Will Rogers World Airport

[no1cub17]

I hope this expansion goes through. I think much of the problem with Frontier Airlines was having their gate so far away. Having more gates so close may result in more Airline success and more competition.

Yeah I doubt that. Are you seriously suggesting that F9 pulled out because their gate was too far away? Surely you're not serious.

[AP]

There is no way that's the case. I fly AA mostly out of the gate right beside Frontier's old gate (A4 I think) and that literally has never been a thought of mine when booking.

[catch22]

Alaska is using Frontier's old gate, and has no issues filling their flights, and as AP says, AA has a gate adjacent to Gate 2 and they have never had problems.

People don't book flights based on where the departure gate is, and if someone does they are in a very small minority of near zero effect to the bottom line of the ticketing carrier.

[UnFrSaKn]

OKC airport will add concourse, gates | News OK

[David]

I'm somewhat mixed on the look of the addition compared to the existing building, but maybe it would blend in better in a full color rendering.

What is the point of the upper walkway?

[Bellaboo]

I'm somewhat mixed on the look of the addition compared to the existing building, but maybe it would blend in better in a full color rendering.

What is the point of the upper walkway?

They fully explain the upper walkway in the video. Plus they are having a public observation deck.

[Just the facts]

I don't think that is what Kerry was referring to. I believe it was about these two comments.





It will actually mirror the current west wing better when the second phase is complete.

That is correct. I guess the bottom line is that what we see in those renderings is not what will be built.

[David]

They fully explain the upper walkway in the video. Plus they are having a public observation deck.

Heh, to be honest I was kind of hoping for a brief explanation, don't really have time at the moment to sit through a video for it.

[Pete]

[Josh Ryan]

I'm somewhat mixed on the look of the addition compared to the existing building, but maybe it would blend in better in a full color rendering. What is the point of the upper walkway?

In case you haven't had a chance to watch the presentation, the walkway leads to the observation deck. It's one of two public access locations, the other being from the east meeter/greeter space (converted east checkpoint).

[TU 'cane]

I'm pretty sure this has come up in a few conversations about OKC development and landing company HQs in the area.
I see this as a wonderful thing for the region and could potentially help land these HQs and other companies we've been hoping for. While not exactly a "sleeper" like we may call the GE project in regard to landing other amenities, this will no doubt have the same impact for exposure and natural economic growth.

Great step forward.

[brianinok]

I like it overall. It seems to me that when they expand to 9 gates we will temporarily lose 1 of those new gates. Correct? Also, is the new security checkpoint in the plans the only one going forward?

[HangryHippo]

I'm pretty sure this has come up in a few conversations about OKC development and landing company HQs in the area.

My question is this - when we hear that HQ opportunities have passed on Oklahoma City due to shortcomings in our air service, what service are we lacking that would help us land these deals? Are they wanting increased domestic service or the start of international service? Do they want increased frequency to cities we already have? Fewer regional jets, more mainline service? If it's service to new cities - which cities do we need service to? We've heard that better flight service would help us land some of these HQs, but I've yet to see information that expands on what better service means.

[Tier2City]

Direct service but quickly followed by frequency.

Thing is, we don't have sufficient traffic to justify significant expansion in either.

[HangryHippo]

Direct service but quickly followed by frequency.

Thing is, we don't have sufficient traffic to justify significant expansion in either.

To which cities? We're already connected to most of the hubs, so what cities should we be looking at that would help our case?

[TU 'cane]

My question is this - when we hear that HQ opportunities have passed on Oklahoma City due to shortcomings in our air service, what service are we lacking that would help us land these deals? Are they wanting increased domestic service or the start of international service? Do they want increased frequency to cities we already have? Fewer regional jets, more mainline service? If it's service to new cities - which cities do we need service to? We've heard that better flight service would help us land some of these HQs, but I've yet to see information that expands on what better service means.

Those are certainly great questions that I personally cannot answer but only assume. I do know people on here have stated that they were aware of us losing a company or two because of the lack of direct flights (I'm not sure if it was to somewhere domestic or international). It makes sense, so hopefully with this terminal expansion we'll see the willingness to try and make it work here.

[Richard at Remax]

The lack of international flights doesn't bother me. You can get to almost any place in the world in two flights with connections at Houston Bush, Atlanta, DFW, ect.

I just wish we had more direct flights to regional draws. Cities like New Orleans, San Antonio, and Albuquerque

[Josh Ryan]

I like it overall. It seems to me that when they expand to 9 gates we will temporarily lose 1 of those new gates. Correct? Also, is the new security checkpoint in the plans the only one going forward?

