Ft. Lauderdale has seen incredible growth this year. In the last four years, seat capacity has increased an incredible 33%. The next highest seat increase capacity was at JFK, at 16%. Compare this to neighbour to the south, MIA, who has lost 13% seat capacity. And other airports have fared even worse - St. Louis lost 61% of seats, Pittsburgh lost 38%, SFO has lost 27%, Dulles lost 23%, LAX lost 21%, Logan has lost 20%, and Regan has lost 13%.
2005 is going to be a great year at FLL has five carriers - US Airways, Spirit, American, jetBlue, and Delta/Song - fight it out to be number one at FLL. US Airways will enter the Caribbean and Northeast markets, Spirit will enter the Caribbean, Central America and West Coast markets, jetBlue and Delta will continue to build their strong O&D base, while American will simply protect their market share wherever they feel it is needed. However, if FLL does not get to work fast on a new runway and gate expansion (especially international gates), FLL is going to be in major trouble come the end of the decade. FLL officials know this and have been working hard to solve future congestion problems before they start (the airport is already showing signs of congestion as airlines like AA and B6 are trying to acquire more gate space but there is simply no room to), but local residents have been the only thing stopping them from expanding. Hopefully things will get done soon.
Phatfarmlines From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1322 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1843 times:
Pardon me, but you sound like you are on a mission to let everyone know FLL's "tremendous" growth forcasted for the next year. You host a fascinating wealth of knowledge in this area but is it necessary to reinforce what we have discussed multiple times in previous posts?
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31119 posts, RR: 74 Reply 2, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1832 times:
This might throw a monkey wrench in US's plans:
No, it will not. Chapter 11 doesn't mean you stop adding. Part of US Airways plan to become more profitable is build up a stronger network of point-to-point flights out of four cities, Boston, DC, NYC, and Lauderdale.
Pardon me, but you sound like you are on a mission to let everyone know FLL's "tremendous" growth forcasted for the next year. You host a fascinating wealth of knowledge in this area but is it necessary to reinforce what we have discussed multiple times in previous posts?
I am sorry. You don't need to read this post if you wish not to. I'm sure others will like to comment on it.
DB777 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 885 posts, RR: 49 Reply 3, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1748 times:
I'm with Mark on this one. The growth at FLL is fascinating to me, even though a lot of it is at the expense of MIA. I've submitted FLL growth posts myself and welcome any news on FLL being posted here.
Photographing aircraft since the Earth was flat and on Airliners.net since #338
D950 From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 493 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1724 times:
What percentage of this growth has come at the expense of MIA?? There does seem to be a number of touchy souls here, life is too short to worry about previous discussions, this is today!!
Resting on your laurels is a synonym for flirting with disaster
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31119 posts, RR: 74 Reply 5, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1696 times:
What percentage of this growth has come at the expense of MIA??
Well, MIA has lost 13% capacity and FLL has gained 33%, so, in basic numbers, you can assume 13% has "moved" to FLL, but it is way more complicated than that.
FLL's growth has come thanks to it's large LCC base and general ease of use. 2005, I belive, will be peak year for them. Carriers will expand like never before. I do, think, though, that the increases will slow down after next year, not for lack of demand, but for lack of capacity at the airport.
MIA's future growth relies on international carriers and AA, while LCCs have avoided the airport, with the exceptions of ATA and airTran (and jetBlue will probably join the future; still no word on flyi), and likely will continue to avoid it. They won't reach pre-9.11 levels until 2007, and growth rates will be slow and heavily dependent on AA. Luckily, AA plans a major boost in MIA departures (about 240 daily now; they plan at least 330 daily by the end of 2007). That'll be a nice addition.
Vortex From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 99 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 1631 times:
The problem with FLL is that it is a one runway airport. When I used to take my son spotting, there would be a sizable delay at times. There are plans to build a larger east/west runway on the south side, but last I heard it was running into problems. Any news on the new runway?
