Budget cuts threaten M.S. Airport

I am SO hoping that it doesnt happen!!! I still remember the days that one had to drive to H'ville or B'ham to catch a flight.

When I went to Kansas City back last year, it was SOOOOO convenient to fly out of Muscle Shoals, GREAT even!!!!

I was thinking it would be a great idea to fly in and out of Muscle Shoals rather than Huntsville....well, it's about $100 more. So I won't be using that airport anytime soon.

I try to use MS airport even with the additional hundred bucks. Its not much when you consider loosing a minimum of 3 hours and pay parking in Huntsville not to mention the aggravation level. I hate to see it go but doubt if we can support it.

quote:

Originally posted by Heub:
I try to use MS airport even with the additional hundred bucks. Its not much when you consider loosing a minimum of 3 hours and pay parking in Huntsville not to mention the aggravation level. I hate to see it go but doubt if we can support it.

Wow, what a turn-around six months make!!! Back in September it was CHEAPER to fly out of MS than H'ville!!! But even if it had been more, I would have paid it, for convenience and to keep a good thing going!!!

i don't know how much it cost to fly from muscle shoals but i know at the tupelo airport it's a lot more expensive then driving to memphis and catching a plane.

I drive to nashville to pick up my two sisters when they come in one in Vegas and one in seatle. they both get nonstop flights and is the most convienent for them. It don't take me much longer than it does to huntsville. By the way, they both talk about how it is more frendly than many other airports are(especialy Dallas).

MSL is a dead idea that's time to come to an end. They are too high, underdeveloped, and yes, I had a bad experience 11 years ago flying into MSL, mostly due to NWA's loosing my baggage, and NWA refusing to pay for the damages.

Me, whenever I come home via plane, I fly into Nashville or Huntsville. Cheaper, more convienent, and I enjoy the scenery to see "what has changed" between my trips home.

I see MSL going belly-up anytime... unless they go completely to privately owned general aviation...like many other ideas that "sounds good, briefs well, but not with the paper it is printed on" that seem to originate out of the Shoals of late.

My mom works for TVA in Muscle Shoals. She is involved in making travel arrangements. No one wants to fly out of MSL, primarily because no one wants to make several hops. They would rather drive to Huntsville or Nashville, as it is more direct. Other reason is the expense.

We have been draging this esa thing for too long. I belive that like other industrys, they need to find another venue to get capitol. maybe something will come to fruation, but as it is, whatever the dollar amount is, is only benifiting the few. Im sure there is way to keep the airport. most people who fly frequent avoid that small aircraft is the big reason.

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most people who fly frequent avoid that small aircraft is the big reason.

Agree,

If you have never flown on a "pole jumper" it's quite a scary experience. The airport itself itself isn't very conveniently located. If I lived within 10 miles of the airport I would just drive the 50 miles down ALT-72 to the Huntsville Airport. If I lived in Florence I might not even know we had a airport.

When I was still working and flying around the country, I tried the local airport. Very convenient to me. Problem was, that half the time (litterly 1/2 the time) the flight I was on would be cancelled , and I would have to drive frantically to Huntsville, negotiate the ticket to leave and come back to Huntsville, and try to catch that plane. Well, after all that, I just gave up and started booking flights out of Huntsville to start with. That way I could go to Huntsville without breaking the speed limit, and catch a plane like a real person.
It is sad that service to this airport got so bad. That was ASA by the way, because of the great connections avaliable thru Atlanta. Haven't used the Northwest commuter to Memphis because not as good connections.

Maybe instead of trying to keep up an airport here, that money could be better spent on having a good cheap light rail service from here to H'ville.

This may be in the wrong post, but I was in trowbridges in florence the other day and saw an ad for a round trip ticket by rail to memphis for $6. Thank you exelman for the correction, When I looked at it I realized ESA was the wrong acronim, or is it EAS for essential air service? By the way the ad I'm refering to is dated for june 27 1929.

quote:

Originally posted by unclegus:
This may be in the wrong post, but I was in trowbridges in florence the other day and saw an ad for a round trip ticket by rail to memphis for $6. Thank you exelman for the correction, When I looked at it I realized ESA was the wrong acronim, or is it EAS for essential air service? By the way the ad I'm refering to is dated for june 27 1929.

I'm pretty sure it was ASA. It was a contracted branch of Delta.

quote:

Originally posted by excelman:

quote:

Originally posted by unclegus:
This may be in the wrong post, but I was in trowbridges in florence the other day and saw an ad for a round trip ticket by rail to memphis for $6. Thank you exelman for the correction, When I looked at it I realized ESA was the wrong acronim, or is it EAS for essential air service? By the way the ad I'm refering to is dated for june 27 1929.

I'm pretty sure it was ASA. It was a contracted branch of Delta.

I'm pretty sure Delta Airlines did not exist in 1929.

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Originally posted by DHS-86:


I'm pretty sure Delta Airlines did not exist in 1929.

I'm pretty sure they don't have rail service either

The point of my original post is the local elected officials were really pushing MS Airport and wanted local business people and all other locals to fly out of MS Airport. And yet they drove to Huntsville to catch their flight DC. Don't yall see the irony?