Salt Lake International Airport Development Thread - Page 15

Future_Mayor · #**281** Posted **Apr 29, 2015, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

Interesting...

After doing a little research, I discovered that Moab and Vernal are covered by the Essential Air Service Act, meaning that small communities, however unprofitable it may be, must be served by a major airline.

Somethings not right here, how is Delta able to end their flights to Vernal with no replacement airline?

Just because Vernal is covered by the Essential Air Service Act, that doesn't require an airline to fly to Vernal. It is way to entice an airline to fly to a place like Vernal because the government will pay the airline a certain amount of money to fly there. They did this so people that live in small communities that are far from a metro area have a faster way of transportation rather than having to drive. SkyWest is able to end the service because they are retiring the E120 turboprop aircraft that flies that route. They are opting out of receiving money from the government for flying to Vernal and Moab. They are losing more money flying that aircraft than they are receiving the money. The plane is extremely old, takes a lot of fuel, and requires a lot of maintenance. SkyWest has been replacing all cities that have been using the E120 turboprop aircraft with a twin engine CRJ200. Vernal and Moab's runways are not designed or certified to handle this type of commercial aircraft. So this was another way SkyWest was able to stop serving the two airports. Delta/SkyWest is not required to fill the void or to find another airline to fly to those two cities. Great Lakes Airlines will fly between Denver and Moab but no start date has been announced. I have no idea if Vernal will get Great Lakes or not. Cedar City is also an Essential Air Service community. Which I think is dumb because St. George is down the road and the St. George airport has six total daily flights. Two to Denver on behalf of United/SkyWest and four to Salt Lake City on behalf of Delta/SkyWest. Cedar City has service to Salt Lake City on SkyWest with a code share on Delta.

There are airlines in the United States that specialize in flying only into and serving Essential Air Service communities. Some of the airlines that do this are SeaPort Airlines (intra-California, and places in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri), PenAir (Alaska and now Oregon), Boutique Airlines (Texas and New Mexico), Mokulele Airlines (Hawaii), Great Lakes Airlines (Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, the Dakotas, and soon Utah), and Silver Airways (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas)

On another note, Alaska Airlines numbers are improving in SLC. I already mentioned this but Alaska wants to grow a little more in SLC. It will be interesting to see how much more they want to grow. The Delta and Alaska partnership is going south so it will be interesting to see what Alaska's plans are for SLC. Alaska and American are code sharing on some flights in SLC so this will definitely help drive numbers up for both airlines in SLC. Their gates are right next to each other so it is an easy process if you are connecting. I have flown Alaska many times since their arrival in SLC in 2013. They are my favorite airline and they have great all around service. I highly recommend flying them.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**282** Posted **Apr 29, 2015, 10:07 PM**

Thanks! That is some great info! If only you could change your name...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future_Mayor

Great Lakes Airlines will fly between Denver and Moab but no start date has been announced.

It begins May 1st

SLC Projects · #**283** Posted **Apr 29, 2015, 11:13 PM**

For the last few weeks now crews have been working around the clock on the new QTA parking garage that is going up just behind the Dollar rent-a-car lot. I work grave yards at the airport and notice lights around the site 3:30 in the morning.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**284** Posted **Apr 29, 2015, 11:15 PM**

Has there been anything new concerning the airport rebuild? Dates of construction, renderings, or other info? I can't find anything.

delts145 · #**285** Posted **May 1, 2015, 1:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

Thanks! That is some great info! If only you could change your name...

Ha, I wonder if it wouldn't be possible for the moderator to just delete those 20 posts made by the faux Future Mayor?

s.p.hansen · #**286** Posted **May 1, 2015, 5:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

Has there been anything new concerning the airport rebuild? Dates of construction, renderings, or other info? I can't find anything.

Nothing exciting will happen until the last quarter of 2015 when we start to see work begin on the new terminal. But I imagine we should be seeing newer and less abstract Terminal Renderings very soon now that we're creeping up on its ground breaking date...

airportnoise · #**287** Posted **May 4, 2015, 3:53 PM**

In the latest rendering it look like you can see the Delta lounge sky deck viewing area. Look to the far left of the rendering.
Also the elevated part of the international arrivals passenger passage way may be gone as seen in this rendering.

I have seen a rendering that show this passage way at concourse level unit it reaches the main terminal.

Comrade · #**288** Posted **May 4, 2015, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by airportnoise

"Black power!"

s.p.hansen · #**289** Posted **May 4, 2015, 11:01 PM**

I'm trying to remember, the back of all airports are usually this uninteresting right? right?

wrendog · #**290** Posted **May 5, 2015, 1:04 AM**

Yes, most airports are uninteresting from the airplane side.

