So a while back I mentioned before that there was a convention where airlines and airports/companies that own and/or operate airport meet up and have meetings and discuss with attendees about service and other things.
There’s a little update, every year there’s another event called “Routes World” and it’s extremely similar to the event that I mentioned in the past where they have meetings and events and the one I mentioned before, Massport did not attend. Well, this one that happened in October, Massport did attend the event. Now it’s unclear who they had meetings with, but according to the website that the convention have, 93% of meetings with airlines and airports about routes end up taking off and launching. That’s a big deal for Massport.
I can guarantee you one airline they talked too was JetBlue since they announced the Boston to Paris flight, but there was no way ORH wasn’t mentioned in that. Now this isn’t going to be announced anytime soon if a new airline or route will launch, but there’s optimism because now is the time to talk and have meetings about it. The airport is most likely not going to be adding flights until the work is done with the taxiway and second half of runway 29 and 11 is rehabilitated (2024 at the earliest if I had to guess since the biggest pain will be draining the swamp, leveling it out to the top of the hill where the runway is, then putting the taxiway in to handle all the additional weight).
There is still optimism and keep in mind, watch the Interviews again from the 1,000,000th passenger videos, they hint at the airport getting more flights but not until the work is completed. If I have to wait a year or two in order for a new airline and route to come whether it’s for business or leisure, I’m all for it.
Plus, JetBlue has not been using gate 3 up at the airport lately. They are only using gate 2 now (with the current schedule but it’s been like that and will stay like that for the foreseeable future) (American uses gate 1 and delta uses 4) meaning gate 3 is empty for a potential new airline to come in and use it plus there’s still an additional ticket station downstairs on the main floor that has nothing there so we’re definitely seeing stuff added and worked on and we’ll see it pay off in the future once the huge projects are completed.
JetBlue as voiced their intent to expand @ ORH. Currently they don’t have the staff to do so. Pilot & Flight Attendant shortage is still very real. I imagine this goes for other airlines as well. ORH is on a good track. The millions & millions invested by
Massport shows clear intent at making ORH at least profitable for Massport. Massport wouldn’t be investing all this money Willy nilly (money that could be used at Logan or Hanscom) if they didn’t see a clear need for it; I.E. increased activity. All the improvements their making only benefit airlines.
People just need to be patient. Expansions don’t happen every year. Service only came back 1 year ago. Give it a few years, maybe 5, things will pick up at the airport I believe.
Busy airports arnt built overnight.
These things take a decade or more to fully flesh out. P.S. a lot of people forget Southwest was on the cusp on expanding into ORH & JetBlue was about to announce additional routes RIGHT when COVID hit (early early 2020) but both of these things fell Thru due to it tanking the aviation business.
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