^ connections.

That's not a conscious decision by the airline. There are only so many gates, and operational needs are the driving factor, not connecting traffic as to why gates are assigned. Especially when some connection lists can be 20-30 cities deep, some will be inconvenienced while others will literally go one gate down to a connecting flight. The longest connection list I have seen out of OKC was 47 flights deep (meaning that flight had people on board connecting to 47 different flights). It's simply impossible to accommodate all connections on gate planning.

All I'm saying is that anyone who regularly flies to/from OKC can probably vouch for the fact that your OKC connection will be at the last gate possible, at the end of the concourse, more often than not. There is a hierarchy.

All I'm saying is that anyone who regularly flies to/from OKC can probably vouch for the fact that your OKC connection will be at the last gate possible, at the end of the concourse, more often than not. There is a hierarchy.

That is because the regional jets park at the ends.

That is because the regional jets park at the ends.

There is no hierarchy on which cities go to which gates. Trust me, you do not know what you are talking about. Gates are not assigned by cities.OKC flight may leave from gate C37 one day and gate C17 the next. It's all about what gates are scheduled to be open at what time. In fact, the hub gate assignment program my company uses tries to keep the same flights at different gates on different days. They don't want ground staff getting used to only working a certain flight number. It's to prevent complacency. If you work the same flight every day out of the same gate, you will get very accustomed to only reading one flight number or city code. Which can result in you not paying attention and end up missing something. If you work different flights every day out of your gate, you are more likely to pay closer attention to what flight you are loading and not become complacent. The staff are assigned one group of gates over a 90-120 day period, so the same team of people work the same 3 gates over several months. But the flights that come in to those gates are completely random, on purpose.

How airports work has always intrigued me, and like a lot of other things - they don't work the way one thinks they should. From my own experience here in Jax - flights to Atlanta leave out of the same gate for every flight. Going to JFK - same gate, all day, every day, every flight. Going to Miami on American - same gate all day every day. The gate shuffling happens at the hub where as Catch22 says - it is totally random ... except for cities served by regional jets. Those flights, at least in Atlanta and JFK, go out of the same gate every time. When I flew to Monroe, LA that flight departed and arrived at the exact same gate every single time and to Urbanized's point, it was at the very end of the C terminal. I am not sure what percentage of flights into OKC are regional jets but if he is flying on an RJ he might be going out of the last gate every time, but it's not because it is Oklahoma City, it's because it is an RJ. Anyhow - that has been my experience.

All I'm saying is that anyone who regularly flies to/from OKC can probably vouch for the fact that your OKC connection will be at the last gate possible, at the end of the concourse, more often than not. There is a hierarchy.

Yes. I fly about every two weeks and have definitely noticed this.

Hmm, I want to chime in, but I don't want to drag it further off topic...what do? :confused:

They will pick up on the ground level but out at the furthest curb, where hotel shuttle buses current come and go.

You walk through the open coutyard and are pretty far away from the terminal building itself.

So, instead of walking 50 more feet and hopping in your rental car, you will now stand out there waiting for a shuttle.

And now us locals using the garage can have spaces back to park! As others said, it's a trend right now, and honestly OKC's new facility is one of the better buildings I've seen. Ideally we can hope and push for a "light rail" system from the terminal to car rental facility and eventually to Meridian corridor and Downtown.

That is because the regional jets park at the ends.
NOT just RJs.

There is no hierarchy on which cities go to which gates. Trust me, you do not know what you are talking about... ...blah, blah boring industry stuff blah blah... ...But the flights that come in to those gates are completely random, on purpose.
Random, but weighted so that backwater burgs end up at the far end of the terminal. I appreciate the effort, but you won't convince me otherwise. I've walked past too many major city flights in hub airports while hoofing it to the less-fancy gates at the end of the terminal, just down from gates for Amarillo and Wichita to believe otherwise. And I've had this conversation with too many other people who fly weekly for business to think its coincidental. They've usually noticed the same thing.

There is no weighting system other than aircraft size and ground crew availability.

I worked at a hub. I know zone controllers at hubs. There is no weighting system based on destination city. The only two weighting factors are aircraft size and ground crew availability.

OKC gets smaller aircraft, generally. So they are usually at the smaller end gates. They aren't going to waste one of seven 757 gates for an RJ when there are 38 RJ gates elsewhere on the end.

The program is usually a 3-day out forecast. It will be run today for Wednesdays schedule. On Monday, managers will look at the schedule. Tuesday zone control will double check and make changes for operational needs or last minute subs. Wednesday the gate plot will be loaded into the system. As the day goes along changes will be made as the days flying matures and some flights come in early and some late.

