Are Western New York leaders pursuing PeoplExpress or Pan American Airways.

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Two LCCs, Low Cost Carriers are in the works.  Each using a familiar name – PeoplExpress and Pan American.  Are Western New York leaders pursuing either? Each are planning on entering service within the next 12 months.

Three days ago Global Travel Industry News reported:

Pan American Airways has entered into an operational agreement with a premiere consultancy boutique, that will provide comprehensive in-depth services to complete a formal reintegration plan for the Pan American brand into many LCC and Charter markets as a provider of US Part 121 scheduled services, with a projected point of entry taking place in late Q4 of 2013 through late Q1 of 2014

Pan American is currently active in pursuing hub locations throughout various southern tier states, and will release decisions through upcoming media press statements in future content

according to Pan American Airways Global USA’s Facebook page it is ” based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is an airline holding company that owns the brands of Pan American Air, Pan Am Airways, Pan American Global Airways, Pan Am 21, Blue Sky Airlines, Pan Air, and Clipper Cargo Air Freight.”

The new PeoplExpress Airlines ia based in Newport News, VA and has already announced it first destination airports:

Five days ago the Pittsburgh  Business Journal reported

PEOPLExpress, the discount airline that wants to fly to Pittsburgh and a handful of other cities, said it’s one step closer to starting.

The Virginia-based airline said over the weekend on its Facebook page it had a “firm purchase agreement to acquire an existing certificated airline that will serve as a solid foundation for the launch of our scheduled model.”

Mike Morisi, president of PEOPLExpress, said in the post that he expected to be able to announce the acquisition “over the coming weeks” but didn’t offer any more details.

As mentioned in the Business Journal Pittsburgh is one of the startup cities along with Newport News VA, Providence RI,  and  West Palm Beach FL.  Pittsburgh  is also promoting itself as a future hub.

PeoplExpress plans to get in the air through the purchase of a yet unnamed charter airline.  This would give it FAA flight certification.

At the moment I am awaiting a response from PeoplExpress if anyone locally has been in touch with it about service to Buffalo-Niagara or Niagara Falls International Airports.

Note: (4/28/13) –  Mr. Morisi has responded to my inquiry.  He says “…we have talked with them and will be looking at opportunities for those markets later this summer as we structure our route plan.  Thank you for your interest.”

 

Is “Queen City Landing” dead?

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Is the planned “Queen City Landing” dead?  Over the past 5 years  there has been much work completed along the Buffalo Outer Harbor.  Route 5 has been rebuilt.  Furhmann Blvd is now an attractive parkway.  Gallagher Beach is improved.  Bikeways, walkways and green space are available for public use.   Waterfront access is increasingly convenient. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is in the process of unloading its property ownership to developers.  One would think that this is the situation developers would want.  Actually this is what potential developers have demanded.  So, where is the private development?

In 2007, the Buffalo News reported that investors had purchased 20 acres of waterfront property and the old Freezer Queen Plant for $3 million under the promising name of Queen City Landing.  By the turn of the year to 2008, the Buffalo News, Buffalo Rising and  Buffalo Business First  were covering the proposed Buffalo Outer Harbor  development.  In June Buffalo Business First said:

One more stop at Buffalo City Hall and the road should be cleared for the transformation of the former Freezer Queen warehouse on Fuhrmann Boulevard into an upscale, mixed-use development.

The project’s developers, Queen City Landing LLC, have received the necessary approval from the Buffalo Planning Board. Now all the group needs is an official green light from the Buffalo Common Council, which is expected to consider the multi-phase project at its June 24 meeting.

“We’ll be good to go at the point,” said local businessman Gerald Buchheit, who is leading the development effort. The entire project carries more than a $200 million price tag.

Two years later the proposed private development had not started.  There was a new funding delay.  This was reported by Buffalo Business first in 2010:

Developer Gerry Buchheit, through his Queen City Landing LLC company, is seeking $24.2 million for his plans to renovate the vacant, former Freezer Queen warehouse and manufacturing plant on Fuhrmann Boulevard into a mixed-use project anchored by upscale condominiums.

