Since 9-11, a lot of things have changed in the aviation world. Perhaps the most notable transformation was the introduction of the Transportation Security Administration at security checkpoints nationwide. Our TSA agents work hard to keep us safe as we fly, and the agents at Asheville Regional Airport receive especially high marks from passengers for their friendliness, helpfulness, and all around jobs-well-done. (Good job, TSA!) One of the TSA’s most visible duties is the confiscation of prohibited items, and if you’ve traveled recently and inadvertently (or advertently — that’s a word that should be used more often) attempted to take a prohibited item through security, you know exactly what we’re talking about, and you’re not alone. Despite the fact that TSA maintains a list of prohibited items on their website (which you can find here), millions of travelers each year must abandon items at checkpoints — pocket knives, wine corkscrews, and the occasional mercury tooth filling. Just kidding — fillings are permitted to stay in place as they have not yet been deemed dangerous, at least not to airline passengers. The controversy over the danger of mercury fillings to your health, however, remains. But we digress. Our Department of Public Safety oversees a growing collection of items confiscated by the TSA. Most of these items will be taken to a metal scrap yard, melted down, and made into a brand new pocket knives — one of which you’ll probably go out and buy to replace the one you left at the checkpoint. It’s the sheer volume of items confiscated that’s so amazing. Take this box full of wine corkscrews for example: Or this box of knives: Which is just one of these THREE boxes of knives: And if you look really hard, below the box on the upper right, you can just barely make out the edges of several small barbells, which leads us to believe that the line blurted by luggage-toting husbands for decades — “What’d you pack in here – weights?!” — may, in fact, have a non-fiction origin. We’ll leave you with a picture of our favorite confiscated items currently in the Confiscation Closet (okay, we don’t really have a room called the Confiscation Closet, but it sounds pretty cool, so let’s go with it).

That’s right. Out of the 100+ people who work in, around, and for the Asheville Regional Airport, there’s only one who secretly hopes your flight is delayed. We sat down with Todd Levick, General Manager of our own Blue Ridge Trading + Tavern, to get answers.

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL): Let's start with the big question: Why, oh why, do you hope for delayed flights?

Todd Levick: Well, when I travel, it’s the last thing I want, but here, in an airport restaurant, it’s good news. It’s against my nature to want something negative for someone, so it’s kind of a strange feeling when I find myself happy that a flight has been delayed. Really though, I want people to be slowed down and for the Blue Ridge Tavern to be a place that changes a negative experience (like a delayed flight) into a positive one where someone walks away saying, “Man, I’m so glad I got to experience this – farm-to-table food, a great server, the best burger I’ve ever had.” That’s what I want. AVL: So you’re not really a bad guy. What about you? When you fly, where do you go? TL: Honestly, I don’t fly very often, but when I do I go home to Boston. One of my favorite ways to travel is actually on the road in the middle of the night when no one else is driving. AVL: You’re not supposed to say things like that when you work in an airport! This is supposed to be an airport story, promoting air travel! Anyway, while we’re on the subject, tell us the best thing about working here, managing the Tavern. TL: Lots of things, really, but probably all the different people converging in this one place for different reasons—almost like a Field of Dreams thing—and being able to experience that. AVL: Okay, so here’s a big question: why isn’t there a restaurant and bar in the pre-screening lobby area, and when can travelers expect to see something? TL: I can’t answer the second part yet, but the first part is easy: less than 10% of business is done on the pre-screening side of an airport, so from a business standpoint, it’s a lot of money to invest into something that offers little return. However, we are definitely looking at this. We know people want it. AVL: Let’s talk business for a second: what’s your top selling item? TL: Water. Everybody wants water. And then coffee. Gum and magazines are big too. AVL: What’s your favorite thing on the menu? TL: Well, my favorite thing is actually something that’s not on the menu yet—shrimp and grits. But the most popular thing is our burger. I’ve had people say, “I don’t want burgers anywhere else now.” It’s the best burger in town: Brioche buns, local produce whenever possible. If you’re going to do a burger, make it the best burger imaginable.

