As we wait for CAT III landing system to be up and running by the end of 2016, at a cost of approximately $35 million dollars, we would bet the City of Worcester OPEB unfunded liability that more JetBlue service will come when CAT III is operational.
Lets take a moment to acknowledge what a great move it was by ex-City Manager Mike O’Brien to sell ORH to Massport. There is no way in hell , we ever would have been able to have either recruited JetBlue or been able to have install CAT III at ORH. There actually would have been widespread pressure to close the airport with the current budget problems, if it was not sold to Massport.
In case you have not seen yet, check out this video to see how effective CAT III can be:
Although we can not understand why Allegiant does not return. we can only assume that they were unhappy with the way they were treated when they left since they have returned to other cities like Hagerstown. The next best fit, other then expanded JetBlue service, is Spirit whose success at Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe, PA, where they will fly 300,000 passenger in 2015, could easily be replicated at ORH.
Spirit offers flights to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers with flights be added in February to Myrtle Beach. Obviously Spirit would not want to compete head to head with JetBlue to Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, but how about Tampa, Fort Myers or Myrtle Beach. Imagine if we were to have Spirit and JetBlue offering daily service to four Florida destinations and Myrtle Beach.
- Orlando
- Fort Lauderdale
- Tampa
- Fort Myers
- Myrtle Beach
Stop imaging it will be here before you know it. ORH is going to have a great year in 2016.
