March 30, 200718 yr ^^ Yet Southwest hires likes crazy at BWI due to expansion. And hundreds of jobs have been added as BWI has record passenger year after record passenger year. Meanwhile CLE's best passenger number year was all the way back in 2000. Are you 100% accurate in saying those are "added" jobs or they "replacement" jobs for the employees of USAir who "lost" their "jobs" when USAirways downsized as a result of SW moving in? BWI's total operation is 25 percent larger than it was in the early 90's (the peak USScare years). So yeah...it's safe to say they added jobs. I mean even if USScare and SW are a wash and I find that highly unlikely....BWI's international operation has expanded extensively. Hell, they have a non-stop to Greenland starting this spring.
March 30, 200718 yr ^^ Yet Southwest hires likes crazy at BWI due to expansion. And hundreds of jobs have been added as BWI has record passenger year after record passenger year. Meanwhile CLE's best passenger number year was all the way back in 2000. Are you 100% accurate in saying those are "added" jobs or they "replacement" jobs for the employees of USAir who "lost" their "jobs" when USAirways downsized as a result of SW moving in? BWI's total operation is 25 percent larger than it was in the early 90's (the peak USScare years). So yeah...it's safe to say they added jobs. I mean even if USScare and SW are a wash and I find that highly unlikely....BWI's international operation has expanded extensively. Hell, they have a non-stop to Greenland starting this spring. Yes internationally, they have grown. I hope this is what Smith can bring to Cleveland.
March 31, 200718 yr According to Wikipedia......Continental will extend Cleveland-Seattle to year-round service (previously seasonal), starting May 1st.
March 31, 200718 yr Honestly, I wished the airport looked or felt like Detroit or Newark. Nice, big well lit. At least you can take the train directly to Hopkins. I've been reading online that the airport is currently expanding the immigration/customs area and moving carriers to accommodate the customs/immigration upgrade. Is it possible, that the expansion will help bring in more international carriers, other than Continental, and help Clevelands business and tourism businesses expand abroad, making Cleveland a bigger participant in the "global" economy. Currently to get to Europe or Latin America, Clevelander have to connect in Detroit, Newark, Chicago to get to an international destination, more nonstop international flights to Cleveland could have a very positive affect on the local economy.
April 2, 200718 yr From Crain's: Continental to offer Quebec flight By SCOTT SUTTELL 2:59 pm, April 2, 2007 Continental Airlines on Monday announced the first-ever nonstop scheduled service between the airline's Cleveland hub and Quebec's Jean Lesage International Airport. More at: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20070402/FREE/70402011
April 2, 200718 yr pffft, seasonal express jet? ridiculous No the insulting part is ONCE A WEEK. what kinda shit is that?? Putting a 75 (or so) minute flight on a regional jet out of any airport is cost affective. I would rather have multiple departures A DAY instead of one 737 jet a day.
April 3, 200718 yr pffft, seasonal express jet? ridiculous No the insulting part is ONCE A WEEK. what kinda shit is that?? Putting a 75 (or so) minute flight on a regional jet out of any airport is cost affective. I would rather have multiple departures A DAY instead of one 737 jet a day. It's the same sh!t they serve to Albequerque. I guess re-uping Seattle to year-round was just to much for CAL to offer decent service anywhere else.
April 4, 200718 yr For the NCAA Final Four this week, all of the downtown hotels were offering beefed up shuttle service to Hopkins. Anyone know if RTA was doing the same? I'm not riding the Red Line as much as I used to.
