MSP Airport / Metropolitan Airports Commission

[froggie]

For my part, since I'm retired military, I wish the USO lounge was INSIDE security instead of on the 2nd floor above/behind ticketing. Would also be nice if the Humphrey Terminal had a USO lounge, though I admit demand is MUCH smaller there...

[MNdible]

My point was that if you're not flying Delta, you're not connecting at MSP, and you'll get little benefit from a lounge.

[VAStationDude]

The Delta lounge is busy early in the morning when there is very little connecting traffic. I know a delta gold member with who flies direct to and from Minneapolis for 95% of his air travel. He always visits the delta club before flights leaving msp and after arriving flights if he has checked bags. He might use the lounge in Detroit or Atlanta a couple times a year when connecting at those airports.

People who travel a lot value lounges. I could see other airlines giving admission vouchers to this lounge to their elite members

[Wedgeguy]

Does anyone have any idea what the status of Sun Country is right now. Only finding things from this spring about the possible shut down if there is a strike. Are they still negotiating, where are things at this point?

[SteveXC500]

Wondering the same re: Sun Country. Rumor a few months ago was that Southwest could be interested in taking the leases, where possible, and possibly their pilots. Now that SW has reached a potential agreement with its pilots, does that factor in to anything with Sun Country?

[Wedgeguy]

Saw a booth for Sun Country out at the state fair today. So they must still be in business or at least negotiating with each other.

[mattaudio]

Icelandair will operate about half their flights next year with a widebody 767 instead of the usual 757.
http://airlineroute.net/2015/09/07/fi-767-s16update2/

[SteveXC500]

Icelandair will also be retaining service until January 10, 2016 and resume again in March. In previous years, they had only operated May to October.

[maxbaby]

Once it restarts in March 2016 it will be operating daily year round service instead of the seasonal it currently does now.

[mattaudio]

American Airlines is starting up MSP-LGA in January, a route they cut a few years ago. Glad to see competition returning on that route.

[twinkess]

Nice. Might lower prices a bit on that route.

[SteveXC500]

Quick check in mid-February, during the week, has them at around $700 round trip.

[SteveXC500]

Additionally found this today:
Sun Country is dropping flights to Chicago-Midway.
"Sun Country is also dropping year-round flights from MSP to Lansing, Mich., and seasonal flights to Harlingen, Texas. Next month, it will add a second daily nonstop flight to Washington National, year round service from Fort Myers, Fla., to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Fort Myers to Cancun."

[mister.shoes]

I have family in Saginaw, MI and the Sun Country flights to Lansing were always waaaaaaay more affordable than Delta's into MBS. That's too bad they're going away. They were always fairly full. I assumed those flights existed because of B1G sports.

[mattaudio]

It existed because Lansing had a slot for access into DCA (state capitol). DCA slots are very political. And there was surprise that SY was able to cut out the Lansing stop and fly MSP-DCA direct on a second daily frequency.

[kirby96]

Is it surprising they are dropping flights to Chicago?

[SteveXC500]

They really were not even running 1x/day. This compares to Southwest running 7-8x/day and Delta with about 5 or 6 per day. Looking at some data, from Feb-June, SY averaged about 75% of their available seats were used on this route. But, with the competition, did they make or lose money? I suppose that would factor in quite heavily.

[MNdible]

The Strib reports that Sun Country and their pilots have come to terms, which should stabilize the unsettled situation over at Terminal 2.

The story also contained this note, which stunned me:

Mendota Heights-based Sun Country has a fleet of 20 Boeing 737s and is the third largest operator at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport behind Delta Air Lines and Spirit Airlines.

Spirit is the second largest carrier?

[Wedgeguy]

Where is Southwest in that count. Thought they would surely be # 2 or 3

[MSPtoMKE]

Spirit is the 6th largest carrier at MSP, according to Wikipedia. Not sure where the Star Tribune came up with the 2nd place ranking. Even excluding regional partners couldn't get it to the number 2 spot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneapol ... line_stats

With all the mergers wrapping up, Wikipedia says Sun Country has dropped to the number 4 airline at MSP, after American/US Airways and Southwest/AirTran. Interestingly, United has the second most aircraft movements, but is number 6 in passengers, due to its heavy reliance on regional jets.