Starting in May, Lincoln travelers will have a new, direct air service destination, Memphis, the Lincoln Airport Authority is expected to announce at a press conference Tuesday.
The new connection in Memphis could save Caribbean-bound travelers as much as a day against current options from Lincoln, which include multiple plane changes, Hoppe said. A hypothetical passenger could depart on the 7:12 flight and arrive in his vacation spot by lunchtime.
As of December, Northwest served 93 destinations nonstop from Memphis, including Phoenix, New Orleans and Tampa, Fla.
The Memphis flights would give Lincoln nonstop flights to all three of Northwest's North American hubs. The airline currently offers eight daily departures to Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit.
I'm glad I'm not the only one from Nebraska that thinks that is funny.
Oh yeah... anther NYC anecdote:
We saw Bridgitte Nielson and Flavor Flav at a restaurant shooting their show. Our waitress told us the two of them ordered eight bottles of wine. I wonder if Flav had any?
There is a decline to less than 400,000 total in / out at the Lincoln airport. It was at over 500,000 as recently as 2000. Here is the story from the LJS. A part of the factor is Air travel selections that have declined but cost is also a key.
Lincoln Journal Star wrote:Despite the addition of a new airline last year, the Lincoln Airport posted its worst passenger numbers in more than two decades. Slightly fewer than 380,000 people flew into and out of Lincoln in 2006, a 6 percent decline from 2005 and the lowest number of passengers since 1985, according to airport records.
By contrast, Omaha’s Eppley Airfield set another record in 2006, with more than 4.2 million passengers. Since the Lincoln Airport set its record of more than 550,000 passengers in 1999, numbers have dropped every year but one.
Last edited by Coyote on Sat Jul 27, 2013 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
No. That would inconvenience so many people in Omaha just to make Lincoln feel warm and fuzzy. The airport near DT is a selling point for Omaha businesses (Gallup a great example) and conventions. driving all the way out to Ashland for business travelers would be a hassle.
Why move the airport further west when 60 percent of the airport's passengers already come from east of Omaha???
Plus, like you said, it's a huge selling point that the airport is so close to downtown.
Also, Metropolitan Nebraska International Airport is a HORRIBLE name (not to mention a mouthful). Â Take out "Metropolitan Nebraska" and add "Omaha Eppley" and you've got a winner.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
Haha, fair enough. I was just thinking that Lincoln would be angered if our dual metro airport disincluded them in the name. It is far more important that we continue to siphen business from Iowa's airports.
Why move the airport further west when 60 percent of the airport's passengers already come from east of Omaha???
Correction: Sixty percent of Eppley's passengers do not come from east of Omaha. It is 60% of the passengers that park in the long-term parking area. Big difference!
DTO Luv wrote:No. That would inconvenience so many people in Omaha just to make Lincoln feel warm and fuzzy.
Hal Daub indicated on Grow Omaha last Saturday that 60% of the cars parked in Eppley's long term parking area have Iowa plates..
So I guess we don't want to inconvenience Iowa either..
..
..Ciao..LiO....Peace
I'm going to guess that that is because people from Iowa aren't going to have a neighbor or relative drive them to the airport then drive all the way home. I bet most people from the Omaha area get dropped off, therefore not needing to park in the long term parking.
The updates and expansion that have occurred at Eppley in the last 10 years have made talk of a new airport impractical. A new terminal and some high speed runway turn-offs would allow Eppley to reach 12 to as much as 16 million passengers per year before a new airport could be discussed. By the time those numbers are reached the area that was planned back in 1970 for a new airport east of Wahoo could be built up to a point that airport construction would be difficult. Sure, a gleaming new major airport is a nice dream. Omaha would need to land a major airline hub or two to make it a possible reality. Will the Billions of dollars needed to create the airport, new highways, passenger rail, be available? As stated previously, Eppley's proximity to downtown is a huge selling point.
Even though Allegiant moved its twice-weekly Las Vegas flight to Grand Island, passenger traffic in Lincoln during the last six months of 2008 was actually up slightly over the same period in 2007.
“It is encouraging that at least our two regularly scheduled airlines saw some stabilization in passengers, and we hope the trend continues,” said John Wood, the airport’s executive director.
Those carriers, Northwest and United, had a strong second half of the year. United’s numbers increased about 4 percent, while Northwest saw a nearly 12 percent increase.
That was enough to give Northwest a slight passenger increase for the year; United finished the year down 3 percent.
