Will Rogers World Airport

[HOT ROD]

imo, they need to up their game on the website. They say the airport is the face of the city, OKC has changed so much that they need to update the website more frequently.

Should already have new terminal maps with the new gates and amenities; this shouldn't be a back burner but (IMO) should have been part of the overall expansion plan. Just think if the city never updated their website or had similar "contracting" process? Well turns out, the city does since the airport is run by the city. ... Unacceptable.

[Downwind17]

imo, they need to up their game on the website. They say the airport is the face of the city, OKC has changed so much that they need to update the website more frequently.

Should already have new terminal maps with the new gates and amenities; this shouldn't be a back burner but (IMO) should have been part of the overall expansion plan. Just think if the city never updated their website or had similar "contracting" process? Well turns out, the city does since the airport is run by the city. ... Unacceptable.

I completely agree. I would take it even further and say that the WRWA is one of the worst managed public facilities in the state. No offense to the hardworking employees of the Dept. of Airports, but the Airport Trust needs to take their positions a little more seriously and start making things happen and asking questions. Great point on the website. Forget the interactive maps circa 2013, can we just get static graphics of the current layout made? I sure hope the new manager has a laundry list of items to address and he is working his way down...perhaps some of the non-airside fixes just haven't risen to the top yet.

[Plutonic Panda]

Article from VeloCity about the new shops and restaurants:

If you have flown out of Will Rogers World Airport lately, you may have noticed several new retail shops and restaurants popping up along the terminal concourses, especially in the airport’s east concourse that opened last fall. The airport has been working with award-winning concessionaire Paradies Lagardère to introduce the new eateries and shops to their air travelers.

According to Scott Keith, assistant director for the City of Oklahoma City’s Department of Airports, airline passengers, airport employees and others have responded favorably to the new additions to the concessionary lineup.

“Our concession and retail program set out to try and assemble both high-quality local brands and high-quality national brands to serve our passengers and citizens as they travel through Will Rogers World Airport. This provides our citizens and passengers the ability to identify, connect and support both local business brands in our community and national brands while they are here at Will Rogers World Airport,” Keith said.

The airport’s retail and concession program will be built out in several phases through mid-2024, proportionate to returning passenger levels, Keith said. Following a marked slowdown in the number of air travelers because of COVID, air traffic has rebounded across the nation and passenger levels are expected to continue its upward trend in the foreseeable future. Will Rogers World Airport is no exception. Passenger traffic levels are up by more than 24% from what the airport experienced in 2021; however, it is down by about 11% from the record levels it saw in 2019.

National brands Starbucks and Vino Volo opened to passengers on the east concourse last October and November, just in time for the holiday travel season. Trip Advisor and Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers opened in September and December 2021, respectively, followed by Tropical Smoothie Café last March. Local retailer Tin Lizzie’s, which offers an array of products from Oklahoma-owned boutiques, artisans and makers, opened to airport customers Sept. 2, 2022, the Friday before the Labor Day weekend. An official grand opening for the retailer is expected to occur sometime this month.

Later this fall, passengers should begin to see other retailers and restaurants coming on line, but in the central terminal area and in the west concourse, according to Keith. Osteria, Hatch and Elemental Coffee, along with The Apartment, Oklahoma’s Own News 9, iStore Express and local gift shop Plenty Mercantile will be opening throughout the fall and into mid-2024.

“The new concession program, once it is complete, should meet the future demands of the projected growth for Will Rogers World Airport,” Keith said.

- https://www.velocityokc.com/blog/eco...ack=super_blog

[Richard at Remax]

I can say I have really enjoyed Vino Volo

[Jeepnokc]

I can say I have really enjoyed Vino Volo

We almost are always there as it is across fromvDelta gated

[Richard at Remax]

I will say that in talked to most of the staff, they wish delta wasn't there as most of the day it's pretty slow traffic on that end

[Downwind17]

Now for some good news...footings have been installed for the new roadway directional signage. The new signs, both overhead and roadside, will match the style of the newly installed terminal interior signage, as well as the signage placed near the Car Rental Center on Meridian. This project was proposed many years ago, but was postponed due to COVID. This will be a nice new addition to the grounds.

[Mississippi Blues]

I will say that in talked to most of the staff, they wish delta wasn't there as most of the day it's pretty slow traffic on that end

As a Delta regular, instead of them not being there, I would rather they expand more into Oklahoma City and get busier. But that’s neither here nor there since the main point is that Delta largely does little to benefit the new area. I’ve been holding out hope that they might bring more routes/services online since they announced OKC-LGA and only time will tell but they don’t inspire much confidence in me in regards to their intentions for this market.

[LakeEffect]

As a Delta regular, instead of them not being there, I would rather they expand more into Oklahoma City and get busier. But that’s neither here nor there since the main point is that Delta largely does little to benefit the new area. I’ve been holding out hope that they might bring more routes/services online since they announced OKC-LGA and only time will tell but they don’t inspire much confidence in me in regards to their intentions for this market.

