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Del Rio Texas paying American Airlines off
| June 13th, 2018 at 8:26:06 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | DRT Del Rio Texas (population 36K) next door to Laughlin Air Force Base (DLF) is paying American Airlines up to $2.9 million over two years to fly a 44 seat jet from their local airport to Texas. Money is coming from tolls for border crossing. The runway is about 2 miles from the international border. The city lost their last commercial operator last year, and they are afraid that the government will close the Air Force Base if there is no commercial air service to the nearby airport and you must drive three hours from San Antonio. Nearby PDS Piedras Negras International Airport, only has a flight to Mexico City on Aeromar which has a fleet of 48 or 68 passenger turboprops. |
| June 13th, 2018 at 9:30:05 AM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | Payroll of the AF base must be significant. Why not some FBO providing on-demand shuttle service at a lower rate? |
| June 13th, 2018 at 9:30:06 AM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | note: its "lost" its commercial carrier |
| June 13th, 2018 at 10:50:00 AM permalink | |
| beachbumbabs Member since: Sep 3, 2013 Threads: 6 Posts: 1600 | That seems like a really good investment by the city to me. Back a while, the federal government used to subsidize these types of flights in order to provide service to more isolated communities. All the airline consolidations and deregulation has hurt a lot of route structures. 2.9M seems like pocket change compared to the revenue Laughlin brings to the community. Never doubt a small group of concerned citizens can change the world; it's the only thing ever has |
| June 13th, 2018 at 3:19:54 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
It certainly is pocket change, but only if it works. They entered into a two year agreement. As of the census of 2014, there were 2,225 people, 651 households, and 570 families residing on the base. Laughlin is a pilot training facility. |
| June 14th, 2018 at 5:47:58 AM permalink | |
| beachbumbabs Member since: Sep 3, 2013 Threads: 6 Posts: 1600 |
Yeah, I've met a lot of pilots over the years who trained there. I don't think it goes away any time soon. They have the additional advantage of location, for border surveillance and a deployment point for the West Texas border. Never doubt a small group of concerned citizens can change the world; it's the only thing ever has |