sigh...

is this the best BIA can do to replace the reduction in service from the mainline carriers?

sigh... says downeastdave "is this the best BIA can do to replace the reduction in service from the mainline carriers?" The answer is YES. Bangor is lucky to the USAF that it has an airport like it does; in this economy the population will not and can not support the number of carriers people think it can. Stop whining and get real!.

'Tis the holiday season...don't 'cha know? Wait until we see what is happening after New Year's holiday is over with. Could be that the airlines will continue this service, but will the passenger miles add up to profit during Maine's summer vacation season...heading south to Florida, that is?

After residing in Clearwater, Dunedin, and Tampa previously, I can say this coastal line is okay. I'd never return to Florida at all, though. That is, if you have not experienced the rest of the Gulf Coast of the US, and also the Pacific Coast. This is the closest thing you can get to enjoying sun, sand and surf, so go get it if you can. With the way Maine had its summer of discontent of 2009 with the rain 99% of the summertime, it may be a good thing the airline extends its proposals into next summer and hopes for rain the entire season this coming year, too! There was no mention about the after market season (after March 2010) mentioned in the article by Hupp, or is this an anticipated ongoing flight service?

Gee...maybe if I'm unfortunately at St. Pete...I could fly INTO Bangor now; for the FIRST TIME!!!

"With the way Maine had its summer of discontent of 2009 with the rain 99% of the summertime"

Yes, summer 2009 was not the greatest...but if you recall ALL of August was sunny...which would make your percentage more like 66% not the incorrect 99% you stated.

Be nice if they had some nonstops from DC, not everyone goes to FL...

How many from Bangor go to DC? A WHOLE LESS THAN FL IS MY BET

You are probabaly correct Gorilla, but it would be nice..

The ones going to FL are the blue haired snow birds who cant handle the Me winter..:)

The airport is rebounding! The airport is rebounding! Two whole flights more per week!! I'm suprised Rebecca Hupp didn't hold a press conference and have a ceremonial ribbon cutting with customary veggie tray and ranch dip. This article made me laugh out loud. I still think it is a matter of time before BIA is a strip mall with the world's most expensive go cart track.

Although I certainly applaud the expansion in service and I have to give Hupp credit, I am scared as to what the ramifications are going to be of this. As a business traveller, service to hubs such as NYC or Boston is needed. If I have business in NYC or Chicago for example, I really don't want to fly to FL to get there. This service will only take away customers from the other carriers and deminish their presence at BIA. I guess we will simply need to take the wait and see attitude.

BANGOR does have enough of a population center to have more flights than it does!!! The fact is the airport is in decline due to people going to Portalnd! Bangor serves a very large area. The city itself does not have a huge population but when you add the people from north, east and west. It add's up!

I have been to cities with smaller population centers and they still have 3-5 airlines serving them with daily flights. The problem is people for one reason or another would rather drive to Portland than fly out of Bangor. And that makes the problem worse as more choose Portland. With people from the area going to Portalnd, BGR will see even fewer passengers, and then the airlines will cut back again. Making the situation continiously worse.

Bangor needs incentives to draw back the people that drive south to fly. What kills me is why does BGR charge so much for Parking? It is a flat simple parking lot. That you have to walk to the terminal from. Long term is $7 a day or $6 if you stay a week. In Atlanta there are several Parking companies that charge $7.50 or less a day. One is $6.88 a day. THAT INCLUDES PICKING UP AT YOUR CAR AND DROPPING YOU OFF AT A TERMINAL! So they have an added expense of having busses, drivers, and fuel. And yet they can be profitable at $7 to $7.50 a day. So why I ask is BGR $6-7 a day when they don't have the expenses? If you want to draw people give them a good discount. Or better yet. Take down the pay booth and give free parking. $42 a week saved in parking just might draw some people back (offset lower ticket prices by Portland). But BGR keeps stating we have competitive prices! Well competitive prices doesn't cut it when your trying to draw new business or simply maintain business. You need to have incentives! You will always have a few that get mad and go elsewhere for a period. But the fact is they keep loosing people and they don't come back. The airlines see's this and says well we're going to cut back too.

