Lrgt From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 710 posts, RR: 0 Posted (4 years 2 weeks 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2664 times:
The question is pretty self-explanatory.
Also, it is quite obvious that Atlanta isn't exactly a huge O&D destination for the Philadelphia suburban airports. How many people from suburban NJ are traveling to Atlanta? NOT MANY, and no one will take a connection in Atlanta to get to Florida just to save a couple minutes of driving to PHL where they can get a nonstop! Why the heck doesn't Airtran just start with ACY-BOS or ACY-MDW??
Also, TTN-BOS, TTN-FLL, TTN-MCO are proven to be profitable, and i'm sure TTN-MDW would be too... why wouldn't they start with Trenton instead of ACY?? It's a significantly larger population near TTN and much more affluent too.
Slcdeltarumd11 From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2452 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (4 years 2 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 2609 times:
TTN has had an issue with NMBYs in the past. Airtran does operate the 717 which is a pretty quiet plane. Even with the 717 being quiet i dont think the NMBYs wouldn't cause a problem to start service there. TTN is a good location though and i think airtran would have great success there.
DL had service at TTN but it was cancelled. Does anyone know what reason? DL fares seemed Extremely high even way in advance. I wanted to book out of TTN but they were always not even remotely reasonable even far ahead. I think DL fares drove them out of TTN. TTN features free parking, is convenient, and is in a good location to draw in a large population. I hope someone returns to there
I hope that airtran has good success with ACY service.
Phllax From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 396 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 years 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 2422 times:
DL had some issues at ILG, TTN and Marathon that arose from the TSA and not having existing staff due to a lack of commercial service. I think both ILG and Marathon were delayed, and I don't know if Marathon even started because of the TSA.
As for TTN, it would bastardize EWR and PHL too much as compared to ACY. There is fairly decent access to ACY from the Parkway via the Expressway for 2 miles and decent signage too. The runways are longer, and you have a community and the South Jersey Transportation Authority is doing backwards cartwheels to get new service to ACY.
ABE can support it. There's too much traffic on 78 and 476/PA Turnpike that people want to avoid going to EWR and PHL if necessary.
PHLBOS From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7251 posts, RR: 25 Reply 3, posted (4 years 2 weeks 6 days ago) and read 2399 times:
Quoting Slcdeltarumd11 (Reply 1): Does anyone know what reason? DL fares seemed Extremely high even way in advance. I wanted to book out of TTN but they were always not even remotely reasonable even far ahead. I think DL fares drove them out of TTN.
I think you just answered your own question.
DL (actually DL Connection) made several attempts to offer service at smaller airports that weren't too far away from a larger airport and the same fate happened almost (?) everytime, mainly due to the fact that the fares were NOT competitively priced.
Other examples besides TTN include ILG (pre-SX) and SLE.
The TTN & ILG failures were more obvious. For 1/3 price (thanks to competition from FL) one could fly DL (mainline) to ATL from either PHL or BWI than from TTN or ILG.
Quoting Lrgt (Thread starter): why wouldn't they start with Trenton instead of ACY??
1. Potential NIMBY issues as Slcdeltarumd11 stated.
2. ACY (& ABE for that matter) have larger terminal accomodations. IIRC, SJTA is still planning on building an expanded terminal at ACY.
3. Potential to capture an outside market and not just merely an overlap of an existing market (which would be the case at TTN).
4. Getting out of WN's shadow (at PHL) while still providing service to the region.
Quoting Lrgt (Thread starter): Why the heck doesn't Airtran just start with ACY-BOS or ACY-MDW??
Agree 100%. With NK only just starting 1 r/t ACY-BOS flight/day; FL could easily offer it.
Who knows maybe if both B6 & WN give FL a pounding on BWI-BOS later this summer, maybe FL will either re-start PHL-BOS or start ACY-BOS or ABE-BOS.
