I have a question for the aviation experts--is there a place where I can reference all of the airline abbreviations you've been using? When I see codes like QX and WN, I get confused as to whom is actually being talked about. :)

Here's a pretty good reference for aviation terms, including the 2-digit airline abbreviations: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/glossary.php. You could also type in the abbreviation here: http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/...de-search.aspx.

There are so many 2 digit codes that it gets very overwhelming. Some make sense, like AA is American, DL is Delta, UA is United and US is US Airways. Many make less sense, B6 is JetBlue, QX is Horizon, OO is SkyWest and WN is Southwest. You'd think that Southwest should be SW but that is taken by Air Namibia, which would have made more sense as AN, right?

I wasn't able to make it to the air service summit, but here are some articles and tweets about it:

Boise Airport looking to add service, attract more business


May 15th, 2012

Read more: http://www.ktvb.com/news/business/Bo...151637875.html

Some tweets from the Boise Chamber of Commerce during the event:

• "The @BoiseChamber #airservicesummit has begun at the Boise Centre."
• "Renowned Aviation Futurist Michael Boyd of Boyd Group International is speaking on the realities of air service in Boise. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: We have to conform to the realities of current airline business model: a profit and revenue system. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Boise to Denver or Boise to Los Angeles not the future. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Airlines are shrinking. Airlines aren't adding airplanes. Airlines aren't going after growth. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: the Airline Industry is evolving into a more regionalized transportation system. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: The amount of service is not the issue. It's about access. 'Can you get there from here?' #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Boise has access to nine hubs. Boise has great access to international routes. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Air service in Boise is focused on western markets. It's harder to get to East Coast markets. #airservicesummit"
• "RT @raystark Non-stop to Atlanta probably won't come back. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Boise to Reno, Seattle, SLC ... Just not enough traffic for Southwest Airlines... Simple as that. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Boise to Idaho Falls just not feasible for profitable air service. There were only about 14 passengers per day. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: American Airlines left Boise because their load factor was only 73%. #airservicesummit"
• "Boyd: Lost routes are due to airline economics and traffic levels. But traffic levels have stabilized. #airservicesummit"
• "New Boise Airport Director, Rebecca Hupp, is about to take the podium. #airservicesummit"
• "Hupp: At peak in 2007, BOI had 7 airlines and 21 nonstop destinations. 2012: 5 airlines and 15 nonstop destinations. #airservicesummit"
• "Hupp: A new carrier coming to Boise would be a long shot. #airservicesummit"
• "Hupp: possibility to use a Small Community Air Service Development Grant to help lure an airline to service BOI-Dallas. #airservicesummit"
• "State Rep. Wendy Jaquet of Sun Valley/Ketchum to take the podium. #airservicesummit"
• "RT @raystark SUN has non-stops on Alaska to SEA and LAX; Delta to SLC. #airservicesummit"
• "Jaquet: Nonstops from SUN to SEA and LAX kept open through MRG (minimum revenue guarantee) paid for by Sun Valley Resort. #airservicesummit"

Just from the above...it seems like they just were reiterating that Boise doesn't have service. I didn't really see any ideas or a plan. Pretty negative actually. And I think the KTVB article has to be speaking of Alaska's crew base. If Alaska were actually adding 100 ground crew members there would be major expansion, which would have already been announced.

The Air Service Summit was actually very positive. I say this because it gave locals who attended a "Reality Check". Also, airlines generally do not want it to be known that it is considering service to certain markets (for competitive purposes and other reasons), so it's not likely that the Airport would put out for all to hear everything it is working on behind the scenes. BOI's isolation, I think, sometimes leads to people not getting the fact that things are not all rosy and that BOI really does have good air service. We can no longer compare this market to what it was in 2007 because, quite frankly, that was when we were at the top as a community. And, it was also when service from two shortlived carriers were @ BOI (ExpressJet - flying to ONT & SAN, and also to LAX as Delta Connection - and Big Sky to Montana). It may be years before we again see anything remotely similar to those "good times". 2012 is the new reality, and this is the new baseline.

One point which I think was missed is that, once again, most of the service we lost either wasn't being highly utilized and/or was unprofitable. It was mentioned, but I think it could have been even more blatantly focused on. There was a slide during Mike Boyd's presentation showing the 2011 Load Factors for the 3-routes Southwest discontinued @ BOI. All were below 60%! The highest was RNO at 59%. That means an average of 80 passengers (of 137-seats) were traveling on each of its 2-daily RNO roundtrips, and it is a low-fare market to boot, so revenues weren't strong. Folks, that just doesn't cut it, and is exactly why it along with SLC & SEA were cut from WN's route network. There is a perception that these flights were "always full"..clearly, not reality! Southwest's systemwide Load Factor is near or above 80% consistently these days, for comparison purposes. That means an extra 30 passengers above the average 80 passengers who were on the RNO flights. BIG difference..