Padcrasher From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1557 times:
Phat ..phat..phat..phat..phat....What's the need for a post like that? I happen to be the type of aviation geek that like this kinda stuff. Others prefer logging down ship numbers...I could care less..so I stay off those threads.
Now here's one of your posts.
"I am familiar with the Polderbaan runway at AMS, but which specific runway are you talking about when you say "Buitenveldert"
Now I don't care about what damn runway happens to be called buttenfart?
So I stay off that thread that you thought was interesting.
DCA-ROCguy From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 4402 posts, RR: 37 Reply 8, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1549 times:
MAH....FLL's traffic is mostly O & D, right? Could all of these carriers coexist without a major shakeup, and keep growing? BOS, LGA and DCA are all heavily O & D airports and no one airline completely dominates them. Their traffic isn't spread as think among five dominant carriers like FLL is, but they all seem to support multiple carriers with substantial operations.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31119 posts, RR: 74 Reply 9, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 1537 times:
MAH....FLL's traffic is mostly O & D, right?
Yes. At about 96% O&D, more than any other large US airport, include LaGuardia, Logan, and National. In fact, only three airlines offer connecting service at the airport:
1) AA to Nassau and San Juan. You can technically connect to Caracas, Santo Domingo, and Port Au Prince as well, but AA rarely will ever book that connection (and if you can find it, the fare is high). They reserve those flights for O&D.
2) CO to their Continental Connection (op. by Gulfstream) flights to eight Bahamaian cities.
3) Spirit to Cancun and San Juan.
4) Interline connections on Florida commuter airlines to the Caribbean and the Keys.
That's about it with connecting service, and even NK's and AA's connecting numbers are very small.
Could all of these carriers coexist without a major shakeup, and keep growing?
Yes and no. Do I believe the market can support it? Yes, I do. The market, in my opinion, exists for them to all co-exist.
However, physically, no. I do not believe FLL, in its current state, can handle what the five airlines want. As I mentioned, jetBlue and American are already very tight on gate space (jetBlue has had to sublease a gate from Southwest), and AA has no room to build an Admiral's Club, which is on their wish list. FLL is very willing to construct improvements to accomadate growth, but local residents are doing everything to stop it. And they need a new runway. There is no questioning that. jetBlue has already threatened to move their main South Florida base of operations to MIA. Now, I personally see that as an empty threat that jetBlue would never act upon (jetBlue flying to MIA in the next year is realistic; but moving the bulk of their S. Florida operations to MIA? Pigs will fly first), but it does show that something needs to be done.
ScottysAir From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 1440 times:
This is perfect for FLL and will make keep growthing need on AA to plans expansion more flights out there. It will make good continues on the traffic with AA, NK, B6, So I do not believe that about FLL is going strong and it is much better than with MIA.
Jetpixx From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 811 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1404 times:
You gotta love FLL - I certainly hope that FlyI gets in there. The fares are tremendous right now - $245 to SEA and less than $200 to CLE even for the holidays. I love the competition.
I was just down at FLL taking my uncle to the airport and saw a great MyService 767, a beautiful new Frontier 319 and scores of Song, a Southeast DC9, Southwest 737s with winglets and a Southeast DC-9.
It used to be just DL X 732s and Southwest 737s, but the diversity has really picked up over the last couple of years making it worth a trip down from Delray Beach. I still love MIA for spotting, but FLL has really gotten interesting!
Thankfully our area was not affected by Charley, but keeping an eye on Earl. I feel badly for all of the people on the Southwest coast and Orlando area. Hurricanes are a scary thing when they get past Cat 3. Anything below and they are fun!
Flairport From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1361 times:
I was just down at FLL taking my uncle to the airport and saw a great MyService 767, a beautiful new Frontier 319 and scores of Song, a Southeast DC9, Southwest 737s with winglets and a Southeast DC-9.
you saw 2 Southeast DC9s! must have been a diversion!
