August 7, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, dski44 said: I arrived at Cle last night around 8:15 pm from a quick weekend trip. I was surprised in the amount of people in the airport. The Dublin flight was also departing as I took the long walk down the C Concourse. Is it possible that CLE might have 11 million passengers this year? Also, at what point will Aer Lingus have an official ticketing counter? I didn't notice one walking through. https://www.clevelandairport.com/sites/default/files/cle_jun_2023_pax_results_for_web.pdf Cleveland does a good job updating stats at the airport. 11m won’t happen but solid chance to hit 10m (I believe the prediction by the airport is they will exceed it this year).
August 7, 20231 yr The hope was to get started on phase 1 of CLE master plan when passenger numbers reached 10M, which was estimated to be in 2025 or 2026. Since it look like that will happen sooner, I wonder if phase 1 can get started sooner? I thought the FAA had already approved the plan. Is that not the case?
August 7, 20231 yr 13 minutes ago, LibertyBlvd said: The hope was to get started on phase 1 of CLE master plan when passenger numbers reached 10M, which was estimated to be in 2025 or 2026. Since it look like that will happen sooner, I wonder if phase 1 can get started sooner? I thought the FAA had already approved the plan. Is that not the case? FAA approval is expected "soon" - by the end of the year? Then plans, drawings, and permitting. Then airline buy-in. Then financing. So, groundbreaking by late 2025 is reasonable; but even that could slip. Sorry to say, it's hard to see how that could be accelerated much. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 7, 20231 yr 23 minutes ago, LibertyBlvd said: The hope was to get started on phase 1 of CLE master plan when passenger numbers reached 10M, which was estimated to be in 2025 or 2026. Since it look like that will happen sooner, I wonder if phase 1 can get started sooner? I thought the FAA had already approved the plan. Is that not the case? https://www.crainscleveland.com/government/cleveland-hopkins-2023-see-passengers-climb-above-10m Edited August 7, 20231 yr by dski44
August 7, 20231 yr 44 minutes ago, Dougal said: FAA approval is expected "soon" - by the end of the year? Then plans, drawings, and permitting. Then airline buy-in. Then financing. So, groundbreaking by late 2025 is reasonable; but even that could slip. Sorry to say, it's hard to see how that could be accelerated much. The plan was submitted to FAA over two years ago Why is it taking so long? Let's hope we are not in a recession in 2025 and they decide to put construction on hold for a while. Edited August 7, 20231 yr by LibertyBlvd
August 7, 20231 yr 2 hours ago, LibertyBlvd said: The plan was submitted to FAA over two years ago Why is it taking so long? Let's hope we are not in a recession in 2025 and they decide to put construction on hold for a while. I don't think the city saw master plan approval as a matter of urgency. For one thing, they needed time to pay down the airport debt and two years ago, mid-pandemic, that probably looked a lot harder than it turned out to be. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 10, 20231 yr For anyone thinking about traveling Cleveland to Dublin - next Summer's Aer Lingus flights are freely available with their (and British Airways') Avios frequent flyer points right now - 20,000 points each way - with Avios a partner with many credit card points programs you can transfer from.. (Note: With a current 30% transfer bonus from American Express (into British Airways Avios) you only need to transfer <16,000 points per ticket per direction... Really fair esp given current 60K-80K+ Amex new card sign-up bonuses...) We used the flight in June - and we booked ours again for next year last night - with the ONLY downside to the CLE-DUB route being reduced same-day connecting flights to the rest of Europe since many non-stops from Dublin are only once a day, prior to the Cleveland flight's 9 am arrival.
