Will Rogers World Airport

[gopokes88]

It just tickles me to death this thread has now come full circle. We should get rid of the chains and go local all the way back to we should get a McDonald’s!

[HOT ROD]

in the one available kiosk slot in the West Concourse, yes. A national draw. Full spectrum food options. Yes, McDonalds or the like to the West Concourse.

Local belongs where it will feed off others, the Central Concourse - particularly Cool Greens which is a niche restaurant to begin with.

[OUman]

I think once the East Terminal expansion is built there will be more concession space and probably more choice of food options.

[d-usa]

As much as I don’t like them, at least keep it local and put a Braums in there.

[mugofbeer]

I think Braums would be a great addition as long as they staffed it properly and kept it clean. They seem to have problems with this at their stores

[HOT ROD]

Braums, McDonalds, Jack In the Box, Whataburger whoever - that serves mainstream breakfast and lunch/dinner who passing traffic would recognize in a single kiosk and patronize. That's my point.

I'd LOVE for Whataburger to be there but I suspect they would need more room than just kiosk size, ditto that for JITB and Braums. McD uses concourse kiosks in other airports and they are very well patronized and offer the full meal spectrum in very reasonable hours; hence why I used them as an example.

[PaddyShack]

Braums, McDonalds, Jack In the Box, Whataburger whoever - that serves mainstream breakfast and lunch/dinner who passing traffic would recognize in a single kiosk and patronize. That's my point.

I'd LOVE for Whataburger to be there but I suspect they would need more room than just kiosk size, ditto that for JITB and Braums. McD uses concourse kiosks in other airports and they are very well patronized and offer the full meal spectrum in very reasonable hours; hence why I used them as an example.

I would kill for a Whataburger, honey butter chicken biscuit for my morning flights and then a BBQ chicken sandwhich when I return home in the evening!! I also think a Dunkin' Donuts would be a good get

[HangryHippo]

I would kill for a Whataburger, honey butter chicken biscuit for my morning flights and then a BBQ chicken sandwhich when I return home in the evening!! I also think a Dunkin' Donuts would be a good get

A Dunkin' would be awesome for morning flights!

[no1cub17]

It just tickles me to death this thread has now come full circle. We should get rid of the chains and go local all the way back to we should get a McDonald’s!

Why can't we have both? I posted this earlier in this thread - but we literally never set foot in McDonalds or Starbucks... except for at airports. There's something about a quick and predictable option (that's normally actually open all day) that makes both of them a perfect fit for airports IMO. Yes coolgreens is good and healthy but it is absolutely zero use to me if they're never open. Plus Starbucks reliably carries Fiji water!

[HOT ROD]

yes, those were my points.

[Robert_M]

Plans are out to bid to General Contractors on the expansion project. Current bid date is set for early October so they might get this work underway before the end of the year.

[Pete]

Some more images / plans:

[HOT ROD]

it's not very big from a size standpoint compared to the rest of the terminal complex, but this new addition will truly modernize Will Rogers and bring us out of the third world as far as competing with other major cities. With the expansion we will finally have an airport that can accommodate multiple flights to a single destination via multiple airlines; notice right now airlines serve basically one or two cities, not many serve the same city via multiple airlines (Dallas and Denver excluded). Yet at other major cities this is the case and provides a bit of competition. With the new gates this allows OKC to enter that mix, which is crucial for conventions and large scale events where airlines may want to offer flights - even if they are charter. Not to mention the potential International, beyond canada which has US CIS already.

I need not mention the modern amenities the expansion will bring - which will truly bring an identity to Will Rogers unlike any other airport. Now this is what will set OKC apart the most and will give the city a much needed boost for all the things being built downtown and elsewhere.

[gopokes88]

^ “third world” is a touch hyperbolic, no? I’ve landed at a “third world” airport, Stillwater’s would have been world class

[catch22]

Outside of the morning rush, gate space is not an issue for any airline. OKC just isn’t a strong enough market to support multiple flights to some of these destinations.

[HOT ROD]

sorry, should ahve said 'tier' which is what I meant, third tier.