April 9, 200718 yr PD editorial supporting Smith: Healing Hopkins Monday, April 09, 2007 For a quarter-century, Cleveland Hopkins International Air port has been dragged down by food-service and retail out lets that, on their best day, might have risen to the level of mediocre. Ricky Smith, the city's relatively new airport director, wants to change that. He wants to expand retail and food-service space and hire a development company that will bring in stores and food outlets that are more attractive to travelers. It's a move that is long overdue. Since the early 1980s, a single company has relied on its City Hall connections to maintain a stranglehold on airport concessions. The result has been bad for the taxpayers, bad for air travelers and bad for the airlines. Airport concessions matter. Not only does an airport's environment help shape a city's image, but there's a relationship between the concession revenues generated at airports and the amount passengers pay for airfare. Cleveland finally seems to have an airport boss who not only understands that, but is willing to do something about it. http://www.cleveland.com/editorials/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/opinion/117610773581540.xml&coll=2
April 10, 200718 yr CLE Press Release: PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pat Smith 216-265-6090 CLE DIRECTOR NAMED TO PRESTIGIOUS AVIATION INDUSTRY COMMITTEE An Honor for the Airport and the City of Cleveland Cleveland, April 10, 2007 –The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) Executive Committee announced the appointment of Ricky Smith, Director of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, as the newest member of the AAAE Policy Review Committee (PRC). PRC members serve as an advisory panel to the AAAE Board of Directors on association and industry issues. “It is a huge honor for Cleveland to have a man of Ricky Smith’s caliber heading our airport system. His opinion and expertise is valued throughout the industry and to have him placed in such a prestigious position with the foremost aviation-based organization in our country is a credit to him and a positive message to our airport partners and community that the future of our aviation system is in good hands. I applaud the AAAE Board of Directors for their foresight in this appointment,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson. In addition to the AAAE appointment Smith also serves as a member of the Airport Minority Advisory Council Board of Directors, Member of the Transportation Research Board Security Research Funding Committee, and 1st Vice Chairman of National Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Board of Directors. - 30 - Blog with hyperlinks: http://clevelandplanner.blogspot.com/2007/04/hopkins-director-named-to-aviation.html
April 17, 200718 yr Airport contractor suspended indefinitely from city work Tuesday, April 17, 2007 Mike Tobin Plain Dealer Reporter The company accused of using front companies to get around hiring requirements on the massive construction project at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has been suspended indefinitely from working for the city, Mayor Frank Jackson said Monday. Jackson's announcement came a few days after a hearing in which Anthony Allega Cement Contractors Inc. disputed an earlier finding that the company violated city rules when it paid companies owned by women and minorities to do little or no work. "There's a cloud over this," Jackson said. The city was required to make a formal ruling within five days of last week's hearing. Both sides agreed to waive that five-day window while Allega disputes procedural issues in the hearing process, city officials said. Until then, the company is barred from city work. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-4128 http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1176799382185810.xml&coll=2
April 17, 200718 yr well go Rick Smith. I now wonder what Mok was doing all this time :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:
April 18, 200718 yr I would be curious as to why Allega would do this, I would love to hear his side of the story. It doesn't seem to be profitable to pay someone to do work, only to do it yourself. Was there not enough qualified tradespeople to do the work, were there timetable conflicts...what gives? Curious indeed..... I must admit, I am not a big fan of the "Fannie Lewis law" for the reason that some companies may choose not to locate to Cleveland because they don't want to be told who has to build their project ( and to me quota hiring sends the wrong message...you don't need to work as hard in school to get a good job because there will be set asides waiting) This is a tough subject because there are arguments for both sides of this double edged sword. I would rather see things get built, by whomever, and have those companies be here to give permanent jobs to Clevelanders...not just the temporary construction jobs. I know that there was bickering about the ECP because the city wanted to enforce that rule, and it could have cost the city dearly. When gov't money is involved, the city cannot enforce it. I know there is good meaning behind it, but it seems the city is willing, at times, to cut off its nose to spite its face. Let's just get things done, bring businesses in, and get long term jobs for the citizens. Just my opinion.....
