--- In BATN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "5/12 SJ Business Journal" <batn@...> wrote: Published Friday, May 12, 2006, in the San Jose Business Journal Mineta Airport offers fee waiver in bid to lure new routes By Andrew F. Hamm In an effort to spur airline traffic, Mineta San Jose International officials are offering to waive all landing fees and terminal rents for up to one year for airlines that add flights to certain cities. Passenger numbers at Mineta have been stuck at about 11 million passengers annually, 20 percent below pre-Sept. 11, 2001 levels. The incentive program, still in its formation, would include free marketing from the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau and the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce to boost passenger numbers for non-stop flights to a desired city. The landing fees and terminal rent alone would be worth in excess of $1 million annually per assigned flight. "The first year of a startup flight is a risky proposition for an airline," says William Sherry, aviation director for Mineta San Jose International Airport. "This program means, for all intents and purposes, that they fly for free." Mineta San Jose officials are primarily targeting international travel. Besides Mexico, the airport's only international destination now is an American Airlines flight to Tokyo. The airport has not yet selected which cities it will target for the promotion. Mr. Sherry says it will seek suggestions from business organizations and the general public. Some suggestions include Paris, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Dublin and London, as well as some domestic destinations such as Detroit, Miami and Raleigh-Durham, N.C. The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber will be conducting a survey of its members to find out which cities they would like Mineta San Jose to connect with. But developing incentive programs lucrative enough to catch airline attention will be tough, says Terry Trippler, airline specialist for Cheapseats Inc. "Geographically, San Jose is being nailed," Mr. Trippler says. "It'll be hard to compete against (San Francisco International Airport.)" The thinking is that the further one flies, the less important airport location becomes. --- End forwarded message ---