Updates about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA)

[TreeFrog]

Here's the question, is this a fluke or a game changer?

As pointed out by numerous posters, on paper this is highly suspect with Southwest's "typical" business model (considering our business climate do we really know what "typical" is anymore?). IMO, the other airlines are probably shocked at what's happening- especially Delta/Northwest. From personal experience, I can tell you that in the past three months the flights from where I live to South Walton have been cheaper flying into PC than VPS both on Delta connecting in ATL. Now, you have a low cost carrier flying into PC.

I will be curious to see how it all turns out but with St. Joe involved. I also agree with SJ and AL, VPS never stood a chance.

Game changer, I'd suspect.

And, it looks like Delta figured it out ahead of the rest of us. Hence the lower recent fares, a fact not lost on me, either. It will be interesting to see if SW just cherry-picks some routes, or actually offers some useful connections. For now, DL/NW combined offer a whole lot of useful connections into/out of PFN, er JOE.

 

[beachmouse]

I think long term success comes from giving people a reason to come to PCB that isn't directly related to THE Beach. High value customers will stay away in spring until PCB tosses out the spring breakers, and summer beach vacations are effectively a regional affair. (and western Michigan, the Jersey shore and Cape Cod all have far better summer weather than the Panhandle does). Winter here is not the bikini weather that draws many to South Florida.

Something that the area does significantly lack is large convention space- neither the Emerald Coast Conference Center nor Sandestin are big enough to handle middle-large (3K people and up) effectively and Pensacola also doesn't have good trade show space at the Civic Center. Partner up with a big player in the conference sector like Gaylord, build one of their gigantic climate-controlled hotel and conference center complexes, and you could have something that draws in large number of high dollar visitors and doesn't depend on the weather so much.

 

[30ashopper]

VPS never stood a chance with this.

They'll still get my business.

 

[Smiling JOe]

as for convention space, maybe the indian tribe which owns a good chunk of property in PCB, will eventually get casino gambling, hotel, and convention center. Kiss Sandestin convention business goodbye. ???

 

[beachmouse]

I think Sandestin will always have a niche for small scale, very high dollar conferences. Differnet groups, different needs, and I think there's room for multiple players in that market.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I'm just saying, if a big casino is built with large conference center in PCB, and very close to new airport with discount fairs and new four lane to get there by car, it will draw many conferences away from Sandestin. Sandestin better start to get the mouse wheels a churnin'.

 

[bentley williams]

Breaking News!!!

Southwest Airlines just changed the name of their company to "The Airline"(tm), expect St. Joe's announcement tomorrow, RE: "The Company"(tm).


.........

"The Airport"(tm) ...... lol

 

[Alicia Leonard]

They'll still get my business.

I've always liked it too.

 

[seal]

Just for funn...."Remember what it was like before Southwest Airlines?"

Great TV spot from 1972:

YouTube - Southwest Airlines commercial circa 1972

 

[TreeFrog]

They'll still get my business.

Nice airport, but leaving Seagrove at 4:00AM to make a 6:00AM departure from VPS isn't my idea of fun. Throw in the new price reductions out of PFN, and I'm not real interested in flying out of VPS.