OKC/Will Rogers Air Service Discussion 2011

[SkyWestOKC]

They updated the file. Looks like some data wasn't 100% reported when they published the file.

Looks much, much better!

http://www.flyokc.com/statistics/Sep...nplanement.pdf

[dmoor82]

Question for SkyWest or Venture,What is WWWA total annual numbers and what city/airport do we compare too?

[venture]

Question for SkyWest or Venture,What is WWWA total annual numbers and what city/airport do we compare too?

We are 66th nationally when it comes to passengers. 68th by scheduled flights. 79th in cargo.

[redrunner]

That's pretty weak isn't it?

[venture]

Yeah it is. When looking at the last quarter report available - 4th Quarter of 2011 - it definitely could be better. Now by this report it has us ranked 59th but that is because it combines ALL airports serving a single city. So like New York is #1 because it is combining Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK. So here are the details...

Overall Passenger # rank is 59th. This is comparable to Manchester, NH and Memphis, TN. Now...the Memphis thing I find out at first, but I think this report is PURE origin and destination...so connecting/hub traffic don't count. To put this in perspective...some cities that are bigger include Hartford, Buffalo, Albuquerque, Providence, Omaha, Spokane, and Tucson. Some that are just below us include Richmond, El Paso, Boise, Norfolk, Louisville, Birmingham, Tulsa, Dayton, and Akron.

So why might this be? Well for one, airlines make bank here. Oklahoma City is #19 in yield generation. We also have the 19th highest fares in the nation.

Compared to 2009, we were 65th in overall passengers, 21st in overall yield, and 22nd in average price of air fares. So we've seen passengers numbers go up a bit, but also have seen fares jump up quite a bit, and yields move up slightly. It is a perfect setup we have right now for established airlines. We should also be a favorable target for a new low fare airline but there isn't many left. Spirit, Allegiant, and JetBlue. AirTran was a good target, but Southwest is killing them off. Allegiant won't touch OKC again. JetBlue hasn't shown much interest here. Spirit is the only one that stands out, but I don't see them eager to come here.

[dmoor82]

Thanks for the answers guys,I appreciate it!I wonder if OKC/WWWA were the only major airport in Oklahoma,like Omaha to NE,then maybe our numbers would really increase?I'm really suprised at Omaha's and ABQ's numbers!

[SkyWestOKC]

http://www.flyokc.com/statistics/Sep...20Activity.pdf

[SkyWestOKC]

I'm still trying to figure out what United is doing. For the past few days I've seen them using Gate 12 in addition to 10, 9, 5, and 3. I really don't think they need or want 5 gates for their combined operation, but who knows.

[semisimple]

Question for SkyWest or Venture,What is WWWA total annual numbers and what city/airport do we compare too?

Here's a list of US airports by passenger traffic as of 2010. OKC is ranked 66th on the list.

http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning...planements.pdf

[Just the facts]

Thanks for the answers guys,I appreciate it!I wonder if OKC/WWWA were the only major airport in Oklahoma,like Omaha to NE,then maybe our numbers would really increase?I'm really suprised at Omaha's and ABQ's numbers!

Having two major cities in such a small population state is really the problem. Plus, a lot of people drive to DFW instead of flying to avoid the lay-over. If Tulsa and OKC were either the same city, or on opposite banks fo the same river, the metro population would be north of 2 million people.

[ljbab728]

Plus, a lot of people drive to DFW instead of flying to avoid the lay-over.

That could be true of people who live in southern Oklahoma but I promise you it's not true of people in the OKC or Tulsa area unless there was some significant savings in cost, which is rare. I deal with this every day so I know.

[venture]

Would have to agree. I can't see driving almost 3 hours to save 50-100 bucks. If it was significantly more than that...sure. Well, unless it is on Spirit. LOL

[LakeEffect]

That could be true of people who live in southern Oklahoma but I promise you it's not true of people in the OKC or Tulsa area unless there was some significant savings in cost, which is rare. I deal with this every day so I know.

