Silver Airways
02-20-2013, 11:25 PM
#2531
Thuggin it out
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: Rollin' Down tha 405
Posts: 2,571
Well....crap.
MUSCLE SHOALS — Northwest Alabama Regional Airport officials will travel to Atlanta on Friday to express concerns about the performance of the Shoals' new commercial air service provider.
Silver Airways, which also serves the Mississippi communities of Tupelo, Greenville, Meridian and Laurel/Hattiesburg, has been plagued by cancellations and late departing flights since beginning service to Atlanta in October.
Airport Director Barry Griffith, airport board member Barry Auchly, who also is chairman of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce's Air Services Committee, and businessman Allen Tomlinson have scheduled a meeting with Silver officials.
Griffith said during Tuesday's Air Services Committee meeting that he hopes the visit will answer some questions about Silver's performance and when improvements can be expected.
They also want to discuss fares, which have increased significantly since the departure of Delta Air Lines from the airport in Muscle Shoals.
"We want to encourage Silver to become as competitive as they can with surrounding airports," Griffith said.
He said local travelers will use Northwest Alabama Regional Airport if ticket fares were within $100 of a competing airport. He said flying out of the local airport saves travelers money in parking fees, fuel and time spent driving to an airport in Huntsville, Birmingham or Nashville.
Griffith said only 30 percent of flights from Muscle Shoals to major metropolitan areas were within $100 of fares offered in Huntsville.
"Unfortunately, 70 percent are outside that range," Griffith said.
He said it's been more difficult to bring fares in line with Huntsville fares since Delta left the Shoals.
Even if fares were competitive, Griffith said Silver's on-time performance and cancelled flights have negatively impacted the service.
Boardings for January were 141 compared to 617 just a year ago.
Auchly said he understands there will be issues because the company is new, but the people involved have been in the airline business for years.
He and Griffith said the airline's performance issues have been improving, but ironically, Tuesday's morning flight was 90 minutes late. Committee member Tim Rhodes said a delay of that length could cause travelers to miss a connecting flight in Atlanta.
Rhodes said he understands why some Shoals travelers are opting to fly out of Huntsville.
Auchly said he expects the airline's service to improve in the "next month or two."
"This is not a new phenomenon for any industry," he said of the issues Silver is experiencing.
Griffith said the committee and the airport board of directors want to hold off on significant marketing efforts until Silver has a more reliable product to offer.
"Hopefully, we will know more after Friday's meeting," he said.
Silver Airways, which also serves the Mississippi communities of Tupelo, Greenville, Meridian and Laurel/Hattiesburg, has been plagued by cancellations and late departing flights since beginning service to Atlanta in October.
Airport Director Barry Griffith, airport board member Barry Auchly, who also is chairman of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce's Air Services Committee, and businessman Allen Tomlinson have scheduled a meeting with Silver officials.
Griffith said during Tuesday's Air Services Committee meeting that he hopes the visit will answer some questions about Silver's performance and when improvements can be expected.
They also want to discuss fares, which have increased significantly since the departure of Delta Air Lines from the airport in Muscle Shoals.
"We want to encourage Silver to become as competitive as they can with surrounding airports," Griffith said.
He said local travelers will use Northwest Alabama Regional Airport if ticket fares were within $100 of a competing airport. He said flying out of the local airport saves travelers money in parking fees, fuel and time spent driving to an airport in Huntsville, Birmingham or Nashville.
Griffith said only 30 percent of flights from Muscle Shoals to major metropolitan areas were within $100 of fares offered in Huntsville.
"Unfortunately, 70 percent are outside that range," Griffith said.
He said it's been more difficult to bring fares in line with Huntsville fares since Delta left the Shoals.
Even if fares were competitive, Griffith said Silver's on-time performance and cancelled flights have negatively impacted the service.
Boardings for January were 141 compared to 617 just a year ago.
Auchly said he understands there will be issues because the company is new, but the people involved have been in the airline business for years.
He and Griffith said the airline's performance issues have been improving, but ironically, Tuesday's morning flight was 90 minutes late. Committee member Tim Rhodes said a delay of that length could cause travelers to miss a connecting flight in Atlanta.
Rhodes said he understands why some Shoals travelers are opting to fly out of Huntsville.
Auchly said he expects the airline's service to improve in the "next month or two."
"This is not a new phenomenon for any industry," he said of the issues Silver is experiencing.
Griffith said the committee and the airport board of directors want to hold off on significant marketing efforts until Silver has a more reliable product to offer.
"Hopefully, we will know more after Friday's meeting," he said.
02-21-2013, 08:45 AM
#2532
Respek
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,659
There is so many different issues affecting the ATL flying that it's impossible to pin it all down to 1 or 2 issues easily fixed. 1 of the airports here has an out of service ILS not sure if it's Muscle but that certainly doesn't help the situation out when weather is garbage. Speaking of which the weather has been really bad here and I think a majority of the cancels are due to it. The next is obviously the planes breaking that is a significant cause of delayed or cancelled flights. As far as passenger enplanements being down from last year I attribute that solely to the fact that you can't buy tickets on the Delta website. The price isn't too bad either $207 round trip is reasonable considering you would waste a lot on gas and parking at the other larger airports. Now with that being said most just spend the extra money and drive to BHM or HSV rather than take the chance of a delayed or cancelled flight.
