I was on a OKC-HOU-CUN flight recently on a Wednesday in December and there was almost 20 OKC people connecting with me. I feel like demand is there.

Perhaps it is taking so long because WRWA cannot accept international arrivals? IDK how all that works.

They can now, with the terminal expansion to include FIS capability. One major issue is the staffing for the CBP to handle immigration. It is a problem around the country where the border patrol will only staff immigration points they want to staff. The airport can't fund the payroll on its own. Airlines can't directly pay for it, either. No one can or will take responsibility for staffing FIS. Airlines are very cautious about starting service to an unstaffed facility because there is no guarantee the border patrol will consistently staff it, or work with the airline on a schedule that would work for the CBP. To go into an unstaffed FIS airport you basically have to just call 24 hours "prior permission required" to operate the flight and they will either approve it or they will tell you to clear customs elsewhere. This is a major problem when people have bought and paid for tickets months in advance; for the airline to not be able to know if they will be able to operate the flight without a clearance stop until the day before the flight operates. Not to mention the financial burden of operating a stop to Dallas or Houston: paying high landing fees, having to rent a gate by the hour. The delay waiting for everyone to check back in through the TSA to reboard the airplane costs serious crew time. The cost for fuel for the additional leg, damage to brand reputation of advertising a nonstop service and not being able to fulfill that etc. It's a major headache they don't want to undertake without assurances from CBP to staff the facility for their flight.

Southwest has a pretty robust schedule from OKC. The article says 14 daily flights, anyone know the frequency for each destination? It said HOU is going to 4x and I think Denver is currently 3x. Is Baltimore coming back?

Southwest just announced TUL-AUS starting in April. Hoping they start TUL-Nashville and restart Baltimore for northeast connections.

I can't find the BNA flights in the schedule. I thought they were gone.

I can't find the BNA flights in the schedule. I thought they were gone.

I find a nonstop to BNA on 1/1 but no other dates. Also not seeing MSY in the schedule.

Wasn't a flyover state for this passenger

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/10/us/delta-flight-passenger-assault-oklahoma-city/index.html

Wasn't a flyover state for this passenger

https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/10/us/delta-flight-passenger-assault-oklahoma-city/index.html
Didn’t this same thing happen several months back? I swear we had a Delta flight emergency land here this summer for similar reasons. What is wrong with people?

He refused to wear a mask. And had too much to drink according to another passenger interview.

That's a good way to get on the no fly list

It would send a clear message if he was on the "no freedom" for you inmate roster for 5 years.

Numbers are out :

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/files/22-05%20November%20Enplanement%20Email.pdf

I am afraid the multiplications of travel restrictions and\or test requirement because of the Omicron variant may take a toll on international travels.

He refused to wear a mask. And had too much to drink according to another passenger interview.

I hope he enjoys his stay at the Shartel Hotel!

Some new trans-Atlantic service coming to our region. Lufthansa is starting 3x weekly STL-Frankfurt in March going to 5x weekly in May.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa-st-louis-frankfurt-nonstop-flights/

Saint Louis?! Wow, that's a random connection. I wonder if that's due to Anheiser-Busch or what.

Some new trans-Atlantic service coming to our region. Lufthansa is starting 3x weekly STL-Frankfurt in March going to 5x weekly in May.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/lufthansa-st-louis-frankfurt-nonstop-flights/

Wow, good for STL. I lived in STL during the 90s and remember TWA 747s and 767s sitting at the end of the C concourse for routes to London, Paris, and Frankfurt back then.

PoliSciGuy...word on the street here in St. Louis is that the biggest reason is that Bayer (who bought St. Louis-based Monsanto) decided to keep their North American HQ here. Lots of executives go back and forth. Also, Sigma Aldrich is now owned by a German company and there are some smaller German companies with offices here, primarily in agricultural science. A consortium of other big companies here chipped in $2.5 million for the effort and the city is subsidizing some other costs.

Lambert was a big hub for TWA back in the day, but when American Airlines bought them, they dehubbed them. For most of the time I've lived here, the only international flights were Canada and Mexico. And, briefly, Iceland.

nm

PoliSciGuy...word on the street here in St. Louis is that the biggest reason is that Bayer (who bought St. Louis-based Monsanto) decided to keep their North American HQ here. Lots of executives go back and forth. Also, Sigma Aldrich is now owned by a German company and there are some smaller German companies with offices here, primarily in agricultural science. A consortium of other big companies here chipped in $2.5 million for the effort and the city is subsidizing some other costs.

