2020 Oklahoma City Aviation Thread

[Executionist]

IMO, there will be no return to "normal" in the airline & hotel industry.

Both reap the majority of their profits from business travel, buying high-margin last-minute tickets, not those going on a weekend junket to Vegas or going to see grandma once a year.

My company has a $65m/year travel budget. Not only are we not spending it, but we have come to the conclusion that not getting on a plane has not impacted our ability to meet clients or conduct business, it's only changed the method. And clients are increasing fine with that. "Communication" has not been affected at all.

We've also decided to quit flying candidates in for face-to-face interviews, probably permanently. Zoom is just fine.

While there will be some resumption of event and conference travel, those will be on a much smaller scale and tickets & hotel rooms for those events are usually discounted anyway. Price wars will abound.

As a sometime road warrior - Million Miler on Delta and 8-year United 1k - frankly, many of us could care less if we never get on another plane again, given what a pain in the ass flying has become. Most of my road warrior pees feel the same way

As for OKC, a lot of the guys sitting next to me on the upgrade are from the O&G industry. Many of them have now taken their last flight on company-paid travel. Sure there will still be some rebound demand, but returning to 2019 levels will take years, it ever.

I'm not predicting gloom & doom, but I do predict a fundamental change in the entire travel industry, given the fact that we are finding we don't really need to go unless we really need to go, and the bean counters will likely be able to point to the data showing how cutting the travel budget hasn't impacted revenue and has increased margin, while not impacting client satisfaction.

[catch22]

I think you are right for the near term, but teleconferencing was supposed to impact business travel years ago, and it never did, in fact, business travel has grown at a rapid pace. I think businesses and consumers alike have short memories. It is possible business travel will rebound fine long term - there is a social aspect of face to face that cannot be replicated on a video call. On the other side of this recession, businesses will resume spending money like it is going out of style. They always have.

[LakeEffect]

I think you are right for the near term, but teleconferencing was supposed to impact business travel years ago, and it never did, in fact, business travel has grown at a rapid pace. I think businesses and consumers alike have short memories. It is possible business travel will rebound fine long term - there is a social aspect of face to face that cannot be replicated on a video call. On the other side of this recession, businesses will resume spending money like it is going out of style. They always have.

This. We do a lot of data requesting and gathering for our work and we never get the depth we need by submitting an email request and having a phone call; when we visit in person, we get so much more information. Some industries will always be better off with in-person client visits.

[jonny d]

People have been predicting a new normal forever, yet nothing is new under the sun. I think this may, for a year or so, affect people. But once a vaccine is green-lit, people will go back to business as usual, for the most part. Business travel will return, as will vacation travel.

[Plutonic Panda]

People have been predicting a new normal forever, yet nothing is new under the sun. I think this may, for a year or so, affect people. But once a vaccine is green-lit, people will go back to business as usual, for the most part. Business travel will return, as will vacation travel.

And all of the alarmist and doomsayers will crawl back into the shadows until the next catastrophe hits. Rinse and repeat.

[gopokes88]

I think you are right for the near term, but teleconferencing was supposed to impact business travel years ago, and it never did, in fact, business travel has grown at a rapid pace. I think businesses and consumers alike have short memories. It is possible business travel will rebound fine long term - there is a social aspect of face to face that cannot be replicated on a video call. On the other side of this recession, businesses will resume spending money like it is going out of style. They always have.

Not to mention, inflation adjusted, travel has never been cheaper. It’s fantastic and I miss it.

[catch22]

Sunday's blues.

UA OKC-IAD suspended until June
UA OKC-IAH reduced to 2x daily May
DL OKC-ATL reduced to 1x daily May

Alaska is combining OKC/ICT markets with a tag flight thru May 10. Will operate SEA-ICT-OKC/OKC-ICT-SEA

[catch22]

Forgot,

UA OKC-ORD suspended until June
UA OKC-DEN reduced to 1x daily.

I think UA will only be operating 3 flights a day out of OKC in May. 1 to Denver and 2 to Houston. how sad.

[catch22]

Current May schedule shows:

OKC at 37 daily departures (all airlines), down from 75 year prior.


Some peer cities:


OKC: 37, 75
TUL: 27, 58
ICT: 34, 15
RNO: 28, 71
OMA: 38, 88
DSM: 25, 57
TUS: 24, 57

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Forgot,

UA OKC-ORD suspended until June
UA OKC-DEN reduced to 1x daily.

I think UA will only be operating 3 flights a day out of OKC in May. 1 to Denver and 2 to Houston. how sad.