August 10, 20231 yr 2 hours ago, eyehrtfood said: For anyone thinking about traveling Cleveland to Dublin - next Summer's Aer Lingus flights are freely available with their (and British Airways') Avios frequent flyer points right now - 20,000 points each way - with Avios a partner with many credit card points programs you can transfer from.. (Note: With a current 30% transfer bonus from American Express (into British Airways Avios) you only need to transfer <16,000 points per ticket per direction... Really fair esp given current 60K-80K+ Amex new card sign-up bonuses...) We used the flight in June - and we booked ours again for next year last night - with the ONLY downside to the CLE-DUB route being reduced same-day connecting flights to the rest of Europe since many non-stops from Dublin are only once a day, prior to the Cleveland flight's 9 am arrival. A small downside is Aer Lingus is not affiliated with either Global entry nor Pre-Check, which I belong to both so we had to get in the normal security line. Thankfully, the security line wasn’t too full. Just landed in Dublin this morning.
August 10, 20231 yr 12 minutes ago, stpats44113 said: A small downside is Aer Lingus is not affiliated with either Global entry nor Pre-Check, which I belong to both so we had to get in the normal security line. Thankfully, the security line wasn’t too full. Just landed in Dublin this morning. Agree on that! However, was able to use my Clear membership for the Aer Lingus flight in the regular security line / non- Pre Check at CLE - which I never understand thr existence of (in reg line) until I was the beneficiary due to long reg security wait.
August 13, 20231 yr CLE is up 5.2% in seat availability compared to pre-covid 2019. Always nice being on the plus side of the chart: Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 27, 20231 yr Does anyone know if the frontier flight from CLE to San Juan is seasonal only? We went back in may, and it was booked both ways - such a good time. We’re looking to go back in November but frontier isn’t showing it. Hoping it’s not cancelled 😞
August 27, 20231 yr 17 minutes ago, Klingaling87 said: Does anyone know if the frontier flight from CLE to San Juan is seasonal only? We went back in may, and it was booked both ways - such a good time. We’re looking to go back in November but frontier isn’t showing it. Hoping it’s not cancelled 😞 on the cleveland aviation forum on airliners.net a user said that it is paused from september 5th to november 16th and will go daily starting in january.
August 27, 20231 yr 4 minutes ago, nokoeeee said: on the cleveland aviation forum on airliners.net a user said that it is paused from september 5th to november 16th and will go daily starting in january. If so, that’s great news. Just wish it they were flying it in early November!
September 25, 20231 yr Saw Cincinnati passenger numbers in their thread (and comments about flights to London & Paris…) and though it would be interesting to compare: CVG YTD 2022: 4,930,630 2023: 5,762,383 Variance: +17.16% CLE YTD 2022: 5,766,320 2023: 6,478,808 Variance: +12.36%
September 25, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Enginerd said: Saw Cincinnati passenger numbers in their thread (and comments about flights to London & Paris…) and though it would be interesting to compare: CVG YTD 2022: 4,930,630 2023: 5,762,383 Variance: +17.16% CLE YTD 2022: 5,766,320 2023: 6,478,808 Variance: +12.36% Raw Numbers Sometimes don’t tell the full story. Every market is unique in its own way. Cincinnati/CVG for example has a unique collection of very large companies that really do help propel its flights to Paris and London. In particular Proctor & Gamble (the largest consumer products company on earth), The Kroger Company and now General Electric (soon to be called GE Aerospace) is making Cincy its HQ and will have tremendous business travel and commercial connections to Europe. These along with CVG being Amazons Central Air Hub and international shipping giant DHL’s America’s hub help make Cincy attractive for Europe flights Edited September 25, 20231 yr by 646empire
September 25, 20231 yr It seems like the location of Cincinnati would make it attractive for European flights since it's drawing from Cincy, Columbus, Indiana and Kentucky. In Cleveland, we're only a couple of hours from Detroit. It'd be nice to get a London or Amsterdam flight out of Hopkins. But we didn't have Dublin a year ago, so no complaints here!
September 25, 20231 yr Haven't the number of daily departures and nonstop destinations declined somewhat lately relative to Columbus and Cincinnati?
September 25, 20231 yr 16 minutes ago, coneflower said: It seems like the location of Cincinnati would make it attractive for European flights since it's drawing from Cincy, Columbus, Indiana and Kentucky. In Cleveland, we're only a couple of hours from Detroit. It'd be nice to get a London or Amsterdam flight out of Hopkins. But we didn't have Dublin a year ago, so no complaints here! weather is better down there too for less weather delays.