I am not at liberty to speak in detail about what is planned, however, I can tell you there is much being discussed with multiple air carriers, both incumbents as well as potential new entrants. There is a plan, one which is already well underway, but it's not really for the public to know exactly what the details are. As negotiations become agreements for new service, that is when the details are revealed, in a News Release or Press Conference, one effort (and victory) at a time.

As for ideas, there was a pretty clear one which was pitched by the Airport Director. It is no secret BOI wants DFW service back. It is preparing to submit a grant application under a Federal program for funds to use in negotiations with American Airlines. So, time will tell whether BOI is successful both in its charge to obtain grant funds as well as reach an agreement with American to resume DFW service in 2013.

Saw this today on ITD's facebook page:

A ceremony Thursday (May 24) at 2:16 p.m. at the southwest corner of Idaho highways 16 and 44 will kick off construction on the long-awaited first stage of the Idaho 16 extension over the Boise River, connecting State Street (Idaho 44) and Chinden Boulevard (U.S. 20/26) via a high-speed, four-lane highway. The project is hailed by supporters as an important step for commerce, convenience and safety.

The ceremony is open to the public. Attendees can park at the Eagle Christian Church at 7695 West State Street. Buses will begin shuttling people to the ceremony site at 1:45 for the event, and will be on hand to transport them back to the church parking lot after the ceremony as well.

Featured speakers will be Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Sen. Chuck Winder, Central Valley Expressway Coalition (CVEC) Chairman Mary May, and emcee for the event will be ITD Board Chairman Jerry Whitehead. CVEC is sponsoring the event.

"After several years of hard work, CVEC is incredibly excited to see phase one of the Highway 16 extension commence," said May. "With the economic benefits to be had from this corridor, including significant projected new revenue for the state of Idaho, this project isn't just about building a road - it's about building the future of Idaho. We're excited for the project to begin and to see it through to completion, all the way to I-84!"

The first project will build a 1700-foot bridge across the Boise River and includes other construction activities to connect the bridge to State Street. The second project includes the completion of the highway from the Boise River to Chinden Boulevard and a bridge over the Phyllis Canal, which is also anticipated to be under contract this summer. A third project will construct the new intersections at State Street and Chinden Boulevard and all of the new public roads needed to provide access as a result of the expansion work.

The 2.5-mile project is likely to begin before the end of the month and finish about two years later, in 2014.

Concrete Placing Co. Inc., of Boise, is the prime contractor on this $19.4 million project.

“As western Ada, eastern Canyon, and southern Gem counties develop, the ability to move north-south traffic is a primary concern,” explained Amy Schroeder, GARVEE program manager. GARVEE also funded the design and development of the Highway 16 route.

“The project will provide another vital north-south link in the Treasure Valley as the population continues to grow.”

“This also means that drivers will not need to turn east to Eagle Road or west to Star Road, but instead will be able to go straight across the river, expanding the options available to the traffic network,” said Schroeder. “For the estimated 22,000 drivers who will use the route every day as soon as it opens, that’s good news.”

Make sure you hold tight and stay to the plan of limited access, ITD.

I had said before that I suspected Frontier's BOI-DEN cancellation was more of an issue with the carrier and not an indication of poor demand. At the time, Frontier was dismantling it's Milwaukee hub which is now down to just a couple flights per day. Since then Frontier has added many routes from Denver, announcing a new route every few days..... Some of these new routes are quite thin and far from Denver. This leads me to believe that maybe the situation at BOI is more bleak than I suspected.... :/

Nahhh. :) Keep in mind the one thing all the new Frontier service has in common...

Denver-Harrisburg
Denver-Cedar Rapids
Denver-Bloomington/Normal
Denver-Bismarck
Denver-Great Falls

No competition from Southwest. If Southwest had no presence on BOI-DEN, then almost assuredly Frontier would still be flying it. Some other routes Frontier doesn't fly: Denver-Reno/San Antonio/Tulsa/San Jose/Memphis

Good Point... Now maybe I can return to optimism :D

Could be some truth to both assumptions. Frontier is retrenching in Denver, they have all but abondoned Milwaukee - too many regional jets. It seems as if Republic is positioning Frontier to become an independent airline once again. Their new Denver-based CEO David Siegel has stated his focus is "reshaping Frontier as an independent airline" and to continue re-focusing operations in Denver and shed flights from Frontier's secondary hubs. They are increasing mainline capacity while reducing regional service - In April their mainline passenger totals were up 11%, revenue passenger miles rose 12%, while capacity increased 10% and load factor rose to 87.5%.