02-21-2013, 01:26 PM
#2534
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 268
There is so many different issues affecting the ATL flying that it's impossible to pin it all down to 1 or 2 issues easily fixed. 1 of the airports here has an out of service ILS not sure if it's Muscle but that certainly doesn't help the situation out when weather is garbage. Speaking of which the weather has been really bad here and I think a majority of the cancels are due to it. The next is obviously the planes breaking that is a significant cause of delayed or cancelled flights. As far as passenger enplanements being down from last year I attribute that solely to the fact that you can't buy tickets on the Delta website. The price isn't too bad either $207 round trip is reasonable considering you would waste a lot on gas and parking at the other larger airports. Now with that being said most just spend the extra money and drive to BHM or HSV rather than take the chance of a delayed or cancelled flight.
The weather hasn't been that bad up here so far this year. Nothing like it could be, in fact, we have had almost abnormally good weather so far this winter in that part of the region. With the exception of a handful of times, I've been able to get into TUP most days on just a non-precison approach. Sure and ILS is nice, but it being down is not the major problem.
As far as planes breaking down, we managed to get a spare for a little bit in ATL, but managed to have a couple of good weeks and didn't need it. We have enough flights into and out of ATL that we warrant a spare airplane. We have reserve crews to fly it, so something as simple as a spare airplane would eliminate a lot of our massive delays. If there is any chance of salvaging this, Silver has to step up the emphasis on the MS and AL operation.
02-21-2013, 01:28 PM
#2535
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 268
02-21-2013, 02:25 PM
#2536
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Posts: 128
Tried to JS out of FLL today on Silver flt #3994, gate agent(Nelson) gave me the run around for 30 minutes...Wouldn't even get a JS form for me to fill out. The flight ended up leaving with 2 open seats while another customer and I were left standing at the gate with no information or help, What the *** is that all about? ...He told us to hold on and ended up leaving for an adjacent gate and never came back, D1ckhead!
Unfortunately, the airplane is too far from the gate to get the attention of the crew.
Nelson, you suck!
Unfortunately, the airplane is too far from the gate to get the attention of the crew.
Nelson, you suck!
02-21-2013, 05:13 PM
#2537
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: SF-340 FO
Posts: 31
I am sorry that happened to you unfortunately you fell victim to the unorganized mess that is FLL. No excuse for the agent to do that but I bet you he was trying to board three flights at the same time and didn't want a delay on him. Same thing happened last week we were about to leave three including a company captain with seats open. Luckily the captain called us and we waited and took everyone. Next time grab a pilot on the way downstairs and we will gladly try to let the crew know since all the planes are parked near the same gates.
02-21-2013, 06:21 PM
#2538
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: Airbus 320 Right Seat
Posts: 1,442
Tried to JS out of FLL today on Silver flt #3994, gate agent(Nelson) gave me the run around for 30 minutes...Wouldn't even get a JS form for me to fill out. The flight ended up leaving with 2 open seats while another customer and I were left standing at the gate with no information or help, What the *** is that all about? ...He told us to hold on and ended up leaving for an adjacent gate and never came back, D1ckhead!
Unfortunately, the airplane is too far from the gate to get the attention of the crew.
Nelson, you suck!
Unfortunately, the airplane is too far from the gate to get the attention of the crew.
Nelson, you suck!
Please continue to try ....
02-21-2013, 08:09 PM
#2539
Respek
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,659
Try two of the airports in north MS and AL have the ILS out of service. Tupelo and Shoals. One of the problems is that Shoals ends up cancelling to keep other parts of the operation "on-time". I have seen MSL cancel with an airplane on the ramp in ATL and reserves available.
The weather hasn't been that bad up here so far this year. Nothing like it could be, in fact, we have had almost abnormally good weather so far this winter in that part of the region. With the exception of a handful of times, I've been able to get into TUP most days on just a non-precison approach. Sure and ILS is nice, but it being down is not the major problem.
As far as planes breaking down, we managed to get a spare for a little bit in ATL, but managed to have a couple of good weeks and didn't need it. We have enough flights into and out of ATL that we warrant a spare airplane. We have reserve crews to fly it, so something as simple as a spare airplane would eliminate a lot of our massive delays. If there is any chance of salvaging this, Silver has to step up the emphasis on the MS and AL operation.
The weather hasn't been that bad up here so far this year. Nothing like it could be, in fact, we have had almost abnormally good weather so far this winter in that part of the region. With the exception of a handful of times, I've been able to get into TUP most days on just a non-precison approach. Sure and ILS is nice, but it being down is not the major problem.
As far as planes breaking down, we managed to get a spare for a little bit in ATL, but managed to have a couple of good weeks and didn't need it. We have enough flights into and out of ATL that we warrant a spare airplane. We have reserve crews to fly it, so something as simple as a spare airplane would eliminate a lot of our massive delays. If there is any chance of salvaging this, Silver has to step up the emphasis on the MS and AL operation.
02-21-2013, 08:10 PM
#2540
Thuggin it out
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Position: Rollin' Down tha 405
Posts: 2,571
I am sorry that happened to you unfortunately you fell victim to the unorganized mess that is FLL. No excuse for the agent to do that but I bet you he was trying to board three flights at the same time and didn't want a delay on him. Same thing happened last week we were about to leave three including a company captain with seats open. Luckily the captain called us and we waited and took everyone. Next time grab a pilot on the way downstairs and we will gladly try to let the crew know since all the planes are parked near the same gates.
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