September 25, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Brutus_buckeye said: weather is better down there too for less weather delays. Eh, this might true if Hopkins was located in Mentor. SW Cleveland gets about as many winter storms as the SW Ohio does these days. Cleveland also recently moved into zone 6 for climate, which is the same as Cincinnati. Cleveland was in zone 5 until a couple of years ago.
September 26, 20231 yr 3 hours ago, Clefan98 said: Eh, this might true if Hopkins was located in Mentor. SW Cleveland gets about as many winter storms as the SW Ohio does these days. Cleveland also recently moved into zone 6 for climate, which is the same as Cincinnati. Cleveland was in zone 5 until a couple of years ago. have not been to hopkins in at least a dozen years, so I would not have noticed that change.
September 26, 20231 yr 13 hours ago, coneflower said: It seems like the location of Cincinnati would make it attractive for European flights since it's drawing from Cincy, Columbus, Indiana and Kentucky. In Cleveland, we're only a couple of hours from Detroit. Then one would think their passenger numbers would be high. But you can see the numbers, and CLE has 750,000 more through this year.
September 26, 20231 yr Does anybody know if the forthcoming rennovated/new councourses will have gates that will accommodate wide-bodied planes? I would think a direct flight beyond Ireland would require larger planes.
September 26, 20231 yr Our current widebody arrivals are generally diversions, but it's hard to believe that they would build new councourses that exclude widebodies. I just wish that economy airplane seats could better accommodate wide bodies. Edited September 26, 20231 yr by urb-a-saurus
September 26, 20231 yr 3 hours ago, Enginerd said: Then one would think their passenger numbers would be high. But you can see the numbers, and CLE has 750,000 more through this year. I think you missed the key point which is *International/euro flights, In this case London and Paris. Louisville, Columbus, Indy etc. doesn’t need to go to Cincy for basic U.S Domestic service they already have that obviously. Edited September 26, 20231 yr by 646empire
September 26, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, dski44 said: Does anybody know if the forthcoming rennovated/new councourses will have gates that will accommodate wide-bodied planes? I would think a direct flight beyond Ireland would require larger planes. I doubt we will see any regularly scheduled wide-bodies serving CLE in the foreseeable future. Even as a hub, Continental was not using wide-bodies when flying to London or Paris from CLE.
September 26, 20231 yr 18 minutes ago, urb-a-saurus said: Our current widebody arrivals are generally diversions, but it's hard to believe that they would build new councourses that exclude widebodies. When those wide-bodies are diverted to CLE, do passenger normally disembark or do they remain on the aircraft until they arrive at their final destination? If they do disembark and it is an international flight, passengers would have to go through customs, and I don't think CBP staff at CLE can handle large numbers.
September 26, 20231 yr 3 hours ago, LibertyBlvd said: When those wide-bodies are diverted to CLE, do passenger normally disembark or do they remain on the aircraft until they arrive at their final destination? If they do disembark and it is an international flight, passengers would have to go through customs, and I don't think CBP staff at CLE can handle large numbers. I don't think the passengers disembark from the diverted plane. I've seen several YouTube videos (NickFlies) of planes arriving/departing CLE and when a diverted flight arrives, it sits somewhere on the tarmac until it is ready to leave. Here is the link to his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaAvz4nZUi8PpZcLsw4l-JA
October 30, 20231 yr CLE's posted passenger traffic through the third quarter is 7.3 million, meaning hitting 10 million for the year is still possible if holiday business is good. 10 million matters because that is the necessary trigger for beginning Phase 1 of the terminal renovation. https://www.clevelandairport.com/about-us/facts-figures Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 30, 20231 yr Phase 1 renovations are needed regardless of passenger numbers, and should have been done years ago.
