Frontier maybe suspending service to HSV (Huntsville: company, schedule, market)

[btcaub]

Would like to see Allegiant come back, they have grown and market here is changing in a positive direction. If Allegiant can make it work out of Belleville, IL they certainly could make it here. A few flights to St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Ft Meyers, and West Palm would be great. They do a lot of business to Las Vegas too.

[MisterEd51]

I haven't flown in a long time. Is it economical enough to fly out of Huntsville or does it pay to fly out of Nashville or Birmingham?

A long time ago I drove to Birmingham to catch a flight to Miami. To show how long ago it was the cut rate airline served breakfast. Today do domestic flights serve meals or does the time in the air determine that?

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

Well it’s true
https://www.al.com/news/2022/08/fron...e-airport.html

A chance for Breeze to maybe increase frequency to Tampa, or Orlando.

Good riddance. They were struggling because they did a fine job of alienating the customers they had. I don't know anybody that flew (or I should say attempted to fly in some cases) with them, that would have ever done so again.

Originally Posted by MisterEd51

I haven't flown in a long time. Is it economical enough to fly out of Huntsville or does it pay to fly out of Nashville or Birmingham?

It still pays to make the drive to Nashville or Birmingham. One problem with Huntsville Airport is they charge the airlines I believe the highest fees in the nation. It is expensive for airlines to operate flights out of Huntsville so they pass the cost along to the consumers. It would be nice if one day the pricing would become more competitive.

[dwhisent]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

It still pays to make the drive to Nashville or Birmingham.

While I mostly agree, it depends on the circumstances. Add in the cost of gas and wear/tear on the car, and the time and effort required for the drive. And parking fees which are incredibly high, assuming you have someone who can drop you off/pick you up in Hsv (whose parking fees are also incredibly high). And for my particular case, starting to get a bit older, if it is a very early departure or very late arrival, it means adding on a hotel stay because I don't need to be driving long distances when tired.

For times I just couldn't make the available flights from Hsv work out, I have used "stay and fly" hotel deals to make things a bit more convenient. And there used to be a company that ran a shuttle service from Hsv to Nashville, but I don't think it's still around.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

Good riddance. They were struggling because they did a fine job of alienating the customers they had. I don't know anybody that flew (or I should say attempted to fly in some cases) with them, that would have ever done so again.



It still pays to make the drive to Nashville or Birmingham. One problem with Huntsville Airport is they charge the airlines I believe the highest fees in the nation. It is expensive for airlines to operate flights out of Huntsville so they pass the cost along to the consumers. It would be nice if one day the pricing would become more competitive.

That's partially because people make the drive to Nashville or Birmingham. Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. The other reason is that there is a lot of government/contractor business travel and they're willing to pay higher ticket prices.

Nashville has a large airport with many non-stop destinations, so that's somewhat understandable. If you're going to Birmingham, might as well get a good deal and go to Atlanta, the busiest airport in the world.

[David1502]

While it would be of great benefit for HSV to land Southwest, that is very unlikely for several reasons:

1. Southwest (SW) operates their flights seven days a week, the ultra-low-cost carriers which have tried service at HSV have had flights only two, (or occasionally three) days a week and still were not able to sell enough tickets to fill up their planes to be profitable. If Frontier was not able to fill up their planes operating only two days a week, how can SW think they can fill them up seven days a week?

2. HSV has the highest average fares of any airport in the U.S. The business travelers (many of whom are either government employees or government contractors) are not that price sensitive, so why should airlines feel compelled to offer lower fares? If the airlines can get away with it, with no reduction in demand, why should they change and offer lower fares?

3. A significant percentage of the flyers at HSV are loyal to Delta and are high up in Delta's Sky Miles frequent flyer program and will never fly a low fare carrier regardless of the low fares. So, while other airports have seen low fare carriers attract business passengers to fly them, that obviously has not been the case at HSV.

4. A low fare airline has to make it from attracting leisure travelers - both those living within a radius of HSV and at the same time, leisure travelers who for whom Huntsville is a destination. If you draw a 50 mile radius around HSV, you quickly run into the same radius from Nashville (to the north) and Birmingham (to the south). Nashville's airport (BNA) has probably the highest percentage of its flights on low fare carriers of any airport in the U.S.- It is almost a total opposite of HSV, as Nashville is a major tourist attraction. Therefore, it is more of a challenge for a low fare airline when the radius from which it can draw is not as large as other cities. By contrast, I've seen folks from Owensboro, KY (on the Ohio River) flying out of BNA. Travelers from almost Jackson, TN to Cookeville, TN most likely use BNA. Regarding leisure travelers for whom HSV is a destination, it's hard to see many families flying just to visit the Space and Rocket Center. If there were more well known local attractions, that might change.

