GSP Airport Restructuring Needed (Spartanburg, Liberty: rental car, rental, hotel)

[Tinabean]

Also think about this......my husband's company madated 3 years ago that he fly out of Charlotte or Atlanta because Gvl was absurdly expensive. Of course they are making money hand over fist because they have faced no significant resistance (lessening demand by corporate customers). I'm absolutely POSITIVE that this is a factor for new companies looking to locate in our region. It's not like we need any addiitonal factors to work against us when competing for new companies..... It's a shame that there are no checks and balances to keep the GSP operation in-line. Whoever figures out how to circumvent GSP and get folks from our region to Charlotte or ATlanta quickly and cost efficiently will really reap the rewards...... I like the idea of a dedicated speed train running up the interstates like someone suggested earlier.

[Sonrise]

Originally Posted by g-man430

Good for you. Nobody will answer my questions about why Little Rock and Omaha have low-cost carriers and we don't.

Because the people who run those airports are proactive and offer amazing incentives for airlines to come there, i.e little or now landing fees, matched revenue, guaranteed income difference for a predetermined amount of time, tax incentives, etc. For whatever reason, the dumb dumbs that run GSP don't feel compelled to do any of these things.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by R1v3rRat View Post
City of Greenville population ~ 60,000 The Greenville metropolitan area ~600,000

City of Omaha population ~400,000 The Omaha metropolitan are.... over 830,000

Little Rock city population ~180,00 The Little rock metropolitan area 840,000.

May be part of it... about a quarter million people population difference

Originally Posted by g-man430

What number do you come up with when you take the population of Anderson, Spartanburg, and Greenville counties and combine them.

The real reason is that South Carolina has several mid-sized cities while Little Rock is pretty much "it" in Arkansas and Omaha is pretty much "it' in Nebraska.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by gsupstate

Which then begs the question, why does Columbia's airport have even LESS traffic than Greenville's? Columbia's airport comes in 4th in SC in passenger numbers with less than 1.3 million passengers last year.

Because Augusta's airport is only 70 miles away, Florence has its own airport and Charlotte is only 90 miles away. GSP is the only commercial airport in the upstate, while the Midlands splits its business.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Because Augusta's airport is only 70 miles away, Florence has its own airport and Charlotte is only 90 miles away. GSP is the only commercial airport in the upstate, while the Midlands splits its business.

That theory doesn't hold water. Following that same logic, GSP should service far fewer passengers than it does.

By camparison, GSP has Asheville only 60 miles away (and since the airport is in Hendersonville, about 50 minutes). Charlotte airport is only 90 miles away.

Being the largest city in the state, seems Columbia should be the most important city and service the most passengers....it shouldn't be the 4th busiest airport.

[Greenville]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Because Augusta's airport is only 70 miles away, Florence has its own airport and Charlotte is only 90 miles away. GSP is the only commercial airport in the upstate, while the Midlands splits its business.

Are you suggesting that the Columbia metro area's 700,000+ residents are driving to Augusta and Florence for flights instead of Columbia Metropolitan Airport?!? I realize that Columbia's airport isn't international, but if it's competing (and losing) to Augusta and Florence then it has much larger problems than many of us imagined.

It is clear that Columbia's airport is less hindered by outside airports than is Greenville's. Perhaps CAE's low passenger numbers are explained by much of Columbia's business travel being by car (e.g., state-level politicians driving to Columbia from their home district in SC) instead of via air from farther, out-of-state locales.

[sweet-t]

Originally Posted by gsupstate

Well worded. Agreed 100%.

Dido, to that. It's not just GSP that's trugling, you'll find most smaller airports have been losing carriers. I did advertising work for another airport much like GSP in Rockford, IL. They too struggle, but work hard to keep new flights coming in.
As a side note: Sure Atlanta has all those stores and restaurants...that's because nine times out of ten you end up stuck there! I would pay more for GSP, to never have to fly out of Atlanta-the worst airport I've ever flown in or out of.

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by Greenville

Are you suggesting that the Columbia metro area's 700,000+ residents are driving to Augusta and Florence for flights instead of Columbia Metropolitan Airport?!? I realize that Columbia's airport isn't international, but if it's competing (and losing) to Augusta and Florence then it has much larger problems than many of us imagined.

It is clear that Columbia's airport is less hindered by outside airports than is Greenville's. Perhaps CAE's low passenger numbers are explained by much of Columbia's business travel being by car (e.g., state-level politicians driving to Columbia from their home district in SC) instead of via air from farther, out-of-state locales.

Actually, I don't think that is clear at all. People from Columbia aren't driving to Augusta or Florence to use their facilities, but it is unlikely that someone in Aiken or Edgefield would drive to Columbia when Augusta is closer. At the same time, someone in Greenwood, Clemson or Anderson would probably drive to GSP. Charlotte's airport is just as close to Columbia as it is to Greenville so that draw is probably the same for both markets. While Columbia's airport was 4th in the number of passengers, the numerical difference was relatively small with Myrtle Beach and GSP. In terms of cargo, however, Columbia's airport is the busiest in the state.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

Actually, I don't think that is clear at all. People from Columbia aren't driving to Augusta or Florence to use their facilities, but it is unlikely that someone in Aiken or Edgefield would drive to Columbia when Augusta is closer. At the same time, someone in Greenwood, Clemson or Anderson would probably drive to GSP. Charlotte's airport is just as close to Columbia as it is to Greenville so that draw is probably the same for both markets. While Columbia's airport was 4th in the number of passengers, the numerical difference was relatively small with Myrtle Beach and GSP. In terms of cargo, however, Columbia's airport is the busiest in the state.

And people from Sumter, Orangeburg, Camden would drive to Columbia as well. The passenger numbers are still quite low for the states largest city and largest metro.

In cargo CAE is the busiest for total cargo movement, though most of the cargo is simply connecting cargo (the UPS regional hub ensures that). For originating/destination cargo tonnage, however, it is either Greenville or Charleston.....Greenville I believe due to the Upstate business environment. I'll find some numbers and post.

[R1v3rRat]

Originally Posted by gsupstate

For originating/destination cargo tonnage, however, it is either Greenville or Charleston.....Greenville I believe due to the Upstate business environment. I'll find some numbers and post.

that would make sense to me....