I can guarantee with 100% certainty that there is no weighting system.

The only places they will attempt to do that are on Shuttle Routes. For example, Delta will use their T-Gates in Atlanta for high business traffic routes, if the operation allows. Those gates are close to the ticket counter for local traffic. The other 99% of their flights don't get sorted by destination.

Other than atlanta and the T-Gates, I can't think of any other routes which the airline prioritizes gates. And that's only for 2 or 3 routes. Mainly ATL-New York.

I'll jump in and say that it sometimes seems like they stick the OKC flight at the end of the concourse. I know my last two flights from ATL departed from B34--I remember sitting in the same seat next to a power outlet. More than a few flights I spot-checked were at one end of B/C or the other. When I flew Frontier often, the flights would rather consistently operate from A25/26. The concourse isn't bad in terms of length, but they are the end gates, and feature perhaps the longest jetways known to humankind. All mainline flights, save for an E190 here and there. Conspiracy? Perhaps, perhaps not...

Even if it's the same gate plot every day, there is absolutely no hierarchy to which cities go to which gates.

I can guarantee there is not a list of cities weighted by their preference.

When each gate is providing feed for 15-50 other gates, there's going to be some connections that are one gate over, and some that are 25 gates over. The flight you just landed, is going out to a different city. And there's someone connecting from across the hall and there's someone connecting from 15 gates down.

Again, there is no hierarchy on what cities are served from what gates. There is none!

The only hierarchy is as catch says, 100% related to which gates the company leases and the size of airplane the jetway can accommodate. You're not going to get a ER Jet on the same one as a 757. The incline of the ramp only can go so far before it's difficult for people to get up/down the ramp.....or for it to even reach the plane. That's why you see terminals (at OKC too) at different elevations....and that includes tarmac level gates for those little crappy puddle jumpers we seem to get so much of in OKC. At least in OKC, the new terminal jetways accommodate smaller jets without needing tarmac access. Been there, done that, at Bush, DFW, and OKC....it sucks.

2/17/2015

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/15943046113_650102080f_c.jpg

any updates?

The latest I heard through the grapevine is it won't be until Q1 or later next year until completion. It is a huge project that will probably face more delays. Right now they are working on the southbound lane on Meridian across from the facility. It looks like sewer related, as part of the new facility. I can't see much from the road even though I drive past it two times a day.

According to the OKC Airport Trust construction update report from their April 23rd meeting the scheduled in-service date for the facility is still January 5, 2016.

http://www.okc.gov/agendapub/cache/2/u02zfu55ucizbx45v220oaab/269785005052015084943496.PDF

Those okc.gov links usually expire quickly.

Mentioned today in the Airport Trust meeting that this is slated to be open March 2nd.

Pete, please take a few pics on your way out. :)

Haha... The laugh is on the Airport Trust as I have now moved back and will likely never have to use this thing! :)

Photos from Will:



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7aecpUEAAf_sw.jpg


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7ZRo0U0AESfAC.jpg


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7ZYCXUAAAveEd.jpg


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7ZckkUEAAGv7i.jpg


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7ZtsyUMAANuhA.jpg


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW7Z66fUQAAr62-.jpg

Not a huge fan of the choice of stone.

Haha... The laugh is on the Airport Trust as I have now moved back and will likely never have to use this thing! :)

Welcome back!

Not a huge fan of the choice of stone.

True. I don't think it looks bad but it would have been nice to more closely replicate the stone work in the terminal.

I like the whole thing. The look, the concept, location, everything about it. I think it will be a big positive for OKC and WRWA. I have used one very similar to this in Cleveland a couple of times. Very nice and convenient. Despite what others on here think it is a good thing. IMO

I like the whole thing. The look, the concept, location, everything about it. I think it will be a big positive for OKC and WRWA. I have used one very similar to this in Cleveland a couple of times. Very nice and convenient. Despite what others on here think it is a good thing. IMO

TOTALLY Agree

I would tend to agree with both sides - it is inconvenient UNTIL you get there (when it becomes immediately convenient). I've been to these in BWI, SFO, IAD (more or less), and now we have it at SEA. The bus ride (and waiting for a bus - especially at BWI) sucks but once you get to the facility it is clockwork (unlike when they were at the terminal).

Overall, it probably is just a negligible increase in total time but IMO worth it given the increase in space (which usually translates to choice/options).

Instead of converting the old rental counter spaces into offices and storage as proposed by the airport, they need to just open it up as seating with windows out to the transportation plaza. Also room for a Starbucks and a proper visitor welcome center.