Given the fact that Frontier did fly to Orlando for almost four years and to Denver for about the same amount of time, it seems like the airport should pursue an airline which will offer service to those two cities. If Breeze Airways is able to continue service to Tampa and Las Vegas, that will be a big achievement. Frontier may yet continue service to Orlando and Denver.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by David1502

While it would be of great benefit for HSV to land Southwest, that is very unlikely for several reasons:

1. Southwest (SW) operates their flights seven days a week, the ultra-low-cost carriers which have tried service at HSV have had flights only two, (or occasionally three) days a week and still were not able to sell enough tickets to fill up their planes to be profitable. If Frontier was not able to fill up their planes operating only two days a week, how can SW think they can fill them up seven days a week?

2. HSV has the highest average fares of any airport in the U.S. The business travelers (many of whom are either government employees or government contractors) are not that price sensitive, so why should airlines feel compelled to offer lower fares? If the airlines can get away with it, with no reduction in demand, why should they change and offer lower fares?

3. A significant percentage of the flyers at HSV are loyal to Delta and are high up in Delta's Sky Miles frequent flyer program and will never fly a low fare carrier regardless of the low fares. So, while other airports have seen low fare carriers attract business passengers to fly them, that obviously has not been the case at HSV.

4. A low fare airline has to make it from attracting leisure travelers - both those living within a radius of HSV and at the same time, leisure travelers who for whom Huntsville is a destination. If you draw a 50 mile radius around HSV, you quickly run into the same radius from Nashville (to the north) and Birmingham (to the south). Nashville's airport (BNA) has probably the highest percentage of its flights on low fare carriers of any airport in the U.S.- It is almost a total opposite of HSV, as Nashville is a major tourist attraction. Therefore, it is more of a challenge for a low fare airline when the radius from which it can draw is not as large as other cities. By contrast, I've seen folks from Owensboro, KY (on the Ohio River) flying out of BNA. Travelers from almost Jackson, TN to Cookeville, TN most likely use BNA. Regarding leisure travelers for whom HSV is a destination, it's hard to see many families flying just to visit the Space and Rocket Center. If there were more well known local attractions, that might change.

Given the fact that Frontier did fly to Orlando for almost four years and to Denver for about the same amount of time, it seems like the airport should pursue an airline which will offer service to those two cities. If Breeze Airways is able to continue service to Tampa and Las Vegas, that will be a big achievement. Frontier may yet continue service to Orlando and Denver.

good points but one fatal flaw with low cost carriers as you pointed out is frequency. In Frontiers example you could get to Denver and Orlando cheaply but if there was any disruption by weather mechanical etc you are screwed. This happens in all cities with inconsistent schedules. Another problem is you could not make reasonable connections to other destinations. If Orlando or Denver wasn't your final destination too bad. Southwest would work here with daily flights to one or two of its hubs, like Houston, Baltimore or Denver.
Breeze while having issues with staffing/aircraft availability and frequency problems, have an opportunity to add back Orlando or increase frequency to Tampa in time.
Huntsville will slowly get increased service in the coming years and Frontier will probably be back sooner than later after they recover from the failed body blow merger attempt with Spirit.

[dijkstra]

Frontier's pricing wasn't really all that great either unless you were flying to Orlando or Denver with nothing but what you were wearing a small bag you could carry on and hold in your lap. After you added all the baggage fees and nonsense, you could usually go to Birmingham and fly Southwest for less and have far more flights to choose from.

And yes, all it took was one little disruption and Frontier would leave you stranded in a heartbeat without a care in the world.....trust me as I know first hand.

[cooldiver]

The last Frontier flight from HSV leaves for DEN at 6:22 PM tonight.



It will be interesting to see if any Frontier service returns to this market. F9 pulls up stakes and leaves at the drop of a hat, so you never know....

[dijkstra]

Adios Frontier.....don't let the door hit you on the way out.