MCO expansion?
 

Just noticed that AirTran has officially vacated Gates 90-99 in MCO to prepare for their merger with WN. Anyone know if Delta has any plans for further expanding service to/from MCO? I know MCO-DCA will be lost when the swap with US goes through, but with AF now flying to CDG plus some of the other newer flights (RDU and MIA come to mind), anyone know if more flights are in the works now that there are another 10 open gates? It would certainly bolster their competitiveness with WN now flying to ATL (and assuming they keep some of FL's direct flights from MCO to smaller airports).

Even if they don't plan to increase flight frequency or add other n/s flights, I would love to see them start using those gates. That area around gates 76 and 78 can be a total zoo.

DL has cut back MCO over the years, and while they may have good loads I doubt the yields are all that great. I suspect they won't add any meaningful capacity in this market.

IIRC, in the early-mid 1990s, much of the current terminal was in use by DL as a "focus city" or mini-hub. Then it became Delta Express, the pre-Song LCC within an airline. The space used by Airtran was made as DL vacated it.

I remember family members from NC loving the direct GSO-MCO flight, but I know the Delta Connection gates have been empty for a number of years. I guess I shouldn't get my hopes up for any new expansion...

Just because Gates 90-99 are vacant doesn't mean DL will be willing to pony up the extra $ to lease them. Count on them sitting empty for a while.

Those are original Delta gates. Walk down there and notice the gate counters and backdrops are Delta spec. They dropped the lease on the 90-wing dates during the bankruptcy and AirTran moved over, spending minimal $ to sticker their logo to the backdrop. Delta could use some more RON gates but the 90 wing is the most inconvenient for ground crews, equipment and maintenance because the former DL connection gates block access from the 70 wing to the 90 wing except a small cart road next to the pond. Makes more sense to use the 80 wing gates as DL currently does.

Bringing back one of my old threads, I notice in the January 2013 Sky magazine that Delta is now planning a BIG expansion out of MCO. I see the following new destinations:

HPN
BDL
ORF
RIC
PIT
CMH
IND
SDF
MKE
BHM
SAT
AUS
MCI
OMA

Delta's December 2012 PDF schedule claims that CMH, IND, and MCI have already started, but I don't think that is accurate. Looks like both CMH and IND begin as Saturday-only service on February 16th but only go through April 6th. I don't see any MCI flights loaded (but I just took a quick look). Either way, I am VERY interested for this rollout. I go to Omaha 2-3 times a month, so a direct flight will be MUCH appreciated.

Happy Friday!!

They're all Saturday-only, 1x/wk service for the Spring. Most are on CRJ-700/900s, PIT/MCI/IND/MKE are on mainline (A319 or MD-88).

Ah, but if they could only be more permanent....

Agreed. If they are only going to be around for a couple of months, I wonder why Delta even bothers to highlight them on the map. All it does it get people like me excited for no reason!

Makes the route map look more exciting. :p

Don't you know that you can be banned from FlyerTalk for 30 days if you admit that you fly anything less than the longest possible routings? ;) :D

I would just be happy if Delta would bring back and keep either MCO-MIA/FLL. That route seems to come and go every few years. I wouldn't mind having the direct flight to Key West back either.

Sorry, what I meant to say is that I've very excited for the direct (and I'm sure-to-be expensive) flight so as to provide added justification for my MCO-LGA-DTW-MSP-MEM-SLC-OMA routing...gotta build up those segments!!! :)

What is the deal with IND-RSW? I see it on the route map too.

Sat only from Feb 16 thru Apr 6 on an E-175.

Full once/wk flying from Florida is as follows:

MCO: MCI/AUS/MKE/BHM/OMA/PIT/GRR/IND/SDF/RIC/BDL/CMH/HPN
PBI: BOS
RSW: CMH/IND
EYW: LGA
DAB: LGA

They are flying CMH and IND to RSW, also Saturday only like MCO. Both on E175.

Edit: Sat on it for too long, mersk862 beat me to it.

Mersk is always on the ball! :)

And the club use to be double the size.

Thanks. Very interesting. I am trying to figure this out. Is the strategy simply to attract the spring break crowd?

Agreed.

Sorry to bring back such an old thread, but where was the rest of the club? That SkyClub is already pretty big, I just don't see where else it could have/would have gone. Was there perhaps a second club located elsewhere? I just can't seem to picture this in my mind at all.:confused:

The wall along the bar side where the breakfast tables are setup used to not be there. The room opened up behind that wall into another roomy section. They closed that section years ago and built the wall. It did not cut 50% of the total space. I am guessing it cut 1/3 or so.

I remember they had the golf putting thing setup over in that old section until the golf thing went away at many SCs.