[bombermwc]

I've been a big fan of our little airport because of its ease. Not having to mess with the crap of parking/etc at a place like DFW for me originating flight, i'm very happy with WWRA. It's east in/out, fast lines (even on the busy days, the security line really isnt that bad compared to other places).

You want to see how NOT to run an airport, look at places like Houston Bush. So to call it tier 3, i just dont buy it. The purpose of WRWA airport is VERY different than the tier 1 city airports (which we are not tier 1). No international flights (and do we really need them?). Not a major hub for anything else (and no thank you to be honest). So i just ask that people keep the purpose of our airport in mind when they do comparisons. Since there are no captive audiences at our airport, the food options are also not something to compare. You're not going to be changing planes in OKC, so we dont really need to entertain you while you're here. Most of the people in our airport are there for 2 hours at most, including security check.

[Celebrator]

I've been a big fan of our little airport because of its ease. Not having to mess with the crap of parking/etc at a place like DFW for me originating flight, i'm very happy with WWRA. It's east in/out, fast lines (even on the busy days, the security line really isnt that bad compared to other places).

You want to see how NOT to run an airport, look at places like Houston Bush. So to call it tier 3, i just dont buy it. The purpose of WRWA airport is VERY different than the tier 1 city airports (which we are not tier 1). No international flights (and do we really need them?). Not a major hub for anything else (and no thank you to be honest). So i just ask that people keep the purpose of our airport in mind when they do comparisons. Since there are no captive audiences at our airport, the food options are also not something to compare. You're not going to be changing planes in OKC, so we dont really need to entertain you while you're here. Most of the people in our airport are there for 2 hours at most, including security check.

^^^^^^Agree 100%. Count me a big, grateful fan of WRWA. Most of the people I know, too, who travel a lot love how easy it is. Would it be nice to have more non-stop options, sure, more airport amenities, sure, but understanding what our market can sustain, I think our airline service and amenities are pretty nice. And I like that the admin out there is pretty proactive at continual improvement.

[s00nr1]

Hey Josh. Have you guys ever considered adding call buttons to the parking shuttle canopies? Today was the third straight afternoon flight I've had to walk to the terminal from daily parking due to lack of shuttle service.

[mugofbeer]

On my last travel to OKC, the rental car confirm booked thru SW Air was emailed to me. It clearly said the Avis Rental counter and the rental car were both at the WRWA Terminal.

I am aware the off-property rental car facility has been there over a year but the ticket was so explicit, I spent a few minutes looking for it before heading to the facility. After renting the car, l asked the rep about the misprint as to would be responsible, she said it was not her company, try the airline since I rented through their portal. SW claims it is the airport. l will call them but l thought l would see if anyone on here knew who is responsible for completely wrong info about the rental car counter location?

[gopokes88]

On my last travel to OKC, the rental car confirm booked thru SW Air was emailed to me. It clearly said the Avis Rental counter and the rental car were both at the WRWA Terminal.

I am aware the off-property rental car facility has been there over a year but the ticket was so explicit, I spent a few minutes looking for it before heading to the facility. After renting the car, l asked the rep about the misprint as to would be responsible, she said it was not her company, try the airline since I rented through their portal. SW claims it is the airport. l will call them but l thought l would see if anyone on here knew who is responsible for completely wrong info about the rental car counter location?

I wonder if the airport owns the land the rental car facility sits on. So it’s technically “still at the terminal”? More than likely SW hasn’t updated their system

[catch22]

It’s likely a database hasn’t been updated. When you think of how many destinations an airline serves and the amount of detail they have to keep up with at each one, it is very understandable for things to get lost.

Not that it makes it right, but it’s an easy mistake.

[HOT ROD]

I've been a big fan of our little airport because of its ease. Not having to mess with the crap of parking/etc at a place like DFW for me originating flight, i'm very happy with WWRA. It's east in/out, fast lines (even on the busy days, the security line really isnt that bad compared to other places).