Frontier also recently added Bellingham, Palm Springs, Little Rock, Knoxville, Provo, Sioux Falls, Liberia, Costa Rica, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from Denver and increased service to NYC, Chicago, Dallas, and Sacremento. They also added L.A., Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Orlando, and San Diego from Colorado Springs and Tampa, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Houston from Kansas City. Oakland, Long Beach, and Boise were casualties as they continue to 'shed unprofitable routes'. They have increased revenue by 19% year-over-year and passenger count continue to fluctuate as they regroup - up 4.2 percent in Dec, Down 3.3% in Jan, up 4% in Feb, and down 7% in March as they fled Milwaukee (they moved the crew base to Chicago). Like the industry as a whole, their future is very uncertain at this point. They've done well competing against Southwest in Denver, now United on the other hand...

Eagle and Fairview
 

Since I'm a stickler for efficiency, this is really bugging me. The free running right turn lanes are being eliminated at Eagle and Fairview. The article is unclear whether the intersection will resemble Ustick and Eagle, with more traditional right turn lanes, or if right turn lanes will be eliminated altogether. I assume the former because the latter solution is ludicrous! I understand the risk that comes at the Southwest corner where traffic is merging onto Eagle while simultaneously drivers are using the same lane to slow down and turn into Krispy Kreme. I understand also that the design of the lifestyle center on the Northeast corner would cause a similar safety problem.

What bugs me is how ITD/ACHD are letting the retailers dictate what the intersection should look like. Instead of making people drive a few extra yards to a safe entrance/exit, they further plug up an already congested thoroughfare. In every direction now from Eagle and Fairview there is a signalized entrance and exit for those retail centers. Why not consolidate traffic to those points?

Anyway, here's the article: http://www.kivitv.com/news/local/157385875.html

Eagle Road was doomed to this fate the instant they decided not to make it a freeway. It's been all downhill since then.

Agreed.

They need to fill the medians and widen key intersections to allow u turns. Not add lights every 100 ft.

Seems that was supposed to be the plan according to the Eagle Rd. Master Plan, build medians and limit access. The medians will soon be built but more and more access points are popping up. To ITD's credit, they are right-in, right-out only.

I think I've mentioned this before but when I was in High School, former Eagle Mayor Rick Yzaguirre came to my government class. One astute student asked if he regretted anything from his tenure, to which he replied that he regretted not putting more pressure on ITD to limit access to Eagle Rd.

They bent to the whines of retailers then and continue to do so today. It's very aggravating! Does it really take a huge bite out of business if customers have to overshoot their destination by a quarter mile then backtrack on a frontage road??

The situation CAN still be salvaged by designing more creative intersections like continuous flow at the major points like Franklin, Fairview, Ustick, McMillan and Chinden. ITD needs to build right turn lanes at EVERY access point to allow right turning traffic a place to decelerate from 55mph. They got us into the mess and the best solution they've come up with is an freeway 5 miles to the west.

While that new freeway isn't a bad idea I think that money could have been used somewhere else for the time being. To me the new freeway will spawn more sprawl. They could have used that money to further improve Eagle Road. The scary thing about Eagle Road is that it is already a mess, yet there is still a ton of empty land adjacent and nearby. So it will only get worse. Yet ITD decides to build a road in a sparsely populated part of the Valley.

a
 

My take....

They knew they messed up on eagle road so to avoid repeating it they are putting the new freeway in an area that is going to look like eagle road in 15 years. I think thats why they are putting the money there.

My fear for eagle road is that it gets so bad they will have to pull an omaha and build an elevated freeway on top. Or they can work towards limiting access while moving towards an expressway. Either way, eagle road is only going to have more and more traffic.

With the new freeway, sprawl will continue as boise grows but that was going to happen anyways. At least they are being pro active.

Ada county going east to west, at some point, is going to look a lot like salt lake county going north to south. 20 years away but it will happen.

I have been many places inthis country and boise is hard to beat. With how bad cali is getting, boise is going to continue to grow at a high rate.

Ya it absolutely amazes me to think back to the early 90's when I was attending my years at Lowell Scott middle school. Eagle road was nothing at all but a quiet little 2 lane road and there were nothing but fields around Lowell Scott.

I know a lot can happen in a 20 year period but I think it just surprised me at how fast it happened. This city has grown up tremendously since I was a kid running around causing trouble.

the new freeway is new to me.

anyone have a link to an article or map? will this freeway connect with I84, and will it be part of the interstate?