Comment Part 1
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Part 1: Massport took over operations of ORH over 20 years ago if I’m not mistaken and purchased the airport about 12 years ago. Can anyone honestly say they are happy with the progress they’ve made in the last 20 years? I can’t.
What baffles me is that they have been extremely successful at Logan so you’d think that would translate into success here. Not really the case. The only flight we have that is successful is the JetBlue flight to Fort Lauderdale. Considering that there is pretty much ZERO promotion done by Massport for ORH, I can’t say that I’m surprised. I see more advertisements for TF Green and Breeze Airways in this area than I do for anything at ORH. They’ve had several opportunities to market ORH that have been completely wasted.
For example, when they offered free parking the first I heard of it was through this blog and it was several months after they had started offering it. If you went on the Massport website there was a tiny sentence on the Worcester Airport section of the website that after you clicked on “Parking Information” it said parking was free until June 2022 or whatever it was. There should have been a banner ad on the Worcester Airport Massport webpage that promoted the free parking.
Another opportunity they are wasting is Polar Park. Sure, they have a small, almost un-readable ad on the backstop on the 3rd base side but the majority of the ballpark either can’t see it or can’t read it. I’ve been to multiple games and sat all over the park. The only place you can clearly see the ad is from the first base side. On any given gameday you have 5,000 to almost 10,000 people, families, in that ballpark. They come from all over the Worcester, Metrowest, Northern RI areas, all of which are in your target market.
Also, just some better signage around the city might help to get it in people’s heads that the airport has flight options. I don’t think the sign at the end of Airport Drive at Route 122 has changed since the 90’s. It honestly looks like a sign that would be outside of a used car dealership on Park Ave. Get some better signage around the city. I think I saw a logo for the airport once. That should be prominent on any signage.
Get better signage on the highway. There’s a bland green highway sign on 290 that says “Worcester Airport”. Get a logo on that thing. Advertise on the sides of the WRTA buses. You have to get the word out to people while they are out and about doing their daily routines.
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Let’s clear some things up from Anonymous’s delusional manifesto. Massport has been extremely successful at Logan, because people want to fly out of Logan, and more importantly, the business community is supporting them. Airlines profit from business travel. Yes, Ft. Lauderdale is popular, but if you just look at it by passenger count, you’re wearing rose colored glasses. Airlines don’t make money on any market that is purely leisure (unless you’re a real low cost airline that has less room than a sardine can). You’re seeing other airports marketing, but it’s the airline’s that are doing the brunt, especially the upstarts like Breeze and Avelo that are entering the market. Let me be blunt. I think Massport should be in the business of operating safe airports. They should not be burdened with having to market and promote it (they don’t at their other airports). THAT responsibility should fall on the community, specifically the BUSINESS community. I think Massport is doing all they can by making the airport safe and reliable with the money they’re spending. And, has gone steps further to RECRUIT airlines that they have good relations they have at. And I give them credit for RETAINing them for so long when support hasn’t exactly materialized in the past 10 years. Hmmmmm, I’m hearing a common phrase materializing…… RECRUIT, RETAIN,…….. What’s missing? INCUBATE !!!
Where have you heard that before? Google it and you’ll find what’s missing in the great experiment that is Worcester Regional Airport. My cousin Clark Griswald is absolutely right that that its about time for the Chambers and Businesses to start investing in the airport and take up the reins of marketing and promoting it and let Massport focus on operating it. Massport has already done ⅔’s of the chamber’s job. By the way, fact check. There are no plans for a parallel runway. There’s not even any room for a runway, unless the city will let them fill in one of the reservoirs, and push Asmabumskit hill a few miles to fill the hole. I think he’s confusing it with extending the taxiway that the FAA will require if (when) the airport gets busier.