Lambert was a big hub for TWA back in the day, but when American Airlines bought them, they dehubbed them. For most of the time I've lived here, the only international flights were Canada and Mexico. And, briefly, Iceland.

That is some great context, thank you!

yes great for Saint Louis. And it does go to show what OKC needs to do flight wise if/when we get more focused international business.

The STL-FRA nonstop would be a good way to get to Europe in one stop from OKC/TUL the only problem is you would have to fly Southwest to STL and recheck bags. Otherwise ORD, DEN, DFW, IAH or ATL are easier for one stops to Europe if you are staying on American/United/Delta or connecting to an alliance partner like British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, etc

Lambert was a big hub for TWA back in the day, but when American Airlines bought them, they dehubbed them. For most of the time I've lived here, the only international flights were Canada and Mexico. And, briefly, Iceland.

I flew OKC-STL-LGW (London Gatwick) twice in the late 90’s. That was a super easy way to get to London. Early evening 1 hour flight to STL, short layover then an 8 hour overnight flight to London arriving in the morning.

I flew MEM-AMS once too in 1999 when Northwest had their Memphis hub. Another easy way to get to Europe.

I flew OKC-STL-LGW (London Gatwick) twice in the late 90’s. That was a super easy way to get to London. Early evening 1 hour flight to STL, short layover then an 8 hour overnight flight to London arriving in the morning.

I flew MEM-AMS once too in 1999 when Northwest had their Memphis hub. Another easy way to get to Europe.

Since we're swapping route reports from the late 90s when intl travel was easier from smaller markets. I flew DL home once from London via LGW-CVG-STL. That was great. The Cincy hub for DL was so nice to use.

Noticed yesterday Breeze has moved to the old Delta gate across from the new airside exit.

Looks like United has removed the OKC-SFO non-stop from the schedule through the entire summer 2022. It now starts on 9/8, and I'm not holding my breath on a flight resuming in the fall. But that's a bummer for my Northern California trip in July/August. I would have purchased 6 first class tickets on that non-stop round trip. Now I'll probably do it on AA with a stop in DFW to get mainline. That's generally my default when there's no non-stop.

Southwest restarting OKC-BNA June 5. 1x Saturday only. I bet this goes more frequent in the future as Southwest builds up their hub in Nashville.

Southwest is also restarting TUL-MDW in June with 2x daily service.

Hopefully BWI will be back for both that is a missing link for the NE

Surprised about SFO. I know so many people that head to Napa and surrounding areas that time of year.

Surprised about SFO. I know so many people that head to Napa and surrounding areas that time of year.I'm not sure who is worse: (1) Delta, who never tries anything in OKC but has good service to ATL and basic RJs to a couple other hubs, (2) United who can't seem to figure out what service they are going to provide and are all over the board, or (3) Southwest who are constantly changing cities and frequencies so you can't plan a non-stop unless you're flying to one of their mainstays like HOU or PHX. I'm glad American has resumed their service levels in OKC, shows a willingness to add cities and doesn't take cities away when they do, and seems committed to OKC as a market.

I wish United, especially, would get more committed to OKC. I'd really like good service to SFO and EWR. I would use those flights, and have many times in the past.

I'm not sure who is worse: (1) Delta, who never tries anything in OKC but has good service to ATL and basic RJs to a couple other hubs, (2) United who can't seem to figure out what service they are going to provide and are all over the board, or (3) Southwest who are constantly changing cities and frequencies so you can't plan a non-stop unless you're flying to one of their mainstays like HOU or PHX. I'm glad American has resumed their service levels in OKC, shows a willingness to add cities and doesn't take cities away when they do, and seems committed to OKC as a market.

I wish United, especially, would get more committed to OKC. I'd really like good service to SFO and EWR. I would use those flights, and have many times in the past.

AA also has the advantage that their hubs are also in cool cities.

MIA, DFW, PHX, PHL, LAX. Charlotte is really the only "meh". The partnership with Alaska adds Seattle in a backdoor kind of way

AA also has the advantage that their hubs are also in cool cities.

MIA, DFW, PHX, PHL, LAX. Charlotte is really the only "meh". The partnership with Alaska adds Seattle in a backdoor kind of way

Add ORD, AUS and DCA to that list. Hopefully PHL resumes but I doubt it with DCA and LGA. Really hope AA adds TUL-LGA.