Now three years after that request for assistance and nearly 6 years after the property was purchased, there have been no further announcements.   The owners of the property  have been quiet.  The office of Mayor Brown has been silent.  There has been no construction activity.  The only thing to be seen  is a parking lot full of  covered pleasure boats held in winter storage.

I hope that does not represent the new Queen City Landing development plan.

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises add a paddle-wheel boat to its canal fleet.

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Mike and Sharon Murphy, the owner operators of Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises have added a paddle-wheel boat to their canal fleet.   They have purchased a 76 foot long, 150 passenger paddle-wheel boat from Uncle Sam Boat Tours  in Alexandria Bay, NY.   Uncle Sam is a major player in the 1000 Islands – St. Lawrence River tourism business.

This investment is another in a series over the past several years that have transformed their business into a major local attraction.   Within in the next few days Capt. Mike will leave for Alexandria Bay with a crew to bring the boat to the area.  The sailing route will take them across Lake Ontario, Welland Canal, Lake Erie and the Niagara River.  The boats are to be refurbished for service on the Erie Canal at Smith Boys on Tonawanda Island.

 

The problem with airport “sequestration” cuts is not “sequestration” but the hub and spoke system.

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The problem with airport “sequestration” cuts is not “sequestration” but the hub and spoke system.   The hubs are packed with flights.  More flights than their host cities could possibly need on their own.  They are where problems for the rest of us begin.

Prior to the 1978 deregulation of the airline industry there was a rather strict system of airline international, national and regional routes.  While the airlines were growing during the 1920s to 1960s period it worked rather well.  The coming of the 1970s saw the airlines enter a phase where they started claiming that they were no making money.  They claimed competition would make them profitable and service would improve for the public. Congress and many of us bought into the argument and the airline industry was deregulated in 1978.

Since 1978  all the airlines went to a hub and spoke system.  Southwest Airlines the last hold for point-to-point routes has begun “transferring” passengers at Chicago Midway, Baltimore, Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc.  The competition airlines spoke of was an illusion.  Start up carriers were either  purchased or run out of business by short-term predatory seat pricing by the big boys.  Small cities lost flights entirely,  medium-sized carriers and some oldies (Pan Am) folded.

Competition dried up, leaving the United States with 4 major carriers each shuttling passengers through airports in which you must travel.  Those are the airports where your bags get lost.  Those are the airports where there are weather delays happen.  Those are the airports where the flight you were waiting for at home was cancelled because the plane did not arrive from some other hub airport.  And all the while the airlines continue to claim poor profits.  What a crazy system.

The Western New York media has been very vocal in mentioning that sequestration will not affect the operation at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport.  While that may be true for the airport, passengers flying out of BNIA pretty much is required to pass through a hub airport en-route to anywhere.  So hold onto your bags and hope for the best.  The hub and spoke system will be shown for what it is – convenient for the airlines, profitable for the hub airports but a real problem for the airline customer.

Flights From Buffalo, NY

Flights from Buffalo 001

 

Service from Buffalo, NY

Airline: Airtran # American* Delta JetBlue Southwest # United USAir*
Destination Hub City
Atlanta X X Yes
Baltimore X Yes
Boston X X Yes
Charlotte X Yes
Chicago/ORD X X Yes
Chicago/MDW X Yes
Cleveland X Yes
Detroit X Yes
Fort Myers X X No
Ft. Lauderdale X X X No
Las Vegas X Yes ^
Minneapolis X Yes
Newark X Yes
New York/JFK X X Yes
New York/LGA X X No
Orlando X X No
Philadelphia X Yes
Phoenix X Yes ^
Tampa X X No
Washington/DCA X No
Washington/Dulles X No
West Palm Beach X No
# = merged airline * = merged airline ^ = transfer city

Niagara Falls was likely impacted as visits to Canada by American travelers decline for February 2013.

