A New Airport is Being Built in Florida!

Big news! There is a new major airport being built in the Florida panhandle. The Jacksonville Business Journal reports that finally, with demand so high, there is going to be a new airport added in the US. This hasn't happened in decades!

"The Panama City-Bay County International Airport has secured a $26.3 million federal grant to build the first phase of a new airport on land owned by The St. Joe Co. St. Joe donated 4,000 acres for the airport as part of a deal to get a mixed-use development project approved in the Panhandle, and an additional 9,000 acres for mitigation of the impact of airport construction. In July Bay County found a buyer for the property the existing airport occupies.

"The airport authority made important progress on three fronts today: finance, construction and environmental protection," said Panama City-Bay County International Airport Authority Chairman Joe Tannehill. "We are going to work tirelessly to make this airport a major success for this entire region."

The grant came from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. The airport also agreed to obtain a $6 million letter of credit to provide financial assurance for the implementation and management of the 10,000-acre mitigation area associated with the airport's relocation.

Phoenix Construction, based in Lynn Haven, near Panama City, will do site preparation for the new airport for $112.5 million. Construction is expected to start this year on the 4,000 acres donated by St. Joe as part of its 16,000-acre West Bay development. The first phase consists of residential units, commercial space and a hotel. The second and third phases of the project consist of industrial, commercial and retail space; residential units; a marina; and an inn.

Look Down and See a New Way to Advertise

Advertising schemes are always popping up, and I read recently about an ambitious way to capture the eyeballs of airplane passengers looking down. Reuters reports that a UK company will
begin placing painted adverts the size of three football pitches seen by plane passengers coming in to land.

Ad-Air launched its new service in London on Tuesday, offering brands the chance to place huge adverts near the runways of some of the world's busiest runways.

Ad-Air, backed by 5 million pounds of private equity finance, said it had spent five years securing sites around the world's busiest airports including Heathrow, Paris, Geneva, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi.

The first advert will appear in Dubai next month.

Paul Jenkins, managing director of Ad-Air, said the adverts would appear in "clutter-free environments and moments free of any other commercial messages". Operations Director Haakon Dewing told Reuters the adverts could develop to produce a moving image that starts each time a plane comes into sight.

The adverts, which are low to the ground and 20,000 square metres in size, will only be illuminated where local legislation allows.

At Logan, Just Phone from the Cellphone Lot

Logan airport in Boston joins JFK and other airports in providing a valuable service..a cellphone parking lot.

Next week, people picking up passengers at Logan can park for free for up to 30 minutes in the new cellphone lot, phoning their passengers and sheperding them through the terminal to a convenient rendezvous point.

This is one of these little conveniences that makes me think, boy what did I do before I had a cellphone??

Charlotte Gets a Taste of America's Ryanair Copycat

Charlotte County Airport officials will announce today that Skybus, the Ohio-based, ultra-low cost airline, will soon begin service from Punta Gorda to its hub in Columbus. This is the airline that has taken a page out of Ryanair's book to become America's cheapest airline...and they charge passengers for each bag, each drink and sell ads on the sides of their planes.

The carrier serves 11 airports: Fort Lauderdale; St. Augustine; Bellingham, Wash.; Burbank, Calif.; Oakland, Calif.; Chicopee, Mass.; Greensboro, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo; Portsmouth, N.H.; Richmond, Va.; and San Diego. They fly one type of plane, an Airbus A319.

In October, Skybus received government permission to begin international flights to places such as Nassau, Bahamas, and Cancun, Mexico.

Claim to fame: Promotes fares that are purportedly 25 percent less than Southwest Airlines, with some tickets as low as $10. Skybus guarantees that a minimum of 10 of those tickets will be offered for each flight.

Gimmick: Skybus is a so-called "a la carte" airline, where passengers pay separately for such things as seat selection, checked luggage, blankets or a soda.

