PBIGuy

I wouldn't say a vast majority is tourist traffic - there are several million people in South Florida and most of the people on my flights are locals or snowbirds.

I know the south runway debate is very complicated and heated, but the local officials will just have weigh the cost of losing some votes from constituents under the flight paths to the loss of business and restrictions of flights at FLL due to delays. The delays are fairly recent in development (past few years) but after a few more years, FLL could earn a bad reputation among the general public - not just the frequent fliers. Just ask anyone if they'd rather fly out of MIA or FLL and the answer will nearly always be FLL. In a few years, people may be driving to PBI to avoid FLL.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

JAXPax

My last flight out of FLL was on Southwest to Jacksonville. We taxied for just over 45 minutes for the 40 minute flight.

Anecdotal evidence is that this is commonplace.

kinglobjaw

I agree that on NOV 9,2005 all 3 fll-eyw nonstops are on emb170

but once you check on dec 13 for instance its back to CRJ anybody else want to check on that. maybe emb is for specific day only


Please check on this. anyhow on nov 9 the noon flights is already sold out

guess US Airways Key West service is not so empty afteralll!

MiamiBeach

Everyone I know in Miami prefers MIA to FLL. I am sure if you live in Broward it's a different story.

JAXPax

Somebody screwed up and loaded the schedule for only November. It'll be fixed this weekend.

dukeman

I wonder if the switch to E-70 is cargo related. I flew to EYW on US last month and all the flights were either zeroed out or showing very little availability weeks in advance. Fast forward to the trip and the loads were good (but not full). On my return the flight showed zeros across the board and they were offering bumps which they later decided they didn't need. The CRJ went out with 15 or 20 empty seats. We were told it was a weight issue related to cargo and fuel in/out of EYW. Can anyone shed any light?

FWIW, I had the nicest elite boarding in EYW. The CRJ was zone boarded and the GA (who was also one of the TAs) actually sent some zone 3 and 4 people away and then after verifying my zone 1 BP said "Thank you Mr. dukeman for your loyalty, we really appreciate your business." A nice touch which costs US nothing. ^

JAXPax

CRJ is a piece of crap off of short runways in hot weather. Couple this with the FAA's raising of minimum passenger weights, bad South Florida weather, extra fuel for holding, etc.

I'll point that individual toward your post.

SOBE ER DOC

FLL is my home airport and I have learned to NEVER fly in or out between 10am and 5pm. There is just too much congestion (gettng in, getting through and getting out).

What confuses me is that ATC answers to the FAA, not the administration of FLL. If there are continued problems with congestion from solely using the northern east-west runway then the FAA should basically thumb their noses at FLL administration and Broward County and use the crosswinds runway and let this thing play itself out in the courts.

There is, of course, another option. The county could suck it up and finally move to lengthen the southern east-west runway which has been tied up in petty bickering for quite some time. When that runway is extended they could stop using the crosswind runway which was built BEFORE the surrounding neighborhoods. Problem is property values have shot up in the area and people bought after being told by the former owners and real estate agents that airplanes "never" approach over the neighborhood.

BrokesiliaFlyer

Mr. Dukeman, that was me. I'm the only supervisor here that boards like that. The other sup is in such a hurry all the time (even though we board 30 mins before) he is more like a cattle-car hearder.. doesn't board by zone, even when we're booked to 38 (our max for EYW due to weight).

I train agents to do a preboard (zone 1) and silver/gold and to personally thank each for their business --- if it weren't for you guys we'd be out of business. I also train them to thank everyone if they can, or at least the Dividend Mile members... we *do* appreciate you here!

Mind sending what you just typed to [email protected] ??? We need all the compliments we can harvest -- due to weather we seem to cancel a high # of flights and are inundated with complaints against our station.... we try to be the best we can down here, but sometimes mother nature doesn't agree!

We were nailed with a complaint letter where we did cancel due to weather and the passenger wrote CA demanding we pay for their car rental (we refunded their ticket instead) and hotel in Miami. What made this complaint stand out was that the customer demanded we pay a SPEEDING TICKET received because they were going 20 mph over the speed limit on US 1 in Key Largo!!!!

US AIRWAYS FAN

BrokesiliaFlyer,

Welcome to FT. I see you have been on here a while but I have not. Nice to see more US people here

StSebastian

There was a note in some AA stuff about their staff turning a flight loaded about the same in 3 minutes at EYW -- though I have no idea how they did it that quickly.

As for flights to MIA or FLL, I have to say I've been more pleased with MIA on my trips down that way. FLL is already getting the reputation of significant delays and was rated as the worst major airport in one of the recent FAA monthly stats.

GWU ESIA STUDENT

LMAO; what some people will try and pull.

sbtinme

Brokesilia - Please know how much we very frequent fliers appreciate employees like YOU! It is precisely the front line folks like you who (despite all the significant challenges US threw your way) keep a stiff upper lip and continue to offer courteous, professional service that keeps us loyal to your employer. God knows it hasn't been the fabulous F upgrades for some years now!

In all seriousness, the airline biz was once full of folks like you. You were the standard. These days, that simply is no longer the case. Far too many employees are miserable and it shows. I've heard every excuse and stretched truth in the book over the past 5 years. I, for one, am flying in and out of EYW in early OCT and sure hope we bumb into you so I can shake your hand.

Thanks for all you do for all of us.

BrokesiliaFlyer

Actually we just like our jobs and our company.

Key West is like the "anti-Philly" in terms of Express... you WILL get your bags when you land here (FEW exceptions), and you will be checked in with a smile :P

CALeeIII

I saw this mentioned over at airliners.net

My Keys spies are saying CLT-EYW, CLT-MTH - E170 Service this fall.

Craig
MKE/EYW

Also, a link to this interesting article printed this week in the Key West newspaper The Citizen:
I would assume this reporter or official meant to include US Airways when referring to a flight to Charlotte.