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Niagara Falls was likely affected as visits to Canada by American travelers decline for February 2013. For those unaware, the United States shares a 5,525 mile (8,891 kilometer) border with Canada. During February 2013 four million American travelers were on the move. The U.S. Office of Travel & Tourism Industries (OTTI) reported their destinations as:

  1. Mexico, 42%
  2. Europe, 13%
  3. Caribbean, 12%
  4. Canada, 12%
  5. Asia, 8%
  6. Central America, 5%
  7. South America, 3%
  8. Middle East, 3%
  9. Oceania, 3%
  10. Africa, 1%

Obviously fun in the sun was on the minds of a majority of Americans as Mexico and the Caribbean received 54% of American travelers. Comparing February 2012 to February 2013 it would seem that Americans by a small percentage chose not to leave the country. U.S. travel to overseas markets totaled 1.82 million, down three percent in February. The destinations for those that traveled were:

  1. Mexico, 1.7 million travelers, flat; however, air travel (530,000) was up one percent
  2. Canada 526,000 travelers, down two percent; air travel (189,000) also down two percent
  3. Caribbean, 512,000 travelers, down five percent
  4. Europe, 481,000 travelers, down three percent
  5. Asia, 298,000 travelers, down six percent
  6. Central America, 203,000 travelers, flat
  7. South America, 139,000 travelers, flat
  8. Middle East, 109,000 travelers, up four percent
  9. Oceania, 57,000 travelers, up six percent
  10. Africa, 23,000 travelers, up four percent

Total Overseas travel was down one percent year-to-date; though statistics are not available it is safe to assume these winter stats indicated a traveler decline at Niagara Falls.

Fortunately the area is only one month away from the official start of the 2013 season begins.

Greater effort needed expanding Western New York presence on global agricultural export market?

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1. Farmington Fresh Processing Facility 2. Air Cargo Loading Pad

1. Farmington Fresh Processing Facility
2. Air Cargo Loading Pad

Greater effort needed in expanding Western New York presence on global agricultural export market?  Buffalo-Niagara Enterprise should take a look at the Modesto, CA airport processing operation as a potential for business model.

A September 2009 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture said:

Buffalo-Niagara Enterprise should take a look at the Modesto, CA airport processing operation as a potential for business model.    

A September 2009 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture said:

New York produces agricultural products that are exported worldwide. In 2008, the State’s cash receipts from farming totaled $4.7 billion, and exports were estimated at $1.2 billion. Agricultural exports help boost farm prices and income, while supporting about 13,899 jobs both on the farm and off the farm in food processing, storage, and transportation. Exports are increasingly important to New York’s agricultural and statewide economy. Measured as exports divided by farm cash receipts, the State’s reliance on agricultural exports was 25 percent in 2008.

New York’s top agricultural exports in 2008 were:
• dairy products — $333 million
• wheat and products — $152 million
• fruits and preparations — $149 million
• feed grains and products — $125 million

Ten years ago the “Statewide Cultural Tourism Coalition” prepared a White Paper Report where it announced that Agriculture and Tourism are the #1 and #2 revenue producers in the state economy totaling $39 billion.

The California central valley city of Stockton (291,000 pop) has capitalized on its proximity to the great agricultural production from the area.   Stockton Metropolitan Airport has a main runway that is of similar length to NFIA at 10,650 ft.  The airport also has something that Niagara Falls does not, a fruit packing and distribution company with concrete loading pad for exporting produce.  The processor is Farmington Fresh:

Farmington Fresh Sales handles fresh produce importing and exporting for the agriculture and food industry. In 1995 five local growers formed the company as a refrigerated produce-handling and airfreight operation at Stockton Metropolitan Airport in Stockton, Calif. Stockton’s Metropolitan Airport was chosen because of its largely unused capacity to handle wide-body aircraft. The facilities also permit consolidation and staging of large volumes of perishable food products for dedicated airfreight shipments by charter carriers. It is a full-service airport with a 10,000-foot, all-weather runway and landing system. Farmington Fresh is located east of San Francisco in California’s San Joaquin Valley, one of the world s largest agricultural production areas.

So a little used airport with its low fee schedule has become home to a major business with international cargo flights because it was able to attract a progressive tenant looking to improve market share.  While Western New York may not be in the same club as that region what is done there might still be doable here. 