It's all supply and demand economics. BGR has chosen moderate pricing (for facility and services to the airlines) with moderate capacity. Unfortunately moderate capacity is turning the airlines away. Or lessening service which allows them to have higer prices. Now all of a sudden the moderate prices for tickets are now high priced tickets. So, fewer people will fly out of Bangor. Bangor needs to get more passengers through the terminal. They need to lower fees to the airlines and to the passengers. Just maybe that will offset the lower prices at Portland. It's not just airline ticket prices that worries passengers. Things like parking add up too! And the airport can directly affect an airlines bottom line by the prices they charge them! Maybe BGR should try the low price, high volume economic route for once???

BANGOR REGION HAS ENOUGH OF A POPULATION BASE FOR MORE THAN 2 DAILY SERVICE AIRLINES!!!!

"As a business traveller, service to hubs such as NYC or Boston is needed."

"BANGOR REGION HAS ENOUGH OF A POPULATION BASE FOR MORE THAN 2 DAILY SERVICE AIRLINES!!!!"

At least two people here living in lala land in a major way.

It really doesn't matter what the airport pulls in for business as long as the Dems you keep putting into office continue to destroy Northern Maine's economy.

No business = no population =no air travel which leads to fewer businesses.

You have all made this bed and no you will rot in it.

Those of us who can and will go live elsewhere will and we will buy our vacation property from you at bargain prices.

benca1 - collateral charges like parking is a consideration when people travel. But you must understand, Portland charges for parking too. And if you fly out of Portland, you have to pay for fuel and tolls as well.

But people (including me) do drive to Portland and not just to save money. Portland offers nearly forty-five departures per day. Portland offers twelve non-stop destinations - Charlotte, Orlando, Philly, New York (all three airports), Washington DC (all three airports), Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit. Bangor offers five non-stop destinations - Philly, NYC, Detroit, and Sanford and St. Pete, Florida.

In most cases, Portland and Bangor are competitive when it comes to the price of your ticket. I often fly to NYC in the morning and return in the afternoon, just a day trip. The cost from Bangor is $358, the cost from Portland $128. Bangor offers four flights to NYC, Portland offers more than a dozen.

Cost is a factor benca1, but convenience and choice is important too.

yourekiddingright - There was an announcement party. What perplexes me is this - US Air has announced that they will not be canceling the non-stop flight to NYC until February 2010. These two flights bring 64 additional seats to the winter schedule. THAT is worthy of a press conference.

OrringtonResident - since Allegiant is a point-to-point tour company that happens to own airplanes (not an airline), you would have to buy one ticket to Florida and then another to your final destination. They only fly four flights per week - not very conducive for the business traveler - unless your business is in Florida.

What I mean by pricing, is if prices are the same at Bangor and at Portland. And Portland currently has way more flights to choose from. Who has the advantage? Portland does (Portaland also has the advantage of a large close population). What Bangor needs to do is reduce that advantage by offering some incentives to lure passengers to use Bangor. They need to keep the people from the North from driving right by, or frome West and East from driving South. And even more important the people from just South like Waterville to turn north instead of turning south! Saving $10 may not be enough of an advantage. But a businessman or a family that needs to drive themselves to the airport and park. If they can save $40 with free parking. That may be enough of an advantage to draw them to try Bangor instead of driving by. And of course you have the savings in gas, and tolls as well. So, now maybe your at $60 savings?? If the airlines see more enplanements they will increase service. Full planes make money and thats what they want.

