Well, after over a decade of planning and over 2 years of construction, Northwest Florida Beaches Int'l Airport is ready to open in about 6 hours. The first flight landed earlier this afternoon carrying SWA employees and was welcomed by water canons and thousands of people.
This is America's first international airport to open since Denver Int'l in 1995 and the first since 9/11. This is the catalyst to a new wave of tourists and development for the Panhandle, especially for Bay County.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/94663964.html
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/94672219.html
http://www.newsherald.com/news/west-84064-airport-bay.html
The old Panama City-Bay County Int'l Airport officially closed to commercial aviation at 1800 this evening, with general aviation relocating in about a month.
KPFN will no longer be used, and KECP will take over tomorrow morning.
Is it international in the same sense as JIA (JAX)?
Quote from: buckethead on May 23, 2010, 08:46:02 AM
Is it international in the same sense as JIA (JAX)?
yes, it has U.S. Customs facilities, but no true int'l flights, yet.
I read about that airport a few weeks ago. And yes this is good news for the poeple of Panama City. Hopefully they will grow and so will their city. I believe St. Joe had a big part in the creation of the Airport. They were proactive and built an 10,000' runway that is long enough to land aircraft as large as an Boeing 767. However you probably wont be seeing any Boeings using the airport anytime soon.
Quote from: Mattius92 on May 23, 2010, 09:08:29 PM
I read about that airport a few weeks ago. And yes this is good news for the poeple of Panama City. Hopefully they will grow and so will their city. I believe St. Joe had a big part in the creation of the Airport. They were proactive and built an 10,000' runway that is long enough to land aircraft as large as an Boeing 767. However you probably wont be seeing any Boeings using the airport anytime soon.
Huh? Southwest uses Boeings, and they built that runway to accomodate the Airbus A380 and 747s as they plan to grow not only with commercial traffic but cargo traffic as well. They are in talks with at least one or two Latin American air cargo companies.
The airport board is also in talks with Air Canada, as a large number of tourists are from Ontario and Quebec, especially in the winter.
Yeah in general sense B747s can land on a 10,000' runway (JIA can land B747s and has), but B747s and A380s are not going to be landing there anytime soon.
And after reading about Southwest's current fleet, they do use B737s at the new airport, though they seat 130 and according to the article the first flight had about 30 passengers. Hope it picks up because that isn't going to be profitable. However I am sure Delta will be using small regional jets for that airport, and maybe on occasion an B737.
Delta will be using MD-88s and will likely increase the size planes and # of flights as needed.
http://www.newsherald.com/articles/airport-81715-new-delta.html
The first flight from Baltimore was completely full, as it was continuing on to Orlando likely had a part in that. However, next weekend is Memorial Day, so expect completely full planes probably from all destinations.
Reednavy you are a tough man, but I will shut up now.
Hey have you ever looked at the JIA master plan before, its quite interesting what they have in plan. The plans for the renovation of concourse B are pretty nifty.
I'm wondering when they'll have a new website up and running. As of this morning, they still have the old Panama City-Bay Co. Int'l website up and no site pertaining to the NW FL Beaches Int'l outside of the construction update page.
Since this is such a major project and critical development, they should've had the new website up and running no later than Saturday for the public grand opening.
That is true, I guess you have to use phone or go to the actual airport to get any information. They better get their website up pronto!
I just remembered that the airport board has reportedly been talking to German carrier Lufthansa since last year. Now whether this goes anywhere is anybody's guess, but hopefully the can build a relationship and get something going.
PCB has been marketing themselves to European travelers the past few years and it has been working, granted only a small percentage of the overall # of tourists, but that says something.
Now, if ECP gets a true international flight before JIA does, then that'll be a shocker.
Quote from: reednavy on May 24, 2010, 12:44:38 PM
Now, if ECP gets a true international flight before JIA does, then that'll be a shocker.
