In an effort to spend money on studying something that is really common knowledge, The Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Palm Springs are spending $100,000 on a study to see why locals drive right on past Palm Springs International Airport to Ontario, L.A., and San Diego.
Hmmmmm…what reason could it possibly be?
The details of the study was reported by The Desert Sun (who even included a joke!):
For example, the consulting team will get a better understanding of what’s known in the air-service industry as “leakage.” (Don’t worry. It has nothing to do with the operation of an airplane.)
This is a measure of how many passengers from this area are not using PSP, but instead are driving to San Diego, Los Angeles, Ontario or other places to use those airports. The report will also look at who’s using PSP. Is it only folks from the Coachella Valley? Or do we get some travelers from the Inland Empire as well?
Not sure how many Inland Empire residents are driving east to pay much, much more on airfare – but, I guess we will find out when the study is done in a year. I am sure you are also on the edge of your seat to find out why locals (well, those not from Bighorn or Vintage Club) would rather sit in LA traffic for 3 hours than to pay hundreds or even thousands more in fares at PSP.
The company taking home all of the loot…errrr, I mean conducting the study is InterVISTAS – which found that Orlando Sanford airport had “market potential” in a similar “leakage study” (sorry, I leave all the leakage jokes to the people at Gannett).