April 18, 200718 yr ^^ I should have posted this article first, it goes into greater detail about Allega and it's contract with the city. Contractor Allega pleads case to avoid ban from Cleveland Thursday, April 12, 2007 Mike Tobin Plain Dealer Reporter Representatives from Anthony Allega Cement Contractors Inc. met with city officials for about five hours Wednesday to explain why they should not be banned from doing work for Cleveland after an investigation concluded the contractor used a front company to skirt city rules. Exactly what Allega officials said is a mystery. The City Hall meeting was not open to the public, and company President John Allega declined to comment, although he has previously denied the accusations. Maureen Harper, a spokeswoman for Mayor Frank Jackson, also declined to discuss the case until Jackson makes a formal decision. The director of the city's office of equal opportunity now has five days to make a recommendation to Jackson on what punishment, if any, Allega should receive. The company could be forced to pay fines and be barred from any city contracts for up to two years. A report released by city investigators earlier this year said Allega, the lead contractor for the $150 million Cleveland Hopkins International Airport runway, used minority- and female-owned front companies that did little work and redirected most of their contract money back to Allega. The investigation started after Ricardo Teamor, a longtime confidant to former Mayor Michael R. White, told the FBI that most of the minority subcontractors working at the airport were front companies. Most of the companies got the work by paying kickbacks to Nate Gray, Teamor said. Gray is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence after being convicted of racketeering and money laundering while serving as a middleman for companies that traded bribes for public contracts. http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/117636698863730.xml&coll=2
April 18, 200718 yr They've got Seattle back? Seattle was never lost, it was put on a seasonal-only basis for the last few years. It's going to be year-round again. Whopee!
April 18, 200718 yr They've got Seattle back? Seattle was never lost, it was put on a seasonal-only basis for the last few years. It's going to be year-round again. Whopee! Now if they could right size the plane and say give us a 737-800(mid lav) or 737-900 or 757-300 Id be a happy camper. and damn it can we get a non stop to Salt Lake City, Omaha and Portland?
April 18, 200718 yr ^^ I agree with ya MTS. CLE-SLC non-stops are handled by Delta. CAL (or at least ExpressJet) had OMA for a while, it went in the crapper about three years back. As for PDX or SAN, who the hell knows? It's weird CDG will get going before CLE gets a non-stop to two rather large cities on the west coast.
April 18, 200718 yr ^^ I agree with ya MTS. CLE-SLC nonstop are handled by Delta. CAL (or at least ExpressJet) had OMA for a while, it went in the crapper about three years back. As for PDX or SAN, who the hell knows? It's weird CDG will get going before CLE gets a non-stop to two rather large cities on the west coast. Yes, but I want a Continental flight, as Delta planes and serves sucks! Those planes are flying PJs, except the planes used for the shuttle. In addition, my miles get f*cked up when I fly on Delta, the way they have structured the skymiles program & skyteam marketing partnership! FROM my sources in CAL, they are introducing more non stops to the west coast to relive EWR while the INS/Customs facility in Cleveland is being rebuilt and enlarged so that they can process more international passengers. The planes used will most likely be 757-200 (SFO & LAX) or 737-900 offering the same on routes to LAS, SFO, LAX, ONT, SAC, SJU, PDX and SEA with the same onboard services you would get on any flight to those citys that departs EWR. In addition, CLE could see one daily flight to OAK, ALB, AUS, SLC, VAN, YYC as they can't very well expect O/D to be more that 55-60% from the local market, for international flights to Europe, so domestic service in to/out of CLE has to be beefed up to support it. So they will start with bring the Gatwick flight (which starts May 3) then CDG, then AMS. Its suspected that Berlin, Dublin & TLV would be next. There would also be a bigger push to see daily Caribbean service, from Cleveland as well. By then there should be 787 in the fleet so some of the 767 can be rotated to Cleveland. This will also hurt DET as many passegers from CLE fly to DET to connect to flights to Europe will soon be able to leave directly from Cleveland therefore increase Cleveland presence on the international level and hurting DETs profitablility.
