BHM Airport has did it !!! (Birmingham, Mobile: high schools, colleges, square footage)

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by bigstick

Until BHAM can compete, which will be never, I'm not embarrassed by any of you queens..

Ooh. That sounds like a personal attack. Must've hurt its feelings.

[mcalumni01]

Originally Posted by Tourian

'K.

I'll let the board know the next time we get together.

just have to laugh tourian..... when great news happens elsewhere besides that place in georgia particular that town to the west of them, u know they got's to say somthin wouldn't be right if they didn't

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by mcalumni01

just have to laugh tourian..... when great news happens elsewhere besides that place in georgia particular that town to the west of them, u know they got's to say somthin wouldn't be right if they didn't

Sorry I mean no malice and was actually just being serious. Just trying to offer helpful advice for the conversation.

I fly quite a bit and just happen to know that location rather well for work reasons.

I will say this... and maybe this is an Atlanta - Birmingham difference. That is some of the geeky stuff we talk about in the Atlanta board and I was merely giving you guys the same benefit.... nothing else.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Sorry I mean no malice and was actually just being serious. Just trying to offer helpful advice for the conversation.

I fly quite a bit and just happen to know that location rather well for work reasons.

I will say this... and maybe this is an Atlanta - Birmingham difference. That is some of the geeky stuff we talk about in the Atlanta board and I was merely giving you guys the same benefit.... nothing else.

Sorry. We're used to the wholesale douchery of some guys who come over here.

[sleepless in Bham]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Baby steps...

Long-haul routes to Asia would be near impossible to obtain.

Best options to turn your focus towards would be an Air Canada Connection to our northern neighbors in Toronto, which is a hub.

Long-term goals would be a flight to a European hub, which would offer many connection possibilities. That will be an uphill battle.

Bahamas Air is really flying to a large sand bar immediately off the coast of Fort Lauderdale and it isn't a cheap flight given the short-distance.

What the Bahamas is really trying to do is find a few mid-size US markets to become the number one vacation spot and outcompete other island vacation destinations, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Freeport isn't the best island and it is in a high tax environment that push prices up.

How hard would it be for BHM for to get a connection to Toronto? Montreal? Mexico City?.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

How hard would it be for BHM for to get a connection to Toronto? Montreal? Mexico City?.

Very hard, IMO ... especially with the proximity to ATL. How much of a biz market is there in B'ham to any of those cities? That's the real question.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

How hard would it be for BHM for to get a connection to Toronto? Montreal? Mexico City?.

Probably pretty hard to be honest.

I would target Toronto first. 3 of the top 10 destination cities for people flying international from Birmingham are in Canada and Toronto is the most traveled to international destination for BHM and Toronto is the main Air Canada hub. The bad thing is many of those routes took a hit in the recession it seems. It is also medium-range, which means it is easier to operate a smaller air craft and fewer people are needed to meet demand.

That route doesn't have enough people flying it to sustain the route, which means connections at a foreign hub are vital. Plus they will be competing with 3 major US airlines that can serve people to destinations in Canada with a single connection


Global Gateways: International Aviation in Metropolitan America | Brookings Institution

In the upper right corner you can select Birmingham, then on the left click to see a chart of top destinations.

3 general considerations:
-The airline will compete best with strong direct fliers (no transfers). Fliers often pay more for this when competition isn't present and it is cheaper to fly them. (strong factor)
- Next level of importance is local connections in Canada. These routes will have competition from major US airlines and a single connection can't be prevented. (Moderate factor)
-Next level of importance is international connections to Western Europe. This will face extremely stiff competition from US airlines and other global partners, which Air Canada is already in an alliance with some. (minor to moderate factor)

When they analyze the route they can go weaker on one factor if travel demand is stronger on another factor.

Looking at Air Canada's Toronto route's for mid-range options to small cities... it seems their markets with Toronto start in the Mid 20,000 fliers/year and often have triple the overall international demands.

I'd say the Toronto travel demand would need to hit around 20,000/year and double the amount of demand to other Canadian cities and to major European cities. I say in the low 20,000s, because I think if BHM had the service that there are fliers in Alabama that drive to ATL for more flight options, BHM could win some of those back if the route existed and reach market demand in the 25-29k range.

In 2003 BHM has 10,000 fliers to Toronto (it decreased in 2011), so you need to double your 2003 route demand.

It is still the closest opportunity to continuous international service. Mexico City and Montreal are further away on demand and there are not many good strong connection markets to serve from those cities.

For short-run seasonal few days a week service I'd look to Cancun. There is no opportunity to use connections to bolster that route, but that market has moderate ridership via connections in other airports.

I don't see any good long-haul route options. You'd have to have even higher ridership to support wide body planes that carry more people, so a plane can have the economies of scale to affordably fly the long-route.

[White Wine]

Originally Posted by mcalumni01

People probably would say this isn't a big deal and even though it's a seasonal deal...just think if this nonstop program is very successful could lead to other nonstop international destinations...one step at a time to reach your goals....

Bahamasair to launch nonstop flights from BHM - Birmingham Business Journal

This article says that this is the first non-stop international flight from BHM since the terminal opened...........that almost implies that there are other non-stop int'l flights. Are there? I don't think you can fly anywhere outside of the U.S. straight from Birmingham.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by White Wine

This article says that this is the first non-stop international flight from BHM since the terminal opened...........that almost implies that there are other non-stop int'l flights. Are there? I don't think you can fly anywhere outside of the U.S. straight from Birmingham.

It doesn't. The terminal was recently remodeled.

[raj kapoor]

There were some flights to Monterrey Mexico some years ago. (well before 9-11 devastated the industry)

Raj