New Parking Garage in Honolulu Coming Soon

In Hawaii, airport parking is tough, since there is not that much land. You know, all those volcanoes and stuff. It's a problem that's goes back for ages. Residents and airport users are thrilled that a new parking garage is being built at Honolulu Airport, they told the Star Bulletin this week. "It's good that they will have more spaces," said Gonzales, who was at Honolulu Airport picking up her niece. "Sometimes you're lucky, but it's almost always full."

The state broke ground yesterday on a 1,800-stall parking garage to supplement the airport's current 4,500 stalls. Gov. Linda Lingle said the project has received universal approval, from the Legislature to residents. "We don't have to explain it to the public," she said.

Because of the construction on lot A starting Oct. 1, the airport will be short 45 stalls, Fukunaga said. The whole lot will be closed, along with Ala Auana Road, which runs between lot A and the former Bank of Hawaii building. The road closure allows for employee parking to be converted into public parking during construction.

"Public parking will remain tight, but by limiting the loss of public stalls and continuing our valet parking operation, we hope to minimize the impact on the traveling public," Fukunaga said.
In the meanwhile, you can find convenient off-airport parking at Park Air Express, just follow this link.

Fukunaga could not say whether parking rates would increase after the garage is completed because details are not final. Of course they will go up...an even better reason to shop for parking at Airport Parking Reservations.com!

Delta Plays a Video Urging Small Jets to Pay Up

The major airlines are targeting owners of corporate jets in a new PR campaign. I saw it myself while flying Delta from Italy to the US. After the movies, a commercial was aired on the plane, first showing the roots of the current air traffic control system. The movie illustrated that our system is pathetically outdated...that it forces jetliners to follow zig zag patterns made up in the 1940s when planes used to navigate by following bonfires on the ground.

The video talked about the need for a gigantic and expensive new air traffic control system. And they pointed out that the reason runways are so crowded is that there are now so many private jets. Cut to a scene of a tycoon sipping champagne in a Gulfstream. The airlines want to change the ratio of approximately 97-3, by percent, that they pay compared with what the little planes pay.

Airlines say that the only way we can afford this new high tech FAA guidance program and all of the new equipment they have to buy ($600K per plane) is to raise the tax on those pesky corporate jets.

But remember who flies those jets--lobbyists, politicians, corporate donors and the most vocal and politically charged group. That's why it is so hard to raise taxes on corporate planes. But the outgoing chief of the FCC blames airlines on the congestion problems. She said they schedule too many flights, on smaller and smaller planes and since there are no new runways, it's bound to tie people up.

The next time you fly see if you see this video.

How About a Private Airport Parking Space?

Here's the latest trend in airport parking: private garages to keep your vacation home car safe and secure. The Denver Post reports on this new idea.

"At Denver International Airport, Airport Resort Parking plans to build 24 more private garages for lease. The company opened with 30 units at the beginning of 2006 and has accumulated a waiting list with 28 customers, said principal Chris Thompson. Leases for the DIA garages start at $3,200 for one year. Denver-based Airport Resort Parking also has built 11 private garages at Centennial Airport.

Another company, Steamboat Springs-based Airport Garages, has built 135 private garage units and a clubhouse at Eagle County Airport this year and is building another 48 units. The price for a standard car garage: $52,900.

"We're also looking to do the same thing down at DIA," said Airport Garages chief executive Dave Thorp, who wants to build 250 units outside the airport.

Thorp wants to expand into more markets next year, including Reno, Nev.; Palm Springs, Calif.; and Sarasota and Orlando, Fla. "There are a lot of people out there running with the idea," Thompson said. "One of our concerns has always been, how deep is the market?"

Airport Resort Parking is considering building some carports for long-term lease and has room for as many as 347 units at DIA.

But at Centennial Airport, Airport Resort Parking has leased only seven of its garages so far.

"Those are going slower," Thompson said. "When we first did the DIA ones, it started off slow, and now we have a waiting list, so we're hoping it's the same deal there." In the process, the company has brought down its prices. A 20-year lease at DIA, for example, starts at $28,800, down from $39,500 when the company first announced plans in 2005.

