Portland International Airport (PDX) News

[Tanaka07]

Volaris Airlines to start Nonstop service between Portland and Guadalajara, Mexico October 6, 2014

service will operate 2x per week. Starts October 6. Available for booking now on Volaris' website.

Y4 938 GDL 19:20 --> PDX 22:20. . . . . . . . Mon, Sat
Y4 939 PDX 23:50 --> GDL 06:20 (+1). . . . Mon, Sat

http://volaris.com/en/

[Derek]

Excellent, that was fast.


Now if we can lure British Airways...

[pdxlexus]

Great historical piece on Delta's history at PDX

http://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/10/a...ir-lines-history-in-portland-guest-blog/

[Derek]

Originally Posted by pdxlexus

Great historical piece on Delta's history at PDX

http://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/10/a...ir-lines-history-in-portland-guest-blog/

This is actually kind of depressing.

[Eugenepdx]

So im starting to get a little skeptical about Volaris' planned PDX-GDL flight. Even though it shows up on the Volaris website, how come there hasnt been even official announcement from anybody? Usually the Port of Portland would send out an email stating new service for the airport, but i havent received anything nor have i seen on other websites such as Portland Business Journal or Oregonlive about new Portland-Mexico service. So im really starting to wonder if this is just another Volaris stunt or something else?

[Tanaka07]

Originally Posted by Eugenepdx

So im starting to get a little skeptical about Volaris' planned PDX-GDL flight. Even though it shows up on the Volaris website, how come there hasnt been even official announcement from anybody? Usually the Port of Portland would send out an email stating new service for the airport, but i havent received anything nor have i seen on other websites such as Portland Business Journal or Oregonlive about new Portland-Mexico service. So im really starting to wonder if this is just another Volaris stunt or something else?

Some good sources here:

http://airlineroute.net/2014/06/24/y4-gdlpdx-oct14/

http://www.am.com.mx/notareforma/50204

http://worldairlinenews.com/2014/06/24/volaris-is-coming-to-portland-oregon/

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alaska-airlines-mileage-plan/1588077-y4-start-pdx-gdl.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/budget-no...044-volaris-applies-pdx-gdl-service.html


http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6107670

And my guess is that the port of portland has been busy prepping some kind of announcement. The schedule for PDX-GDL only became available for sale the end of the work week last week. Once PDX makes the announcement then the news agencies will catch on.

[Eugenepdx]

Well i can remember when Northwest started PDX-AMS, seems like once Northwest Airlines made the announcement, the Port came out with a statement talking about the flight. Just seems weird to me that nothing has been announced.

[Tanaka07]

By the way, fares for this new Nonstop Portland-Guadalajara flight are dirt cheap. Seeing 254$ roundtrip nonstop Portland-Gudalajara including taxes on and after October 6. Incredible. Can be booked at Volaris' website. Get this fare before its gone! http://volaris.com/en/

[Tanaka07]

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2014/06/a-new-way-to-get-from-portland-to-mexico.html

A new way to get from Portland to Mexico

Portland area residents will get a new way to travel to Mexico for business, vacation and to connect with family this fall.
Volaris (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR) will offer non-stop service between Portland International Airport and Guadalajara, Jailsco starting in October. Volaris serves 14 U.S. cities and operates more than 152 flights a week between the U.S. and Mexico.
The low-cost airline will offer flights Monday to Saturday. Daily Portland flights will depart at 11:50 a.m. and arrive in Guadalajara at 6:20 a.m. The return flight departs Guadalajara at 7:30 p.m. and arrives in Portland at 10:20 p.m.
The service, beginning Oct. 6, marks Volaris' entry to the Pacific Northwest. The region is home to 11 million residents, 1 million of whom are of Mexican origin.

[Eugenepdx]

nice!

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by Tanaka07

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2014/06/a-new-way-to-get-from-portland-to-mexico.html
The low-cost airline will offer flights Monday to Saturday. Daily Portland flights will depart at 11:50 a.m. and arrive in Guadalajara at 6:20 a.m. The return flight departs Guadalajara at 7:30 p.m. and arrives in Portland at 10:20 p.m.

I think they mean arrives in Guadalajara at 6:20 p.m...

[pdxtraveler]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

I think they mean arrives in Guadalajara at 6:20 p.m...

No, that time was right. They meant 11:50 PM. It is a red-eye.

[SterlingM20J]

Just read that British Airways is contemplating additional international service to Portland, Salt lake or Charlotte. It would be fantastic to see an additional daily European non-stop out of PDX however, the question is whether the market can sustain two separate 300+ seat European non-stops out of Portland. With rumors of Delta adding Paris to supplement their daily Amsterdam service, I am nearly certain that there is insufficient demand for three daily Europe non-stop flights which will make this very interesting to follow as it plays out. BA's new smaller capacity 787-8 will definitely make service to LHR a better possibility than it has ever been in the past. Here's some interesting reading related to the topic.
http://www.anna.aero/2014/06/25/new-orle...tm_term=0_ecdbf41674-d679b429b8-86887533

[pdxtraveler]

