1. Four flights per day will be around 600 people (400 of which will be visitors). Those who fly (even on low cost carriers) are rarely the trailer trash crowd. It WILL bring in upscale professionals who’s time is more valuable (IE it is more cost effective to fly vs. drive and save the time but spend the money). However, those who fly in will generally have a much higher disposable income. This isn’t just about bringing more people the the area. It is about bringing upscale visitors who spend more per day on their visit.

2. What you say about connections makes no sense. Unless you are flying to/from an airline hub, you are going to connect to get to most smaller destinations regardless of what airline you fly. I do predict that SWA will put a focus on serving cities they have lots of connecting flights out of. The key is to offer great one-stop service to PCB. One plane change is normal. Two changes starts to irritate people.

3. SWA serves Love Field and has been limited in the states it can serve from Love (something that changes in 2014). This can’t account for Delta cutting service at DFW. Delta cited route changes and the hub cut as cost-cutting measures. US Air is cutting their Las Vegas hub and 44% of their Vegas flights to save money. Has nothing to do with SWA. It is an industry trend.

4. From my home in Las Vegas to PCB, Delta makes me connect in Atlanta. That is hardly convenient. (Similar to ATL to LAS via LAX you are complaining about). That is just a fact of flying. P.S. Both AirTran and Delta have numerous non-stops from ATL-LAS daily, contradicting your claim that you can’t hardly find a non-stop between the two cites.

In general, I’m at a complete loss on the number of people who see SWA in PCB as a bad thing. Or won’t accept anything less than non-stop flights to every city SWA serves. The only people I could understand having that opinion are those who favor “no growth” for Bay County. And I imagine some long-time residents may feel that way. If that is behind some of the anti-SWA sentiment, come out and say it.

Anti-growth is a reasonable and understandable opinion and maybe worth debating. Strange anti-SWA arguments with no basis in reality or fact have my eyes rolling.

there are lots of affluent and middle class people who will come to PCB and spend money renting Condos and on entertainment that are looking for an easier way to get to PCB. Right now if you don’t live within driving distance, it is a challenge to get there. Coming from the northeast, each time we come down we have to change planes in Atlanta and fly into Pensacola if we want a reasonably priced flight. It takes about 9 hours in all!

There are no direct flights to the current PC airport from the northeast.

The new airport is just what PCB needs and will help enhance revenue for the county, the condos and business owners. What a boost for the economy.

Look, I hope this is a good thing for PCB. I am a property owner and I want good things to happen. I don’t rent my place so I’m not worried about the demo that will be staying in my condo. I’m just trying to get people to look at the other side of the coin. Southwest is not the magic elixer that will save PCB. With every business move such as this there are positives and negatives, I just want folks to look a little deeper and understand there might be negatives to this story.

Many are hopeful of direct flights, but the promise of lower fairs isn’t directly tied to direct flights, just the carrier itself.

I don’t think you are correct in your assumptions. Even if SWA comes in with direct flights from Nashville at $100 one way ($200 round trip), you’re still talking about $1000 for a family of five. That doesn’t sound like the demo you are talking about. For most it would still be chaper to drive, but the cost increase (from driving) will be justified by the savings in travel time for others still.