Also, I see nothing in the news about the inaugural flight to AMS. Usually something like that hits the news.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**291** Posted **May 11, 2015, 11:10 PM**

I know that many might think this is just a false rumor, and it may just be that, but apparently there could be a Munich - Salt Lake route in the works. I have a German buddy who has been visiting for the last couple of days (He has family here) and is involved with the major expansion going on over there. Whether Condor, Lufthsania, or Delta will fly it, he does not know, although Condor is looking to Expand in the U.S. market.

Honestly, I think it is quite possible. The airport is undergoing major expansion in Munich, as well as Salt Lake City, and only has a few U.S. destinations, despite being one of the busiest airports in Europe and second busiest in Germany.

Even if this did happen, I do not think we would see flights until both airports are finished with their expansion programs.

wrendog · #**292** Posted **May 12, 2015, 1:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

I know that many might think this is just a false rumor, and it may just be that, but apparently there could be a Munich - Salt Lake route in the works. I have a German buddy who has been visiting for the last couple of days (He has family here) and is involved with the major expansion going on over there. Whether Condor, Lufthsania, or Delta will fly it, he does not know, although Condor is looking to Expand in the U.S. market.

Honestly, I think it is quite possible. The airport is undergoing major expansion in Munich, as well as Salt Lake City, and only has a few U.S. destinations, despite being one of the busiest airports in Europe and second busiest in Germany.

Even if this did happen, I do not think we would see flights until both airports are finished with their expansion programs.

Condor seems like a perfect airline for SLC. They seem to gravitate to smaller cities. They have flights to Baltimore, Providence, Portland, Anchorage, Fairbanks. But, if it is Condor, the flight will most likely be to Frankfurt as that is the hub and all flights to USA are through Frankfurt.

billbillbillbill · #**293** Posted **May 19, 2015, 7:50 PM**

The SLC Airport facebook page had an update on construction (Not sure how to post a facebook picture to this forum so I will just post the link).

https://www.facebook.com/SaltLakeCit...091971537042:0

asies1981 · #**294** Posted **May 26, 2015, 3:29 PM**

Project update on the SLC airport from the project manager.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**295** Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 2:08 AM**

Here is an interesting tidbit of information...

Salt Lake City's busiest European flight (and busiest international flight) is to Paris, which is flown on an Airbus A330 (equivalent of 767), and handled about 130,000 passengers this last year.

Denver's busiest European flight is to Frankfurt, which is flown on a Boeing 747, handled less than 100,000 passengers, but flew with much higher frequency than SLC to Paris.

Does this make sense to anyone? I'm confused. Could this warrant the usage of 747's at SLC on international flights, or is Lufthansa just flying with very low occupancy.

seventwenty · #**296** Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wasatch Wasteland

Here is an interesting tidbit of information...

Salt Lake City's busiest European flight (and busiest international flight) is to Paris, which is flown on an Airbus A330 (equivalent of 767), and handled about 130,000 passengers this last year.

Denver's busiest European flight is to Frankfurt, which is flown on a Boeing 747, handled less than 100,000 passengers, but flew with much higher frequency than SLC to Paris.

Does this make sense to anyone? I'm confused. Could this warrant the usage of 747's at SLC on international flights, or is Lufthansa just flying with very low occupancy.

Butts in seats isn't the only metric. How many of the expensive seats were sold? And what does the joint venture agreement look like between DL and AF? DEN-FRA carried about 270 people a day, often with a full fancy class cabin, on a strong venture between LH and UA.

Hatman · #**297** Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 3:56 AM**

Just curious - what is the largest airplane SLC's new terminal is designed to handle? Not that we should expect huge planes to start landing regularly, but I'm interested in the possibilities.

stayinginformed · #**298** Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 2:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatman

Just curious - what is the largest airplane SLC's new terminal is designed to handle? Not that we should expect huge planes to start landing regularly, but I'm interested in the possibilities.

I think for larger planes to land and takeoff in SLC, the runway needs to be extended.

Deek1978 · #**299** Posted **Jul 1, 2015, 8:22 PM**

the runways don't need to be lengthened at all. 12,000 ft is plenty of space, even at 4,500 feet in July.

Wasatch Wasteland · #**300** Posted **Jul 2, 2015, 12:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deek1978

the runways don't need to be lengthened at all. 12,000 ft is plenty of space, even at 4,500 feet in July.

This is long enough for a fully loaded 747 to land, but is not long enough for an A380. It would need to be extended to 16,000 feet. This, I believe, is part of the reconstruction plan, because SLC's gates (3 of the 4 wide-body gates by 2019, potentially 6 of 8 by 2025) are being built to handle all the way up to an A380. Although I doubt we will ever see that plane land in SLC for a while, unless maybe the 2026 Olympics?

Let me clarify. While there will eventually be 8 wide-body gates, only 6 can handle up to a boeing 747 or A380. The other two will only be capable of a 767 or A330 (the current largest planes in regular service)