"We're being careful not to overbuild," said Thompson, "because the worst thing would be to build a bunch of them and have them empty."

Traveler's Tip: Cellphones at JFK

We arrived in New York last night after a long flight from Pisa, Italy. We had parked our car with the great folks at Airpark, who offer off-airport parking at JFK, La Guardia and Newark. The nice thing about this place is that they bring your car right out front, and put your luggage in for you. The car is ready and you just take off, no waiting and searching and finding.

After a nine-hour flight, this sure beats taking the endless monorail out of the terminal to the far outskirts of Lefferts Boulevard, and then trying to find your car after dragging your luggage over miles of parking lot. The cost is only a few bucks more, but losing this hassle is priceless.

When we got to the airport and cleared customs, it was time to phone Airpark to let them know we were ready to be picked up. That seems easy, but unfortunately, when you try to use your cellphone in the terminal three arrivals area, there is no phone reception! Then if you try to go outside and up the ramp to daylight, there are planes revving their engines. I phoned Airpark and despite shouting into the phone, there was just no way to hear what the man was telling me. Frustrated, I went back inside and tried to call, but again, no reception. It must be those thick walls.

It would have made sense for us to phone Airpark from upstairs where there is better cell reception. We finally got through, and thankfully, they arrived right away. Next time we won't wait to call.

In Elba, There's No Such Thing as Free Parking

We've been visting the island of Elba just off the coast of Tuscany this week and parking here has almost never been free. It seems that just about anywhere you try to park your little rental car, there's either a machine, or a guy waiting there to collect Euros.

Today we went to a gorgeous beach called Cavoli. We wound our way down a long and curvy steep little road off the main highway and at the end, found the sign that had that familiar blue P. Parcheggio they call it here. The same people who sell the parking spots also rent beach umbrellas and lounge chairs. So we ponied up 22 Euros for a half day and found ourselves comfortable with front row view of the blue Mediterranean while our car enjoyed a shady spot between two poles under grape arbors.

You can't just park in the municipal parking lots here either. No way, you gotta park then find the little machine to insert 2 or 3 Euros, then return to the car to put the little time slip in the front window. we learned the hard way in Lucca where were just 10 minutes late and wound up with a 22 euro ticket. We had even bought more time after we got lucky the first time but then got nailed anyway when we stayed too long over espressos after lunch.

One thing you do get when you stay at a hotel here is one sliver of a space for your car. That makes it all the more worth it not to drive into the town, but walk and leave the car safely between the poles. Otherwise we'd have to pay that cute attendant who sits there under the shade of the grape arbors smoking cigarettes waiting for the next customer to pony up.

Orbitz Lets Real Travelers Share the Real Info

Orbitz, a booking site created by five major airlines, has recently reinvented itself for the new 'Web 2.0' era and they have added an interesting twist: allowing regular travelers to contribute to the travel information they provide on their website.

A demonstration of OrbitzTLC Traveler Update is available on http://www.orbitz.com, through the OrbitzTLC navigation tab. After travelers select their chosen airport from a list of 40+ major airports in the United States, OrbitzTLC users can get instant access to key travel information including:

-- Real Time Traveler Update -- Postings of real-time travel conditions and insider tips provided by actual travelers.

-- Traffic -- Offers real-time traffic information, including traffic times, delays, accident reports and construction updates. Travelers can also send in traffic updates.

-- Airport/Flight Status -- Shows flight status and any airport delays based on FAA data.

-- Security Wait Time -- Provides 30-day average security line wait times from the TSA, as well as updates on current wait times from fellow travelers at a chosen departing airport.

-- Weather -- Gives travelers the weather forecast and the latest weather conditions at the selected airport, provided by weather.com.

-- Parking -- Provides insight into various parking options at the selected airport, rated by both convenience and price by the OrbitzTLC Team.

-- Wi-Fi -- Informs travelers of Wi-Fi options available at the airport.