Ditto. One can only hope that currently they're just holding due to the staffing and aircraft shortages overall... I'd love a LAX connection for Hawaii work trips.

[SEMIweather]

If Delta could someday manage to restart nonstop flights to the 14th largest metro in the country, and supposedly one of their major hubs, it would be much appreciated.

[LakeEffect]

If Delta could someday manage to restart nonstop flights to the 14th largest metro in the country, and supposedly one of their major hubs, it would be much appreciated.

Yes.

[brianinok]

Now that Delta has been given the most prime gates at the airport, they aren't giving them up. We can only hope they will better utilize them as traffic [hopefully] recovers in the next few years. Hopefully, the airport management received some assurance that as traffic recovered in the next few years they would add back DTW and increase frequencies so that area of the airport wasn't so dead all day, plus add routes to at least some of their other hubs such as SEA, BOS, or LAX. But airlines, including Delta, are having a hard time with equipment and staff. This growth won't happen overnight.

I also hope management intends to recruit Clear in the next few years, and has left space for a lounge to be added. I assume the most likely candidates would be Priority Pass or Admirals Club (since American is the largest legacy carrier).

[catch22]

Delta has shown zero commitment to growing Oklahoma City over the past 10 years. Having the best gates at the airport means nothing to their network planning department. This falls squarely on leadership on not negotiating a competitive lease or running a traffic survey for the opening of the new gates.

In other airports this practice is not uncommon in the form of “terminal load balancing”. Basically you examine gate utilization and passenger counts from the airlines to ensure the terminal or concourse is balanced in use. This just happened in Portland with their concourse and terminal expansion. Some airlines got moved to older gates, some airlines got moved into newly renovated areas. There are winner and there are losers. They don’t negotiate leases squarely off of first come first served, but higher use/best use. You would ideally move two heavy use carriers away from each other, or away from pinch points, to spread passengers out. This does not appear to have been done in this instance so the expansion really has taken no load off the fairly crowded west concourse. I believe the west concourse was not designed very well either as it really isn’t wide enough to support the amount of flights using it. Not enough circulation space or space for amenities and seating.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Delta has shown zero commitment to growing Oklahoma City over the past 10 years. Having the best gates at the airport means nothing to their network planning department. This falls squarely on leadership on not negotiating a competitive lease or running a traffic survey for the opening of the new gates.

In other airports this practice is not uncommon in the form of “terminal load balancing”. Basically you examine gate utilization and passenger counts from the airlines to ensure the terminal or concourse is balanced in use. This just happened in Portland with their concourse and terminal expansion. Some airlines got moved to older gates, some airlines got moved into newly renovated areas. There are winner and there are losers. They don’t negotiate leases squarely off of first come first served, but higher use/best use. You would ideally move two heavy use carriers away from each other, or away from pinch points, to spread passengers out. This does not appear to have been done in this instance so the expansion really has taken no load off the fairly crowded west concourse. I believe the west concourse was not designed very well either as it really isn’t wide enough to support the amount of flights using it. Not enough circulation space or space for amenities and seating.

Thank you for the explanation, especially about the pinch points. I was wondering why it still felt crowded in some parts of the terminal.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

If they add Clear to the TSA pre check line, it might encourage a more dedicated lane if enough people are using it. Right now you just get a laminated card to make them stop asking for your shoes, but I have had OKC TSA workers ignore that and just throw me in with the rest of the cattle.

[HangryHippo]

I know people love “OKC” because it’s “small” and “quick” but the design sucks. With as few passengers as we see, there’s no reason for it to ever feel as cramped as it can and the baggie claim area is miserable.

[amocore]

The airport should spread Southwest airline a bit more. I think the gate East of the main bar ( okc grill) where Breeze was, would be good.
Their passenger count is way higher than it was, and they still use the three gates.

[Richard at Remax]

Yeah I don't think anyone is using those old delta gates right now. Perfect for SWA to expand.

[mugofbeer]

I know people love “OKC” because it’s “small” and “quick” but the design sucks. With as few passengers as we see, there’s no reason for it to ever feel as cramped as it can and the baggie claim area is miserable.

To each his own opinion. I travel thru often and it's fine othervthan security being down at the end. I do find early food service closures to be very annoying.

[Celebrator]

Late in the day/night when I have arrived the bathrooms have not been up to snuff. But I assume that is because janitorial staff has gone home for the day. I just have a thing with dirty public bathrooms--but I imagine so do most people!

[s00nr1]

It still blows my mind AA did not get the new gates considering their push in OKC. Even moreso now that the only food option on the west concourse is closed until 2023. A complete failure on leadership's part in my opinion.

[amocore]

Do you mean the Cantina bar just closed ? Is it for renovation ?

[s00nr1]

Do you mean the Cantina bar just closed ? Is it for renovation ?

Yes. Closed until March '23 for change over to "Osteria."

[Paule4ou]

Looks like CLEAR is finally coming to OKC. They currently are looking to fill their General Manager position at the airport.

[brianinok]

Looks like CLEAR is finally coming to OKC. They currently are looking to fill their General Manager position at the airport.

No way. You just made my day.