Not only would it be a shocker, we would have to wonder why, that our airport, JIA, has been around 50 years and hasn't had an international flight. And then we have this new airport that gets one within a year or so of it opening. Now that would be a shame.
The thing about JIA, is they have to compete with Orlando, Atlanta and Miami, mega-hubs. The Panama City airport is in a pretty strategic location, since there is like no International Airports within several hundred miles of the place.
If I am not mistaken, our airport has had international flights before.
Quote from: fsujax on May 24, 2010, 01:18:53 PM
If I am not mistaken, our airport has had international flights before.
However you slice it, JIA is NOT an international airport, which is the reason I think this PCB airport might just be another misnomer. Unfortunately so, since I hate having to stop in MIA, the worst airport in the country, if not in the world, on my way to and from the Caribbean.
Quote from: fsujax on May 24, 2010, 01:18:53 PM
If I am not mistaken, our airport has had international flights before.
And yeah that landed larger planes before. All this happened before the economy started to plummet. Now Airlines are cutting as much cost as they can.
And currently our Airport should be called Jacksonville Regional Airport. However I think any airport that can support International Air flight can have the international name. Since we have had international flights before we can be considered an international airport. The new Panama City airport has customs and etc. so it can support international flights too. So therefore it can have the international name.
Yes and no y'all. We HAVE had international flights but nothing to crow about... A non-stop to Canada and I believe a couple of islands off the Florida Coast. Hardly London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Tokyo, Bogota, etc...
Airports can't just become international with a schedule and a name change. "INTERNATIONAL" is a Federal designation reserved for ports of entry that HAVE a US Customs office, or ready access to US Customs and/or Border Patrol. It's the same in other countries, in Colombia the airport has D.A.S. offices (Which roughly translates "Department of Administrative Security") Mexico, Panama, all the same.
It is often believed that the name is some magic that indicates a "super airport" but that is completely false. All through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, there are litterally crop duster airports, with dirt runways and 3 planes... no lights... no terminal to speak of... maybe a hanger and an office only, with the words "DATELAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT" over the door. Why? Because a quick phone call to Yuma, get's Customs or Border Patrol out to clear your aircraft on your way from Baja to Denver in your friends Piper-Cub.
What we need to get into orbit is a POLITICAL and MARKETING (CofC) program to set up a cluster of connecting flights. IE: We work with our carriers to get 5 flights out of Jax within a 15 minute time span, for example: Charlotte, Memphis, Birmingham, Norfolk and Tallahassee. Once we establish 2 clusters of such flights, the more the better, we then market ourselves to a discount international carrier such as Panama's COPA, or one of the EU carriers. With these 5 flights in, twice daily, in the same 30 minutes, it creates a gateway whereby we are the stop for Norfolk-JAX-Panama City-Brasilia, or Birmingham-JAX-Panama City-Mexico City, or even Tallahassee-JAX-Madrid.
THIS IS how the game is played.
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: reednavy on May 24, 2010, 09:36:08 AM
I'm wondering when they'll have a new website up and running. As of this morning, they still have the old Panama City-Bay Co. Int'l website up and no site pertaining to the NW FL Beaches Int'l outside of the construction update page.
Since this is such a major project and critical development, they should've had the new website up and running no later than Saturday for the public grand opening.
Here are the websites for the new airport
http://newpcairport.com/
http://www.iflybeaches.com/
btw...I worked on the planning and approvals for this project from 2001 - 2004....and we're now involved with reuse of the existing airport site....will likely be the largest redevelopment opportunity in Florida since Baldwin Park (Orlando Naval Training Center).
whoa, when the hell did their new website come on line? I have Googled and such it to death!
wow, a flight every hour, that is pretty good for an airport that has been open for only like 72 hours.
I like their new website.
Heck, what is the largest sceduled airplane that lands at JIA, because the Panama City airport is better MD-88s and B737s. I know JIA gets 737s, not so sure about MD-88s.