April 18, 200718 yr ^^ I agree with ya MTS. CLE-SLC nonstop are handled by Delta. CAL (or at least ExpressJet) had OMA for a while, it went in the crapper about three years back. As for PDX or SAN, who the hell knows? It's weird CDG will get going before CLE gets a non-stop to two rather large cities on the west coast. Yes, but I want a Continental flight, as Delta planes and serves sucks! Those planes are flying PJs, except the planes used for the shuttle. In addition, my miles get f*cked up when I fly on Delta, the way they have structured the skymiles program & skyteam marketing partnership! FROM my sources in CAL, they are introducing more non stops to the west coast to relive EWR while the INS/Customs facility in Cleveland is being rebuilt and enlarged so that they can process more international passengers. The planes used will most likely be 757-200 (SFO & LAX) or 737-900 offering the same on routes to LAS, SFO, LAX, ONT, SAC, SJU, PDX and SEA with the same onboard services you would get on any flight to those citys that departs EWR. In addition, CLE could see one daily flight to OAK, ALB, AUS, SLC, VAN, YYC as they can't very well expect O/D to be more that 55-60% from the local market, for international flights to Europe, so domestic service in to/out of CLE has to be beefed up to support it. So they will start with bring the Gatwick flight (which starts May 3) then CDG, then AMS. Its suspected that Berlin, Dublin & TLV would be next. There would also be a bigger push to see daily Caribbean service, from Cleveland as well. By then there should be 787 in the fleet so some of the 767 can be rotated to Cleveland. This will also hurt DET as many passegers from CLE fly to DET to connect to flights to Europe will soon be able to leave directly from Cleveland therefore increase Cleveland presence on the international level and hurting DETs profitablility. Well what you say makes sense. On Wiki, it says the YQB flight will have customs handled there for both inbound and outbound. I mean if CLE can't handle additional Federal Inspections of a freakin' once-a-week RJ flight, I hope it's because they working on improving FIS/IAB facilities.
April 18, 200718 yr Well what you say makes sense. On Wiki, it says the YQB flight will have customs handled there for both inbound and outbound. I mean if CLE can't handle additional Federal Inspections of a freakin' once-a-week RJ flight, I hope it's because they working on improving FIS/IAB facilities. Well USA3000 also has customs flight. I think the improved customs facility has to do more with the additional continental flight to come online, rather than not being able to handle the recently announced Quebec Flights. The new facility is to be in the C concourse as NW moves to the A concourse. so i suppose the smaller carriers can use the old facility and continental will use the new facility. the current facility is the pits!
April 18, 200718 yr Well what you say makes sense. On Wiki, it says the YQB flight will have customs handled there for both inbound and outbound. I mean if CLE can't handle additional Federal Inspections of a freakin' once-a-week RJ flight, I hope it's because they working on improving FIS/IAB facilities. Well USA3000 also has customs flight. I think the improved customs facility has to do more with the additional continental flight to come online, rather than not being able to handle the recently announced Quebec Flights. The new facility is to be in the C concourse as NW moves to the A concourse. so i suppose the smaller carriers can use the old facility and continental will use the new facility. the current facility is the pits! I was being a bit sarcastic about the YQB thing. Hopkins gets a small amount of international traffic in the winter - the USA3000 flights like you mentioned and the weekenders to SJU and CUN offered by CAL. I've never taken an international flight out of Cleveland...where is the facility, the A concourse? I'm assuming it's pretty small?
April 18, 200718 yr Well what you say makes sense. On Wiki, it says the YQB flight will have customs handled there for both inbound and outbound. I mean if CLE can't handle additional Federal Inspections of a freakin' once-a-week RJ flight, I hope it's because they working on improving FIS/IAB facilities. Well USA3000 also has customs flight. I think the improved customs facility has to do more with the additional continental flight to come online, rather than not being able to handle the recently announced Quebec Flights. The new facility is to be in the C concourse as NW moves to the A concourse. so i suppose the smaller carriers can use the old facility and continental will use the new facility. the current facility is the pits! I was being a bit sarcastic about the YQB thing. Hopkins gets a small amount of international traffic in the winter - the USA3000 flights like you mentioned and the weekenders to SJU and CUN offered by CAL. I've never taken an international flight out of Cleveland...where is the facility, the A concourse? I'm assuming it's pretty small? My closet feel larger than the concouse A facility!