I think that would open up the feeling of the airport quite a bit. The ceiling is way too short in arrivals.

totally agree catch!!!

instead of converting the old rental counter spaces into offices and storage as proposed by the airport, they need to just open it up as seating with windows out to the transportation plaza. Also room for a starbucks and a proper visitor welcome center.

I think that would open up the feeling of the airport quite a bit. The ceiling is way too short in arrivals.

this!

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.

concur with this Pete, truly small time IMO.

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.

About to get worse. The security checkpoint consolidation project will soon create a single central checkpoint, and retrofit the two existing security areas as greeter lobbies.

About to get worse. The security checkpoint consolidation project will soon create a single central checkpoint, and retrofit the two existing security areas as greeter lobbies.

I don't know how that will make it worse. Separating the greeter areas from the main security area and adding the observation deck/waiting area should make it a lot better and less congested than it is now. Greeters will be able to wait on the upper level and departure level but won't interfere with the security check point anymore. Right now, the greeters really only interfere with the security process and somewhat get in the way of the rest of the lobby due to the lack of space for them (all of the would be greeter space is taken up by the security checkpoints). The renovation should greatly improve the situation. A few other airports I've flown into allow greeting at the departure level and it works fine, it just doesn't work with our post 9/11 retrofit.

Having said that, seating and a restaurant or coffee bar would be great in the spaces vacated by the rental counters in the baggage claim.

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.
I think OKC is the only place I go where people actually show up in the departure terminal to greet arriving passengers. Usually they can only do it on the exiting area from baggage claim. Here, people can wander throughout.

I think OKC is the only place I go where people actually show up in the departure terminal to greet arriving passengers. Usually they can only do it on the exiting area from baggage claim. Here, people can wander throughout.

Love Field is another example. Everyone can enter on the same level. The security check point is in the middle, ticketing counters are to the right and the baggage claim to the left. Greeters can either wait in the seating area next to the secured area exit on the second level (that has a bar and a dunkin donuts) or at the base of the escalators between the security checkpoint and the baggage claim. In a way it is similar to how they are redesigning Will Rogers. I've never noticed any issue with congestion because of it and the design seems have worked well since Love was renovated. Like I said earlier I think the biggest issue at Will Rogers is the congestion caused by the lack of space leftover when the two security checkpoints were combined with the two greeting lobbies. Removing the checkpoints from the two existing lobbies should open up a lot more space and the greeters will no longer interfere with the security check points. At that point, I don't think it will make a difference whether people wait in the baggage claim, observation deck or the greater lobbies. There should be plenty of space.

PDX is also an airport with arrivals spilling directly to the departure level.

If someone has only carry-ons it is roughly 1000x easier to pick them up on the departure level rather than the arrival area, which is usually a zoo. That said, I usually sit in cell phone waiting until I get a "coming out" text, then roll up and pick them up on the curb. The arrival level is often all but empty while many dozens of cars fight for curb access downstairs.

When there are delays, I occasionally park upstairs in hourly and walk in to wait on departure level. But again, if they have no checked luggage there is zero reason to deal with downstairs.

This facility officially opens on Wednesday (tomorrow).

Karen Carney
Public Information & Marketing Manager
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 1, 2016

WILL ROGERS WORLD AIRPORT CAR RENTAL CENTER READIES FOR OPENING DAY
Rental Car Companies Prepare for Overnight Transition

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 1, 2016 – Rental car companies are busily working on last minute details as they prepare to move their operations overnight from the terminal building to their new location on Meridian Avenue. The Car Rental Center will open for business on Wednesday, March 2, 2016.

“We have really been looking forward to the opening of this facility,” says Mark Kranenburg, airports director. “Not only does it meet the growing demand for rental cars, the consolidation of operations improves the efficiency and delivery of service resulting in an enhanced customer experience.”

The new facility, located less than a mile from the terminal building, features a 19,000 square-foot customer service building, enhanced pick-up areas for loyalty patrons, an inner loop providing easier ingress and egress for customers, and four quick-turn-around areas for fueling, car wash and maintenance. The number of “ready return” spaces, (the spaces where customers pick up their vehicles) more than doubles from 378 spaces to 820. The current demand averages more than 600 vehicles per day.

Car rental customers will be transported to and from the airport terminal on new, 35-foot CNG-powered buses. The bus services will be managed by First Transit and provide “bump and run” operations, meaning that as one bus departs, another bus is pulling in to take its place. This ensures a waiting bus at both the car rental center and the airport terminal at all times.

