Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I see in an Airliners.net discussion that MEM is courting Air France which to me won't fly. No pun intended. The market is barely enough to support the feed loaded AMS flight. No way they can support an Air France flight to CDG as well. Since NW has a code share agreement with Air France would IND be courting them as well? This would allow tickets to be sold through NWA.com. They fly the A330-200 which seats 219 people. That would be a size that would work here.

Airliners Discussion
http://www.airliners.net/discu...al_aviation/read.main/3077638/

However... I don't think I'd want to fly to CDG. I've heard nightmares about that place. I am much more comfortable with AMS. While it requires a hike that place has great markings to help you get from point A to point B.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

that be so kool if we could get that since hartford already has ams service but wouldnt they wait till 08 for the new terminal

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Here's a link to the AP article about MEM/AF from airportbusiness.

http://www.airportbusiness.com....jsp?siteSection=3&id=8714

I wouldn't count MEM out in this bid. AF owns KLM, so the CDG flight would likely be a compliment and use NW's service to feed it as well. The city and state folks in Memphis are a savvy as they come, and they'll do everything they can to convince AF.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

why cant the folks in indy do that that would mean we have a true international airport no mexico and canada service for passengers i know we have the freight international service but passenger is better i think

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

I know the mayor has a task force that has been very active in getting upgraded air service at IND. I believe they had a hand in getting NW to set up a focus city here. Also, one of the key objectives of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP, one of several economic-development organizations in Indy) is to get nonstop flight service to several key cities. RDU was one of them, as are SEA, SFO, and LAX. I believe they've also stated the goal of eventually getting nonstop service to a European destination from here. The new terminal does complicate that, though; since it's slated to open relatively soon, it's tough for the movers and shakers in Indianapolis to convince an airline to start that service before the opening of the new terminal. Kind of like the BDL-AMS extension we talked about before. You could easily do IND-BDL-AMS, but on the way back, you'd do AMS-BDL and have to clear customs/immigration there, then reconnect to a BDL-IND flight. That's both required now and practical given the sorry state of our current international arrivals hall.

Member

Joined: 11 Oct 2006
Posts: 248
Location: Lexington ky

i didnt know the mayor had a task force for that stuff

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

I'd bank on them not getting it. If they did I think NW would pull the AMS service. That flight is mainly feed as it is. Basically an AF flight in MEM would break even at best. There would be almost no O/D on it. Or numbers so bad it wouldn't be worth messing with. Does MEM want to risk losing the AMS flight? Or is that flight on its last legs anyway?