UK to Ft Lauderdale?

Further to the rumoured and denied VS move from MCO to Sanford, does anyone know why VS (or BA even) does not fly into Hollywood/Ft Lauderdale airport (FLL)?

FLL may not offer the onward air and cruise connections of MIA, but is much better for cruises from Port Everglades, and its use avoids the many unpleasant disadvantages of MIA as well as permitting access to car rental without a shuttle bus.

I read elsewhere on this site that MCO passengers are treated as second class; my impression is that the UK to Florida routes are seen as cash cows by both VS and BA.

[Neil]

I am sure the airlines have their reasons for not flying in to FLL, I imagine one of the reasons is because the other airports work better. MCO is perfect for the Orlando market, and MIA works well as a major city destination, its good for the cruises and also closer for people wanting to go to the Keys. The fact that it offers the chance to get hire cars without a shuttle bus, must be a very minor factor, if one at all.

I don't stand by the whole MCO pax are treated second class at all. Virgin (never flown BA to MCO) offer a very good 'scheduled' product, which suit the market and target pax very well, flying in to the main airport, at competitive prices. The fact that the flights are full and Virgin have added extra flights this year would back this up also. I agree, they are behind on the newer seats/IFE, but otherwise it is the exact same product as ex LHR.

Neil The senior FSM on my flight from LHR to MIA told me that the service WAS in fact superior to the MCO route when I happened to say it was my first flight to MIA. I am inclined to agree with her after the flight and will in future fly in to MIA instead of MCO.

I think it would be nice for Virgin to fly into Ft Lauderdale rather than Miami as Miami International Airport is so busy and the immigration there is so bad however MIA is the place for connections to for example, Mexico or the Bahamas which Virgin Holidays use if you book with them to go to Mexico or the Bahamas, flying on Virgin Atlantic via Miami.
On the other hand if Virgin where to fly into FLL insted there could be problems with the size of the facilitys there. Although FLL dealt with Zoom's LGW-FLL services last year these flights were only opperated by 767's not 747's or A340's so queing problems may happen and immigration would be considerably bussier. There would also be a high volume of passengers luggage to travel through the luggage systems so the facilitys may not be able to cope with the amount of passengers Virgin's flights send there. There would also be many other factors to take into consideration if they were to move there, although I would like to see Virgin fly to Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami though and I would also like them to fly to Fort Myers in the future, but I doubt that will ever happen.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by easygoingeezer
Neil The senior FSM on my flight from LHR to MIA told me that the service WAS in fact superior to the MCO route when I happened to say it was my first flight to MIA. I am inclined to agree with her after the flight and will in future fly in to MIA instead of MCO.


What were they basing that on EGG? For UC pax, I understand the CH at LHR is fantastic, but otherwise, in the UC cabin, everything is the same apart from the IFE.

I have flown UC both ex MAN and ex LHR, and our best flights have been ex MAN, with the smaller UC cabin and the personal service by the CC, its a winner for us.

My initial basis, was on a basic Y offering, so excluding such niceties as the CH, private security channel etc.

quote:Originally posted by Neil
...... The fact that it offers the chance to get hire cars without a shuttle bus, must be a very minor factor, if one at all.
......
It IS a very minor factor; I'm sorry if my inclusion of it has detracted from just how unpleasant MIA is.

PE & especially UC passengers may not realise the purgatory of 10+ hours in Economy.
This is followed by a long walk and a longer wait (10 to 30 minutes is common) in lines for interrogation by Immigration Officers whose rudeness is notorious and untypical of Americans.
Then a search for luggage and another crawling line through US Customs to an anxious hot and humid wait outside the terminal building for a shuttle bus in an ever-changing area congested and contested dangerously by people and vehicles.
From where you are delivered to another line for rental car pick up.
WHY? Mr Alamo, Mr Dollar, Mr Thrifty, Mr Hertz, Mr Avis, Mr Enterprise WHY? does this particular process take so long!
Finally knackered, one is released into the Miami madness, a frequently menacing environment worsened by rush hour traffic and/or wintertime darkness compounded by poor signposting.
Don't get me wrong, I love South Florida and its people.
But I have no illusions about MIA, and am sure many regular users will confirm these criticisms and add to them.

Icarus2009, can I just point out that a lot of UCS passengers kind of started in Economy and are possibly aware of the EC product, we wern't all born with a UCS amenity kit on our laps.

No disrespect to you but if a UCS pax made a generalisation about EC pax like that then I am sure we would be dodging the stale muffins thrown from the EC in to the UCS cabin.

I have only flown once in to MIA and to be honest was a little nervous about arriving having heard the stories about the welcome there, as it happened we breezed through, no one spoke to us just flicked their fingers in to whatever direction they wanted us to walk, prefer it that way. I have had many an interrogation at MCO.

