone who does not live in the City of Worcester.

For one it is a "regional" airport and more then 50% of the land is in Leceister. I really look forward to seeing the December minutes which I will post as soon as I get them.