Agree on United, wish they would restart SFO and EWR.

I'm currently sitting at KOKC and their is a weird flight route I don't understand. The flight is an odd routing. It's NW Arkansas to OKC and then OKC to Little Rock . Not sure why this flight is operating and when I look at Flightaware , it doesn't show any divert.

17249

The aircraft is routed IAH-OKC-LIT-DEN.

OKC-LIT is an operational reposition. It’s CommutAir; they are - interesting.

Not seeing an XNA-OKC.

Thanks,Catch. Here's the XNA

17250

That is a SkyWest maintenance reposition. Likely having some work done in OKC, it is unrelated to the CommutAir flight to Little Rock.

Add ORD, AUS and DCA to that list. Hopefully PHL resumes but I doubt it with DCA and LGA. Really hope AA adds TUL-LGA.

Agree on United, wish they would restart SFO and EWR.

I would think PHL comes back whenever it is that the world is more open again. It's by far AA's best hub for TATL connections. I know Europe hasn't been closed off necessarily but still, travel still isn't back to normal yet. If AA doesn't bring PHL back, then I would love an OKC-JFK on either B6 or AA to help with international connections. But that seems pretty unlikely I suppose, especially with OKC-LGA already in the mix.

And, I also wish UA would expand service here. Especially with the United NEXT program and the renovated domestic narrowbody fleet which sure will beat the crap out of the AA Oasis nonsense. It is interesting though that catch commented that the OKC market just doesn't respond to UA the way it does to AA. There must be many more AAdvantage members here than United MP.

A lot of the loyalty comes from the proximity to DFW, no?

A lot of the loyalty comes from the proximity to DFW, no?Honestly yes. It's nice to know if you get caught at your connecting airport of DFW you can always drive home. Also, when using my AA miles and OKC is just too expensive, flying from DFW is a realistic option. That's not the case with UA or DL. For instance, before Covid, in the couple years before we took my parents to London on miles in business but my mom hates to fly so we flew non-stop from DFW to LHR so that she only had one flight each way. And when my wife and I went to Italy at the last minute but did not want 2 stops (the only option in business) we drove to DFW and flew DFW-LHR-FCO and same on the return (except from LIN). AA gives you that flexibility because of the proximity of DFW. Having said that, the VAST majority of the time we fly from OKC, even at an increased cost. It's worth the premium for convenience except in the most extreme circumstance.

I see a Jetblue flight made a visit to OKC from Boston tonight. Anyone know what the reason was?

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU777/history/20211224/2306Z/KBOS/KOKC

Probably a gas-and-go. 45 minute ground time in OKC. About 125 knot headwinds tonight in the jet stream. Doesn’t look like a ton of planes had trouble, but some of the older Airbus narrowbodies have trouble with US trans cons in the winter time when the jet stream really starts cranking across North America.

It is certainly possible it was not that, but a 45 minute ground time rules out any mechanical issue and most law-enforcement issues. The other possibility would be a medical. It can be difficult to get emergency landings for medicals in a station you don’t serve turned around in 45 minutes. Usually they are last minute and can be hard for the airline to get ahold of a courtesy crew and get fueling paperwork lined up.

“Courtesy handling” usually means one airline handling a different carrier out of courtesy and usually for no charge to accommodate emergencies etc. a 45 minute wheels down to wheels up time suggests to me that this was a planned stop with plenty of time to notify a handling carrier and getting fuel at such a late hour. Despite being fierce competitors, on the front line airlines will often go to great lengths to assist another carrier, especially in an emergency situation. For years before Southwest served O’Hare, Southwest had an agreement with United that we would provide a ramp crew, basic customer service, and gate space should a Southwest airplane end up landing in ORD because MDW was closed. This extended to the reverse and they would do the same for a United plane that ended up in Midway. About once or twice a year this gentleman’s agreement would be used by either carrier and no bills were ever sent.

Probably a gas-and-go. 45 minute ground time in OKC. About 125 knot headwinds tonight in the jet stream. Doesn’t look like a ton of planes had trouble, but some of the older Airbus narrowbodies have trouble with US trans cons in the winter time when the jet stream really starts cranking across North America.

It is certainly possible it was not that, but a 45 minute ground time rules out any mechanical issue and most law-enforcement issues. The other possibility would be a medical. It can be difficult to get emergency landings for medicals in a station you don’t serve turned around in 45 minutes. Usually they are last minute and can be hard for the airline to get ahold of a courtesy crew and get fueling paperwork lined up.