And Neil I wasa refering to the UCS product delivary and general lack of grubbiness on the LHR flight. The service was just superior in my view, perhaps I was just lucky, and have been regularly unlucky out of MAN.

FLL would lose business for Virgin, as those of us who connect to the Caribean for business, would continue to fly into Miami on other airlines and connect with AA or Air Jamaica.

I agree that the Immigration situation is unfriendly and slow, and the last time I was there, in early December, it took an hour.
I was actually in Y on that trip, and did get off somewhere near the back of the line !

We flew to Mia on VS05 in early March this year. The flight was full in Upper and PE mainly due to positioning crew. Y was about 80% full.

I was dreading arrival in Mia. However, I was very pleasantly surprised on how quick we were through immigration and customs. In fact, the longest wait we had was for our baby's buggy.

Yes it was busy and humid outside the terminal but we were on the bus to dollar in no time and no queues when we got there.

On returning through the airport we again had a very pleasant experience with check-in and security a breeze.

I can see though at times it can be a nightmare to clear the airport.
I guess there are good days and bad days....

Will write a full trip report soon.

I'm not giving MIA the thumbs up - but we flew PE into MIA in October 08 (with our 6 month old daughter) and were dreading immigration.

We were off the flight fast, sprinting almost, as fast as one can with a 6 month old in tow - but hit the immigration hall (new one, not the old one I'd previously experienced) and found it empty! no queue!

Yes the staff there are a challenge - but all said it's not that bad!

Now Ft Myers - that would be great [:D] but I can't ever see it happening.

A

[Scrooge]

FLL is a strange airport, in many ways it reminds me of LGW.

However, if they ever get the runways finished and the new immigration set up then it will be a better place, now let me say this, I much prefer FLL to MIA, though I do have to say that MIA has improved a great deal of late.

In reality VS/BA will not go to FLL and MIA, they are just to close. If you have a cruise leaving from FLL it is still very easy to get there from MIA.

The issues with connections are really a non issue, FLL has WN, B6, FL and NK, other than NK they are really easy to connect with at FLL, NK is a nightmare unless your connecting from another NK flight.

One of my favourite subjects [y].

If I ever have to go to the Miami area, business usually, I travel through Newark and down to FLL, though leavening this with a stay in New York. FLL to me is so much more appealing as a destination for VS into the area but I do understand the comments about connections to the Caribbean and cruises etc.

MIA is an airport experience I loathe, not to put to strong a term to it. I last flew out of MIA in August last year (following the route from New York), the TSA man before security was screaming at passengers, the security area was so overcrowded that people we're falling over each other trying to get off the escalators up to it, the lounge was under catered, etc.

I wouldn't believe that VS will change to FLL but it's a nice thought!

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
One of my favourite subjects [y].

If I ever have to go to the Miami area, business usually, I travel through Newark and down to FLL, though leavening this with a stay in New York. FLL to me is so much more appealing as a destination for VS into the area .....

MIA is an airport experience I loathe, not to put to strong a term to it. I last flew out of MIA in August last year (following the route from New York), the TSA man before security was screaming at passengers, the security area was so overcrowded that people we're falling over each other trying to get off the escalators up to it, the lounge was under catered, etc.

I wouldn't believe that VS will change to FLL but it's a nice thought!


Often I've thought of doing just that (LHR to EWR then EWR to FLL) but been put off, because atrocious as things can be at MIA, clearing US Immigration/Customs anywhere is bad, and worse if you have an onward flight that day or the next with maximum luggage and security checks.

As it happened, my last trip through MIA last November was a breeze, but followed by a 30 minute wait for the Dollar shuttle bus and a 90 minute queue at the Dollar depot for a car that in daylight proved damaged - not visible at pick up in the dark. Luckily I was reassured by a tiny 'REPORTED' sticker on it.

Several visitors since then have not been so lucky.

Incidentally, in the days BA operated 3 LHR to MIA flights on some days, the passengers who enquired why not one (not necessarily daily) to FLL instead were told 'no commercial value.' I question that.

My experience is LHR to MIA flights tend towards being full, even in hard times such as now. Should the world economy ever recover to the extent of tempting VS to consider a second LHR to MIA daily flight, it might take into account those customers who'd favour FLL.

quote:Originally posted by slinky09

MIA is an airport experience I loathe, not to put to strong a term to it. I last flew out of MIA in August last year (following the route from New York), the TSA man before security was screaming at passengers, the security area was so overcrowded that people we're falling over each other trying to get off the escalators up to it, the lounge was under catered, etc.


Touche. Well, you all know my feelings about the hellhole that is MIA. Unfortunately, nice as the notion is, I can't ever see VS/BA shifting to FLL.