Airline Service at Gwinnett County Airport?

2009-12-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Propeller Investments, an equity firm from New York, has approached Gwinnett County in suburban Atlanta with the idea of privatizing Briscoe airport (LZU). The firm proposes buying the airport and building a 10-gate airline terminal that would handle aircraft up to the size of a 737-900. Their website, whyprivatizebriscoe.com, includes bold renderings that show aircraft of Delta, Continental, Jet Blue, and Southwest on the runway and around the terminal. While it is unlikely Delta would ever use the airport, this could be the perfect opportunity for Southwest to enter the Atlanta market.

15 years ago, the DOT proposed turning Briscoe into a reliever airport for Hartsfield-Jackson but public opposition quickly derailed the plan. Today, the area is now dominated by commercial and industrial development and residential opposition might be less of an issue.

While is the idea of jet airliners at Briscoe is a bit difficult for some to imagine, the airport received scheduled airline service as recently as Spring 2009 when Wings Air operated commuter flights between Lawrenceville and Hartsfield-Jackson.

Here's a map showing the proposed terminal.

AirTran and Delta begin 737 flights to Key West

2009-12-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Photos courtesy of flickr photographer Chris W.

For the first time in 20 years, large jet airliners return to Key West as AirTran and Delta begin 737-700 service today to the Conch Republic. AirTran will operate 4 weekly round-trips from Orlando and Delta will fly a daily round-trip from Atlanta. While ASA has been flying smaller regional jets into Key West, the city has been primarily served by small propeller aircraft during the last 2 decades. One of the main reasons airlines have been hestitant to fly full-size jets into Key West is because the airport's single runway is only 4801 feet long, an uncomfortably short distance that leaves little room for error. In fact, Key West has the shortest runway of any airport in North Amercica that handles aircraft as large as a 737.

Eastern Airlines was the last airline to fly large jets into Key West when they operated a single daily 727 flight between Miami and Key West for a few years during the late 1980s. Prior to that, Piedmont and its successor US Air flew Fokker F-28s during the mid to late 80s, Air Florida flew 737s to Key West from 1979 into the early 80s, and National Airlines operated 727s in the late 60s and early 70s.

Some other historic airlines that once flew to Key West include: PBA , Air Sunshine, American Air Taxi, Dolphin Airways, Chalk's, Aerosun, Airways International, North American, Red Carpet, Vintage Airways, Key West Airlines and Air Florida Commuter.

AirTran's Key West flights operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The schedule:

Orlando to Key West
Flight 868 Departs 11:30a Arrives 12:40p

Key West to Orlando
Flight 833 Departs 1:30p Arrives 2:40p

Delta's Key West flight operates daily

Atlanta to Key West
Flight 1113 Departs 10:00am Arrives 12:00pm

Key West to Atlanta
Flight 1122 Departs 12:40pm Arrives 2:45pm

Sunshine Skies Current Events

Airline Service at Gwinnett County Airport?

AirTran and Delta begin 737 flights to Key West