Updates about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA)

[GoodWitch58]

Brannon is not exactly telling the truth.

http://fl-waltoncounty.civicplus.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=619

See Resolution on Page 3.

Pledges growing for Southwest Airlines | county, airlines, brannon - News - Northwest Florida Daily News


?Commission Brannon doesn?t speak for the entire board of county commissioners and you would have to get further clarification from him as to what he meant on the specific quote,? said Chris Mitchell, Walton County?s public information officer. ?I do represent what the board says, and what the board has said is in the resolution.?

 

[SHELLY]

Pledges growing for Southwest Airlines | county, airlines, brannon - News - Northwest Florida Daily News


“Commission Brannon doesn’t speak for the entire board of county commissioners and you would have to get further clarification from him as to what he meant on the specific quote,” said Chris Mitchell, Walton County’s public information officer. “I do represent what the board says, and what the board has said is in the resolution.”

The evolution of this "airport" stinks to high heaven. Starting with the developers lobbying congress to get VPS closed down to this County Commissioner playing lapdog to the same...and these are just the cocka-roaches we've seen.

Me thinks this airport isn't a reflection of the character and integrity that is at the heart of Southwest airline's corporate culture. They're fooling themselves if they think LUV isn't fully aware of what's going on out there.

 

[beachmouse]

So more misdirection and near-lies from Bay County about the airport, which has become pretty par for the project.

Commissioner Brannon: bed tax funds not meant soley for airline (with DOCUMENT) | brannon, commissioner, county - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

Dawn Moliterno, president of the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, also attended Wednesday?s airport authority meeting. She said Brannon did not tell the board the tax would be used only for Bay County.

?He was absolutely misquoted on this,? Moliterno wrote in an e-mail to the Daily News. ?In fact, the authority was trying to get him to make that pledge and he wouldn't do it. Scott said the tax was to be used to bring a low-cost carrier (Southwest) to the region ? regardless of which airport it may choose to serve.?

 

[SHELLY]

So more misdirection and near-lies from Bay County about the airport, which has become pretty par for the project.

Commissioner Brannon: bed tax funds not meant soley for airline (with DOCUMENT) | brannon, commissioner, county - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

What a compost heap of un-truth!

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Mr. Cramer: Are the funds designated for low-cost carrier in general, or low-cost carrier at our
new airport?

Mr. Brannon: The funds, I believe, are designated for low-cost for the, for a low-cost carrier in general. I’m not sure exactly if it’s, you know, my understanding is we’re in a partnership with you guys trying to get this, I don’t know how the wording of the Resolution is, but it was designated. There’s some questions to make sure that it went specifically for, not to undermine any of our other promotional or tourism, you know, endeavors on our driving market, but it was specifically for the airline and to the need to know and the need for the transportation of the future airport, so. I hope that answers your question.

Mr. Cramer: With all due respect, I don’t think it did. I’m not being disrespectful, I think it’s a great idea and I love

Mr. Brannon: Well I didn’t understand your question. What was your? :shock:

Mr. Cramer: Well, the TDC bed tax, which was approved and authorized by the County Commission,

Mr. Brannon: Yes sir.

Mr. Cramer: Was for a low-cost air carrier. But my question is was the, for a low-cost air carrier designated for a specific airport or was it for a low-cost carrier at, say several different airports, or is it going to go to more than, to one specific airport or how is the money to be
designated?

Mr. Brannon: Well, I think the Resolution was in the region, is the way the Resolution read. I think that, now to the particulars of how that, the intention was, <shoulda stopped here, fool> I believe, to partner with this effort. I know there are other efforts going on in the region, <that being VPS as per the resolution> but as evident I think of you guys coming over and meeting with the other commissioners, I think that the Board of County Commissioners support of the Bay County International Airport is evident in that. <ZINGO! Whoops, there it is!>

Mr. Cramer: Thank you.

Mr. McKenzie: From your standpoint, that issue is put to rest, as to

Mr. Brannon: Yes sir.

Mr. Tannehill: Okay, good.

Mr. Brannon: Thank you.

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From the exchange above, it's clear Brannon was the class Valedictorian from the Sarah Palin School of Political-Speak


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[Sarah Moss]

From the exchange above, it's clear Brannon was the class Valedictorian from the Sarah Palin School of Political-Speak

 

[Kurt]

Southwest coming? We may know in December // LETTERS | panama, city, southwest - News - The News Herald

Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill said Monday that Bay County should know by December whether Southwest Airlines is coming to the new Northwest Florida-Panama City International Airport.

“I haven’t been told a specific date and I haven’t asked them for a specific date,” said Tannehill, who has been intimately involved in negotiations with Southwest and other low-cost carriers in advance of the new airport’s May 2010 opening.

“But we know that if they are coming anywhere in the Panhandle, they have to have it resolved by December for their own business reasons,” he said. “They would want to begin selling tickets after the first of the year.”

Tannehill on Monday also left open whether Airport Authority members would revisit the issue of the airport’s new name, which was chosen last week.

“We are taking all of this under advisement,” he said. “We may or may not take it up again.”

Two members of the Panama City Beach City Council, as well as Panama City Beach Mayor Gayle Oberst and County Commissioner Mike Thomas, have sent e-mails expressing unhappiness with the airport’s new designation.

“It is with regret that I learned the name that was selected for the newest airport in Florida,” Oberst wrote. “I sincerely hope that you will reconsider and chose a name that is truly regional in nature and scope.”

Councilmen Rick Russell and Bobby Bolton sent similar e-mails, as did Thomas, who wrote the new name was “a slap in the face” to people throughout the region who have worked to make the airport a reality.

“It is bigger than Panama City, it is bigger than Bay County, and the airport’s name should not represent any one region,” Thomas wrote.

The current airport’s name is the Panama City-Bay County International Airport.

Tannehill was hesitant to reveal much about current negotiations with potential low-cost carriers such as Southwest, including deadlines or potential airport inducements.

“I know that they are working on it,” he said of Southwest’s efforts to make a decision, “and I am hopeful.

“The whole reason for this new airport has been to bring more flights in here, and cheaper flights in here,” he said. “If we can do that, then all of this will be worth it.”

Groups in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach have been very vocal vying to snag Southwest, with some private businesses and individuals banding together to offer money and in-kind services, including more than 400 pledges in Okaloosa County.

Tannehill said Monday he thought the more low-key approach by Bay County officials would be more effective.

Dan Rowe, the executive director of the Bay County Tourist Development Council, indicated in August that an announcement by a low-cost carrier, including Southwest, might come in October. “We are in the 11th hour,” board member Andy Phillips agreed at that time. “We are very, very close.”

Tannehill admitted there had been some “consternation” both locally and regionally over the airport’s new name, including those in Okaloosa County who thought the “Northwest” part of the name was too similar to that county’s Northwest Florida Regional Airport.

 

[Lake View Too]

If it's been touted as an international/regional airport from it's infancy, why cling to the Panama City part of the name? If the airport wants to distinguish itself from the same old same old slogans of the past, why not call it The Emerald Coast International Airport. This seems like a no-brainer: a unique, interesting, inviting, progressive change from the blandness that has been the norm. Come on, guys!

 

[scooterbug44]

Isn't there someone famous or historical they could name it after?

 

[Lake View Too]

Albuquerque calls its airport Sunport. We could call it Sunport South. I'm not sure there's anyone all that famous around here, nor historical. Do people really have a problem with "Emerald Coast"?

 

[scooterbug44]

Panama City-Bay County International is just lame.

Emerald Coast International works for me - ECI even works as the 3 letter code, as Google doesn't tell me it is taken yet.