Brick From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1571 posts, RR: 8 Reply 1, posted (13 years 3 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 714 times:
Not likely this year.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which is in charge of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, recently announced that it was opening up 5 new gates that belonged to Northwest Airlines and was up for grabs to whomever wanted it (NW was given no choice in the matter). The intent was to try and lure additional airlines, especially the low fare ones, into MSP.
None of the low fare carriers has expressed any interest at all in adding MSP to their routes. Jet Blue commented that they need to focus on other markets right now. Midwest Express and Southwest also said MSP is not a target market right now.
There is a major battle going on between Northwest and Vanguard right now with the latter losing. I personally don't think a third low fare airline could make $$$ at MSP right now. American and TWA are also battling it out with Northwest right now, but both carriers have enough seats filled to make the routes profitable though not by much.
The only the that has resulted in the order by the MAC is that Vanguard Airlines moved from the Green Concourse to the Blue Concourse.
Brick From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1571 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (13 years 3 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 695 times:
Sorry! I got the two reversed....
Vanguard is in the Green Concourse, next to America West's gate 77. They moved from the Blue Concourse. As much time as I spend there you'd think I should know the concourses by now.....
Dc-9-10 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 583 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (13 years 3 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 692 times:
yep that sounds right. but dont forget that TWA moved from RED to GREEN Where did Vanguard gate at at the blue on a map on my wall vanguard is in the red
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8771 posts, RR: 13 Reply 5, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 675 times:
NWA Man From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 1828 posts, RR: 13 Reply 6, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 669 times:
I spend a hell of a lot of time out there too, and Vanguard was on the red before they got moved out to "no man's land" at the end of the Green Concourse. They were on the Red Concourse, because they had leased their gate from TWA. However, NW decided to swap gates to keep as many of their operations as possible on the Red Concourse, TWA was moved to the Blue and Vanguard to the Green. I don't understand why NW doesn't give up 41 and 44A so that they can have all of their operations on the Red, Green, and Gold and everyone else (with the exception of Icelandair, KL, and UAL Express) on the Blue.
Back to the topic, however, the two new airlines were supposed to be Airtran and JetBlue. Airtran has decided to put their route expansion off until their plane expansion is completed, which makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is why they wouldn't move from Bloomington/Normal or Flint to Minneapolis, where they can capitalize on unhappy NW/DL passengers. And JetBlue has just started, which leaves the door open for a late-year entry.
USAirways737 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1026 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 672 times:
JetBlue I think will not come here anymore or at least for a while becuz NWA just added flights to JFK coincidently the same time JetBlue started up.
USAirways737 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1026 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 669 times:
I change my mind. Jetblue might come in after all because of the Hatred of NWA here at MSP. JetBlue have better inflight amenities for the coach traveler than NWA. Naturally they will have better service than NW.
USAirways737 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1026 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 668 times:
NWA Man From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 1828 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (13 years 3 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 669 times:
I'm gonna apply in the summer. Right now, just working at WHS
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From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 583 posts, 
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