Will Rogers World Airport: Proposed $70 mil expansion

[Pete]

This is from a presentation by the OKC Airport Trust to be made to City Council:

FULL PRESENTATION

[AP]

Everything I've heard recently is that we weren't expanding the airport anytime soon. This is out of left field. Am I the only one that thinks that?


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[Plutonic Panda]

This is awesome! Hopefully it happens. I want to see a skylink type light-rail though going from the airport to the (future) off-site rental car facility.

[AP]

Don't get me wrong, I think this is great. Just seems random.

[bchris02]

This is awesome! Hopefully it happens. I want to see a skylink type light-rail though going from the airport to the (future) off-site rental car facility.

That would be nice. I love riding the one at DFW airport. It will be nice to see OKC get a larger airport. Count me as one that's skeptical though at this point.

[Plutonic Panda]

Don't get me wrong, I think this is great. Just seems random.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. When were you thinking it was going to happen? Most developments come at random, don't they?

[catch22]

A lot needs to happen in order for the actual gate expansion. Such as relocating the belly cargo facility and environmental site issues.
Looks like they want to go ahead and get Phase I out of the way, so it is ready, and would make the 3 gate add-on a less time involved process.

I don't think they are wanting to do Phase II (adding the actual gates/east concourse stub) right now.

[catch22]

That would be nice. I love riding the one at DFW airport. It will be nice to see OKC get a larger airport. Count me as one that's skeptical though at this point.

Why are you such a pessimist? If this was announced in Tulsa, you'd be screaming at how they just got confirmed as the next world megahub. But since this is OKC, you are just skeptical that they will add the 3 gates they are talking about.

Get a grip.

[Plutonic Panda]

That would be nice. I love riding the one at DFW airport. It will be nice to see OKC get a larger airport. Count me as one that's skeptical though at this point.

Yeah, the one in DFW is cool, although I have never got a chance to ride it. I have been on the one in Houston and it is ok, I just hope they do Maglev here so it isn't so bumpy.

[AP]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. When were you thinking it was going to happen? Most developments come at random, don't they?

I mean, a lot of people have talked about the airport not expanding any time soon and then here is this proposal to expand.

[Plutonic Panda]

A lot needs to happen in order for the actual gate expansion. Such as relocating the belly cargo facility and environmental site issues.
Looks like they want to go ahead and get Phase I out of the way, so it is ready, and would make the 3 gate add-on a less time involved process.

I don't think they are wanting to do Phase II (adding the actual gates/east concourse stub) right now.

Are there any timelines at all?

[catch22]

Are there any timelines at all?

Not sure.

I am with Andrew, this is very random.

Usually the airport trust will discuss things (even if vaguely). All their recent meetings they make no mention or hint that they are ready to go, or have been thinking about it. In fact the most recent discussion that I can recall was a few years ago where they said any expansion was on hold indefinitely. And now we have this.

[Plutonic Panda]

I mean, a lot of people have talked about the airport not expanding any time soon and then here is this proposal to expand.

Oh, I see. I just didn't understand whether this was part of their long-term plan or if they are trying to fast track this.

[Tier2City]

OKC should be a hub.

[catch22]

OKC should be a hub.

Maybe when we get another 2+ million residents

[bchris02]

Maybe when we get another 2+ million residents

Memphis is a hub and they are very comparable to OKC in size and economic clout. I think OKC would be a hub if it wasn't so close to DFW but I could be wrong.

[catch22]

Memphis is a hub and they are very comparable to OKC in size and economic clout. I think OKC would be a hub if it wasn't so close to DFW but I could be wrong.

Memphis was dehubbed. Cleveland was also dehubbed.

[catch22]

Trust me; in an industry where we literally track things down to the penny. If there was money to be made by having a hub in Oklahoma City, the industry would have put one here.

[Tier2City]

Come up with "Airline Hubs for Dummies" and the world will beat a path to your door.*

*No they won't. They will still ignore historial airline network development, subsequent airline mergers and consolidation, and the economic reality of the airline industry in general. They will still think we should have a hub.

[Tier2City]

Memphis was dehubbed. Cleveland was also dehubbed.

Beat me to it. These are excellent examples. If people would only take the time to understand why they were dehubbed....

[Just the facts]

Nm

[CuatrodeMayo]

Not sure.

I am with Andrew, this is very random.

Usually the airport trust will discuss things (even if vaguely). All their recent meetings they make no mention or hint that they are ready to go, or have been thinking about it. In fact the most recent discussion that I can recall was a few years ago where they said any expansion was on hold indefinitely. And now we have this.

So does this mean that the usage of WRWA is growing at a better-than-expected rate necessitating an sooner-than-expected expansion?

[warreng88]

Not sure if I would call it random but more of preparing for the future. From the presentation Pete linked at the top, 88% of gates are committed. If people want to invest in a direct link to OKC, they have to get in pretty quickly or wait several years (not sure of the start time or finish time on this). I would think it they wanted to do another expansion in the future, one or two expansions south where there used to be more gates would be the way to go.

[catch22]

Not sure if I would call it random but more of preparing for the future. From the presentation Pete linked at the top, 88% of gates are committed. If people want to invest in a direct link to OKC, they have to get in pretty quickly or wait several years (not sure of the start time or finish time on this). I would think it they wanted to do another expansion in the future, one or two expansions south where there used to be more gates would be the way to go.

To be noted, AA wanting a third gate was not represented in that figure. (Since it has not been signed) that would bring the airport to only one gate left available for leasing.

I agree with the timing of this, but I also agree it is random in the sense that usually they discuss these things for several meetings before they make official proposals.

[catch22]

So does this mean that the usage of WRWA is growing at a better-than-expected rate necessitating an sooner-than-expected expansion?

Growth has been somewhat flat, airlines (United and American) just simply have wanted more gates. (Merger related)