April 18, 200718 yr I went to Ljubljana via london ..for 2 hours,about 12 years ago.Only cost 100 dollars. THe customs in Cleveland are a sham,and with so many immmigrants,you would think it would be better. Hopefully they get there asses out of the jet engines and put a real customs area together. :? :-o :? :clap: :clap: :? :-o :? :-o :clap: :clap: :whip: :wave: :wave: :wave: :banger: :box: :argue: :finger: :type: :bang: :bang2: :behind: :strong: :sleep: I miss freenet
April 21, 200718 yr I saw this when I was in Philly on Cleveland.com: De-icing trucks hit 3 jets at Hopkins Expert calls accidents 'excessive'; cause sought Friday, April 20, 2007 Susan Vinella Plain Dealer Reporter Trucks that remove ice and snow from airplanes have struck and damaged three jets in four days this month at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, and officials can't say why. Continental Express reported the latest accident to the Federal Aviation Administration this week, saying a de-icing truck hit and bent the wing of a jet on April 5. The other accidents, also at the de-icing area, happened April 7 and 8, a pattern that one aviation expert found troubling. "Three incidents in four days, that's excessive," said David Zwegers, the director of Aviation Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. "That raises some eyebrows." A spokeswoman for Express Jet, which operates Continental Airlines' 50-seater regional jets, said airline officials were particularly concerned about the April 5 accident because the driver of the truck did not notify the pilot that the plane had been hit. "The vendor said they did not hit the plane and that there was no damage," Kristy Nicholas said. But Nicholas said the crew felt a bump and a passenger saw the truck hit the wing. The pilot returned the jet to the terminal, where a crew inspected the plane and discovered damage. Workers repaired the bent wing tip while passengers waited. FAA and airport officials said Thursday that they could not comment on the cause of the three accidents until the federal agency completes its investigation. Last week, the FAA received reports that trucks hit Southwest Airlines and American Airlines planes during a snowstorm on Easter weekend. The accidents occurred at a 27-acre concrete area near a runway where trucks spray planes with a chemical that melts ice and snow. In all three incidents, the jets returned to the terminal to assess damage. A total of 96 passengers got off two of the planes and boarded other flights to Chicago. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: [email protected], 216-999-5010
April 22, 200718 yr The drivers may not have been drunk or high, but what about lack of sleep? One day they'll invent a test for that, I'll bet. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 22, 200718 yr ^^ I'm editing myself. Maybe this guy was hired on in Cleveland after getting busted in Detroit. :) Drunken Detroit airport de-icer crashes truck ROMULUS (AP) — A man working as an airplane de-icer at Detroit Metropolitan Airport was caught Wednesday afternoon with an open beer and legally drunk after tipping over his vehicle, an airport spokesman said. The man, whose name wasn't immediately released, was younger than 21, the legal age to drink alcohol in Michigan, airport spokesman Mike Conway told The Associated Press, and was arrested by airport police. "This person had an open beer in a de-icing truck with him," Conway said in an interview on Detroit-area television station WJBK. "That's just not acceptable and we're not going to tolerate that type of behavior." The de-icer truck tipped over shortly after the man left a parking lot at the airport in suburban Detroit, and wasn't near aircraft, Conway said. A second, unopened beer also was found in the vehicle, he said.
April 22, 200718 yr The drivers may not have been drunk or high, but what about lack of sleep? One day they'll invent a test for that, I'll bet. I know of basic dexterity tests that are administered to some factory workers before operating heavy machinery.. It's basically a simple video game designed to engage the visual motor system and will detect less than optimal performance regardless of cause (sleep, drugs, alcohol, whatever). I'd hope they're employing something similar at Hopkins! If not sounds like they need to start.