Quoting Phllax (Reply 2): ABE can support it. There's too much traffic on 78 and 476/PA Turnpike that people want to avoid going to EWR and PHL if necessary.
Very often, LNAA does advertise ABE as an alternative to both EWR & PHL. An airline (like FL) starting service there has the potential to capture both (EWR & PHL) markets.
"TransEastern! You'll feel like you've never left the ground because we treat you like dirt!" SNL Parady ad circa 1981
STT757 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 16250 posts, RR: 52 Reply 4, posted (4 years 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 2276 times:
The infrastructure at TTN is bare to be kind, it has excellent potential if anyone were to make an investment but with Mercer County in Control they will never be able to over come NIMBY opposition as they would worry about their own re-election, the only hope TTN has would be if the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were to acquire the airport. Keep in mind that TTN is actually closer to Manhattan than SWF which the PA recently purchased.
TTN is bordered by I-95 on one end and the West Trenton Rail line (active SEPTA, possible NJ Transit too in the future). The short comings of TTN are it's terminal and it's short runway (6,000ft).
ACY on the other hand is a very modern facility, that keeps expanding. They just opened a new parking garage, and the airport just received funding to double the number of gates (currently 6 gates). Also I'm willing to "bet" that the Casino's are helping with the routes, the casinos run their own weekend charters to ACY as well as funding the new ACES rail service from Manhattan.
Toltommy From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 3220 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (4 years 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2116 times:
Quoting Phllax (Reply 2): and I don't know if Marathon even started because of the TSA.
It did start, didn't last long at all. TSA allowed MTH to use a contractor to provide security. But somehow, DL didn't realize the 5000 ft runway at MTH would cause the flight to be heavily weight restricted. They burned thru the SCASD grant like it was soaked in gasoline, then pulled out.
On the OT, FL and other new carriers are highly sought after. ABE and ACY probably could make a better argument to gain the new service. The airports are closer to the market they wish to draw from.
EWRandMDW From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 379 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 years 2 weeks 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1933 times:
I live near Chicago but am working not far from Princeton, NJ on an extended contract. Whenever I fly home I have to drive to either EWR or PHL, not easy during PM rush on a Friday! Its very frustrating because TTN is about 15 minutes away and I pass it on I95 heading for PHL. A long time ago I flew on Allegheny and later US Air when they had service from TTN to several cities, including jets PIT and ORD. I think part of the problem then, and maybe now, is lack of advertising. The service was used, but a lot of people simply weren't aware those flights existed and so would go to EWR, PHL or ABE. If FL or another carrier put up billborads and had ads in the local papers and radio spots telling people there is service from TTN, I think they might do OK.
PHLBOS From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7251 posts, RR: 25 Reply 7, posted (4 years 2 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 1764 times:
Quoting STT757 (Reply 4): the only hope TTN has would be if the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey were to acquire the airport. Keep in mind that TTN is actually closer to Manhattan than SWF which the PA recently purchased.
True, but the Delaware River Port Authority might raise a stink over such a purchase because the City of Trenton (which abuts Pennsylvania along the Delaware) is in their jurisdiction.
"TransEastern! You'll feel like you've never left the ground because we treat you like dirt!" SNL Parady ad circa 1981
Enilria From Canada, joined Feb 2008, 6129 posts, RR: 13 Reply 8, posted (4 years 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1710 times:
Quoting Lrgt (Thread starter): Also, TTN-BOS, TTN-FLL, TTN-MCO are proven to be profitable
That's a bit of a stretch.
Anyway, they chose airports with existing service because it's a lot less of a project. Allegiant does those types of markets and what AirTran is doing with non-daily Orlando flights is Allegiant-esque, but they aren't going to places like Trenton that basically have no service. I would say Allegiant is a better possibility for TTN.
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From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 710 posts, 
Agree 100%. With NK only just starting 1 r/t ACY-BOS flight/day; FL could easily offer it. 
From Canada, joined Feb 2008, 6129 posts, 
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