Archive for July 21st, 2008
July 21st, 2008
As Cranky Flier alerted me, Midwest Airlines is cutting service from Milwaukee to various places. The most interesting ones to me are the cuts to its south Florida service.
It’s no secret that residents of this region are clamoring for flights from Rockford to Fort Myers. Who knows if and when it will happen, but any time the Chicagoland area loses flights there, it slightly opens the door for us.
As far as I can tell, here’s what remains in terms of direct flights to Fort Myers:
- American, daily flights from O’Hare
- United, daily flights from O’Hare
- Spirit, daily flights from O’Hare
- USA 3000, multiple times a week from O’Hare, depending on the time of year (their online schedule is very confusing)
- Southwest, 12 flights a week from Midway.
- AirTran, apparently seasonal service from Milwaukee and Midway, but doesn’t seem to be available now.
It’s a shame, Midwest is one of my favorite airlines, and I’ve only gotten to fly them once. Looks like that might be it…
July 21st, 2008
Chicago Rockford International Airport has been successful so far in its day trip program: Two sold-out trips to Niagara Falls, one nearly full plane to Indianapolis Sunday and now tentatively plans to go to Mackinac Island in August.
Officials say more possibilities are on the way, and hope to do a few trips a month. I know I’d love to do one if it ever works out, but I’m pretty tripped out this year. Maybe if something knocks me off my feet…
Where would you like to go? Here are some possibilities, either named by the airport or proposed by yours truly:
- Washington, D.C.
- Mt. Rushmore
- Mall of America
- Springfield/Branson, Mo.
- Bowling Green, Ky. (if at first you don’t succeed…)
- New York City (I can hope, no?)
- Niagara Falls, again
- (your idea here)
Also, would you want a one-day or overnight trip? Let me know by commenting below, or emailing tbona@rrstar.com.
July 21st, 2008
Watching oil prices, Tropical Storm Dolly, Iran, Nigeria and, heck, tea leaves to figure if the drop below $4 will last (Numbers courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford dropped 5 cents to $3.99 a gallon, an almost-22-cent drop from Wednesday’s record. We’re TENTH in the state in gas prices. I’ll repeat that. We’re TENTH in the state in gas prices. The state average dropped more than a cent to $4.18 a gallon, more than seven cents below Thursday’s record. The national average dropped more than a cent to $4.07 a gallon, more than four cents below Thursday’s record. Illinois has the tenth-highest gas prices in the nation.
Diesel: Rockford dropped almost two cents $4.76, about 10 cents below the record set in May. We have the seventh-highest diesel prices in the state. The state average dropped more than two cents to $4.82 a gallon, down almost four cents from Thursday’s record. The national average dropped a cent to $4.82 a gallon, down almost three cents from Thursday’s record. Illinois has the 19th-highest prices in the country (including the District of Columbia).