While Lincoln’s passenger numbers stabilized somewhat, Omaha airport’s declined for the first time since 2002.
Eppley Airfield recorded slightly more than 4.37 million passengers in 2008, a 1.2 percent drop from 2007.
Despite the drop, it was still the second-best year ever for Eppley, according to information on its Web site.
Eppley, like the Lincoln Airport, was hurt by the loss of an airline in 2008
The airport lost ExpressJet flights to three destinations — Ontario and San Diego, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz., — during the summer. The airport also lost Continental Airlines flights to Cleveland in September.
Wood said he wasn’t surprised to see Eppley record a drop in passengers.
“I think you’d be hard-pressed to find an airport in the country that’s up,” he said.
Lincoln Airport passenger totals
1999: 552,510
2000: 523,229
2001: 464,035
2002: 450,250
2003: 413,553
2004: 438, 270
2005: 403,766
2006: 379,825
2007: 336,879
2008: 326,166
Source: Lincoln Airport Authority
MATT OLBERDING: Lincoln Journal Star wrote:Through the end of June, 5,000 more people passed through the airport than during the same period in 2012, a 4 percent increase.
By RICHARD PIERSOL: Lincoln Journal Star wrote:The Lincoln Airport Authority said it will receive a $750,000 federal Small Community Air Service Development grant to help restore commercial air service from Lincoln to Atlanta via Delta Airlines, probably no sooner than next summer.
The Lincoln airport seriously needs to close and just become what it is best at...an industrial park. Â Ann Arbor, Michigan is larger than Lincoln and has no commercial air service. Â It is closer to Detroit Metro than Lincoln is to Omaha but my point is that if they would quit wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing air service and put that money toward Lincoln-Omaha rail service it would serve to add to Eppley's numbers and attract more service to Eppley. Â Isn't that best for the region anyway? Â I know it's all parochial and those in Lincoln wouldn't like the idea of giving up what little service Lincoln does have. Â Take the 250,000 passengers that Lincoln handled last year and add those to Eppley's and you're approaching the magic 5,000,000 that they talk about.
NovakOmaha wrote:The Lincoln airport seriously needs to close and just become what it is best at...an industrial park. Ann Arbor, Michigan is larger than Lincoln and has no commercial air service. It is closer to Detroit Metro than Lincoln is to Omaha but my point is that if they would quit wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing air service and put that money toward Lincoln-Omaha rail service it would serve to add to Eppley's numbers and attract more service to Eppley. Isn't that best for the region anyway? I know it's all parochial and those in Lincoln wouldn't like the idea of giving up what little service Lincoln does have. Take the 250,000 passengers that Lincoln handled last year and add those to Eppley's and you're approaching the magic 5,000,000 that they talk about.
This is the dumbest thing I have ever seen posted.
NovakOmaha wrote:The Lincoln airport seriously needs to close and just become what it is best at...an industrial park. Ann Arbor, Michigan is larger than Lincoln and has no commercial air service. It is closer to Detroit Metro than Lincoln is to Omaha but my point is that if they would quit wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing air service and put that money toward Lincoln-Omaha rail service it would serve to add to Eppley's numbers and attract more service to Eppley. Isn't that best for the region anyway? I know it's all parochial and those in Lincoln wouldn't like the idea of giving up what little service Lincoln does have. Take the 250,000 passengers that Lincoln handled last year and add those to Eppley's and you're approaching the magic 5,000,000 that they talk about.
This is the dumbest thing I have ever seen posted.
Actually, I would love to see more flights out of Lincoln and some competition to keep Epply prices down.
It was nice when Allegiant was in Lincoln. I've noticed that SW's OMA to LAS prices have significantly risen when Allegiant pulled out of Lincoln. Both airports are about equally convenient for me.
Let Lincoln have their share of flights. Omababe is right, some friendly competition might be good for prices. Whatever growth Lincoln can pull in any form is good for the whole area.
When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that not only does God exist, you're doing his will.
RNcyanide wrote:Let Lincoln have their share of flights. Omababe is right, some friendly competition might be good for prices. Whatever growth Lincoln can pull in any form is good for the whole area.
Not only that but you have to realize 99% of the time what is good for Lincoln is also good for Omaha. Â This is not the Shire versus Mordoor, we are right next to one another, and to completely eliminate a means to travel here is the dumbest |expletive|!ng thing I have ever heard.