Yes. I was supposed to fly to LGA on UAon May 1 and that ticket has become a 2 stop 14 hour behemoth. I'm trying not to jam up UA until closer to 72 hours so I can hopefully get all my miles back. Anyone else tried to get back airline miles on flight reservations during the pandemic?

[catch22]

Yes. I was supposed to fly to LGA on UAon May 1 and that ticket has become a 2 stop 14 hour behemoth. I'm trying not to jam up UA until closer to 72 hours so I can hopefully get all my miles back. Anyone else tried to get back airline miles on flight reservations during the pandemic?

Miles should go back in your bank. The United app has a lot functionality that the website does not. Have you tried canceling your ticket on the app?

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Miles should go back in your bank. The United app has a lot functionality that the website does not. Have you tried canceling your ticket on the app?

I haven't. I have the app but was worried that if I bought with miles, I would get screwed on the cancellation. I got screwed on a previous app cancellation for April 16 flight where they gave me United credit instead of my $ refund. I went to the full site to request a refund after that happened. So I am a bit gun-shy on the app. The app is great when flying though!

[catch22]

The airlines have no money so they are being stingy on refunds. But the original terms of your ticket still apply with regards to refunds. Just be persistent - I believe miles on award tickets automatically go back into your bank. Just take some screenshots.

[BG918]

Hoping to reschedule an international trip for later this year and probably going to book this week since United will be offering no change fees until April 30

[catch22]

Hoping to reschedule an international trip for later this year and probably going to book this week since United will be offering no change fees until April 30

Probably waiting until the last minute, but that will most likely be pushed back another month.

[sooner333]

Alaska is combining OKC/ICT markets with a tag flight thru May 10. Will operate SEA-ICT-OKC/OKC-ICT-SEA

Im surprised they aren’t cutting out a leg and going SEA-ICT-OKC-SEA. Maybe Wichita has some kind of contract With Alaska requiring a non stop flight.

[Downwind17]

SkyWest has really increased the number of aircraft in storage here in OKC. We have nearly 40 aircraft scattered around the field (SkyWest and Alaska) waiting to fly again...someday. Still praying we don’t see big hail at the airport this spring.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

The airlines have no money so they are being stingy on refunds. But the original terms of your ticket still apply with regards to refunds. Just be persistent - I believe miles on award tickets automatically go back into your bank. Just take some screenshots.

It worked. Waited until 24 hours before and cancelled since there was a change of greater than 6 hours. Points restored. Now to win back on my April flight. That was my fault for cancelling too soon. I think I just have to prove the original flight was cancelled to get the refund back on a credit card (they gave me flight credit automatically)?

[catch22]

AA extends suspensions into the June sked.

DCA, ORD, PHL, LAX, LGA suspended

Not surprising. UA is still working on its June sked. Likely will be the same as May. It's easier to list what is flying right now vs what isn't . Maybe I'll do that sometime. Would be good to document it anyway.

[PaddyShack]

Is the airport receiving money for the planes stored around the airfield? How does all of that work?

[brianinok]

AA extends suspensions into the June sked.

DCA, ORD, PHL, LAX, LGA suspended

Not surprising. UA is still working on its June sked. Likely will be the same as May. It's easier to list what is flying right now vs what isn't . Maybe I'll do that sometime. Would be good to document it anyway.

Not that I'm booking a flight for June (right now the earliest I have something booked is October, and I'm thinking any trips before that will be driving trips), is the MIA flight still going? I knew DFW and CLT was...

[catch22]

Is the airport receiving money for the planes stored around the airfield? How does all of that work?

Each airport is different, but in Denver not only has the City of Denver waived United's rent for a few months, but they have also given them an entire runway to park planes on.

[catch22]

Not that I'm booking a flight for June (right now the earliest I have something booked is October, and I'm thinking any trips before that will be driving trips), is the MIA flight still going? I knew DFW and CLT was...

I think it may be gone also. Hard to keep up

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Catch22, I don't know you but you have been a boon to this thread. Just saw where UA is setting up for cuts once they are outside the date of the government payroll package, October 1, to plan reduction in force.
I hope you come out the other end ok. Sorry to see it.

[Executionist]

Yes. I was supposed to fly to LGA on UAon May 1 and that ticket has become a 2 stop 14 hour behemoth. I'm trying not to jam up UA until closer to 72 hours so I can hopefully get all my miles back. Anyone else tried to get back airline miles on flight reservations during the pandemic?

Yes. Southwest refunded everything with the click of a button. I'm 1K on UA, and they would redeposit miles without penalty. Not sure about other status levels.