April 26, 200718 yr Concrete contractor asks judge to halt airport contract award Posted by Mike Tobin April 24, 2007 11:33AM Lawyers for Anthony Allega Cement Contractors Inc. are expected to be back in court Wednesday trying to block the city of Cleveland from awarding a $40 million contract. Allega's motion, now in U.S. District Court, was filed less than a week after Mayor Frank Jackson suspended the company indefinitely from doing work for the city of Cleveland. Allega was suspended after a preliminary investigation concluded the company used front companies to skirt city rules on subcontracting work to companies owned by women and minorities in 2001, when Allega built a $130 million runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Company president John Allega argued that the city's requirement for subcontracting work to minorities and women are so vague that they are unconstitutional. The city's investigation into the company's conduct was so shoddy that it denied him due process, Allega claims. "Mayor Jackson's public statements regarding suspending Allega indefinitely from working for Cleveland are factually and legally unsupportable," Allega's attorney John Climaco wrote. http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/04/allega_construction_company_as.html
May 3, 200718 yr Allega loses fight to block contract City can hire next-lowest bidder, judge rules Thursday, May 03, 2007 Mike Tobin Plain Dealer Reporter Anthony Allega Cement Contractors Inc. is no different from the handyman who leaves customers with leaky roofs and dripping faucets, lawyers for the city of Cleveland argued Wednesday. Allega's shortcoming wasn't shoddy work, though. It was using front companies to get around city rules requiring work at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport be set aside for companies owned by minorities and women. "Just like any good homeowner, if you have trouble with a contractor, you don't do business with them again," said Thomas Kaiser of the city's Law Department. "They weren't about to get their hands on another $40 million." Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Michael Russo agreed, rejecting a motion filed by Allega's lawyers to block the city from awarding a $40 million contract to do work at the airport. Kokosing Inc., the second-lowest bidder on the project, will begin the project later this month. http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1178181168224960.xml&coll=2
May 3, 200718 yr I'll be on it next week. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 3, 200718 yr ^You won't be the only one. Flights were almost empty when I booked them. Hopefully, that's just a case of a slow start.
May 3, 200718 yr ^You won't be the only one. Flights were almost empty when I booked them. Hopefully, that's just a case of a slow start. We'll you know, flight seat maps are never accurate especially on international flights as many seats are bought in advance but not assigned a seat. I glad this flight is going year round. I just hate that its on a 757!
May 4, 200718 yr Yes. Plus the addition of a direct flight to Paris (seasonal?) and a flight to Shanghai, with one enroute stop in Newark. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 4, 200718 yr the london flight is going to be year round? yes. apparently starting this year. which means that continental will need to keep a good feeder schedule as well to make up for lost origination traffic in the non summer months.
May 4, 200718 yr Yes. Plus the addition of a direct flight to Paris (seasonal?) and a flight to Shanghai, with one enroute stop in Newark. Cleveland was part of the application for the Shanghai authority, but United was ultimately awarded this flight from Dulles. May happen again, but not in this round of China flight expansion.
May 4, 200718 yr United... EVIL! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 4, 200718 yr Where did you guys see or hear that London was year-round? From my reliable source. London, Paris & (yet to be announced) Amsterdam & Berlin will be year round. This is based on continentals equipment though. Currently their fleet is too small and stretched. We'd even likely to see Honolulu & TLV service on alternating days if Continental can get two additional 777s.
May 4, 200718 yr A couple of weeks ago I e-mailed customer service on the Hopkins website to complain about poor signage for the RTA trains to downtown hotels, etc. Here is the response: Thank you for your email and you make a good point regarding improving the signage and direction to the RTA rail service. I am part of our new Customer Service group and we're actively looking at ways to improve the way-finding. We do currently have train logo signage on the baggage claim level and we will do more to make the service more identifiable and understandable as to where it goes. It will be worked on and don't hesitate to drop me an email in the future if you have any other input on CLE. Thanks again. Best regards, Todd Todd F. Payne Chief of Marketing & Air Service Development Cleveland Airport System 5300 Riverside Drive P.O. Box 81009 Cleveland, OH 44181-0009 (216) 265-6790 direct (216) 857-2162 cell (216) 265-3478 fax Ohio's premier air service gateway offering travelers more flights to more cities.. CLE Going places. www.clevelandairport.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I also suggested to RTA that they develop a table-top ad/brochure for downtown hotel rooms regarding public rail service to the airport, but haven't gotten any response. If I was staying at the Renaissance or Ritz in the winter, I'd like to know there's a way to the airport without going outdoors at all...
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