Worcester Boston MetroWest Airport

The new name? It works.

ORH Stuck in Time

Classic Worcester story on the front page of the Telegram. Check it out.

The story also noted that the Allegiant flights have been doing so well that the airline added a couple of Saturday flights last month. This is great news for the future of the airport and its commercial service. It also sends a good message to Massport about the future of its affiliation with Worcester.

STORY BELOW--------------------------------

The landing field that time forgot

Worcester terminal clocks keep odd hours

By Bill Fortier TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER— They say time flies, but until yesterday afternoon, Allegiant Air travelers at Worcester Regional Airport could be excused for thinking time stood still on top of Airport Hill.

Until yesterday afternoon, two digital clocks above the baggage carousels in the lobby of the airport were still on Eastern Standard Time — running an hour slower than the actual time.

Clocks in the East were changed from standard time to daylight time on April 2 in most places.

But not the two clocks above the carousels.

Since April 2, people aboard the increasingly busy 150-seat Allegiant Air MD-80 jets may have thought at first that they were landing in the Midwest, because the clocks were an hour behind.

“Sure, people have had something to say about it,” said a worker at one of the vehicle rental businesses this week. “I guess they’re waiting for the next time change.”

A worker at another rental business at the airport said the clock confusion has been going on for many years. He said the problem was worse when the clocks above the carousels ran an hour fast, because people arriving at the airport thought they would have to pay an extra day’s rental fee for bringing back a vehicle late. Sometimes, the worker added, people looked at the clocks and thought they had missed their plane.

Airport Manager Eric B. Waldron did not return three telephone calls yesterday seeking comment, but Assistant City Manager Julie A. Jacobson said the problem lies in the electronic timing system in the Flight Information Display System, installed in the new airport terminal when it opened about a dozen years ago. She said the system at the airport is outmoded and outdated, and that the system manufacturer can no longer replace parts.

To change the time, a worker in the city’s Technical Department had to crack the system’s code, because the clocks do not automatically display the correct time when Eastern Standard Time becomes Eastern Daylight Time in the spring and the system is reversed in the fall. She said that took about two hours to do yesterday.

Ms. Jacobson said she became aware of the situation when the Telegram & Gazette called the city manager’s office yesterday morning.

“First of all, truth be told, they should have been changed,” she said at about 4:45 p.m. yesterday. “There is no excuse, it should have been done.”

The short-term plan is to put up two battery-operated clocks next to the two digital clocks by next week, so if there is a problem with the digital clocks, travelers will see the correct time on the battery-operated clocks. The long-term plan calls for putting money in the city’s 2007 Capital Improvement Plan to buy equipment to replace the outdated system. She estimated a new system will cost about $15,000.

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs the airport, said yesterday afternoon that he was unaware of the matter and would contact the airport manager.

Ms. Jacobson said Allegiant has one flight coming into and out of Worcester Regional Airport on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday. Increased demand prompted Allegiant to add flights on several Saturdays last month, she said.

“They’re doing very well,” she said.

Allegiant spokesman Tyri R. Squyres said she didn’t know about the clocks until she got a telephone call from the Telegram & Gazette yesterday.

“We haven’t received any complaints from our customers,” she said.

Ms. Squyres said Allegiant is pleased with business at the airport. “We’re doing OK,” she said. “Our flights are pretty full. We’re doing all right.”

As of now, she said, there is not enough demand to add another regularly scheduled flight.

Over the Summer

Allegiant Air continues to provide low-cost service to Sanford/Orlando from Worcester Regional Airport. Travel is provided on these days at these times:

• Sunday
• Monday
• Thursday
• Friday

Flights depart Sanford @ 7:25 AM; Arrive Worcester @ 10:15 AM

Flights Depart Worcester @ 10:50; Arrive Sanford @ 1:50 PM


Travel on Allegiant continues to be extremely economical. One-way tickets continue to be as low as $59. Most flights during the summer months are being sold for $99 each way.

Continue to fly Allegiant between Worcester and Sanford/Orlando. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail me: Alaber91@aol.com. Thank You.