Portland International Jetport | PWM

Just get those prices down and the flights will continue to increase. Flew on United out of the Jetport early last Thursday to Newark and it was a dream. But the dream ended when I got to Newark, especially a flight out the next day (with a rental car return). I have never seen such a mess in all my years of flying. Never. Just imagine the unimaginable and now you've got it. Stay away from there. I'm serious.
 
My 2024 predictions / wishlist for the Jetport: (fairly realistic, I think)

American: Resuming 2x daily LGA (As we already know) . Adding a 3rd peak season CLT frequency and an extended window for a daily DFW frequency. Possibly Resuming MIA for the winter '24-'25 season.
Breeze: Additional frequency to CHS, MCO and TPA. New service to JAX or somewhere in the Midwest.....The sky is the limit unless their overall financial situation drags them down : https://onemileatatime.com/news/breeze-airways-losing-money/
Delta: More A321's and 737-9's on PWM-ATL...Possible mainline to LGA in the summer and fall.
Frontier: MCO goes year-round. Possibly resuming TPA for the winter '24-'25 season
JetBlue: Status Quo...But I'm increasingly feeling like their days at the Jetport are numbered
Southwest: In addition to Saturday seasonal BNA....A 5th peak season frequency to BWI and possible a 2nd frequency to MDW on some peak days. The biggest limit for WN is gate space.
Sun Country: Status Quo
United: More mainline to IAD and ORD...2nd daily frequency to DEN on some peak days

Overall: More mainline aircraft for more of the year. Overall enplanements will beat 2023 by ~50-60k
 
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When the Jetport finally adds the two additional jetways on the west end of the terminal it will help airlines like Southwest and Breeze with their potential need for extra gate space. I'd love to see Delta add seasonal service to Salt Lake City.
 
My 2024 wish list:
SWA: adds MCO, TPA to the mix Seasonal, DEN ??? SWA has already added a 5th run to BWI starting this summer, matching MHT. Love to see Dallas Love added
United: adds IAH seasonal , would help on connections
AA: MIA seasonal comes back in winter
Breeze: Seasonal-Vero Beach, Sarasota, Vegas, New Orleans, LA-this is a long shot, Myrtle Beach
Jetblue : gut feeling this is the last year depends on Spirit merger. Need to see FLL seasonal added for Cruise ships
Frontier: CLE is added to allow midwest travel
Gate expansion begins as well as the parking lot.
Grant money comes in for Baggage claim expansion, Customs Gate
 
The big wild cards are Breeze and JetBlue

The tough reality is that Breeze is struggling financially at the moment. All airlines loose money when they first start but by now Breeze should be showing signs of turning things around....but they aren't where they were expected to be financially...2024 will be a "make or break" year for Breeze. Personally, I’m optimistic that they can turn things around and that they’re still on a growth trajectory ( both at PWM and in general)

JetBlue might stick around with limited seasonal service at PWM for the next couple years depending on what happens with the Spirit Merger, but Portland doesn't really fit their overall network strategy anymore and their load factors have been unremarkable for the past few summer seasons. if I were a JetBlue executive....I'd see PWM as a low utilization of those precious slots at JFK....
 
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What do you all think makes JetBlue weaker than the others, other than the "reduced service induces reduced demand" vicious cycle?
 
markhb said:
What do you all think makes JetBlue weaker than the others, other than the "reduced service induces reduced demand" vicious cycle?
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For me I see a few different things with JetBlue:

1) The switch to seasonal service basically eliminated all of their Maine-based customer loyalty which eats into their load factors.
2) JetBlue hasn't offered a competitive product out of PWM for years...and they've been pushed out of the market by other airlines. It's no coincidence that the switch to seasonal service started the same year Frontier brought lots of seats to the PWM market. Instead of stepping up to compete....JetBlue retreated.
3) PWM is a legacy out-station that doesn't really fit their overall network strategy anymore. We can see that with the axeing of BTV....which in a lot of ways was very similar to PWM.
4) JFK is a slot-restricted airport...and JetBlue can absolutely find higher-yielding uses for the slots that PWM takes up. Especially if the Spirit merger gives them more access to premium-heavy markets like SFO/LAX
 
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Looking at Jetblues schedule FY24
June only 1 flight a day to jfk 1130am departures, 2 arrivals
July and Aug 2 flights a day. All catering to NYC residents. PWM-JFK 955am and 820pm departures.
I remember when they started at 5 flights on a320 then to e190s.
 