I expected some of this type of reaction. Â I don't have a problem with opposing opinions. Â
My point is simple economics. Â Eppley draws from a pretty large area, including Lincoln. Â There are those that suggest a new airport between Omaha and Lincoln. Â It's been proposed a few times before. Â It probably will never happen as Eppley is convenient to a majority of its customers, including Omahans, those from western Iowa, South Dakota and northwest Missouri, as they use I-29 and I-80. Â Eppley is also extremely convenient to downtown Omaha. Â It may be less convenient for those from Lincoln to travel to Eppley than to Lincoln Airport but the fact is that the majority already do. Â
To suggest that having some commercial air service to Lincoln somehow brings down fares to both cities simply isn't true. Â In fact, the opposite is true. Â The fact that Lincoln siphons passengers from Eppley simply divides the pie that is only so big. Â Combining the numbers into one airport, Eppley, creates demand which the airlines would fill with more flights to more cities with larger planes (in some cases) and with more frequency. Â An airport in Lincoln creates limited demand that is filled with infrequent, limited, small planes. Â And that service only takes away demand from Eppley. Â It does not create competition. Â If you take Lincoln's numbers and add them to Eppley's you get closer to the "magic" 5 million that officials at Eppley say would possibly mean a new larger terminal. Â Possibly. Â in any event, it creates more demand.
I wholeheartedly agree that 99% of the time what is good for Lincoln is good for Omaha. Â On the other hand, would an Eppley with the largest possible demand not also be good for Lincoln? Â Would it not provide Lincolnites with the best possible air service? Â Would the best air service for Omaha not be good for Lincoln as well? (Or is it only a one way street?) Â This is only my experience and not scientific but in my 50 years living in Omaha and attending UNL for four years I absolutely never heard anyone from Omaha say they wouldn't go to Lincoln for an event, to shop, etc. Â On the other hand, I have heard many times from Lincolnites that they avoid Omaha like the plague. Â Crime, traffic, etc. Â I am not saying that there aren't Omahans who look down on Lincoln as some kind of little brother. Â It is a two way street. Â I am just saying that in my experience those not from Omaha seem to have a very parochial attitude when comparing the two cities. Â To be sure there are plenty of people from both cities that take full advantage of what each has to offer.
One last thing. Â I brought up Ann Arbor, Michigan by way of comparison. Â Ann Arbor is a bit closer to Detroit than Lincoln is to Omaha. Â Ann Arbor does not have commercial air service. Â It's metro population is about 350,000. Â I don't hear a lot of ranting about the lack of commercial air service to Ann Arbor and they seem to be doing just fine. Â They do have a small airport but it doesn't have scheduled flights. Â It's for private aircraft and charters.
You can call me an idiot for even suggesting this and I know it won't happen. Â Well, to call me an idiot you have to take a number and wait in line. Â I have nothing against Lincoln and I love to visit, even if the traffic sometimes is bad and there is some crime.
I don't believe this is the dumbest thing I've ever read. In fact, I think it's a very solid argument and it does have logic to it. I'm from Lincoln, and I really enjoy the growth and momentum the city is experiencing right now. I also love Omaha just the same (probably one of the few Lincolnites to love them mutually). I understand your frustration Novak, but the one area I disagree with/don't understand is that Lincoln "siphons" these passengers from Omaha. You make it sound like Lincoln stole the Service to Atlanta from Omaha, which simply is not true. It was never Omaha's to claim. It's simple economics in that Lincoln has direct flights to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Denver but nothing to the South. I believe this new service fills that niche, and apparently Delta did too.
I love both cities equally, and will support any air service that chooses either of them. As stated before, I think you have a valid argument but was confused by your decision to use the word "siphon."
RichLNK wrote:I don't believe this is the dumbest thing I've ever read. In fact, I think it's a very solid argument and it does have logic to it. I'm from Lincoln, and I really enjoy the growth and momentum the city is experiencing right now. I also love Omaha just the same (probably one of the few Lincolnites to love them mutually). I understand your frustration Novak, but the one area I disagree with/don't understand is that Lincoln "siphons" these passengers from Omaha. You make it sound like Lincoln stole the Service to Atlanta from Omaha, which simply is not true. It was never Omaha's to claim. It's simple economics in that Lincoln has direct flights to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Denver but nothing to the South. I believe this new service fills that niche, and apparently Delta did too.
I love both cities equally, and will support any air service that chooses either of them. As stated before, I think you have a valid argument but was confused by your decision to use the word "siphon."