AVL: How do you motivate your staff to provide great customer service?

TL: Example. Hiring the right people and leading the charge every day. It all starts at the top. There’s a lot of passion in our company about designing an intentionally great experience, and there’s a lot of passion about great customer service, which is evidenced by the fact that The Paradies Shops (our parent company) has won the Airport Revenue News award for "Concessionaire with Highest Regard for Customer Service" for 15 years, and "Best Airport Retailer" for 16. It’s about the culture, not just the training. AVL: Last question: what’s new and exciting for 2012? TL: Redefining our menu and listening to what our guests want. We try to do a little bit of everything, but our identity is a Southern, fresh, something-for-everyone tavern. When I travel, I look for the Irish bar, so I love the tavern aspect of who we are. We also want to connect more with the community and become even more of a destination restaurant where people have to come to the airport an hour early, not because TSA said so, but because they want to be waited on by their favorite server and enjoy a great experience. Learn more about Blue Ridge Trading + Tavern or take a look at the menu.

It’s one thing to plan a massive, precedent-demolishing event for eight months and then watch it unfold before your eyes as members of our very own Western North Carolina community descend upon the airport by the hundreds to take part in our very first Runway 5k + Healthy Fun Day. It’s another thing altogether to see it from someone else’s perspective—that of a runner, child, or aerial photographer, for example. If you were here last Saturday to help us celebrate our 50^th year by running on the runway, enjoying food from Tupelo Honey, Frankie Bones, or our own Blue Ridge Tavern, or perhaps by kicking back and enjoying the music played so well by local bluegrass band High Windy—despite the numbing cold—you probably have your own take on what was great, what could have been better (the weather, for example!), and what was just plane unique (pun intended). And if you didn’t brave the cold last weekend, this post will give you a little taste of what went down (which, ironically, is a phrase we tend to avoid in the aviation industry). Photos are plastered all over our Facebook page, so you can get a good feel for things there, but here’s a real treat: images from the sky of the hundreds of runners that converged on the airport’s runway for a historic run. (Click on the photos to see larger versions.) [caption id="attachment_220" align="aligncenter" width="448" caption="Aerial photos by aerialphotopros.com "][/caption]

You can’t beat an aerial view for an event like this. After the race (which was won by Arden resident Scott Laws with a time of 18:39) parents and children alike filled hangar #7 to take part in the Healthy Fun Day portion of the event. Our event partner, Mission Health, went above and beyond to make health education fun and easy for all who attended, even dispatching MAMA, their emergency services helicopter, to the site so kids of all ages could get up close and personal with one of our region’s most recognizable aircraft. One of the activities for kids was a scavenger hunt, in which children were tasked with finding objects or activities at the event that started with each of the letters in the words “Healthy Fun.” Take a look at these always adorable, sometimes touching, and often hilarious things kids see at an event like this:

Happy faces is certainly a good sign, and clearly something that stands out to a child.

While we have received calls about unidentified flying objects at or around the airport, we can’t say that we’ve ever seen a unicorn. We are ready to offer this child a job in our creative department, though—imagination is a beautiful thing!

This one, for the record, says “ugly color pink.” We admit there was a lot of pink, but for a good cause! The event benefited Ladies Night Out and breast cancer awareness, in honor of Pink October.

This one doesn’t need a caption, but it just makes us want to say thanks to all of our military service members, past and present.

If you were ever a child, you know the importance of getting something for free. Heck, many of us STILL love getting things for free even though we’ve outgrown the ability to imagine unicorns at a party. We saw kids and adults alike walk out with everything from yo-yos and Frisbees, to a wad of cash (courtesy of Mix 96.5) and work-out towels. Free things are definitely deserving of an exclamation point.

