GSP Airport Restructuring Needed (Columbia, Greenville: 2010, how much, construction)

[g-vegas]

I was just wondering what everyone else thought about GSP prices. I really think Greenville is losing a lot of money to Charlotte and Atlanta because of the high airport prices. Just wondering what could be done to change this. We really need to keep our money here at home.

[motonenterprises]

Probably lower the prices.

[jbar1]

I would think that GSP officials could find out exactly how many people fly in or out of the neighboring airports who have an address that would be better served by GSP. Now that still wouldn't give you the complete picture of who is actually flying into these airports and ultimately ending up in Greenville but it would give them a some idea of the kind of business they are losing.
I myself have stopped telling people to use Charlotte when visiting. It takes on the average 5 hours to pick someone up (or bring them back) and $100 worth of gas to pick them up and bring them back. So basically I pay for their savings.

[g-vegas]

Well I know the last time I flew, I saved $300 flying out of Charlotte instead of GSP. I know they really cant afford to lower their prices because they are so small, but i think if they would just take the initial price hit, they would make it all back in the end. I have flown out of Charlotte 15 times and GSP 5, and I am not a frequent flyer, so I can only imagine how much money they lose from those who fly frequently.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by g-vegas

Well I know the last time I flew, I saved $300 flying out of Charlotte instead of GSP. I know they really cant afford to lower their prices because they are so small, but i think if they would just take the initial price hit, they would make it all back in the end. I have flown out of Charlotte 15 times and GSP 5, and I am not a frequent flyer, so I can only imagine how much money they lose from those who fly frequently.

Actually, GSP is a money maker for the airlines.

GSP has one the highest percentage of business travelers vs. tourist of any airport in the nation. As companies pay for the tickets, price isn't nearly the factor it is for personal travel. I fly out of GSP weekly on business and love the convenience. I can tell all of my flights out and in are always full.....mostly business travelers.

With that said, a plane full of business travelers who all paid 500 to 1,000 per ticket makes much more money for the airlines, than a plane full of tourist who paid 199 per ticket. Airlines have no desire to lower prices into GSP as GSP is a cash cow.

This is the reason, during this econonmic time of struggle for the airlines, you have seen many Florida cities (tourist locations) hit so hard with cutbacks (Orlando with Comair pulling its hub....70 plus flights a day lost, United stopping service to West Palm Beach, Allegiant abandoning Ft.Lauderdale as a focus city, etc, etc).

[g-man430]

Flying out of Atlanta this Thursday. $800 cheaper than flying out of GSP. I originally thought it was $600.

[cyclingintheson]

Eliminate all of the second tier airports and build high speed rail lines connecting cities like Greenville, Columbia, Augusta, etc to major citys and fly from there. A highspeed line can be built down the median of existing interstates and would lessen the dependancy on cars. With prices like they are and rising it is only a matter of time before GSP loses out to Atlanta and Charlotte. It is amazing that this airport has done well for this long but with airline mergers and dowsizings it probally wont fare so well in the future. After 2010 many secondary airports and cities will be without air service. Maglev trains are the transportation of the future.

[g-man430]

They might as well just close GSP down completely. Everytime I go there, the place is like a ghost town. They have no restaurants except for the one that charges an arm and a leg. No low cost carriers unless you count the one that only flys to Florida. Parking is also very expensive. Don't even get me started on ticket prices. I still can't figure out why cities like Little Rock can get Southwest but we can't.

[gsupstate]

Originally Posted by g-man430

They might as well just close GSP down completely. Everytime I go there, the place is like a ghost town. They have no restaurants except for the one that charges an arm and a leg. No low cost carriers unless you count the one that only flys to Florida. Parking is also very expensive. Don't even get me started on ticket prices. I still can't figure out why cities like Little Rock can get Southwest but we can't.

1.6 million passengers a year is hardly a ghost town.

GSP serves the local business community / travelers quite well.

[g-man430]

Then how come everytime I go there, the place looks empty? If it serves the community quite well, then why don't we have Southwest or JetBlue? Why don't we have any restaurants where I can get a quick bite to eat? Where is the Cinnabon and Starbucks at? Even Huntsville's airport is expanding: http://www.constructionequipmentguid...ion%20Projects