-- Other Travel Tips -- Useful advice from fellow travelers, such as favorite restaurants, quiet work spaces and any other insider advice.

The Good People in the Parking Business at JFK

We recently had a good experience at Air Park, one of the private lots serving JFK, and it is worth sharing on this blog. That is because parking, well, it is like newspaper delivery -- you only hear about when you don't get the paper, and not the times you do. We showed up at Air Park on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. The lot was full -- so full that cars were being stored on the street until slots opened up for them in the lot. Six cars deep, a nightmare for an operator, but the people were helpful and nice. We met the woman in reception and she was very pleasant, despite being bombarded by so many customers all at the same time.

We took the shuttle to the airport and then, gulp, realized we had left one of our small bags in the car. "No problema." The driver made one stop then took us right back to the lot, we retrieved the bag and we were soon ready to go. But at that time we learned something about holiday weekends: you need to reserve! A woman boarded the bus wearing a JetBlue uniform and she was told she was not in the computer. So she had to take her bags off and choose another lot. We were glad that we had reserved ahead because we had no problems.

But we easily made our flight and the folks at Air Park were helpful and friendly. Jim Speero runs a good lot and like the newspapers that come on time, he needs to be appreciated for it.

Time to Move Up to Private Jet Service

A Concord, Massachusetts, air taxi service is unveiling an innovation that they say will cut the cost of personal jet travel in half.

Linear Air has announced it will begin passenger service aboard their new Eclipse 500 "very light jet" (VLJ) in mid-September. The company says it will acquire three more Eclipse 500s by the end of the year, and plans to have a fleet of 30 within two years.

The Eclipse 500 cruises at more than 400 miles per hour and carries four passengers and two pilots.

Linear Air currently has a fleet of Cessna Gran Caravan propjets and offers air taxi service to more than 500 cities in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Canada and Caribbean. They also have a seasonal air taxi service to Nantucket from Boston and New York and to the Outer Banks from Virginia and North Carolina.

Linear Air has aircraft based at Hanscom Field outside Boston, Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, Manassas Regional Airport in Manassas, Virginia, and seasonally in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The company says the addition of the new VLJs will allow them to make private jet travel available to a wide range of business people with prices that are "not far above commercial airlines' first-class or last-minute fares."

So if you've been anxiously waiting to make the move to a private jet, now's your chance.

"No One's In Charge"

"why is it that we can put a man on the moon but can't fly him from Atlanta to Charlotte, N.C., without at least a two-hour delay?" ask Chris Palmeri and Keith Epstein of Business Week in a very insightful and informative article on the Federal Aviation Administration.

It's not a lack of available technology, they say, and it's not even security concerns. The fundamantal problem, they say, is "a fundamental organizational failure."

"Nobody is in charge," they write. "The various players in the system, including big airlines, small aircraft owners, labor unions, politicians, airplane manufacturers, and executives with their corporate jets, are locked in permanent warfare as they fight to protect their own interests. And the FAA, a weak agency that needs congressional approval for how it raises and spends money, seems incapable of breaking the gridlock."

Paleri and Epstein quote Langhorne M. Bond, administrator of the agency from 1977 to 1981: "The FAA as currently structured is impossible to run efficiently."

They say the nation's air traffic control infrastructure -- based on "radar beams and squawking contollers" -- belongs in the Smithsonian.

"Pilots fly FAA-determined routes that are based largely on where bonfires and electric beacons were built in the early days of aviation, the better to guide the air mail pilots of the 1920s as they crisscrossed the country, navigating by sight."

"Digitization? The entire network runs on software known as Jovial, so old there are only six programmers in the country who know how to write it."

"Incredible as it seems," they write, "family minivans with NavStar have more sophisticated location guidance than some aircraft."

Palmeri and Epstein make a strong case that all the "players" ought to set aside their individual interests and take a look at the future of aviation. The current mess, which could easily get a lot worse, isn't helping anyone.