Seems silly to build a wall... Alas... Mr. Anderson, Tear Down this Wall...

^^ :D

...though I was happy to see the putt putt go.:)

MCO expansion?
 

I wonder with the SEA expansion if we are going to see a head-to-head fight with the AS route. Probably not enough to see an expansion into the 90s gates however....

^^ I would love to see that as the ug on AS, MCO-SEA is next to impossible. In my experience.

Since this thread got dusted off…

MCO is beginning a billion dollar expansion. Some areas really need improvements like baggage handling and intl arrivals but this also includes adding some gates and a new terminal eventually. I think the first phase will take three years, the second phase a couple years later.

http://pearlsoftravelwisdom.boarding...rport-growing/

It was much more than a "focus city". When Eastern Airlines, Delta's historic arch-enemy, went bankrupt in the late 80s, Delta ramped up MCO, got the local airport authority to build a DL dedicated building connected by a people mover to the main terminal, and also to build a new north-south runway on the east side of the airport. Delta also spent quite a bit of money with Disney, becoming the "Official Airline of Walt Disney World", and even having a sponsored ride (they took over Eastern's "If You Had Wings"; I forget what DL renamed it to). By the mid-90s, ValuJet (later AirTran) and Southwest had risen to be DL's competitors at MCO, and Delta never again made the kind of money that they had to have been making there immediately after Eastern's demise.

The last thing MCO needs is a new terminal... Upgrades, yes, but they do not fully utilize the existing space...

Agreed, and this is what the airlines are saying (because they don’t want to pay for it) but GOAA insists that their projected growth will require a new terminal/hotel/etc.

Since this is in the Phase 2 which is still a few years away, it might be better to wait until that time to see if MCO has the kind of growth that will require another terminal. My guess, it will happen only if they are able to secure more intl flts, an area where arguably they have been lagging a bit.

I don't see any need for additional gates but I would prefer to have a few more restaurants for gates 60 through 99. Thankfully with pre-check you can go to the food court in the terminal and still get to your gate pretty quickly.

I think the money is better spent upgrading the 80's/90's decor and perhaps finally adding the light rail. I laugh at the fact that they expect so much growth. With all of the domestic consolidation, it would take a major uptick in international flights to reach current capacity.

I was pleased to hear the Hyatt I remaining for another 20 years. I do not see the need for another hotel. Over the years they have been upgrading, yet the overall dining and terminal experiences have not really caught up with the times.

Well, I think the money would be better spent on a people mover that runs between the SC and whatever gate I am using. :p

Dining has been a laggard at MCO but they know that. Hopefully it will improve. They are planning a Sunrail link but it may depend on having a connection that travels down to Miami.

Like you, I question the need for another terminal but we could be wrong here. If MCO is successful courting more intl carriers, it would make sense to expand. The Hyatt is still awesome but if indeed there is another terminal built, it would justify another hotel/pkg garage/etc.

While we're dreaming, I want a monorail from MCO to the Magic Kingdom, preferably over I-4, so I can jeer at the poor schmucks crawling down below :D

That was in the works a few years ago but the guv shut it down.

But that's ok because a new medium speed connection (78 mph average, 125 mph max) between MCO and Miami is scheduled to be in operation by 2017. And since it's a private project, not government, chances are good they will not miss the schedule by all that much. Alas, not a monorail.

I'd prefer a Peoplemover like at MK from the gates to the main terminal. Can't stand that wait for the TSA agent to remove the 'protectors' in front of each door of the monorail and then the doors finally open crap.

UGH that's a major PITA!

They have to do something to earn their keep. Running a smoothe security operation at MCO is not really their forte:)

The PRECK line on Monday had a line as long as the regular one. What a fine time for the CLEAR person to take a coffee break......

I feel for the Mon morning traveler. It's either up and out by 4am to catch the 5:30am flights out or wait a bit more and deal w/the longer lines. I've submitted to the Sun afternoon/evening flights with all the tourists heading out. Just get there before 4-5pm when the crowds hit for the big VS flights headed out or wait til about 6pm :)

Since I got GE in mid-January, I've never had more than 2-3 people in front of me at the Pre lane.

Most of my MCO departures have me arriving at the airport before 6am and I don't see congestion or issues. I often arrive back into the airport on flights after the evening rush hour (by design) and don't see it then either. Unlike many leisure travelers I don't see the need for expansion. I think the local govt. is spend happy.

What I will agree with is transportation improvements such as mass transit via rail to the attraction, downtown, and I-4 areas is sorely needed. I also wonder how long the airport's anti-rideshare policy will last.

I used to dislike MCO when compared to smaller local airports (DAB and JAX) but now I just schedule around congestion and traffic issues when a cheap ticket is possible.