MSP Airport / Metropolitan Airports Commission

[Didier]

DL CEO: Another long haul flight to Asia within 3 to 5 years
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n ... ml?ana=twt
Seoul, probably.

China, most likely, according to this story.

http://www.startribune.com/business/276855801.html

[mattaudio]

My guess is that it will still be ICN, especially if tensions between Delta and their Skyteam partner Korean ease. Stage length is roughly the same as PEK, but with significantly more connectivity via KE and more O&D demand. PEK would work with Skyteam connections on China Southern, but my guess is that there's more local demand to PVG due to being closer to the epicenter of manufacturing and trade.

[Didier]

So others don't have to look it up:

ICN = Seoul
PEK = Beijing
PVG = Shanghai
HKG = Hong Kong

Continue on.

[Wedgeguy]

So others don't have to look it up:

ICN = Seoul
PEK = Beijing
PVG = Shanghai
HKG = Hong Kong

Continue on.

Thanks for the cliff notes! I knew all but the Shanghai abbreviation.

[matt91486]

I think HKG is unlikely, given that it didn't work particularly well for Northwest when they ran it. The issue with PVG is that, while Shanghai is the HQ for China Eastern, another SkyTeam member, quite a lot of their (especially domestic) flights are based in the other airport in the city. Cross city transfers are feasible, but not especially desirable. Lord knows I skip any itinerary that wants me to connect in New York and switch from LaGuardia to JFK.

[MNdible]

Did anybody notice in that gate planning document that was posted on the last page that they include Air China and Emirates in the list of airlines that needed to be accommodated?

[exiled_antipodean]

Highly likely to be ICN. MSP doesn't have these Asia flights because of high daily O/D traffic, it's all about connections over efficient hubs, and Seoul ICN is well placed for connections into Asia. HKG, PEK, and PVG cut out some connections by being too far west or south.

[Tyler]

Sweet! Hopefully in 6-14 years we can see two new international routes!

[SteveXC500]

I saw a news story last night on FOX 9 regarding some of the current work being done at MSP. They did mention the 3 gates being added at T-2 and mentioned this was due to growth by Spirit and Sun Country, however, Spirit is moving to T-1 in January. I had mentioned in a previous post about the planning document stating Southwest could move to T-1. Doesn't this effectively hand over all of T-2 to Sun Country, which by 2020 will have 16 gates? How much is Sun Country really growing at MSP?

[FISHMANPET]

Man, if Spirit is moving to T1 that's awesome.

[HiawathaGuy]

I saw a news story last night on FOX 9 regarding some of the current work being done at MSP. They did mention the 3 gates being added at T-2 and mentioned this was due to growth by Spirit and Sun Country, however, Spirit is moving to T-1 in January. I had mentioned in a previous post about the planning document stating Southwest could move to T-1. Doesn't this effectively hand over all of T-2 to Sun Country, which by 2020 will have 16 gates? How much is Sun Country really growing at MSP?

Don't forget a few other airlines use T-2 during the summer months too (Iceland Air & Condor). I understood Spirit moving to T-1 as a temporary thing, while MAC figures out its long-term plans.

A friend of mine who is pretty high up at Sun Country stated that they are more than happy with the ability to expand at T-2. They are taking delivery of 3 new planes and adding a few new destinations in 2015.

[SteveXC500]

I saw a news story last night on FOX 9 regarding some of the current work being done at MSP. They did mention the 3 gates being added at T-2 and mentioned this was due to growth by Spirit and Sun Country, however, Spirit is moving to T-1 in January. I had mentioned in a previous post about the planning document stating Southwest could move to T-1. Doesn't this effectively hand over all of T-2 to Sun Country, which by 2020 will have 16 gates? How much is Sun Country really growing at MSP?

Don't forget a few other airlines use T-2 during the summer months too (Iceland Air & Condor). I understood Spirit moving to T-1 as a temporary thing, while MAC figures out its long-term plans.

A friend of mine who is pretty high up at Sun Country stated that they are more than happy with the ability to expand at T-2. They are taking delivery of 3 new planes and adding a few new destinations in 2015.

Icelandair uses 1 gate in the evening, daily. Condor is 2x/week only. So to me, the two are rather irrelevant as heavy gate utilizers. I recall hearing 8 flights/day is solid utilization. Sun Country has five gates today, correct? I believe they fly about 25 (+/- a few) flights per day in the Summer months with a solid increase for Winter, which is when they are at capacity. Someone please feel free to correct my numbers.

[MNdible]

Just because a study looked at it, don't take it as a given that Southwest ends up leaving T-2.

[grant1simons2]

Big solar panel plan in the works for MSP

http://tcbmag.com/News/Recent-News/2014 ... lar-Energy

[twinkess]

How are they overcoming the glare produced by these panels? Living on the 12th floor of my building there are certain periods where I have to close the blinds because it is so bad. These panels are three blocks away. I'm certain they will have to do mitigation to not blind the pilots.

[Wedgeguy]

How are they overcoming the glare produced by these panels? Living on the 12th floor of my building there are certain periods where I have to close the blinds because it is so bad. These panels are three blocks away. I'm certain they will have to do mitigation to not blind the pilots.

They do make anti glare films. Not sure if that has ever been used on Solar Panels or not. Also not sure how much different it would be from the solar panels on IKEA. They would both be fairly close to the different runways. Both would be off to the side to the pilots direct vision.

[seanrichardryan]

Don't all pilots wear aviator sunglasses just for that reason?

[MNdible]

Nope. They wear them because...



Wait, what were we talking about?

[seanrichardryan]

Bait taken

[froggie]

Hook, like, and sinker...