You want to see how NOT to run an airport, look at places like Houston Bush. So to call it tier 3, i just dont buy it. The purpose of WRWA airport is VERY different than the tier 1 city airports (which we are not tier 1). No international flights (and do we really need them?). Not a major hub for anything else (and no thank you to be honest). So i just ask that people keep the purpose of our airport in mind when they do comparisons. Since there are no captive audiences at our airport, the food options are also not something to compare. You're not going to be changing planes in OKC, so we dont really need to entertain you while you're here. Most of the people in our airport are there for 2 hours at most, including security check.

Bomber (and others), I agree with what you're saying and didn't mean to demean our airport. But it is a tier 3 and shouldn't be. It's tier 3 due to its lack of amenities not necessarily lack of flights - look at who we compete with then compare our amenities to them. THATS what I'm talking about and it has nothing to do with non-stops to NYC because we have that and our competition doesnt; I'm talking about an engaging experience that has some sort of draw inside, I've spent many posts with my ideas on this.

However, I do disagree with you about your assessment of the OKC market or captive audience, just look at the number of posts here where people complain about the lack of food hours or options - there IS a captive market in OKC that isn't being filled OR there can build one if we put in amenities people want or recognize at the right spots. Theres nothing wrong with adding a national food vendor in the concourse - other tier 3 airports do similar and have much more success with the airport experience. In my opinion, OKC should be a tier 2 airport and therefore strive to compete with the other tier 2s, get some things they have and staff them better.

I say this in advance of the new convention center opening, in which OKC will have much more traffic coming in from other tier 2 markets. We need our airport to also be tier 2 to complete the OKC experience - we can't just have a nice downtown when the face of the city is stuck in 1960s with a 2000s makeover. What about fully free wifi (not just free but contracted via Boingo or whatever)? What about at least one national vendor that everybody recognizes, particularly in the small kiosk of the concourse (ive mentioned this a million times)? What about some of the parking and shuttle ideas being floated? What about doing something big with the space in the downstairs formerly held by the rental cars (like some restaurant/retail and OKC themed retail)? What about raising the ceiling downstairs to bring it out of the 1960s and maybe reconfigure the luggage belts to allow more space? What about adding a piano to the airport and having somebody play it? What about trying to get a Chili's Too (or the like) that you find at many tier 2 and higher airports? What about adding a real museum explaining why OKC's airport is a "World" airport? What about a children's play yard area pre and post security?

You see the theme? These ideas captivate the traveling public giving them choices to stay at the airport longer even if there are few if any connections. We wouldn't need to staff this stuff 24/7 but it should be open for some sort of stated hours that align with the flight schedules. Finally, I personally think there is way too much OU ads at WRWA - and I am one of the biggest OU fans despite not going there. Just screams small time for OKC as a city in that OU is our only option. Not saying there can't or shouldn't be any advertisements but I think it should be rethought to determine what message we're trying to send to someone not familiar with OKC.

[jonny d]

Bomber (and others), I agree with what you're saying and didn't mean to demean our airport. But it is a tier 3 and shouldn't be. It's tier 3 due to its lack of amenities not necessarily lack of flights - look at who we compete with then compare our amenities to them. THATS what I'm talking about and it has nothing to do with non-stops to NYC because we have that and our competition doesnt; I'm talking about an engaging experience that has some sort of draw inside, I've spent many posts with my ideas on this.

However, I do disagree with you about your assessment of the OKC market or captive audience, just look at the number of posts here where people complain about the lack of food hours or options - there IS a captive market in OKC that isn't being filled OR there can build one if we put in amenities people want or recognize at the right spots. Theres nothing wrong with adding a national food vendor in the concourse - other tier 3 airports do similar and have much more success with the airport experience. In my opinion, OKC should be a tier 2 airport and therefore strive to compete with the other tier 2s, get some things they have and staff them better.

