I wish it the best of luck, but Orlando has been a trying market for Oklahoma City. Hopefully, the second time around this works and goes to daily like OKC-LAS-OKC did.

Source: USATODAY.com - Today In the Sky: Archives (http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/11/swa-saturday.html)

I've never understood the reason why Florida sucks out of OKC. We'll see what happens.

I wish it luck also. I think having a Tulsa flight (in addition to OKC) is what is causing the route to suck.

I hope they drop Tulsa (no offense T-town guys) after the temporary eval, and perhaps set up the running route (TUL-OKC-MCO) as a daily (or twice daily). We need some flights in the TUL-OKC route, for those quick business meetings and those who dont want (or cant) drive. I'd imagine this will REALLY pick up and be very viable route option once the Sonics come to OKC.

I wish it luck also. I think having a Tulsa flight (in addition to OKC) is what is causing the route to suck.

I hope they drop Tulsa (no offense T-town guys) after the temporary eval, and perhaps set up the running route (TUL-OKC-MCO) as a daily (or twice daily). We need some flights in the TUL-OKC route, for those quick business meetings and those who dont want (or cant) drive. I'd imagine this will REALLY pick up and be very viable route option once the Sonics come to OKC.

Years ago someone suggested a super high-speed rail system between OKC and Tulsa. I always thought that would be a great idea. At the time, they talked about a 130 mph train. Today, I think in Taiwan, they run passenger trains at over 200 mph. But with the Internet, fewer in-person meetings are needed, a sad fact that probably kills many future high-speed rail projects. Sorry, a little off-topic, but transportation between OKC-Tulsa made me think of it.

Japan has the Shinkansen (so does Taiwan now) which runs at 300 KM/h, in addition to numerous flights connecting NRT/HND-KIX/OSA-NGO-FUK and so on. I would think it would not be cost effective to do this in OKC-TUL.

I think we should work on flights. I agree that the internet diminishes this market a bit, but considering the amount of people that do drive down from Tulsa for business and entertainment, I think flights could become viable. Especially as OKC continues to draw top entertainment (say NBA), especially with promotion - I think the flights would be very viable (and full!!!!).

Orlando could spin off of that, and SW could save a plane - and do the TUL-OKC-MCO runs. That way, Tulsa people could either get off at OKC OR keep going to MCO; both cities would have the flight and would have a connection to each other.

I think with the NBA coming, it could tip the route's success in favor of whichever airline starts the route (WN or whoever). It might even be profitable to have a ICT nonstop as well, perhaps having that route continuing on to somewhere that ICT is underserved (like MCO??).

Also consider, the TUL-OKC-MCO doesn't have to be daily (or twice daily like I'd like to see), it could be 5 days (twice a day) or 3 days a week or some combo. Perhaps they could work something out where the TUL addition to the OKC-MCO route would follow the NBA schedule?? I think they could get very creative, since TUL and ICT would be OKC's biggest extension markets - it could justify flights for quick getaway packages on game nights. ...

Whatever gets more flights permanently into OKC, I think they should be pursued - even if the flights aren't daily!!!

Japan has the Shinkansen (so does Taiwan now) which runs at 300 KM/h, in addition to numerous flights connecting NRT/HND-KIX/OSA-NGO-FUK and so on. I would think it would not be cost effective to do this in OKC-TUL.

I think we should work on flights. I agree that the internet diminishes this market a bit, but considering the amount of people that do drive down from Tulsa for business and entertainment, I think flights could become viable. Especially as OKC continues to draw top entertainment (say NBA), especially with promotion - I think the flights would be very viable (and full!!!!).

Orlando could spin off of that, and SW could save a plane - and do the TUL-OKC-MCO runs. That way, Tulsa people could either get off at OKC OR keep going to MCO; both cities would have the flight and would have a connection to each other.

I think with the NBA coming, it could tip the route's success in favor of whichever airline starts the route (WN or whoever). It might even be profitable to have a ICT nonstop as well, perhaps having that route continuing on to somewhere that ICT is underserved (like MCO??).

