Tuscaloosa airport recruiting Delta, SkyWest
Aug 16, 2019, 4:04 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, Marriott Amb./LTP
Posts: 287
This has been rumored for a long time. The University of Alabama has had massive growth in the past decade and now there are almost 40k students on campus, 60% of which are from out of state. There is certainly a market, but how much and how seasonal it is - I have no idea.
No timing mentioned. Here's a clean link to the article for anyone interested - I didn't hit a paywall using this link: https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...ywest-for.html.
(Also, I feel you on the construction in Birmingham being a PITA, but remember it's temporary. The new bridges should be finished by the end of next year.)
Alabama used to play home football games at Legion Field in Birmingham, but the last game there was in 2003. The stadium in Tuscaloosa has been expanded a couple of times since then and now seats 100k+. Local lore is that since Tuscaloosa only has around 100k to begin with, and counting the non-resident students and out of town fans in the stadium on fall football Saturdays (especially during games against rivals), for a couple of days each year it's the largest city in the state.
(Also, I feel you on the construction in Birmingham being a PITA, but remember it's temporary. The new bridges should be finished by the end of next year.)
Isn't the football stadium in Birmingham? Birmingham would have more hotel space too and IME the drive from BHM isn't bad at all. [I went to a game there once, and it was definitely not in Tuscaloosa--it was about an hour's drive from campus, in a residential area that was certainly urban.]
Alabama used to play home football games at Legion Field in Birmingham, but the last game there was in 2003. The stadium in Tuscaloosa has been expanded a couple of times since then and now seats 100k+. Local lore is that since Tuscaloosa only has around 100k to begin with, and counting the non-resident students and out of town fans in the stadium on fall football Saturdays (especially during games against rivals), for a couple of days each year it's the largest city in the state.
Aug 16, 2019, 11:34 pm
#34
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
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Hmm...I can't see this working for residents of Atlanta. By the time you drive to the airport, park, check in, security, etc you could have driven. Connecting traffic....honestly I would not pay a premium for that. Birmingham is close, and it's not THAT far from Atlanta (I am speaking as someone who will often take 12 hr road trips). And you can bet it would be very expensive to fly there. Also CRJ 200. I think a lot of small towns will say "I deserve major airline service from my airport" but it rarely can support it. We shall see. Delta doesn't seem the type experiment with new routes.
I think it is a waste honestly and many of the current EAS cities are a waste of taxpayer money.
Aug 16, 2019, 11:43 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
Mercedes are only 45 minutes from BHM, and 30 minutes from TCL, I doubt they will have much impact.
I can't see this working, there isn't enough business travel and students are very price sensitive. Of course, with government $$ anything is possible...
Last edited by CPMaverick; Aug 16, 2019 at 11:59 pm
Aug 17, 2019, 6:39 am
#37
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: BNA
Programs: DL GM, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,027
No, who's on first. 
Anyway I googled it, apparently it is in North Korea!?
List_of_stadiums_by_capacity
Edit to add, 2 of the top 20 are in Alabama.
Anyway I googled it, apparently it is in North Korea!?
List_of_stadiums_by_capacity
Edit to add, 2 of the top 20 are in Alabama.
Aug 17, 2019, 7:53 am
#38
formerly jackvogt
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles,
Posts: 822
I would tend to agree. Some EAS cities/towns that are far away from big cities and hard to get to make a little bit more sense, but this isn't exactly an underprivileged market.
Aug 17, 2019, 8:33 am
#39
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,124