I saved $400 total for my family (me, wife and babe in arms) on Labor Day weekend flying out of DFW... I hated the drive, but the savings (even w/ gas and parking cost) was just too good to ignore.

[SkyWestOKC]

Until Oklahomans start using our own air service, we will always lag behind other cities of similar metro size. And our options will always be less than those out of similar cities. For a metro our size, we should easily break 4 million a year.

[ljbab728]

I saved $400 total for my family (me, wife and babe in arms) on Labor Day weekend flying out of DFW... I hated the drive, but the savings (even w/ gas and parking cost) was just too good to ignore.

I'm not saying it never happens, just that it's rare. It's not unusual at all for fares to be lower from OKC for many destinations than leaving from DFW even if you have to fly there for a connection.

[dankrutka]

Driving to Dallas from OKC will cost you between $40-100 in gas, 6 hours of time, at least $20 in parking... The savings on a flight would have to be quite a bit to make it worth it. It might be worth it for a 5 member family where there is a $75 savings for every person, but that has to be rare.

[Bellaboo]

I just flew to DFW, Hounslow UK, Rome, Madrid, Chicago then OKC....... after running through these massive airports to catch connections, I just love our little airport that's so easy and adequate.

[venture]

I kinda laugh when people call our airport little. Yeah compared to DFW it is, but get back north and east to where there are more cities with air service and we actually have a very good sized one.

[CaptDave]

It is very nice since the huge remodel also. It is one of the nicer airports aesthically regardless of size I have seen in a while.

[brianinok]

I have several friends in the OKC metro area who drive to DFW consistently for flights to the coasts or international (even if there is not a non-stop from DFW). They use it as a way to visit family/friends in the Dallas area and talk about saving money (even though they really don't). They also talk about non-stops and easier connections for international.

I just don't get it. If they are flying to Rome, for instance, they drive to DFW where they catch a late morning / early afternoon flight to JFK, then a flight to Rome that evening. They could just as cheaply and even easier catch a late morning / early afternoon flight from OKC to ORD and then an evening flight to FCO.

I think it's just in their heads that's it's cheaper/easier. And they don't use travel agents. This thinking must be from a time when their parents where their age and OKC did not have the air service it does now. We have flights to pretty much all major hubs except JFK, LGA, MIA, and the US Airways hubs. If they actually would take into account the driving time, cost, hassle, ticket price differential, etc. I think it would happen less. But I promise it happens more that some on here think. The single 20 and 30-something especially do it a lot.

[Bellaboo]

I booked a round trip from OKC to FCO. It cost 997.00 per ticket. I priced the DFW round trip to Rome and it was 996.00. The times were comparable, but I only paid 48.00 for parking at OKC without the drive time, fuel cost and parking at DFW. I like the easy security check in at our airport, then once in the system it's easy to navigate the rest of the trip.

[venture]

Also if you are frequent flyer...more segments the better normally, unless you actually can reach elite status through the mileage.

[OUman]

I maybe nitpicking but "little" is a relative term when it comes to airports. Sure, the terminal maybe smaller than at other airports but at 8,000+ acres, it's anything but little. OKC is larger in land area than ATL-that's something to consider. In fact it's one of the top 10 in land area in the U.S.

And yep, unless people realize that their basically wasting time and money by driving all the way to DFW and back, we won't get to 4 million/yr. Use it or lose it, especially these days.

[Bellaboo]

I did the drive to DFW one time and never again. If you shop your airfare a bit, consider any added vacation time needed for driving to TX, the price point is a near wash all things considered. Plus the ease of terminal, security and check in access is quite the bonus at WWWA. We are fortunate for the simplicity that we have here.

[damonsmuz]

I am not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me, but did Delta/Skywest upgrade the afternoon flight to SLC for December from a CRJ700 to a -900? I was playing around with flights and could have swore it was a -700 when I 1st looked last week, then today, it was a -900... either that or I am just going crazy.