Also consider, the TUL-OKC-MCO doesn't have to be daily (or twice daily like I'd like to see), it could be 5 days (twice a day) or 3 days a week or some combo. Perhaps they could work something out where the TUL addition to the OKC-MCO route would follow the NBA schedule?? I think they could get very creative, since TUL and ICT would be OKC's biggest extension markets - it could justify flights for quick getaway packages on game nights. ...

Whatever gets more flights permanently into OKC, I think they should be pursued - even if the flights aren't daily!!!


Very good points. I can see the Tulsa-OKC flights picking up with the NBA in OKC.

oh solitude, can you IMAGINE...... :)

I think it would be a GOLD MINE for the first airline who does it and the travel agency who promotes it. You could live in Tulsa (hey, people do want to live there) but hop a quick flight to OKC see the game then hop a flight back and still make it to work the next day. ... (I'd say the same for ICT).

Granted, there would also probably be bus service expansion but I know OKC will get LOTS of season tix holders from Tul (and even ICT) and certainly those people might take advantage of flights. ... Not to mention the business deals that can't wait and the possible extension of the route to another market (say MCO).

Definitely something WRWA officials should be ready to propose to the airlines!!!

Unfortunately it wouldn't make sense for an airline to fly the short hope with the lack of traffic that would be there. Delta flew the route twice daily for some time and axed it. A 2 hour drive is nothing compared to getting to an airport 30-60 minutes before a flight leaves, the one hour block time of the flight, and then spending about 15-30 minutes getting ground transportation taken care of in OKC. Also don't expect any cheap fares on the short leg with oil around $100.

OKC must make this work on their own...otherwise it will vanish again. I do think that this need for airlines offering similar services from TUL does hurt OKC a bit.

I just don't see very many people bothering with airports when they can drive here from Tulsa in an hour and a half.

The short trips just don't work very well. I work during the week in Atlanta and drive home on Thursday nights to Jacksonville. I can drive it faster than I can fly and it is 350 miles each way. When I was flying home earlier this year I only got there 1 time faster than if I had driven. After 8 plane tickets I just decided to save myself the time and money and drive home.

I agree venture and jbrown, I don't see why in the world someone would want to fly from Tulsa to OKC on a commercial flight. Heck, I've driven there many times in an hour (80mph) or a little over an hour if you're going 70-75. And as you said, you have to deal with parking at the airport, check-in times, boarding, flight time, and then ground transporation in OKC, it makes it a longer trip than if you would have just drove. Now, perhaps if you flew a private flight, it would be worth it but otherwise, pointless.

guys, your missing the point.

The fact is, WN is now offering the same service from OKC AND from Tulsa. That's two planes doing the same route.

Wouldn't it be more cost effective for them to use ONE PLANE, and have it routed TUL-OKC-MCO. .. Especially if/since neither city alone could justify having the route daily (but) perhaps both could justify it and be profitable if they did it together.

AND - like I said, it could also establish TUL-OKC traffic. Im not saying there would be a plane full of people all of the time, going from Tul to OKC each day, some of those TUL people will keep going to MCO.

This is ESPECIALLY true if IT WERE THE ONLY OPTION. Why fail both routes with single city service, when together you could develop three routing options; TUL-OKC, OKC-MCO, and TUL-MCO via OKC - all with one plane!!!

And I think as OKC becomes major league and more business comes in, Im sure people would want to hop on a plane sometimes if it were available and cost effective. Certainly Tulsans would hop on a plane bound for MCO regardless if it stopped in OKC first.

I say this, because out here - we have a lot of flights that do this. We have SEA-PDX-wherever and SEA-YVR-wherever; for example Air Canada does SEA-YVR-KIX. This provides passengers one stop access to Osaka Kansai via Vancouver from Seattle AND provides Seattle a nonstop to Vancouver.

I know both cities are big cities and the route is traveled (there are Numerous of these types of flights), but I think one or two of these could be successful in OKC-TUL joining together and going to a necessary but somewhat unsuccessful market.

Hey Hot Rod,

Seeing as Tulsa is closer to Orlando and that a OKC-TUL and then onto Orlando flight would save about 120 miles per round trip would it not make more sense to fly it that way?

Will Rogers only has about 5-7% passenger edge on Tulsa and Tulsa is the faster growing market the past 3-4 years, both in passengers and in population.