Jetpixx From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 811 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1322 times:
Oops - my bad. It was still a lot of cool stuff in a short period of time. There was actually another MyService 767 at Concourse D and the other was holding in the middle of the field.
Njdevilsin03 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 713 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 1286 times:
Actually it was a MYTravel DC10 and an A332 one came from MCO and one came from TPA according to FLYTECOMM
LoneStarMike From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 3644 posts, RR: 38 Reply 15, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1244 times:
posted by MAH456:
Ft. Lauderdale has seen incredible growth this year. In the last four years, seat capacity has increased an incredible 33%. The next highest seat increase capacity was at JFK, at 16%. Compare this to neighbour to the south, MIA, who has lost 13% seat capacity.
Actually, if you go back and read the news report, MIA has lost 18%, not 13%. There were two reports mentioned. One from December 2000 through December 2003 which showed FLL up 16% and MIA down 13% and another later report comparing May 2000 with May 2004 which showed FLL up 33% and MIA down 18%.
Something else from the article:
To compete, American Airlines has also expanded its flights from Fort Lauderdale, and since December of last year has been the second largest carrier there, after Delta.
I guess the number 2 ranking is based on seat capacity, but when you look at actual number of passengers carried it looks like Southwest carries more than AA, or at least they did in May 2004.
Overall, American (coupled with the former TWA), nearly doubled its passenger volume from 111,945 in May 2000 to 207,313 in May 2004, Nelson said.
During the same time frame, JetBlue catapulted from 28,842 passengers to 155,388; Spirit,, from 54,776 to 139,059; Southwest from 171,167 to 214,735; and United, from 18,575 to 61,484, he said.
At any rate this is all great news for FLL and with a $10.00 difference in the cost per passenger, it's no wonder FLL is growing while MIA has shrunk a bit.
Kim777fan From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 510 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1203 times:
Not to sound stupid and all, but who is flyl???? ?
Csavel From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1332 posts, RR: 5 Reply 17, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 1168 times:
Kim777fan, onen ever sounds stupid if one asks a question. Flyi is IndependenceAir asemi new (actuall been around as a commuter) LLC out of Dulles. http://www.flyi.com
Best thing they ever did at FLL is get ridof the train tracks at the entrance.If a freight train went through you could miss a flight because of it. I'm sure I'm dating myself by about twenty years
I may be ugly. I may be an American. But don't call me an ugly American.
Atrude777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5613 posts, RR: 54 Reply 18, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 1120 times:
What I wonder about FLL considering STL, is i believ USA3000 wants to start a STL--FLL route I think. WN has a1 N/S and AA has 1 n/s. is this enough? I am surprised WN isnt expanding anymore at FLL.
Alex
Good things come to those who wait, better things come to those who go AFTER it!
DB777 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 885 posts, RR: 49 Reply 20, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 1091 times:
Csavel says: "Best thing they ever did at FLL is get rid of the train tracks at the entrance. If a freight train went through you could miss a flight because of it. I'm sure I'm dating myself by about twenty years."
I had forgotten about those train tracks blocking traffic to and from the airport. The roadway network goes over them now. But MIA still has a freight train grade level crossing across LeJeune Road and the adjacent Airport Expressway connector on the northeast side of the airport and they undoubtedly cause delays in getting to or from MIA's terminal. The same train tracks also block the entrance/exit of the huge employee parking lot on the southeast side of the airport.
Photographing aircraft since the Earth was flat and on Airliners.net since #338
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31119 posts, RR: 74 Reply 21, posted (8 years 9 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 1065 times:
The roadway network goes over them now. But MIA still has a freight train grade level crossing across LeJeune Road and the adjacent Airport Expressway connector on the northeast side of the airport and they undoubtedly cause delays in getting to or from MIA's terminal.
Nearly all MIA passengers don't ever have to cross the railroad crossing. I never have in all my years of flying out of MIA. I never even knew there was a route to the MIA terminals involving crossing the tracks.
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