Because WRWA rental car businesses operate 24/7, the move to the new facility will occur overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Customers who rent a car at the terminal building on Tuesday will return it to the new facility. Electronic signs will be placed on Meridian Avenue to assist customers in returning their vehicles to the right location. Additional signage will be placed in the terminal building and on Terminal Drive exiting the airport.

Nine rental car companies will operate from the new location: Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

The Car Rental Center was designed by architectural and engineering firms Guernsey and PGAL. The general contractor was Manhattan Construction. The project cost was $36.2 million.

###

Will Rogers World Airport is the city’s commercial airport and accommodates over 3.8 million travelers each year. The airport serves 22 nonstop airports with an average of 69 daily departures. Will Rogers World Airport is owned by the City of Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Airport Trust oversees the management and operation of the airport.

From https://twitter.com/laceylett:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcejM4jVIAAcRuP.jpg

From https://twitter.com/laceylett:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcejM4jVIAAcRuP.jpg

Big upgrade. Nice and needed!

I agree. Very nice. While I'm sure the added travel time while be inconvenient, for a lot of people the car rental facility is one of the first things they see and this will be impressive.

^^^^^
A little bit inconvenient, but likely something for better or worse that especially business travelers have come to expect, especially at larger airports.

New video. Service started yesterday according to WRWA Facebook.


https://www.facebook.com/WillRogersWorldAirport/videos/1143485439009732/

Its a much shorter ride than at most airports with car centers, but its also close enough, maybe we should consider a mag-shuttle instead of busses.....

Very nice. Not too far of a ride really. I have always had quick shuttle rides at the airport. I know our airport is small but it is a breeze to get in and out of.

^^^^^
A little bit inconvenient, but likely something for better or worse that especially business travelers have come to expect, especially at larger airports.

That's def true. Most airports I travel into, I've had to go offsite for rentals.

I'm just happy that there will be an employee presence at the actual lot. WRWA is one of the larger airports I've been to that doesn't do Instant Returns. I know it sounds picky, but having to mark down my mileage and walk keys back to the desk is something I usually only had to do at hotels or super small off airport facilities. Not to mention the few times I needed to change cars and had to make a round trip all the way back to the desk with all my luggage. It was nice for what it was, but WRWA kind of cancelled out most of the perks associated with loyalty programs.

Also, with the facility less than a mile away and two buses operating. It might actually just as quick as the tunnel walk, along with getting away from the chaos of baggage claim/arrivals.

^I didn't know they didn't do instant returns. That would be very annoying. Only places I've had to do that were Jackson, MS and Lafayette, LA.

Oh yes, more often than not I would fly out very early and had to go inside, drop my keys in a box, then hoped they charged me correctly after I received my credit card bill.

It was a bit different to go to work at 6 this morning and having cars on Meridian. Especially having places for them to turn in front of me and having to watch for that.

Does anyone know what WRWA plans to do with the space they are freeing up on the baggage claim level by moving the rental desks offsite?

Does anyone know what WRWA plans to do with the space they are freeing up on the baggage claim level by moving the rental desks offsite?

By contract we will have to give them time to remove their leftovers. After that we plan to dress up the areas. We have had requests for more office space, we plan to convert some of them to additional meeter/greeter (waiting) areas with the terminal expansion project. We're interested in good ideas right now.

^ I think an office devoted to tourism may be a good idea, like a "welcome to Oklahoma office" with info on the city, help with tours, lists of things to do, places to stay, etc.

^

They already have that exact thing. Just FYI.

^ Our Traveler's Aid volunteers mostly assist with finding what people need in the airport or help them to find transportation. A tourism booth may have a mission more in line with helping to welcome travelers and guide them toward attractions. It's an interesting idea and may be more of a seasonal option.

By contract we will have to give them time to remove their leftovers. After that we plan to dress up the areas. We have had requests for more office space, we plan to convert some of them to additional meeter/greeter (waiting) areas with the terminal expansion project. We're interested in good ideas right now.

Add a coffee shop with a few food options! Where can I make that suggestion? We really need something like that on the outside of security.

^ Do you mean something with more options than Cafe Oklahoma? I just wrote the Delaware North Mgr. to get an update on what they offer and an update on their hours. This is the info they provided for flyokc.com: Cafe Oklahoma serves a variety of gourmet coffees along with espresso, cappuccino, latte, coffee shakes, milk shakes and fruit smoothies. For a quick breakfast grab an egg and cheese bagel, muffin or fresh fruit. For lunch or dinner try a turkey and cheese ciabatta or ham and provolone baguette.