October 30, 20231 yr 21 minutes ago, Dougal said: CLE's posted passenger traffic through the third quarter is 7.3 million, meaning hitting 10 million for the year is still possible if holiday business is good. 10 million matters because that is the necessary trigger for beginning Phase 1 of the terminal renovation. https://www.clevelandairport.com/about-us/facts-figures Passenger levels isn’t what they are waiting for. Former director Kennedy said the intention was to pay off existing debt before starting the project, and based on that the planned construction start was 2026. I’d like it to happen sooner (and between interest rates and inflation, it’s easy to second guess that decision), but the passenger levels are only relevant to the project for the subsequent phases, not the initial phase. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 30, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Boomerang_Brian said: Passenger levels isn’t what they are waiting for. Former director Kennedy said the intention was to pay off existing debt before starting the project, and based on that the planned construction start was 2026. I’d like it to happen sooner (and between interest rates and inflation, it’s easy to second guess that decision), but the passenger levels are only relevant to the project for the subsequent phases, not the initial phase. Airport debt at the end of 2022 was $487 million, down from $559 million a year earlier, with a free cash balance of $140 million. The airport has a positive cash flow of about $60 million a year after mandatory debt service. So, if CLE is fairly aggressive about paying down the debt, it should be in the $200 to 250 million range at the beginning of 2026. Given the airport's history of emergent needs, it's not easy to see them paying down the debt much faster than this. I thought even Phase 1 depended on meeting the passenger activity level. I need to take another look. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 30, 20231 yr 32 minutes ago, Dougal said: Airport debt at the end of 2022 was $487 million, down from $559 million a year earlier, with a free cash balance of $140 million. The airport has a positive cash flow of about $60 million a year after mandatory debt service. So, if CLE is fairly aggressive about paying down the debt, it should be in the $200 to 250 million range at the beginning of 2026. Given the airport's history of emergent needs, it's not easy to see them paying down the debt much faster than this. I thought even Phase 1 depended on meeting the passenger activity level. I need to take another look. I think it was debt specific to the Concourse D, but I could be misremembering that. I don’t think the goal was to have all debt paid, rather just some specific debt. (Or it may have even been “debt below a certain threshold”) When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 31, 20231 yr I listened to the Council's Transportation Committee meeting when CLE Director Kennedy briefed the Master Plan. As I understood him, he said all phases are triggered by meeting the required Planning Activity Level. (I keep wanting to call it the Passenger Activity Level). So I'm assuming that includes even Phase 1. Different subject: It's always worthwhile to listen to those meetings; there are little gems of info tucked away. CLE wanted to pave and clean up Maplewood Ave, the street off RR Drive to the rental cars. Because of FAA rules, the city had to convey Maplewood Avenue to the airport in order for the airport to spend money on it. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
November 1, 20231 yr Whatever it needs, the airport needs TLC. I flew in from a trip Monday night around 10 pm. Tiny, cramped bathrooms with urine all over the floor, escalators broken and when I went to leave and pay the garage the payment machine in my lane was not working. I was glad I didn't have luggage also as the pickup lanes downsstairs were complete gridlock with people parking to pickup passengers. It truly is embarassing especially now that even markets like Newark are getting nice shiny new terminals.