By just being competitive / status quo, will not improve anyting! Matter of fact it will slowly deterioate, as people do get mad and decide to change. Bangor will continually bleed off passengers. Especially if they can't keep the airlines serving BGR! I work for an airline (11 years now). They don't service Bangor. So I have to fly on other carriers. Unfortunately now that BGR is down to 2. With the destination list getting smaller. I am running out of options. I will have to start going to Portland. I fly at least 17 times a year out of Bagnor (average the last 3 years). So, I am a pretty steady customer at BGR (I fly on purchased tickets not jumpseats). I have a little knowledge of the business side of it. Money means everything to an airline. In this difficult climate. If an airline want to save some money. And the choice is between A and B. And A decides to make an effort and work with the airline (pricing, facility renovations, work deals with local establishemnts their crews use, ... etc...). And B decides to say "hey, we're the same as the others, pick up pick us". Who do you think the airline is going to go with? Obviously BGR can't directly control the prices of tickets. And say they did give the airlines a slight discount. Most likely they would not lower prices. But the airline would keep service there as the proffit potential has now improved. And as I said before. If a person can save $40 from parking fees. Just maybe that savings will be enough to keep them / draw some back from driving south. I gurantee you, if Bangor filled planes, the airlines would bring in more flights. And if possible larger planes. With the exception of the Turbo Props. The regional jets are fuel hogs. They save some money because of lower crew and maintenance wages. But they are fuel hogs. So the airlines would preffer to fly their own bigger planes. But you have to be able to fill them!

And to answer a question someone might be asking. Yes I have taken Airport Management classes at the collegiate level! Doesn't make me an expert, and I changed my education to a different area of aviation, but I do have some knowledge on how the system works! And of course being an airline employee gives me some practical experience as well! The fact is just being competitive is not good enough. You need to be working with an advantage! And sometimes you need to build that advantage yourself to get the flow going! Yes the economy is in the tank. And yes it will take a while for things to come around. It's going to take more than a couple months for things to get better. It takes time for an airline to set up even just an extra flight a day. Let alone new service at an airport. That's one of the reasons just being competitive is not good enough. Even if BGR was competitive, starting a new service (like Eagle or Continental comming back) is expensive. It would be cheaper for them to just add a flight to Portland. So, again BGR needs to be better than just competitive!!! Just being competitive will solve nothing!!! Until the airlines get to a point where they have extra crews, planes, and money to "test" a route. And thats not going to happen for a long time!!!!

BTW, I don't park at BGR, not the reason I am pushing free parking(I get dropped off when I leave, and picked up when I get back). I just see it as a way for BGR to directly lower a passengers cost. Although I do feel its a rip off, as it's not a structure, or covered, or any kind of transportation to the terminal. But they charge the same rate (again with the competitive rate thing) as the other facilities that do! And yes I know its a short walk compared to some airports. But then again, imagine if your older or a smaller person trying to tug a 40# suitcase though snow and slush! When at the bigger airports you can park in the structure or ride a bus to the terminal at the same or nearly the same cost! Advantage the other airport! Same price or even a little more. But then again convience creeps into the picture. Right now Bangor has neither convience or cost savings over any other airpot. So, why choose Bangor???

Long winded on this, but I don't want to go to Portland. I would have to start driving, and that would increase my out of pocket expenses (company pays for my travel). But at some point if BGR keeps loosing flights (and its getting close), I will have no choice in the matter, but to drive South or move South!

Airtran to BWI nonstop $49.00 to $69.00 usually, pretty hard to beat..

The Portland airport has more flights simply because two thirds of the state's population lives within an hour of Portland as well as a large number of New Hampshire resident's who use Portland for Jet Blue. Compare that to the fact of the not all of remaining third of the population lives within an hour of Bangor; further, why would anyone from the county drive to Bangor when they can fly USA out of Presque Isle?

Gorilla - next time you fly out of Bangor, check the license plates in the parking lot at the airport and the hotels around the airport. You will find a large number of Canadian plates. Between the fares and the taxes, Canadians are saving plenty by flying out of Bangor.

The people marketing for the airport are even focusing on the Canadian customer. Bangor planes are not flying empty and neither are Presque Isle flights.

God Day Eh........