At their peak it was 5-6x daily to JFK with a lot of those being A320's. Plus daily flights to MCO with E-190's. For a while in the late 00's they were the only carrier regularly bringing in 6-abreast mainline jets. (Oh, how times have changed!)

PWM made sense for JetBlue when they were an all-economy airline focused on the East Coast....but they've evolved and our market just doesn't really fit their business model anymore. It's sad but it happens and it gives other airlines room to grow here.
 
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I would like to know the agreement Jetblue has with the Jetport. Exclusive use of gate 6. Large counter space. When does this end? no other airlines can use gate 6 to utilize it, now with 2 flights a day, what a waste of space.
 
Cosakita18 said:
PWM made sense for JetBlue when they were an all-economy airline focused on the East Coast....but they've evolved and our market just doesn't really fit their business model anymore.
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What would you say their model is now? Just curious as my brother (who no longer travels much for work) used to consider himself #Mosaic4Life .
 
Delta has upgraded its equipment for the upcoming summer and fall season to MSP with the 737-900ER with 180 seats compared to the previous A319 with 130 seats. All flights to ATL will be on the A321 with 191 seats.
 
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2024 Forecast: Portland Jetport director predicts ‘stable growth’ for airport, regional economy​


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PHOTO / JIM NEUGERPaul Bradbury, director of the Portland International Jetport, says the Jetport has a $33 million capital improvements budget for 2024.
By Renee Cordes
Paul Bradbury, director of the Portland International Jetport, is more bullish going into 2024 than he was a year ago when many economists feared a recession that never materialized.
“The unexpected soft landing has the Jetport and our regional economy well-positioned for modest but stable growth in 2024,” says Bradbury, who has led Maine’s biggest airport since 2008.
Total passengers in 2023 departing from and arriving at the Jetport were projected to be up 11.5% over 2022, while takeoffs and landings were projected to be 1.9% lower.
The numbers are trending in opposite directions because airlines are carrying more passengers on fewer aircraft — planes that are larger and more fuel-efficient. In the industry, the practice is called “upgauging.”

Jetport upgrades​

After rehabilitating the main runway in 2022, the Jetport will embark on a $13.3 million revamp of the taxiway that runs parallel with the main runway in 2024. Known as Taxiway A, the lane moves aircraft from the terminal apron to the runways.
Other 2024 projects include replacing five passenger boarding bridges and adding three new ones, replacing baggage claim carousels and expanding public parking, bringing the total capital budget to $33 million for the year.
As far as financing, Bradbury says the Jetport has no immediate borrowing needs after replenishing its cash reserves to a “healthy” level above $40 million.
“This, combined with grants, will be used to fund the backlog of infrastructure projects caused by the pandemic,” he says.
By early 2027 the Jetport aims to become a hub for charter flights to the Caribbean or Europe as a Federal Inspections Services Facility equipped to handle customs and border protection.

Bradbury, who estimates the project cost at around $14 million, says he believes the project can be funded with the current $4.50 passenger facility charge in combination with grants and Jetport cash reserves.
 
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Another example of Bangor or other airports getting money that needs to be going to Portland… what’s up with this? This is apart of Maine DOTs 3 year goal and there is no mention of PWM when it’s by far the largest and most important airport for the state. I could be wrong for being upset about this because I don’t know as much as others but it just always seems like PWM gets the scraps from funding.
 
PWM gets a lot of its funding from the feds and from the passenger fees. So, PWM's 2+ million passengers vs 800K passengers at BGR, it puts these airports in different funding categories. Plus, their only runway has not been reconditioned in several years and upgraded with led lights. PWM just recently had 11/29 redone recently so its allows funding to other airports to upgrade their infrastructure.. 11/29 was a big cost with the majority of the funds coming from the Feds and MDOT. Plus their runway is 11k vs 7200 ft long. Another issue is the military usage of the airport allows them to access different funds compared to PWM. PWM will upgrade its main taxiway this year with LED which will bring the airport in compliance. The state also looks at the fact PWM is more sustainable than the other rural airports too. All the small airports have limited funding and rely on the state for help.
 
Not to derail this from PWM.....but from that $4.7 billion transportation headline.....$87 million for a Presque Isle bypass???....seriously? Suzie Collins working her magic. :rolleyes:
 
Breeze just loaded Jacksonville on the schedule. Currently it shows a stop in Pittsburgh, same plane then to JAX. Starting in May.
 
Funny how they term service to Jacksonville as "breeze thru" with no plane change in Pittsburgh! :)
 
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