Cornell Univ. statistics show that 61% of all U.S. exports go to #1 Canada, #2 Taiwan, #3 Hong Kong, #4 United Kingdom, #5 Mexico, and #6 Indonesia.  New York state would lose the Asian market place battle but on the Middle East-South Asian – African front there might be new opportunities for business expansion for our farms and orchards.  When it comes to apples another fact comes into play, the fact apple production within the European Union is declining.  Germany an apple producer now imports better than a half million tons of apples.  France has seen its orchards reduced by nearly 40%.  On the other hand Poland, Ukraine and Turkey have increased apple production.  Still, quality could be an issue and in our favor. 

Last year, an associate, Jeanne Gittler, and I met with Niagara County officials last year at the county business development center to pitch the idea.  We also brought to their attention  a  large Dubai, UAE based food importer/exporter  named  Greenbelt Food Stuff LLC Satwa and Al Awir.   We wondered if such a company might have an interest in doing business with local producers and quite possibly invest in a airport facility as in Stockton.  The idea seemed intriguing when you consider Gov. Andrew Cuomo has placed a one billion dollar development plan on the table.  

 We were politely received but found no interest and  received no follow-up.  The same for the New York Apple Association.  Plenty of phone calls, put on hold, then told he’s not in you can leave a message.  Emails were never answered.  But that is really not surprising.  Twenty years ago  the Department of Agricultural Economics, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences @ Cornell University took a statewide survey of packer/shippers.  Surveys were mailed to 38, responses were received from only 17.  A pretty sorry 45% response rate.

You would think that with the economy in bad shape that businesses would be interested in investigating a new lower cost transportation opportunity, a new market, and exploitation of declining production by competing apple producers on the global market.

When it comes to visiting Niagara Falls the question of “Which Side” always comes up.

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When it comes to visiting Niagara Falls the question ”Which Side” always comes up.  I am always looking for material that promotes the area.  In the course of my scanning the web I came upon a rather interesting travel blog review from Sept. 12, 2011.  The review,  written by travel blogger Joanna Haugen on her website Kaleidoscopic Wandering,  appeared under the title ” U.S. vs. Canada: Which Side of Niagara Falls Should You Visit?

Click in the link.  I hope our friends in both Niagara Falls, NY and Niagara Falls, ON find it both informative and useful.

http://kaleidoscopicwandering.com/2011/09/12/niagara-falls-united-states-niagara-falls-canada/#ixzz2QwcpnK3s

Note:  Joanna is based in Las Vegas, NV.

 

Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum uses 21st century flash mob to promote itself.

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Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum would answer Yes to the question, “Can a 21st century flash mob be used to market classical art?”  The idea is interesting and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum successfully with almost 1 million viewers of their mob in action.

My friend, former Amherst, NY Town Supervisor and Town Board member has always been an advocate for the local cultural and heritage scene. He is one to search the internet and other sources looking for tidbits about how other communities and groups go about getting their message and product out to the public.

Today he sent me a link to the Amsterdam Rijksmuseum video posted below.  It is both entertaining and informative.   An excellent and dashing presentation made possible by one of the Rijksmuseum’s biggest sponsors and the Rijksmuseum, The near one million views on Youtube show it has attracted global attention.    Heritage and culture are attractive to a variety of people.  This video is the kind of, I’m stuck with an overused cliché, “out of the box” thinking that goes a long way.  Being culturally attuned is for everyone and  does not mean being snobbish.

YouTube Preview Image

The is a video of interest to local organizations like the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Museum, Fort Niagara, etc.seeking to attract attention to themselves.

Note:  The final scene represents Rembrandt’s 1642 painting “Captain Frans Banning Cocq Mustering His Company”

 

 

Bring in Bruce Springsteen for the grand opening of “Canalside” in Buffalo, NY

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Bring in Bruce Springsteen for the grand opening of Buffalo’s “Canalside” project if for no other reason than the have him sing his ragtime version of Erie Canal.  Maybe Amusements of America could also be scheduled to provides more family fun.

Buffalo’s Canal Harbor development has been ongoing since 1998, actually the late 1970′s if you consider the Erie Basin Marina Pier, and is in its last years of  construction.  The last piece of the 26 acre project, a part of a 1 mile long redevelopment on the north side of the Buffalo River, most likely will be the  Explore & More Children’s Museum in 2015-16.

