Friday, August 27, 2004
Be grateful for the airlines Roanoke has
From the RoundTable blog
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Grant lives in Roanoke and is a retired sales manager, private pilot, photographer and world traveler.
When in the heck are Roanoke's business leaders (including this newspaper) going to wise up and thank their lucky stars that they have the airlines at Roanoke Regional Airport that they have now?
All I read is that Roanoke needs a low-cost airline like Southwest Airlines or Air Tran and then, all their troubles would be solved.
Recently, many business people in the Roanoke Valley (whom you would think would be smarter) promised AirTran Airline millions of dollars to come fly in and out of Roanoke. Basically AirTran laughed and politely turned down the offer.
AirTran is now leaving Greensboro and Tallahassee, Fla., and has in the past left Richmond because it couldn't make money. If Air Tran can't make a living in Greensboro, Tallahassee or Richmond, it doesn't take a half-smart person to figure that they won't make money in Roanoke. Right?
One of the airlines here in Roanoke, US Airways Express/US Air/Piedmont Airlines - which first started service in Roanoke the spring of 1948 - has been here more than 56 years and has never asked Roanoke for a dang penny to operate. I think it's an insult to never say thank you or even ask the airlines presently serving the Roanoke area "how can we help you?"
Roanoke is a very good place to live, but it is no New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Raleigh or Charlotte. Those are the cities that Air Tran or Southwest Airlines will consider serving. And, believe me, when they stop making money in those or any city, they will be gone in a New York second.
Recently, a very small, new, low-cost airline, Independence Airline, politely told Roanoke it's "not interested in serving Roanoke." Now that's a hoot! A tiny little airline turning down big ol' Roanoke!
My suggestion would be for the Roanoke city fathers to get down on their knees and thank the heck out of US Airways Express, Delta Connection, United Express and Northwest Airlink for serving this city that apparently no one else wants to serve.
Maybe when Roanoke's population gets to about 4 million or 5 million, it might qualify for some low-cost airline to fly somewhere from Roanoke. You should help the airlines that want to serve this community and do it now.