Some children are born to be efficient. Why waste precious time looking around for a plethora of items when you could finish this little project with a few adjectives? “Awesome plane, little plane, truck, huge truck, yellow truck, flying plane, ugly truck, new truck.” DONE. Does this one remind anyone else of the wonderful Dr. Seuss?

One polite young ‘un took the time to underline “Nice people” somewhere between four and twenty times. And it’s true—we met an awful lot of nice people on Saturday. We’re glad so many of you were here to have a good time with us, and thanks to ALL of you, we have much to celebrate!

ASHEVILLE TAKES OFF TO FUN AND AMUSEMENT

ALLEGIANT ANNOUNCES NONSTOP, LOW-COST TRAVEL SERVICE BETWEEN ASHEVILLE AND ORLANDO WITH INTRODUCTORY $49.98* FARES

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) today announces new, nonstop jet service between Asheville, N.C., and Orlando, Fla., via Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), will begin Nov. 18. The company, known for its exceptional travel deals, will introduce the new service to Western North Carolina area residents with fares as low as $49.98* one way.

“We're pleased to bring an affordable and convenient travel option to Asheville,” Andrew C. Levy, Allegiant Travel Company President, said. “We are confident Western North Carolina will appreciate flying nonstop to Orlando and take advantage of the great deals we offer on hotels, car rentals and theme park tickets.”

“Asheville Regional Airport is proud to partner with Allegiant Travel Company, and looks forward to welcoming them to Western North Carolina,” said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., airport director. “Allegiant is a quality airline with great fares, and we know that our air travelers will welcome them with open arms. We have received many requests in recent years to advocate for Allegiant to come to our airport, and I am pleased to say that the time has come. It will be a great sight when the first Allegiant jet lands at AVL – a plane that will seat 150 people – and an even greater sight of our friends and neighbors enjoying the non-stop, low-fare flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport.”

The new flights will operate two times weekly between Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) and Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) with service Monday and Friday. Flights will depart Asheville at 8:20 p.m. arriving in Orlando-Sanford at 9:50 p.m. Flights leaving Orlando-Sanford will depart at 6:10 p.m. arriving in Asheville at 7:40 p.m. (all flight times are local). The carrier will utilize a full-size, 150-seat MD-80 jet aircraft on the route.

With plenty of shopping, dining, outdoor activities and entertainment, Orlando offers vacationers the perfect getaway. Located in the heart of Central Florida, Orlando is home to the world’s most exciting theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. Orlando’s famous International Drive is more than 10 miles long and features more than 100 hotels, 450 stores, several attractions and two major outlet malls. Orlando is also home to more than 175 golf courses, many of which were designed by pro golfers such as Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

Allegiant’s $49.98* one-way introductory fare is limited, must be purchased by Oct. 3, 2011, and is valid for travel between Nov. 29, 2011, and Feb. 14, 2012. Introductory fares are not available on all flights.

Reservations can be made on the airline’s website at www.allegiant.com or by calling the company’s travel experts at 702-505-8888. Allegiant guarantees the lowest price on air and hotel vacation packages through the company’s Low-Price Pledge. If the customer finds an air and hotel package for less, Allegiant will credit the difference for use on a future booking. Allegiant is also rewarding customers who book an air and hotel package through the company with an instant $20 savings on roundtrip airfare, making it even more affordable to book an air and hotel package.

About the $49.98* one-way fare:
Seats are limited. Fares are one-way and not available on all flights. Must be purchased by Oct. 3, 2011, for travel by Feb. 14, 2012. Offer not available Dec. 24, 2011--Jan. 4, 2012. Prices do not include PFC, segment tax or Sept. 11th security fee of up to $10.70 per segment. A segment is one take-off and one landing. A fee of $14.99 per segment, will apply when purchased through Allegiant call centers. For ticket counter hours of operation, please visit www.allegiant.com. When purchased at the time of booking, a checked bag fee of up to $14.99 per bag will apply per person, per segment. If purchased at flight check-in, a fee of $35 per checked bag, per person, per segment will apply for the first two bags checked. Additional higher fees will apply for three or more checked bags. Fare rules, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply. $20 savings based on a two-night, air+hotel purchase; valid at select Allegiant hotels.