Also, a mainline plane departing to Orlando from Tulsa would also grab some NWA marketshare, since tickets out of TUL are so much cheaper than the commuter planes out of NWA. An Oklahoma City flight would probably not have any impact on NWA being so far from Fayetteville/Bentonville.

Cheaper to operate, more opportunity and a faster growing market. It just makes good business sense.

It doesn't matter to me where the plane starts from. Im just thinking that there's more people going from Tulsa to OKC than vice versa as of late, so I'd route the flight that way.

Regardless, in my example Tulsa would still have access yet the airline would save on capital costs, while at the same time provide access between the two major centers (something I think is or will be necessary).

Unfortunately routing like this has really gone away because of rising fuel costs. The international pairings mentioned do exist, though have faded overtime as well. It costs airlines a significant amount of time and money to drop a plane on such a short route as a tag to a longer flight. It all sounds good, until you get into the fuel costs and other associated usage on the air frame. Honestly, this would be no different than a direct routing through Houston or Dallas or another city.

The other key is getting enough higher paying fares on a route. This is something that didn't work in the past...we'll see what happens now. The big thing is that fuel costs can kill a route immediately now...and you would be shocked to see how much is used just to add in a short hop.

I've been looking for a nonstop flight to Orlando. The closest I could find is Allegiant Air out of Wichita. It's $69 one way. Can't beat that.

I'm really surprised Allegiant left here a year or so ago. didn't realize the nonstop from OKC to Orlando had problems filling. That's odd.

Southwest's nonstop to Orlando is only for the next few months and not through the summer.

Any chance of another OKC-MCO nonstop?

I need to get to Orlando in August.. four people.. any ideas?

I think now that Allegiant is establish in Orlando, that the Airport should try to get them back. The trick with Allegiant though is they make their money selling vacation packages, the flights aren't their bread and butter. So if they can't sell a lot of packages, they'll drop the market. They are about as close to a charter airline without actually being one - still a Part 135 scheduled operator.

As far as getting there...I would check out Frontier. Yeah you may need to back track a bit to DEN, but their fares aren't bad most of the time. I did OKC to Detroit for just a little over $200 round trip...well below what Southwest or anyone else offered at the time. The inflight TV/Movies helps the time pass really fast too. :)

Why don't we leave the airline scheduling up to the airline executives. I love all the armchair quarterbacks.

And I love people that post reponses just for the sake of posting a response.

Yes indeed. Heaven forbid we discuss on a discussion board.

Found a great deal to Orlando.. but once again I find myself taking a shopping trip to Dallas to get there... ugh.

It's okay though, it's not that far to drive .. saving about $600 bucks ...

AirTran .. $79 pp Nonstop.. 2.25 hour flight.

Hotwire = $69 bucks = Westin at the Airport..

OKC took me to St Louis and everywhere else with layovers and cost nearly $1400 for 4 with lonnngggg flight times.

I so miss being able to get on a plane and fly without all this hassle.. come on OKC! Please get some more nonstop and direct flights and better schedules!

^Did you check Southwest's Sat-only fare?

No, our Cruise departs on Saturday.. had to fly in on Thu or Friday - and at this point with Southwest, no non-stops. I hate layovers.

People need to use the service in place already (which may mean connecting) in order to build up the O&D market to attract an airline to it. However, with that great fare you are paying - you are not the customer the airline wants to serve. Yeild is key in a time with record high oil prices, which means that $79 fare you are paying is being supported by fairly strong bookings in business class or higher priced coach fares.

I did a quick check of fares on a random days, even Southwest's nonstop on the weekends is still over $100 one way most of the time. At some point people will realize that Southwest isn't always the lowest fare most of the time...they tend to stay right in the middle.

I have to agree. I've never thought Southwest had good prices.

Seriously, I would love nothing more than to drive 20 min to the airport but with a family of four, it doesn't make sense to pay that much extra money and have all the layovers.

I'd rather add a day to our vacation, enjoy Dallas and get to Fl in less than 2.5 hours. That gives us more time to enjoy Orlando - Universal Studios as well since we'll be there before 11:00am.

Even if I could get a direct or non-stop straight from OKC to Orlando, the schedule never works or the fare is incredibly high.