"Opinion: Admit that Florida airport's a failure"

Sunday, May 23, 2004

Opinion
Admit that the airport's a failure
The Sarasota (FL) Herald-Tribune


For eight years or more, the Sarasota-Bradenton "International" Airport
has gone steadily downhill: mass departure of major airlines,
noncompetitive fares, insufficient ground transportation, loss of
income.

No other business enterprise would put up with this unenviable
management failure by its president and board.

Now we find that Sarasota and Manatee counties have been asked to assign
hundreds of thousands of dollars to help get a federal grant to
"possibly" attract a discount carrier. In addition, the latest attempt
to stay above water is to issue more ground leases.

This airport board is in place to improve services to the large local
population, and ensure profitable airport growth. None of this has
occurred.

Drastic means are called for. Replace the president and board now with
knowledgable and proven successful businessmen. Drastically cut costs
and increase incentives for meaningful airlines to use this modern
facility. Continuing our unsuccessful approach without major change and
good business management will leave this ever-growing and affluent
population with nothing but an oversized commuter airport.

Elliott Richman
Sarasota 


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