I say this in advance of the new convention center opening, in which OKC will have much more traffic coming in from other tier 2 markets. We need our airport to also be tier 2 to complete the OKC experience - we can't just have a nice downtown when the face of the city is stuck in 1960s with a 2000s makeover. What about fully free wifi (not just free but contracted via Boingo or whatever)? What about at least one national vendor that everybody recognizes, particularly in the small kiosk of the concourse (ive mentioned this a million times)? What about some of the parking and shuttle ideas being floated? What about doing something big with the space in the downstairs formerly held by the rental cars (like some restaurant/retail and OKC themed retail)? What about raising the ceiling downstairs to bring it out of the 1960s and maybe reconfigure the luggage belts to allow more space? What about adding a piano to the airport and having somebody play it? What about trying to get a Chili's Too (or the like) that you find at many tier 2 and higher airports? What about adding a real museum explaining why OKC's airport is a "World" airport? What about a children's play yard area pre and post security?

You see the theme? These ideas captivate the traveling public giving them choices to stay at the airport longer even if there are few if any connections. We wouldn't need to staff this stuff 24/7 but it should be open for some sort of stated hours that align with the flight schedules. Finally, I personally think there is way too much OU ads at WRWA - and I am one of the biggest OU fans despite not going there. Just screams small time for OKC as a city in that OU is our only option. Not saying there can't or shouldn't be any advertisements but I think it should be rethought to determine what message we're trying to send to someone not familiar with OKC.

As the airport is currently laid out, where would you put any new restaurants? There is not any space for one. Let's see who the airport gets for the expansion, in terms of retail and dining establishments. The terminal is not designed well in terms of getting more dining present. I do not think putting those types of establishments at the area where you are leaving the airport will do any good. I agree that our airport could improve. It might be that they need a new dining contract (Delaware north may have run their course, and a new voice may need to be heard). But there is little they can do with no space available.

[gopokes88]

Bomber (and others), I agree with what you're saying and didn't mean to demean our airport. But it is a tier 3 and shouldn't be. It's tier 3 due to its lack of amenities not necessarily lack of flights - look at who we compete with then compare our amenities to them. THATS what I'm talking about and it has nothing to do with non-stops to NYC because we have that and our competition doesnt; I'm talking about an engaging experience that has some sort of draw inside, I've spent many posts with my ideas on this.

However, I do disagree with you about your assessment of the OKC market or captive audience, just look at the number of posts here where people complain about the lack of food hours or options - there IS a captive market in OKC that isn't being filled OR there can build one if we put in amenities people want or recognize at the right spots. Theres nothing wrong with adding a national food vendor in the concourse - other tier 3 airports do similar and have much more success with the airport experience. In my opinion, OKC should be a tier 2 airport and therefore strive to compete with the other tier 2s, get some things they have and staff them better.

I say this in advance of the new convention center opening, in which OKC will have much more traffic coming in from other tier 2 markets. We need our airport to also be tier 2 to complete the OKC experience - we can't just have a nice downtown when the face of the city is stuck in 1960s with a 2000s makeover. What about fully free wifi (not just free but contracted via Boingo or whatever)? What about at least one national vendor that everybody recognizes, particularly in the small kiosk of the concourse (ive mentioned this a million times)? What about some of the parking and shuttle ideas being floated? What about doing something big with the space in the downstairs formerly held by the rental cars (like some restaurant/retail and OKC themed retail)? What about raising the ceiling downstairs to bring it out of the 1960s and maybe reconfigure the luggage belts to allow more space? What about adding a piano to the airport and having somebody play it? What about trying to get a Chili's Too (or the like) that you find at many tier 2 and higher airports? What about adding a real museum explaining why OKC's airport is a "World" airport? What about a children's play yard area pre and post security?

You see the theme? These ideas captivate the traveling public giving them choices to stay at the airport longer even if there are few if any connections. We wouldn't need to staff this stuff 24/7 but it should be open for some sort of stated hours that align with the flight schedules. Finally, I personally think there is way too much OU ads at WRWA - and I am one of the biggest OU fans despite not going there. Just screams small time for OKC as a city in that OU is our only option. Not saying there can't or shouldn't be any advertisements but I think it should be rethought to determine what message we're trying to send to someone not familiar with OKC.

.....do you want an airport or a one stop entertainment destination?