Likewise, I agree with his general assessment as to “why”: long flights burn lots of gas, reducing profits to marginal or worst losses. However, I would take exception to the fact it doesn’t bode well, unless of course we were to simply step back and accept the situation for what it is (as Thomas stated it). That is what most communities would normally do. I’m betting that Rockford and the surrounding communities get it; they get that this challenge is nothing more than another opportunity, and it is.

The airline industry will be pulling back as a whole, hoping to cut loses. The first cuts are reduced through “eliminations of service via non-profitable cities”, then “marginally profitable cities”; the final wave of cuts are “reductions verses eliminations”, these are a combination of weaker cities but ones an airline want to remain in with hopes of strategic benefit over the long haul (no pun intended), the other is long haul routes (in real terms just as Thomas correctly noted).

The counter to this is very simple and easily measured, especially during “contractions” in service as noted above. It is to sell every seat on every plane (100% - no exceptions).

But how? Well the fact is that 2,500,000 people live within 60 minutes of RFD. Moreover, and here is the real answer to our challenge: a community that accepts ownership and responsibility for the recent re-establishment and growth of hometown air service, WHO IN TURN TELLS THERE FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN ADJACENT COMMUNITIES AND COUNTIES ABOUT THE GREAT VALUE OF NON-STOP AFFORDABLY PRICED FARES ON ALLEGIANT, AND GOES SO FAR AS TO ACTIVELY WORK THEM INTO TRYING RFD verses driving right on by while enroute to O’hare for the same destinations being offered out of RFD. AND ONE MORE THING, “WE” ALL HAVE FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES LIVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO COULD USE ALLEGIANT, IN THIS CASE, TO FLY INTO THE CHICAGOLAND REGION, verses dragging the “local folks” down to O’hare to PICK THEM UP!

Thomas is right. And so am I. Please redouble your efforts in support of air service development and RFD. You got us here in four short years. we can double our progress in the next 24 months, if we don’t accept the traditional attitude during a slow down in the industry. It’s ours (the regional communities) to claim.

And please don’t doubt it for a second. Two weeks ago a “princess” of an airline said “yes, we have a deal philosophically” to start an incredible quanity and quality of air service at RFD. As we worked over the last two weeks to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s”, they, like most everyone else said “time out”. We are sorry but we just can’t make the commitment at this time (they cited items along the line of fuel prices AND the economy, which we are all dealing with). They begged our understanding. They even went as far as to say that RFD was ” a no brainer three months ago”. We (the airport’s board and staff, plus the community’s grass root program that built us into what we are today) have credibility with this airline, and them with us.

Let’s not simply double our efforts, lets triple our efforts and sell the last 15 seats of every flight, making them full. This will send an immediate signal to Allegiant that we want those additional flights back, and to “Princess” off in the distance, that we intend to race head on towards her in an effort to capture her heart for this regional community.

Who is with us?

PS: For the record, this is my first blog ever!