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Originally Posted by boi2socal
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.
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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.
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