Our architects believe that the gate on the far east end can be temporarily located to the north side during phase 2 construction. The new security checkpoint would be the only one going over to the air side. Both of the current checkpoints would be converted to meeter/greeter lounges for arrivals. The consolidated checkpoint will meet TSA standards and improve efficiency. It will be expandable from 8 to 10 lanes.

[Bellaboo]

As explained in the video, in the second, third and fourth pictures from the top of Pete's last post, you see a silhouette of a larger jet over a smaller one. If I understood correctly, the one far gate will have the ability to accommodate larger planes from international diversions. Seems like new laws were being mentioned about passengers can only be on a plane for so many hours, and this gate could accept diversions to avoid that scenario.

[no1cub17]

Apparently William Crum hasn't heard of American.

[adaniel]

My question is this - when we hear that HQ opportunities have passed on Oklahoma City due to shortcomings in our air service, what service are we lacking that would help us land these deals? Are they wanting increased domestic service or the start of international service? Do they want increased frequency to cities we already have? Fewer regional jets, more mainline service? If it's service to new cities - which cities do we need service to? We've heard that better flight service would help us land some of these HQs, but I've yet to see information that expands on what better service means.

We are at the whims of an mature industry with razor thin profit margins. The only thing that will trigger more flights is more demand, not more capacity, which the city can't really do anything about. I am glad they are expanding the terminal and planning for the future, but if we were to be honest, its not like WRWA needs this now. There are still several unused and/or underutilized gates.

I'm going to go against conventional wisdom and say the "bad air service is costing us business" thing is way overplayed. I think Steve said once that a company decided to pass on OKC, but we will never know the whole reasons behind that. IMO a company that must have access to good air service nationwide would probably not be looking at a market the size of OKC to begin with, as few to none would be a vast improvement over what we have.

More flights are always good, but OKC is better served than most people give credit for. In the past year, I have flown into Norfolk VA and Greenville SC. Both of these areas have metros at or slightly larger than OKC depending on how you measure it. In both cases I found air service to be much more limited than WRWA, with smaller passenger counts as well. In Greenville's case, however, they still were able to nab the US Ops for BMW. Probably helps that they are close to ATL, which has several nonstops to Munich. But it goes to show you what is important to company A may not be the case with others.

[Snowman]

We are at the whims of an mature industry with razor thin profit margins. The only thing that will trigger more flights is more demand, not more capacity, which the city can't really do anything about. I am glad they are expanding the terminal and planning for the future, but if we were to be honest, its not like WRWA needs this now. There are still several unused and/or underutilized gates.

I'm going to go against conventional wisdom and say the "bad air service is costing us business" thing is way overplayed. I think Steve said once that a company decided to pass on OKC, but we will never know the whole reasons behind that. IMO a company that must have access to good air service nationwide would probably not be looking at a market the size of OKC to begin with, as few to none would be a vast improvement over what we have.

More flights are always good, but OKC is better served than most people give credit for. In the past year, I have flown into Norfolk VA and Greenville SC. Both of these areas have metros at or slightly larger than OKC depending on how you measure it. In both cases I found air service to be much more limited than WRWA, with smaller passenger counts as well. In Greenville's case, however, they still were able to nab the US Ops for BMW. Probably helps that they are close to ATL, which has several nonstops to Munich. But it goes to show you what is important to company A may not be the case with others.

While there certainly is under use due to most being assigned to individual carriers for whatever level of service they provide, I though the last of the ones that could be assigned to sole use by a carrier was recently, leaving only the one or two reserved by the city things like charter or diverted flights.

[Just the facts]

"We aren't as bad as City X", is no way to run a railroad, nor an airport.

[mugofbeer]

Yeah I doubt that. Are you seriously suggesting that F9 pulled out because their gate was too far away? Surely you're not serious.

Yes. I was dead serious but perhaps wrong, Mr. Snark. Frontier was an entirely Denver-OKC airline. With United and SW (whose gates are directly by security) they may have lost a lot of business. I enjoyed Frontier prior to their Spiritization going to many destinations. The gates at both Denver and OKC were always at the end of the terminal. SW never is. I hope you are a little more friendly to real people, dude.

[mugofbeer]

There is no way that's the case. I fly AA mostly out of the gate right beside Frontier's old gate (A4 I think) and that literally has never been a thought of mine when booking.

Sorry but Frontier wasnt by AA. I dont know the gate#s there but it was on the end on the north corner. I dont believe AA is down there. Again, forgive me if I am wrong since certain people seem pretty passionate about the subject.