November 8, 20231 yr Frontier opening new crew base in Cleveland. https://www.crainscleveland.com/transportation/frontier-airlines-putting-new-crew-base-cleveland-hopkins Here is the presser on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2023073148071742 Edited November 8, 20231 yr by LibertyBlvd
November 8, 20231 yr 32 minutes ago, LibertyBlvd said: Frontier opening new crew base in Cleveland. https://www.crainscleveland.com/transportation/frontier-airlines-putting-new-crew-base-cleveland-hopkins Here is the presser on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2023073148071742 I don't love Frontier... but it's excellent news! Most importantly, this will give other airlines a metric to gauge expansion at CLE
November 8, 20231 yr On 10/31/2023 at 1:05 PM, Dougal said: I listened to the Council's Transportation Committee meeting when CLE Director Kennedy briefed the Master Plan. As I understood him, he said all phases are triggered by meeting the required Planning Activity Level. (I keep wanting to call it the Passenger Activity Level). So I'm assuming that includes even Phase 1. From a PD interview with the new Port Director in September: If all goes according to plan, the airport is expected to hire a design firm in 2024 to start formalizing plans for the new terminal, with construction starting in 2025 – the centennial anniversary of Cleveland Hopkins, which opened in 1925 as the first city-owned airport in the United States. https://www.cleveland.com/travel/2023/09/better-days-are-coming-new-cleveland-hopkins-chief-offers-update-on-plans-for-new-terminal-parking-crunch-burke-and-more.html?outputType=amp
November 8, 20231 yr Here's the Frontier hiring details: 110 - Pilots 250 - FA's 50 - Ground/Maintenance 50+ - inside airport jobs In total, close to 500 jobs and an additional 80M in local wages (annually).
November 8, 20231 yr This is huge news and hopefully signals additional expansion of routes serving CLE.
November 8, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, YABO713 said: I don't love Frontier... but it's excellent news! At first nobody loved Continental, either. My bet is Frontier will open CLE-Europe in summer 2025 to one of the London airports like Stansted. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
November 8, 20231 yr 7 minutes ago, Dougal said: At first nobody loved Continental, either. My bet is Frontier will open CLE-Europe in summer 2025 to one of the London airports like Stansted. Frontier goes Trans-Atlantic?
November 8, 20231 yr 31 minutes ago, YABO713 said: Frontier goes Trans-Atlantic? That sounds miserable.
November 8, 20231 yr 24 minutes ago, JB said: That sounds miserable. I have never flown Frontier so I am hesitant to put my two cents in, but the one thing I do hear over and over is that their seats are so uncomfortable it is like sitting on plastic lawn furniture. If true I would imagine an oversea flight would be torture.
November 8, 20231 yr If Frontier ever offers trans-Atlantic service, I would hope they would use an aircraft with more comfortable seating.
November 8, 20231 yr United expanding service to Florida. https://www.wkyc.com/article/travel/united-airlines-expanding-service-cleveland-hopkins-international-airport-florida/95-617b6636-a169-4307-b853-7111b526c319
November 8, 20231 yr 36 minutes ago, LibertyBlvd said: If Frontier ever offers trans-Atlantic service, I would hope they would use an aircraft with more comfortable seating. They will have to. Seven hour flights at their current service level would be a tough-to-impossible sell. Their CEO at an investor's day presentation last November said Frontier will consider transatlantic flights when their A321XLR aircraft are delivered. Airbus's delivery date is a moving target; first operation in the summer of 2025 is a maybe, summer of 2026 is almost a certainty. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
November 8, 20231 yr Frontier is certainly not the greatest, but they fly to a lot of smaller airports that make life much easier if you visit sort of off the beaten path places.
November 9, 20231 yr Flying nonstop on Frontier is a lot better than connecting on a "full-service" airline IMO. Hopefully this will help us lock down more consistent flights to some places that have been on/off in recent years. (NOLA, SD, SLC, etc.)
November 10, 20231 yr 10 hours ago, ML11 said: Flying nonstop on Frontier is a lot better than connecting on a "full-service" airline IMO. Hopefully this will help us lock down more consistent flights to some places that have been on/off in recent years. (NOLA, SD, SLC, etc.) I 100% agree with you. I’ve taken several non-stop flights on Frontier. I don’t see what the big deal is as far as comfortability. The only airline that stands out for me is Delta.
November 11, 20231 yr On 11/9/2023 at 9:45 PM, stpats44113 said: I 100% agree with you. I’ve taken several non-stop flights on Frontier. I don’t see what the big deal is as far as comfortability. The only airline that stands out for me is Delta. Worst seats I've ever sat on. It's like their seats are steel, with the thinnest layer of fake leather directly over the steel. AND they don't recline. F that, especially on a long route!
Create an account or sign in to comment