Story here (http://www.bdtonline.com/local/local_story_212220008.html)

BLF no EAS... BKW continues with EAS. Does anyone know of a pair like this in existance, that is a double city flight pair (flights go IAD-BLF-BKW-IAD) where one airport has EAS, other doesn't?

I think there are more pax at BKW than BLF anyway, which might help explain why BLF loses out.

Article snips....

Colgan Air, the airline servicing the airport, is allowed to suspend service if it chooses, Michael W. Reynolds, acting assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs, said in the order.

Dennis Burnett, director of development for Colgan Air said Monday that the airline planned to stay in Mercer County.

“We operate the service in Bluefield and in Beckley,” Burnett said. “We do plan to continue service as long as it remains feasible. It seems to be working pretty well. We’ve been pretty pleased with the Bluefield market and hope it continues to grow.”

------
The DOT, however, did not receive an acceptable bid.

“We have received no viable carrier proposals for Bluefield/Princeton in response to Order 2006-5-8,” Reynolds said in his announcement.

Colgan and another carrier, RegionAir, Inc. submitted bids, but RegionAir did not have an alliance with US Airways at Charlotte or other major airports. Colgan Air was exceeding the subsidy’s statutory ceiling of $200 per passenger. Colgan has been operating 18 round trips a week to Washington’s Dulles International Airport whit an annual subsidy of $1,955,715, Reynolds said.

Colgan was exceeding its ceiling by only $26 a passenger, said Randall Ernest, manager of the Mercer County Airport.

“That (ceiling) was based on numbers set in the late 80s,” Ernest said. “If you look at inflation, that $200 should have been doubled.”

Colgan has been operating 18 round trips a week to Washington’s Dulles International Airport whit an annual subsidy of $1,955,715, Reynolds said.



Wow, only $2,000,000 a year. Makes me grateful that DL only stung HKY for $500,000 for their six months of service.

As my cousin Larry the cable guy says, "time to shut her down boys, time to shut her down"

I think there are more pax at BKW than BLF anyway, which might help explain why BLF loses out.[/I]

Maybe it is the short runway on the mountain above BLF! (Ha, ha) :p I heard that is pretty scary. What is the airport like in BKW?

Maybe it is the short runway on the mountain above BLF! (Ha, ha) :p I heard that is pretty scary. What is the airport like in BKW?

Much nicer. Two runways, both much longer than BLF, 6750 and 5000 feet. On top of the mountain like BLF, too. Terminal looks and feels like a bigger city terminal, too. It even has a little mom and pop restaurant that's not bad.

BKW website (http://www.flybeckley.com/)

I live about 15 minutes from BLF and about 35 minutes from BKW. BLF is too convenient, but can you say BloFares(tm) at either airport (and LWB too).

They have been advertising on the Beckley TV stations that if you fly out of BKW or LWB, you can get a $26 Kroger card just for showing your ticket. (The "26" is significant as there are 26 weekly flights from the two airports combined.) I wonder if you can get one on a US award ticket? ;)

They have been advertising on the Beckley TV stations that if you fly out of BKW or LWB, you can get a $26 Kroger card just for showing your ticket. (The "26" is significant as there are 26 weekly flights from the two airports combined.) I wonder if you can get one on a US award ticket? ;)

Probably, depending on who you have to show your ticket to! If you are showing it a Kroger, I am sure you can get that big $26! They do not know what X class is, right?! And that $26 will SO make up for those sky high fares! HA!

Interesting topic. I flew out of BLF two years ago with a quick stop in BKW (no time to visit the inside of the airport). That was when the flight continued to CMH. The free parking at BLF was nice but not worth it for the SSSS that US gave me. I hope things have improved since then, as they have in general with the TSA, because back in 2004 the screeners there were pigSSSS. :td: Small airports tend to be more piggy anyway but BLF was just ridiculous.

Interesting topic. I flew out of BLF two years ago with a quick stop in BKW (no time to visit the inside of the airport). That was when the flight continued to CMH. The free parking at BLF was nice but not worth it for the SSSS that US gave me. I hope things have improved since then, as they have in general with the TSA, because back in 2004 the screeners there were pigSSSS. :td: Small airports tend to be more piggy anyway but BLF was just ridiculous.

I flew out of there a year ago, myself and I think one other passenger. We both got the premium patdown and a mini bag search, but not as bad as I've had it when SSSS'ed before. Let's just say they are "thorough" at BLF. ;)

I never flew out of there, but my dad's former employer is literally right next to the airport (on the hill above it). They used to have a company plane they kept there at BLF.

This is my hometown airport and I'm ashamed to say I never use it when I visit my family. I always fly to CLT, GSO or CRW and drive to Bluefield.

This is my hometown airport and I'm ashamed to say I never use it when I visit my family. I always fly to CLT, GSO or CRW and drive to Bluefield.

Never ROA or TRI?

This is my hometown airport and I'm ashamed to say I never use it when I visit my family. I always fly to CLT, GSO or CRW and drive to Bluefield.

Same deal for me. GSO is as close as TRI or ROA, and I have friends in Winston-Salem now. CRW is slightly closer, but normally more expensive than GSO. CLT is nice, but adding that extra seg both ways gets 1000 miles ;)

GSO is as close as TRI or ROA. [...] CRW is slightly closer

Yup, same here. The biggest reason I don't go to BLF is that my status is with UA, so I try to stick with UA metal as much as possible. I've never tried TRI, even though my sister lives in Bristol! Maybe I should try TRI.

Yup, same here. The biggest reason I don't go to BLF is that my status is with UA, so I try to stick with UA metal as much as possible. I've never tried TRI, even though my sister lives in Bristol! Maybe I should try TRI.

TRI does not have UA, but the US flights are UA codeshare-numbered. ROA has UA through IAD and ORD.