The Wayne County Airport is around 30 minutes from downtown Ann Arbor (and a little over an hour by bus, something that doesn't exist between Omaha and Lincoln). Â That's closer than Eppley is to many in the Omaha area.
NovakOmaha wrote:The Lincoln airport seriously needs to close and just become what it is best at...an industrial park. Ann Arbor, Michigan is larger than Lincoln and has no commercial air service. It is closer to Detroit Metro than Lincoln is to Omaha but my point is that if they would quit wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing air service and put that money toward Lincoln-Omaha rail service it would serve to add to Eppley's numbers and attract more service to Eppley. Isn't that best for the region anyway? I know it's all parochial and those in Lincoln wouldn't like the idea of giving up what little service Lincoln does have. Take the 250,000 passengers that Lincoln handled last year and add those to Eppley's and you're approaching the magic 5,000,000 that they talk about.
After reading this again, you have absolutely zero feel of this area. Â Lincoln is over twice as far than what you are talking about, and it's not a continued sprawling metro (thank god).
From 48th & O Street in Lincoln to Eppley Airfield is 58mi.
From Lee's Summit, MO to KC International is 42mi
From Golden, CO to DIA is 36mi
From Ft. Collins, CO to DIA is 77mi
From Ames, IA to Des Moines Int'l is 40mi
It's definitely longer from Lincoln to Eppley than in several other cities but not that unreasonable, especially looking at something like Lee's Summit to KC International. Mostly rural in NE vs city traffic through KC - the travel time is similar. However unlikely it is that Lincoln would ever close their airport it's not *that* horrible of a drive from Lincoln to Eppley and might give quite a boost to their offerings.
The whole argument is moot anyway. Lincoln isn't going to close their airport.
MATT OLBERDING: Lincoln Journal Star wrote:An engineer estimated the work would cost about $4.9 million, which is what the airport got approval for from the Federal Aviation Administration.
However, the sole bid on the project, from local firm Constructors Inc., was $6.2 million.
The FAA, which will pay for 90 percent of the project, said that's too high, so the Airport Authority formally rejected the bid Thursday at its monthly meeting.
MATT OLBERDING: Lincoln Journal Star wrote:The daily flight will leave Lincoln at 7 a.m. and arrive at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 10:47 Eastern time. The return flight will leave at 7:15 p.m. Eastern time and arrive at 8:42 p.m. local time.
MATT OLBERDING: Lincoln Journal Star wrote:The daily flight will leave Lincoln at 7 a.m. and arrive at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 10:47 Eastern time. The return flight will leave at 7:15 p.m. Eastern time and arrive at 8:42 p.m. local time.
Really looking forward this addition. I fly Delta everywhere I go. I am hoping the fees will be competitive to Omaha.
Live everyday to its fullest.. err.. just make sure your coffee cup is full. You should be good then.
Executive Director David Haring said Thursday that the airport is applying for a Small Community Air Service Development grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The grant application is due Dec. 14, and Haring said he would expect to get a decision within 90 days.
He said he wasn't sure of the exact amount the airport will seek but it would be similar to the $750,000 it sought and received from the FAA in 2013.
That grant helped entice Delta Airlines to start service from Lincoln to Atlanta in September 2014.
In that case, the airport had a commitment from Delta beforehand that if it got the grant, the airline would agree to start new service.
This time around, Haring said there is no such commitment from an airline, but he said the airport has had discussions with various airlines about adding service to Lincoln, and those talks, "are continuing to progress in a very favorable fashion."
American Airlines would be the likely candidate to provide Dallas service, as it and Southwest Airlines are the only carriers that use Dallas as a hub.
Edit: Also he blames Lincoln's 4% drop in passengers this year on a "fare ware in Omaha."
Edit: Also he blames Lincoln's 4% drop in passengers this year on a "fare ware in Omaha."
I suppose you could call it a fare ware in Omaha. If he were to check with UNL he'd also learn how it's also simple economics...supply and demand, price elasticity, that kind of thing...
I was just killing time last night and I hit upon the following agenda item for the Lincoln Airport Board's October meeting. Given current trends is there a big announcement coming regarding air service in Lincoln? LNK has four gates and a decent sized terminal given that in 2000 the airport had over 500,000 total pax served. Do they think they're going to double current numbers?
14. Adopt Resolution 643; Authorizing the Executive Director to Issue A Request for
Qualifications for Architectural Design and Professional Assessment Services Relating to
Adjustment and Alterations to the Terminal Building to Accommodate Expanded Air
Service and Passenger Traffic Flow