RDU had no choice but to expand their surface lot at Economy Parking Lot 3, pretty earth and trees or not. They are about to lose all the garage parking in front of terminal 2 to build a massive new garage and consolidated car rental facility and ground transportation center.
Combined with loss of even more parking when they close remote lot 4 for cargo space expansion, and the continued crazy growth of passenger numbers (#1 in passenger growth for 2023 of all large US airports, the top 50 US airports, at 22%) that drive even more cars needing to park somewhere at RDU (the garages frequently fill up as it is), means they needed to expand somewhere, and the only place that made sense was at Parking Lot 3 in the forest THAT THEY OWN. They didn’t chop down trees in Umstead Park. They couldn’t build a garage there due to costs: surface parking construction costs from $1500-$10k PER SPACE. Garage parking spaces costs $25k to $50k PER SPACE. THey don’t have the luxury of building the most expensive solution when they are scraping every nickel they can from grants etc to build the new runway that is critically needed just to stay open (the old runway is past its useful life and must be replaced).
Unless you were willing to pay for the parking deck construction with your own money, RDU is doing the smart thing of building surface parking where they are. It is shockingly large swath of missing forest, but there was no other solution, sustainable or not.,
Late on this thread but I really want Knoxville and/or Chattanooga. Both fun towns and growing markets. Neither is that far as the crow flies but the driving through the mountain pass can get hairy.
Neither seems to have a lot of non-stops either. Chatt only has 10, 5 of those to hubs. Knox has 25+, with the usual hubs, a lot of to Florida, and then the North East. Many of them seasonal on Allegiant - the true bus of the air. Regular flights to South Bend is unusual though, lol. RDU, and our connections on to Europe (which landed us a British food plant in Selma) might make good sense, beyond the tourist trade.
Neither of them is a weekend trip by driving at all. I guess what airlines need to know is whether people will go there and not just drive to Asheville / Boone / Greenville, SC.
When I flew back from Portland late last Thursday night, it looked like it was open with the tables set and everything. Then again it was after midnight and everything was closed for the night.
“Why don’t you calm down bucko?” (nice one. Geez are you ever NOT angry about something on this forum?)
American Indian proverbs are great, but you used it as a response to me explaining a financial reality. I don’t think that warrants an order from you to “calm down.” OMG.
If you have something constructive please add to the conversation about the parking situation I was talking about, please do that, rather than cast insults? Easier to cast platitudes or “Native American Proverbs” I guess.
something I just read about the parking expansion for the remote shuttle lot that’s been the subject of some friction here: At this new area they chopped down so many trees to expand the lot, RDU is installing solar panels all over the walkway canopies throughout the remote parking lot and will generate most of the energy needed by the airport at this parking location. They COULD install MORE and generate more electricity than RDU uses, but get this: Duke Power WON’T ALLOW THEM to per their contract to supply electricity to RDU.
(get around the paywall; use chrome browser and view in Reading Mode, will show you text of the whole article)
So if people want to be angry about something related to the larger parking lot, be angry at Duke Power,not RDU. The airport board is aware of the optics of chopping down trees and is trying to mitigate things by emphasizing sustainable practices. Quoting one board member, their "job goes beyond simply looking after the airport’s finances. “It is also the trust and taking good care of the airport as it relates to our community that we serve, and that includes reducing our carbon emissions,” (she) said. “So while this isn’t a huge amount, it’s something. And so we are beginning to do our part.”
RDU is joining the emerging ranks of airports with solar energy farms, and that’s a win.
Good TBJ article on Breeze growing at RDU. By this winter, Breeze will have doubled in size (flights and seats) over last year. Currently at 22 nonstop flights with more coming. The CEO said the market is “exceeding our wildest expectations” and that if it continues “there’s a really good chance” a local crew base could be in the cards next year, that “a lot of our crews would like to live there.”
Out of the budget airlines. Breeze has been the best. I’ve taken their direct to San Diego a few times now and it’s been a great experience, definitely recommend them.
Nice! I’m flying Breeze for the first time for Thanksgiving - a much more convenient direct flight to Sarasota versus my usual flight to Tampa + long drive down the coast.
If only their operations were daily, and ultimately multiple-daily frequencies on their routes, imagine how much more viable of an alternative they would be. Their schedule is not practical yet for routine biz travel, but if they keep at it, they and others like Avelo have a good shot at successful growth. The “big 4” of AA, Delta, Southwest, and United have the multiple flights daily to provide backup routings when things go sideways, but for leisure travelers the ULCC ultra low cost carriers are a good alternative, and I’ve heard only good things about Breeze and Avelo. Spirit and Frontier, not so much, but espeically Spirit. I’ve flown Frontier a few times but not Spirit. I’m an AA guy here.
