Panama City Airport on hold

[Babyblue]

Airbus A-380.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I fully agree, flyguy, and the airport authority confirms this in their talks, too. They are planning for the future, rather than being reactive and too late.

TreeFrog, I believe I recall reading that the new airport had Fed grant money to entice new airlines to come to PCB, which should help get some competition stirring, but again, see flyguy's post regarding the passenger demand. The airlines don't want to compete over empty seats in the immediate future.

 

[beachmouse]

From a passenger standpoint, look at what Pensacola has in terms of carriers and non-stop flights, and realistically that's probably what PCB is looking at if the new airport is highly successful in that regard. (also interesting to note how PNS has really improved itself in recent years even though it's highly landlocked)

I'd been skeptical about the cargo hub rumors until someone on another board brought up the number one requirement of cargo hubs: no overnight curfew hours for flights. So that rumor might have more legs than what you might think on first glance. Which would make any residential development in the are a bit interesting.

 

[Smiling JOe]

One thing which could potentially increase demand at the PCB new airport is that it is highly likely that Eglin AFB will not lease the space at VPS once the new limited access parallel Hwy 20 road is built connecting P'Cola to Niceville, to PCB airport, all the way on over to Tally. If that indeed happens, as it talked about by the peeps in the know, business at PCB will increase and more seats will get filled, and more flights and competitors may follow, sooner rather than later. Again, this isn't in the short term plans, but we are in the baby stages of growth for the FL panhandle. With planning such as this, the growth will exponentially increase, but it wouldn't happen at all if groundwork wasn't being laid right now.

 

[Babyblue]

also interesting to note how PNS has really improved itself in recent years even though it's highly landlocked)

And?

 

[TreeFrog]

TreeFrog, I believe I recall reading that the new airport had Fed grant money to entice new airlines to come to PCB, which should help get some competition stirring, but again, see flyguy's post regarding the passenger demand. The airlines don't want to compete over empty seats in the immediate future.

Which was really what I was trying to say... Thanks.

 

[raven]

I live on the Bay-Walton line and spend as much time in PC as Destin. Panama City has always fought any kind of growth. The current airport is an eyesore. The company that built Rosemary wants to buy the old airport, which Im sure would make it more aesthetically pleasing. This airport is a win-win situation but the rednecks will fight tooth and nail, and I do mean tooth as in 1.

you mean the rednecks in ny? it's a ny judge that has executed the stay of construction. mind you. i'm from ny and there are plenty of rednecks there. but i don't think that's what this is about.

 

[John R]

Getting carriers to commit to routes is going to be the issue. As stated above, just because it's built doesn't mean people will use it more. Look for discussions of 'airline guarantee programs' in the future...

 

[beachmouse]

SJ, you've mentioned the VPS rumors before, and if they're true, why is the VPS terminal area continuing to borrow millions of dollars for ongoing improvements to the site if it's going to be phased out in 5-10 years?

 

[scooterbug44]

And why did they just spend millions redoing the terminal?

I love the VPS airport! Wish all the airports I went through were as clean and staffed by such friendly folks.