I'm new to this site and was just curious if anyone has heard any news about KLM or NW starting a AMS flight from PDX? Or if anyone has any insight on what they're expecting out of pdx this year... I'm hoping for great things and some new big flights! I know about AS and DL starting theirs.. Also, what happened to A CLE-PDX flight on CO? That was there and then vanished!

BillyEUSAF

Welcome to FT BillyEUSAF!

What is the DL flight that you speak of being started?

Also, this thread probably will find a better home in a different forum...

Welcome to Flyertalk BillyEUSAF.

The Milesbuzz forum is where we like to put threads that bring attention to items related to the latest frequent flyer program buzz.

I'll go ahead and move this to our "West coast" forum which can be found under Travel&Dining: Destination >> United States >> West.

Regards,

Flipside

thanks guys. The DL flight is from NYC/Kennedy, starting April 19th.

DL operated PDX-JFK for many years (back when DL had lots of 763/MD11 service into PDX as their Asian mini-hub). Nice to see it restored, but still a lot less than it used to be. As for new KLM flights, there simply isn't any Skyteam feed at PDX and LH has the O/D traffic wrapped up (with contracts for corporate travel, a legacy of their incentive package to start the PDX-FRA service). So there is next to no chance of any other carrier starting PDX-Europe flights (or PDX to Asia service again, for that matter). SEA is too close and too well connected. While PDX has the legacy of immigration and customs hell (years of harrassment of arriving pax, due to bored agents with nothing to do all day, making PDX the most difficult port of entry in the US). PDX will never recover from that and won't be a major international gateway in the next 20 years.

Been wondering about this lack of Europe service since moving here from SEA a year ago. Thanks for the background RE: LH. I don't like it, but at least it makes more "sense" now.

PDX was down to no international flights (maybe a flight to Mexico, but I think even that was gone, or was either seasonal or not daily); so the city was desperate to get some sort of international service (or they'd have to change the airport name). A big pitch to lots of airlines, and LH started service about 3 years ago, with lots of guarantees (I think half their capacity the first year was prepaid). Rather surprisingly several German companies have operations in the Portland area, also Star has pretty good feed at PDX, so it has been moderately successful for LH (which also operates to DTW so they are used to having specialized markets).

Rather unfortunate that PDX built a great airport and no-one came (or rather it didn't make it as an international gateway; DL is rumoured to have lost a billion dollars in trying to make PDX work).

I few on LH from Frankfurt back in sept 2004 and the flight was packed! I enjoyed the ride and got great service from LH. I'm really hoping that the port can make some changes and turn things around and get some good flights in there. I know that SEA is too close and that there isn't much need in portland, but its growing bigger everyday, and I believe that if an airline were to give it a shot, they wont be dissapointed. I'm from Portland and I'm down here in Glendale AZ going to flight school. I love portland and cant wait to move back there, and eventually fly out of there daily. Thanks for the input guys, would love to hear what else is out there about PDX, or and airport in Oregon.

Number_6,

As another transplant, I've wondered about the same thing. Really appreciate the background. PDX is a nice airport. I enjoy flying out of it. I like it's medium-size-ness, but having a few more options on carriers and international destinations would be nice. Course, with SEA and SFO nearby I guess I can't complain too much.

PDX airport is shared with an Air National Guard base. There was a DL MD11 flight that I took a dozen times a few years ago which was invariably accompanied by a pair of F15s -- presumably doing training with a nice big target. This was pre-9/11 days so it was an unusual sight, also interesting to see the huge difference in flight characteristics.

LH is offering some very cheap fares out of PDX at times, so they clearly aren't sold out year round (and they have some UA feed potential). Oneworld or Skyteam would have no hope of running flights to Europe profitably. Look at how sparse the service to Mexico is (no flights to Cancun, but AS has a flight to Cabo, keeping the airport international).