Quote from: Mattius92 on May 24, 2010, 01:47:24 PM
Quote from: fsujax on May 24, 2010, 01:18:53 PM
If I am not mistaken, our airport has had international flights before.
And currently our Airport should be called Jacksonville Regional Airport. However I think any airport that can support International Air flight can have the international name. Since we have had international flights before we can be considered an international airport. The new Panama City airport has customs and etc. so it can support international flights too. So therefore it can have the international name.
Oh, I see ... JIA is not really an international airport, but it is okay to call it an international airport. Now I understand.
Quote from: Mattius92 on May 24, 2010, 02:24:53 PM
Heck, what is the largest sceduled airplane that lands at JIA, because the Panama City airport is better MD-88s and B737s. I know JIA gets 737s, not so sure about MD-88s.
Some cross country flight from Delta, the type of which escapes me right now.
It is an international airport, just currently without any international flights.
767-300's. Wide body, two aisle planes. Delta uses them quite a bit.
They are actually just to Atlanta. Even though it's a huge plane, they generally fill the thing.
BTW, the reason that Jacksonville is International is because the customs facilities do exist (they are below Concourse C. They are used a couple times a month (my understanding) for international charter flights.
Another thing to watch at that airport is how quickly other airlines will jump into the pool. I'd expect one or two announcement before the end of the year, with American, United, and Continental leading the pack.
Other common planes: 757's (Delta, US Airways on occasion), 737's (Southwest, and others) 707's (Airtran), MD-88's (American and Delta), and a plethora of regional jets.
Quote from: Steve on May 24, 2010, 03:02:49 PM
767-300's. Wide body, two aisle planes. Delta uses them quite a bit.
They are actually just to Atlanta. Even though it's a huge plane, they generally fill the thing.
BTW, the reason that Jacksonville is International is because the customs facilities do exist (they are below Concourse C. They are used a couple times a month (my understanding) for international charter flights.
Yeah, well a B767 is the largest jet that used for domestic flights. The B777 and B747 are mainly used for international flights that typically require flying over the ocean.
Jacksonville rarely gets wide-body planes, I can say that.
Quote from: reednavy on May 24, 2010, 02:13:51 PM
whoa, when the hell did their new website come on line? I have Googled and such it to death!
the newpcairport site has been for over a year
Quote from: tufsu1 on May 24, 2010, 03:42:55 PM
Quote from: reednavy on May 24, 2010, 02:13:51 PM
whoa, when the hell did their new website come on line? I have Googled and such it to death!
the newpcairport site has been for over a year
I know that one has, I've been using it for quite a while, I was refering to the actual airport website.
St Joe donated the land for the airport. The former airport was across the bay and two blocked by city development and the bay.
St Joe will be relocating thier headquarters over to an area near this airport.
Quote from: reednavy on May 22, 2010, 11:56:28 PM
This is America's first international airport to open since Denver Int'l in 1995 and the first since 9/11. This is the catalyst to a new wave of tourists and development for the Panhandle, especially for Bay County.
Bay County could serve as move-to option as Jacksonville declines in favor with some.
Northeast Florida sells itself against bad 'ol South Florida.Northwest Florida will likely temper it's pitch against Jacksonville for a spell.
Other than St. Joe, I seriously doubt many people are considering Panama City/Bay County (pop. < 200,000) over the Jacksonville area.
And don't worry...if in 50 years, Jax. looks like South FL does now...than Panama City will look like Jax does now.
Quote from: Mattius92 on May 24, 2010, 02:54:51 PM
It is an international airport, just currently without any international flights.
Don't mean to quibble, Matt, but at best JIA is potentially an international airport but not today. When you can board a non-chartered plane at JIA and fly out of the country across an ocean, i.e. internationally, then it will be come international.
Call me a purist.
And I do agree with you. Like I said it should be called Jacksonville Regional Airport. Hopefully sometime near in the future international flights will fly out of Jacksonville. We just have to show, Atlanta, Orlando and Miami that we be international too. Now that is going to be a tough one.