Originally Posted by SterlingM20J

Just read that British Airways is contemplating additional international service to Portland, Salt lake or Charlotte. It would be fantastic to see an additional daily European non-stop out of PDX however, the question is whether the market can sustain two separate 300+ seat European non-stops out of Portland. With rumors of Delta adding Paris to supplement their daily Amsterdam service, I am nearly certain that there is insufficient demand for three daily Europe non-stop flights which will make this very interesting to follow as it plays out. BA's new smaller capacity 787-8 will definitely make service to LHR a better possibility than it has ever been in the past. Here's some interesting reading related to the topic.
http://www.anna.aero/2014/06/25/new-orle...tm_term=0_ecdbf41674-d679b429b8-86887533

Actually, I read that differently. They were saying that we were passed over due to our DL AMS service. They said that SLC and PDX, on paper are more attractive than Austin (which they did start), except for the fact we already had European service they didn't want to compete with.

Very interesting article though!

[SterlingM20J]

Originally Posted by pdxtraveler

Actually, I read that differently. They were saying that we were passed over due to our DL AMS service. They said that SLC and PDX, on paper are more attractive than Austin (which they did start), except for the fact we already had European service they didn't want to compete with.

Very interesting article though!

Sorry, I may have been misleading on where my info came from. The article link was merely related to the subject however my source was from a pilot forum and a source who claimed to be "in the know" and close to the subject. In the long run, just as with Lufthansa, the reality of a second European non-stop may come down to incentives provided by the Port of Portland and their ability to lure the airline with benefits and breaks on various fees which will make flying to PDX more attractive and increase chances for profits. As a pilot of over 22 years and an aviation fanatic, I see aircraft such as the 787 as game changers which will transform international markets and bring intercontinental flights to more non-hub cities like Portland with metro populations in between 2-4 million. Airports such as PDX, SAN, PIT, MCO, AUS, SMF, OAK, BWI and many others will benefit from the smaller capacity and high tech efficiency of aircraft such as the 787.

[Tanaka07]

This is not an official source. This is purely a speculation article, nothing more. No one knows BA's next move. PDX however is long overdue for London service, its currently the largest international market from PDX not served nonstop. Also PDX is currently the largest US-UK market without nonstop service to the UK. That alone as well as the many companies in the area who send employees to the EU should put PDX high on the list for a new BA flight.

[pdxtraveler]

Originally Posted by SterlingM20J

Sorry, I may have been misleading on where my info came from. The article link was merely related to the subject however my source was from a pilot forum and a source who claimed to be "in the know" and close to the subject. In the long run, just as with Lufthansa, the reality of a second European non-stop may come down to incentives provided by the Port of Portland and their ability to lure the airline with benefits and breaks on various fees which will make flying to PDX more attractive and increase chances for profits. As a pilot of over 22 years and an aviation fanatic, I see aircraft such as the 787 as game changers which will transform international markets and bring intercontinental flights to more non-hub cities like Portland with metro populations in between 2-4 million. Airports such as PDX, SAN, PIT, MCO, AUS, SMF, OAK, BWI and many others will benefit from the smaller capacity and high tech efficiency of aircraft such as the 787.

I COMPLETELY agree on the potential of the B787!! The potential is exciting!!

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by tworivers

Delta expanding int'l flights out of Sea-Tac: link here. New flights to Hong Kong and Seoul. I flew the London route last week and it was less than half full going out and maybe half full coming back -- wonder how those economics work. BA already flies a 747 on the route daily. Really makes you realize how little chance PDX has of getting very many new int'l flights. I'd love to see someone like Norwegian open a route to Gatwick; that seems marginally more likely than Delta adding cities when they have an "international gateway" 180 miles to the north.

Don't give up! There's always a chance.

BA's announcement to serve the AUS-LHR route with their B788 was a big surprise to most Austinites last year (service began March 3, 2014). It extremely successful...surpassing BA's & ABIA's expectations. The route has a passenger load factor of 80% and cargo load factor of 95%. BA may begin servicing the route with a 777 beginning this fall to add cargo space.

Also, Korean Air and Lufthansa have recently expressed their interest in servicing ABIA on non-stop routes to Asia and Germany.

So, having a hub airport 180 miles from PDX is not the end of the world. Austin has DFW 190 miles to the north and IAH 150 miles to the southeast (two major hubs).

[Derek]

Why would we want Delta expanding here anyways? I'm all for expansion, but I'd honestly rather see more international carriers at PDX instead of having Delta saturate the market.


It's not like Delta or American or United has international (trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific) flights from SAN due to it's proximity to LAX (124 miles), but SAN still has service to Japan and England via Japan Airlines and British Airways, respectively.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by Derek

Why would we want Delta expanding here anyways? I'm all for expansion, but I'd honestly rather see more international carriers at PDX instead of having Delta saturate the market.


It's not like Delta or American or United has international (trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific) flights from SAN due to it's proximity to LAX (124 miles), but SAN still has service to Japan and England via Japan Airlines and British Airways, respectively.

SAN also has mountains blocking one end of their runway and downtown blocking another. You can barely get a full 737 out of SAN right now.

/sorry, i was on a citizen panel about moving SAN 10+ years ago
//keep it if you want, but it's not the right airport for that city