“Courtesy handling” usually means one airline handling a different carrier out of courtesy and usually for no charge to accommodate emergencies etc. a 45 minute wheels down to wheels up time suggests to me that this was a planned stop with plenty of time to notify a handling carrier and getting fuel at such a late hour. Despite being fierce competitors, on the front line airlines will often go to great lengths to assist another carrier, especially in an emergency situation. For years before Southwest served O’Hare, Southwest had an agreement with United that we would provide a ramp crew, basic customer service, and gate space should a Southwest airplane end up landing in ORD because MDW was closed. This extended to the reverse and they would do the same for a United plane that ended up in Midway. About once or twice a year this gentleman’s agreement would be used by either carrier and no bills were ever sent.

Catch never fails to provide awesome insight.

Heard them on the tower freq…sounded like a tech stop for gas.



I see a Jetblue flight made a visit to OKC from Boston tonight. Anyone know what the reason was?

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU777/history/20211224/2306Z/KBOS/KOKC

Talk about fighting the jet stream. 7 hour 51 min flight.

Talk about fighting the jet stream. 7 hour 51 min flight.

Flightaware is very bad for collecting data from various sources and compiling them in inaccurate ways. It was 7hr 51min including the stop in OKC. This is evident because of the arrival gate listed as D32. It took the arrival time in Las Vegas and stamped it as the arrival time into OKC without verifying the stop. Still a long time, but not as bad when factoring in a 45 min fuel stop and the associated slowing down due to that.

Flightaware is very bad for collecting data from various sources and compiling them in inaccurate ways. It was 7hr 51min including the stop in OKC. This is evident because of the arrival gate listed as D32. It took the arrival time in Las Vegas and stamped it as the arrival time into OKC without verifying the stop. Still a long time, but not as bad when factoring in a 45 min fuel stop and the associated slowing down due to that.

ah gotcha. but still. that's like a transatlantic flight. doesn't look like it got much over 400mph

ah gotcha. but still. that's like a transatlantic flight. doesn't look like it got much over 400mph

Yep. Westbound is miserable this time of year in the northern hemisphere.

I just recently got a Citi American Airlines credit card and I had some questions regarding the AAdvatage Program. Particularly with Alaska Airlines.

Can I book Alaska Airlines flights through AA? Or do I do it thru Alaska Airlines website with my AA credit card and add my AAdvantage number to the reservation. Apologies if I didn't ask it right.

I just recently got a Citi American Airlines credit card and I had some questions regarding the AAdvatage Program. Particularly with Alaska Airlines.

Can I book Alaska Airlines flights through AA? Or do I do it thru Alaska Airlines website with my AA credit card and add my AAdvantage number to the reservation. Apologies if I didn't ask it right.

You can do either as long as the flights are designated as code share operations.

I just recently got a Citi American Airlines credit card and I had some questions regarding the AAdvatage Program. Particularly with Alaska Airlines.

Can I book Alaska Airlines flights through AA? Or do I do it thru Alaska Airlines website with my AA credit card and add my AAdvantage number to the reservation. Apologies if I didn't ask it right.

Might want to read up on AA's new loyalty program as well. https://exploreamerican.com/newaadvantage/

Will Rogers World Airport to tear down its only terminal grounds hotel:

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/01/09/rogers-world-airport-tear-down-its-only-terminal-grounds-hotel/6441874001/

Will Rogers World Airport to tear down its only terminal grounds hotel:

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/01/09/rogers-world-airport-tear-down-its-only-terminal-grounds-hotel/6441874001/
That hotel is very trashy, but I’m surprised they won’t be building a replacement.

A Braums right there would kill it. . JS

OnCue, I'm calling it. First impression for first-time OKC visitors, heck yeah they're grabbing that.

A convenience store would be great here.

with a skybridge to the terminal I'm sure :-)

Will Rogers World Airport to tear down its only terminal grounds hotel:

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2022/01/09/rogers-world-airport-tear-down-its-only-terminal-grounds-hotel/6441874001/
It is now 2022.

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=46715

2021 finished off nicely. Looks like SW has wrestled the lead back from AA. December probably down a touch due to Corona Virus related cancelled flight

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/files/22-06%20December%20Enplanement%20Email.pdf

about 1m pax off from 2019's 4.4m. Not bad considering.