Canalside in winter

Canalside in winter

Canalside in summer

Canalside in summer

 

A public gathering to celebrate the grand opening would be a marketing tool to not only attract visitors but also a well deserved thank-you to all who have made it possible.

 

Buffalo Sister/Twinned Cities program has overlooked Canadian neighbors.

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Going back to 1961, the City Of Buffalo has entered into Sister/Twinned City relationships with 9 cities around the world.  The City of Siena, Italy was the first followed by Kanazawa, Japan in 1962. It is true you don’t hear anything about what having a Sister/Twinned City to the City of Buffalo. The partners are not in the news. The Buffalo Sister/Twinned City  on-line brochure has not been updated for over 2 years. It does not even include Yildrim-Bursa, Turkey (2010) or Yeongcheong, Rep. Korea (2011). A safe bet would be to assume that 98% of the local population, including government and media members could name 3 of the Sister/Twinned cities.

Even with this unhappy situation, it is made worse. The Buffalo-Niagara Falls border crossing with Canada is among the busiest in the world. Approximately 5 million passenger vehicles cross the Peace Bridge connecting Buffalo and Fort Erie. Annual spending by 3.1 million Canadian visitors (9.2% of population) adds $900 million to the local economy. Our Buffalo Sabres’ biggest professional hockey rivals are the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadians.

And yet, after 198 years of friendship following a nasty episode of tit-for-tat village burning during the War of 1812, there is no formal relationship between here and there. It would be sad to think this is because in reality no Canadian city wants Buffalo and/or Buffalo wants none of them. I suggest that this be given a hard look. Hands across the border is good for everyone particularly when it becomes possible to run community activities together to celebrate of differences and our neighborliness. Looking at the chart below you will find that the cities of Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Winnipeg do not have U.S. Sister/Twinned Cities arrangements. One of those for would be a good place to start relationship building.

Sister/Twinned Cities
BUFFALO, New York MONTREAL, Quebec TORONTO, Ontario
Siena, Italy Algiers, Algeria Chongqing, China
Kanazawa, Japan Amsterdam, Netherlands Chicago, Illinois
Dortmund, Germany Beersheba, Israel Frankfurt, Germany
Rzeszow, Japan Brussels, Belgium Milan, Italy
Lille, France Bucharest, Romania Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tver, Russia Busan, Rep. Korea Kyiv, Ukraine
Saint Ann, Jamaica Casablanca, Morocco Quito, Ecuador
Yeongcheong, Rep. Korea Hanoi, Vietnam Sagamihara, Japan
Yilidrim-Bursa, Turkey Hiroshima, Japan Warsaw, Poland
Nashik, India
CALGARY, Alberta, Canada Lyon, France VANCOUVER, British Columbia
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Managua, Nicaragua Odesssa, Ukraine
Jaipur, India Manila, Philippines Yokohama, Japan
Naulcalpan State, Mexico Milan, Italy Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Daqing, China Moca, Dominican Republic Guangzhou, China
Daejeon, Rep. Korea Port-au-Prince, Haiti Los Angeles, California
Phoenix, Arizona, USA Rome, Italy Seoul, Rep. Korea
San Salvador, El Salvador
EDMONTON, Alberta Shanghai, China WINNIPEG, Manitoba
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Setagaya, Japan
Harbin, China OTTAWA, Ontario Reykjavik, Iceland
Nashville, Tennessee, USA Beijing, China Lviv, Ukraine
Wonju, Rep. Korea Cairo, Egypt Manila, Philippines
Taichung, Taiwan
HAMILTON, Ontario Canada QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, Canada Kuopio, Finland
Flint, Michigan, USA Beirut, Lebanon Beersheba, Israel
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Bordeaux, France Gan Yavne, Israel
Fukuyama, Japan Calgary, Alberta, Canada Chengdu, China
Ma’anshan, China Namur, Belgium Jinju, Rep. Korea
Monterrey,Mexico Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso San Nicolas da las Garza, Mexico
Racalmuto, Italy Xi’an, China
Sarasota, Florida, USA St. Petersburg, Russia
Shawinigan, Quebec Paris, France
Valle Peligna, Italy Pekanbaru, Indonesia