Allegiant, travel is our deal.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix-Mesa, Orlando, Fla., and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla. Through its subsidiary, Allegiant Air, the company operates a low-cost, high-efficiency, all-jet passenger airline offering air travel both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with hotel rooms, rental cars and other travel-related services. In 2010, Allegiant was ranked number one for low-cost carriers in Aviation Week’s Top Performing Airline study and ranked 25 on FORTUNE magazine’s Fastest-Growing Companies list. Receive breaking news from Allegiant by visiting Allegiant’s Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/Allegiant or follow Allegiant on Twitter at twitter.com/allegianttravel.
 

Unless you’re in the aviation industry, “runway rejuvenation” might sound like a term to describe a day at the spa for a high-fashion runway model before the next big show. And actually, that’s not too far off. For an airport, undergoing a runway rejuvenation is the equivalent of a treatment at the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa – emphasis on spa – complete with cleansing and exfoliation, body masque, and deep tissue massage. Essentially, it’s a way to treat and preserve the runway. First is the rubber removal process, meaning that all the rubber left on the runway—when the wheels of your plane touch down—has to come up. Scraping it off is a lengthy process, but like exfoliating your skin, you have to get rid of the gunk before you treat what’s underneath. Next is “rout and grout,” which involves cleaning out cracks in the asphalt, and then filling and sealing them with a hot tar substance, which could be likened to a body masque. After that comes the deep tissue massage, in which a sealant is applied that seeps into the depth of the asphalt and replenishes the needed oils and elasticity, protecting the entire runway. Finally the markings are painted afresh, like having make-up professionally applied. The process is something akin to Extreme Makeover: Runway Edition. And the best part of a show like that? The reveal, of course! Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present our newly rejuvenated runway:

You may have heard recently that Vision Airlines has decided to suspend service from AVL as of today. Yes, it’s true, although it’s not unexpected.

Asheville, NC – Vision Airlines announced last week that service to nine of its 15 destination cities – including Asheville – will be discontinued as of August 19, a move that was not a surprise to Asheville Regional Airport (AVL).

“Vision Airlines entered the commercial air service market in a big way last spring,” said Lew Bleiweis, airport director. “Their business model included tapping into vacation destination markets and drawing travelers between those markets. The summer season in the panhandle of Florida – where Vision is based - is nearing its end, so their exit from many markets is somewhat expected.”

Vision began a two-day-a-week service from Asheville to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida in March, and served approximately 600 passengers each month, or 1.5% of total passengers at AVL . The loss of Vision from AVL will have a minimal impact on the organization’s budget.

Vision has indicated that the reduction of service to and from Northwest Florida Regional is temporary. The airline will resume a fuller schedule of flights starting April 1 of next year, and some of the discontinued destinations will be brought back while new destinations likely will be added. Vision has not indicated which cities will be served again in the spring.

“As we leave the busy summer travel season, it is very common for airports to see changes in air service,” said Bleiweis. “Asheville will continue to see air service come and go – that’s the nature of the business. What we, will continue to do is communicate with airlines, advocate for needed routes, and keep Western North Carolina top-of-mind with airline planners. We have a proven market, and an exceptional airport, and I look forward to what’s to come.”

Asheville, NC – A new event for 5K enthusiasts – the Asheville Regional Airport Runway 5K & Healthy Fun Day presented by Mission Health – is now open for registration. Visit flyavl.com for information.

The 5K will be held on a portion of the runway and airport campus on Saturday, October 1 at 9am, providing participants a chance to walk or run in celebration of the airport’s 50th anniversary. Proceeds will benefit Ladies Night Out, a program that provides mammograms and screenings to women who cannot afford them.

