Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt AWACS
Austin will lose all those routes via expressjet. Expressjet will still fly to Austin as Continental Express.
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Other than AUS-CLE - which is being dropped - where else does Continental Express fly to from AUS? Aren't all of Continental's flights to Newark and Houston on mainline jets?
By the way, I e-mailed the airport and asked a few questions. Their answers are in bold.
Q: The press release states that Viva Aerobus carried 22,040 passengers at AUS during May. Based on their schedule and seating capacity, they should have only had 18,352 seats for sale in May. I suspect the correct number of Viva Aerobus AUS passengers was 12,040. Could you please verify?
A: The airlines self report all monthly activity to ABIA (aircraft type, weight, # landings, passenger and cargo stats). VivaAerobus submitted a total of 22,040 passengers. Based on what vivaAerobus submitted , the stats on page 15 are correct. However, staff is checking with the carrier for clarification, as capacity does not match the self-reported figure. If the carrier's provided submission is incorrect, a revised May 08 activity report will be posted.
Don't be surprised to see a revised activity report posted in the near future, and if so, May 2008 will not be the all-time mothly record they said it was.
Q: Where can I find a copy of the airport's current competiton plan? The newest one on the airport's website is from 2002.
This is the last plan the department was required to file.
Q: The 2001 competition plan mentions an Airline Use Agreement that expired in October 2003. It stated that if an airline fell below four departures per day per gate, the airport could possibly re-assign the gate to another carrier. Does the current Airline Use Agreement have a minimum requirement, and if so, is it still 4 departures per gate per day or has that been increased?
A: The current airline Use agreement has the same minimum use requirement of four departures per day as did the original ABIA Use agreement.
Q: When does the current Airline Use Agreement expire?
A: September 30, 2008
Q: It was my understanding that in order for an airline to have signatory status at AUS, they have to sign a lease for a specific period of time with the airport for gates and ticket counter space. How does signatory/non signatory status work for the airlines operating out of the low-cost terminal since they lease their space from GECAS rather than the airport.?
A: Airlines operating from the low cost terminal sign an airport operating agreement that grants them the right to operate at ABIA and governs their use of the airfield, but does not lease any space in the Barbara Jordan terminal.
So if Viva Aerobus isn't considered a signatory carrier then they are paying double the landing fees as the signatory carriers pay. Seems like that would kind of offset the price break they are getting on terminal/counter space.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikey711MN
Rumors are flying--no pun intended--that ExpressJet branded operations will cease on 9/2.
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If jetBlue is serious about expanding at AUS as
AustinTex mentioned
in this post, then maybe the airport can convince US Airways to move from Gate 20 to Gate 4 and that would open up gate 20 to JetBlue and they could have a second gate across from the gate they use now.
According to one of the earlier competition plans posted on ABIA's website, the airport does a "gate assessment" every year on or about October 1.
Eddited to add - the link to the official press release.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080708/latu095.html?.v=101
All branded flying ends September 2.