Populated areas with no long haul international flights

SicilianFalcon · Post by **SicilianFalcon** » 08 Apr 2005, 21:49

Just an enquiry really . . .

My local airport has finally picked up a long haul service this summer.

All be it only an A330 .. Eurofly Palermo-New York

The population of Palermo is 652,700 (1 of only 3 international airports on the huge island and its capital city) and this is our first long haul service for a long long time. We have 2 runways at our airport one of which is over 11 thousand feet (3rd biggest in the country) And the last few years have seen the building of jetways connected to the terminal.

My question really is what other populated cities with big airports are under utilised and have a lack of long haul destinations. Luton in the Uk is one I can think of, Does Lon Stansted have many long haul int flights?

On a side note I gather we dont have many long haul flights out of Palermo because of the amount of connections we have to Rome and Milan on a daily basis, Meaning easy transfer for Int flights. But with big growth in tourism in Sicily recently and planned for the future Im hoping we attract some more long haul flights.

regi · Post by **regi** » 09 Apr 2005, 00:03

all you need are television shows on the BBC where they make brittish find out that second houses as investment are still affordable.

nwa757 · Post by **nwa757** » 09 Apr 2005, 03:34

Milwaukee, WI (USA) could definately be placed under this category. The city's population is 596,974 with an estimated total of 1,689,572 in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. That is certainly enough to justify long haul flights. The reason Milwaukee has no long flights is its close proximity to Chicago.

Knight255 · Post by **Knight255** » 09 Apr 2005, 04:32

What about Indianapolis??? I know FedEx may have long-haul flights out of there, but do those count??

an-148 · Post by **an-148** » 09 Apr 2005, 09:40

I suppose it don't count: in LGG (4.000.000 inhabitants in a 50 km circle) there is cargo relationship to all over the world ( cat III landing )!!! BUT: for passengers, the vicinity of BRU is evident! For the moment there are only charters to leisure destinations. Maybe, one day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SicilianFalcon · Post by **SicilianFalcon** » 11 Apr 2005, 20:50

Milwaukee, WI (USA) could definately be placed under this category. The city's population is 596,974 with an estimated total of 1,689,572 in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. That is certainly enough to justify long haul flights. The reason Milwaukee has no long flights is its close proximity to Chicago.

Crazy a place so huge even with the proximity of Chicago should have long haul flights surely.

suppose it don't count: in LGG (4.000.000 inhabitants in a 50 km circle) there is cargo relationship to all over the world ( cat III landing )!!!

Id say it counts, Surely these people want to fly far away sometimes? But I Guess they transit too Close International Airports in other countries? Kind of like the Milwaukee/Chicago situation mentioned above.

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 11 Apr 2005, 21:13

UK - LBA, NCL (though it does have long haul charters)

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 12 Apr 2005, 09:03

SicilianFalcon wrote:Just an enquiry really . . .
My local airport has finally picked up a long haul service this summer.

Who got the idea of naming Palermo: "Falcone and Borsellino Airport" after the two anti-Mafia judges assassinated in the city in 1992?
Sicilian Airports

- Falcone e Borsellino Airport (Palermo) is the closest airport to Palermo, located at Punta Raisi, connected with Palermo by a light rail service.

- Vincenzo Florio Airport (Trapani/Birgi) is the closest airport to Trapani (at the tip of the western sicilian coast, this airport is connected with Palermo by train.

- Fontanarossa Airport (Catania) is the closest airport to Catania, the main town on the eastern Sicilian coast, on the Etna valley.

You will agree with us, SicilianFalcon, that none of the airports' names refer to Sicily. Who knows where Falcone e Borsellino, Vincenzo Florio or Fontanarossa are?

Imagine an airline marketing kid who has to market a destination that is so vague.... Isola in un mare di luce... (isola as in isola-ted, not easy, you will agree), and an airport called after assassinated persons, makes many think twice.

regi · Post by **regi** » 12 Apr 2005, 09:29

Just call it Godfathers airport.

SicilianFalcon · Post by **SicilianFalcon** » 12 Apr 2005, 18:12

@Sn & Regi

Id totally agree that Palermo should have some sort of Sicilian reference in it, To be honest even the Website is in pretty dire need of a makeover, The news section has been waiting to be updated for near on 3 years.

ps. Humberside, Does Monarch not operate a scheduled 330 to Fla from Newcastle? Or is this the charter you speak of. 8)

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 12 Apr 2005, 18:34

SicilianFalcon wrote:Im still waiting for them to build an Airport in the deep south near the valley of the temples in Agrigento so I can watch the Aircraft arrive over the ocean talks are on going.

8O you have good eyesight, dear SicilianFalcon. Seeing the ocean from Sicily is not given to common humans.

Sicilian Falcon Eyes.!

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 12 Apr 2005, 19:53

Don't Italians exaggerate everything?

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 12 Apr 2005, 20:01

Leeds is hardly well served with long haul services, neither is Newcastle. East Midlands does not have long haul either.

ag894 · Post by **ag894** » 12 Apr 2005, 20:09

BCN has a very limited number of intercontinental flights for a population of over 3 millions and ~10 million living at less than 300 Km. All you can get is a couple of destinations in the US, and I think that only during the summertime.

Humberside · Post by **Humberside** » 12 Apr 2005, 20:18

NCL and EMA now I come to think of it have long haul charters, such as MON to Florida, also some Cancun and Puerto Plata flights.

Actually I forgot NCL's one scheduled long haul flights, Air Transat to Toronto weekly in summer

EMA has no long haul scheduled flights at all though

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 13 Apr 2005, 11:40

Long haul charters are not the same as having a regular long haul scheduled, I think that is a better thing for an airport to have, saves having to go to Manchester or Birmingham if you live on the east coast (not that I have any complaints about going to MAN or BHX).