“The airport and the runway are a big part of the history of our area – not only from a growth perspective, but also from a very personal perspective to so many,” said Tina Kinsey, director of marketing at the airport and event coordinator. “I have spoken with numerous residents of our area about the days when Sunday lunch was enjoyed at the airport. Requests are frequently made for us to build a runway observation deck. And the weekly calls I receive with questions about the military planes that frequent our airspace confirm to me that there is an on-going fascination with aviation. So in honor of our 50th anniversary, we’re providing a way for our community to get up close and personal with the runway and aircraft.”

“A 5K is a popular way for people of all ages to participate in health and wellness,” said Becky Brown, marketing manager at Mission Health. “This is a great way to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle, while helping a key regional organization celebrate its golden anniversary.”

The free “Healthy Fun Day” festival will be from 10am to 1pm. It will also be staged adjacent to the runway, and will include aircraft on display, health and wellness education and activities, live music, low-cost airplane rides (provided by the WNC Pilot’s Association), and chances for attendees to win free airfare. The event is being made possible by the Airport and in partnership with the following key sponsors: Mission Health (presenting sponsor); Landmark Aviation; the WNC Ag Center; the WNC Pilot’s Association; Clear Channel Radio (Star 104.3 and 570AM); Asheville Radio Group (Mix 96.5); and Windstream.

Registration information for the Runway 5K can be found at flyavl.com.

A few months ago an airport staff member asked one simple question: “Hey, why don’t we hold a runway run?” What started as a spark in the mind of a genius airport staffer has become the event of the year here at AVL and we’re super excited to invite you to the first-ever Runway 5k and Healthy Fun Day. We don’t want to give away all the details yet, but here’s some of what you can expect:

• A 5k race that takes place on a portion of the airport’s runway and the airport campus. Don’t worry—we’re making sure no planes are coming or going during the race!
• Games and giveaways—including a scavenger hunt for the kids to help them earn their wings.
• Live entertainment by some very talented musicians.
• A drawing for free airfare from AVL.
• Aircraft on display, including a State Highway Patrol Helicopter, private aircraft, MAMA (Mission Health’s medical transport helicopter), and more!
• Food from local restaurants, including our very own Blue Ridge Trading + Tavern.
• Plus lots more from our partners and Mission Health.

And the best part? Admission to the Healthy Fun Day is absolutely free! There is a small fee to participate in the Runway 5k, but you’ll get an awesome t-shirt and a unique experience to tell your friends about. We’ll keep you posted as details unfold, but for now save the date—October 1^st. The Runway 5k starts at 9am and the Healthy Fun Day kicks off at 10am. You can learn more about the event and register for the race right here. Tell us what you’re most excited about in the comments section!

The Asheville Regional Airport Authority (ARAA) announced this week that AirTran Airways, which was recently acquired by Southwest Airlines, will be discontinuing service from Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) effective January 6, 2012.

AirTran Airways has served AVL since June 2009 with non-stop flights to Orlando, FL, and with service to Tampa, FL, since February 2010. ARAA data indicates that AirTran accounted for approximately 8% of the airport’s passenger traffic in 2010.

“Thanks to the support of this community, the AirTran routes have been successful, and we had high hopes that Southwest Airlines would choose to continue serving Western North Carolina residents,” said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., airport director. “While we are disappointed with the decision, we also have confidence in the other six airlines serving our airport and in the loyalty of our passengers.”

AVL is served by low-cost carrier Vision Airlines, which also offers non-stop flights to Florida, as well as by American Airlines/American Eagle (seasonal), Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.

“Our goal is to continue increasing the ease of travel from AVL, especially through the addition of new non-stop destinations and competitively-priced fares,” said Bleiweis. “We meet regularly with airlines to advocate for these things, and are optimistic about the future of air travel for our region.”