Will Rogers World Airport

[bombermwc]

IM so glad you're willing to be the forum police.....especially given your tendency to go off-topic.

[Zuplar]

IM so glad you're willing to be the forum police.....especially given your tendency to go off-topic.

Bazinga.

[warreng88]

Plans for expansion take off at Will Rogers World Airport
By: Brian Brus The Journal Record October 2, 2015

OKLAHOMA CITY – An $86 million terminal expansion planned at Will Rogers World Airport will keep pace with growing passenger traffic and airline interest in the city, Oklahoma City Department of Airports Director Mark Kranenburg said.

The airport has only one leasable gate now, which limits its ability to attract new airlines and provide expansion room for existing carriers, Kranenburg said.

Even if airlines hadn’t already been asking about space, he said, the city’s growth patterns suggest it’s going to be needed soon anyway.

“It’s a capacity-driven project,” he said. “We need to look forward to accommodate increases in air service. We’ve been successful in recruiting services over the last few years – Alaska Airlines with a route to Seattle, for example … and our enplanements are the highest we’ve ever had. We know this trend will only continue.”

Kranenburg said the airport is funding the terminal from the same sources used for past expansions, the first of which is $4.5 million in grants annually via the Federal Aviation Administration’s airport improvement program. The majority of funds will come from passenger facility charges, the $4.50 per ticket allowed by federal law that must be dedicated to capital expansions related to the movement of passengers and luggage.

“The last source is airport revenues that we’ll be projecting over the next few years,” he said. “The project will obviously require that bonds be sold, which will be paid back with airport revenues and PFCs (passenger facility charges).

“From a debt perspective, this is probably as good a time to pull the trigger on a project of this nature because we’ve had a lot of our debt drop off over the last few years and we project more debt to resolve in the next couple of years,” he said. “From a debt-level ratio perspective of management, it’s absolutely clear that we can handle this.”

The expansion was approved by the Oklahoma City Airport Trust, chaired by Councilman Larry McAtee. McAtee praised Kranenburg’s financial management and planning.

“The funding seems to be good and we’re trying to keep up with demand, both present and future; I look forward to that continuing,” McAtee said.

The project designed by Oklahoma City-based Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates with Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum, includes four gates for now, with space set aside for more if needed, a streamlined security checkpoint, public observation gallery and shopping and dining amenities just a few steps away from the gates, which travelers are accustomed at other major airports. The design also calls for public art installations and for expansive windows and skylights for natural lighting.

Assuming no delays, the project will be finished by 2018.

[catch22]

My question is which airline will move to those gates?

They will be brand new, and be in the most modern area of the concourse, and I doubt they sit empty.

I predict Delta will vacate 20, 22, 24 and move to 3 of these new ones.

[ljbab728]

On a different subject, this is an email that I received today from Karen Carney. This is not a new situation but gives an update on what they do and don't know about it. I have no doubt this will be resolved before it actually becomes a problem.

Hello all,

Well, just when we thought the Real ID issue was settled for a few years, it is back -- with no definite answers.

Two months ago, TSA provided us with a Federal Register ruling that stated the deadline for Real ID was October 2020. But alas, the Department of Homeland Security interprets the ruling differently.

The airport staff has been struggling to get a clear answer about the deadline for quite some time. The only consistent answer we have been able to get is that DHS will not enforce anything prior to January, 2016 (could be later in the year) and that DHS promises the public will receive ample notice prior to any implementation.

The airport has spent quite a bit of time over the last several months trying to get a definitive answer. We have posed the question to our local and regional TSA, the DHS director of State Issued Support in Washington, D.C., the national media relations for DHS, and the state of Oklahoma.

We are not the only ones who are confused and lack confidence in the “ample notice” promise. Today we learned that all five members of Oklahoma’s House delegation have asked Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to clarify the enforcement deadlines.

The expiration date of Oklahoma’s exemption status is unclear to us as well. We do know that Oklahoma has filed for another exemption but DHS has not announced if it has been granted.

The airport staff is very frustrated in our inability to provide a clear answer to this . More than likely, Oklahoma will receive another exemption, but we cannot guarantee it.

I feel as if you will be able to travel next year with your driver’s license, but I cannot 100% guarantee it.

Anyway, just wanted to update you all with what I know. We will continue to press DHS for concrete dates and will pass along when we know.

Thanks,

Karen

Karen Carney
Public Information and Marketing Manager
City of Oklahoma City Department of Airports
7100 Terminal Drive, Unit 937
Oklahoma City, OK 73159-0937

405.316.3262 O
405.249.5209 C
Karen.carney@okc.gov
WELCOME TO WILL ROGERS WORLD AIRPORT WEBSITE

[no1cub17]

Is there anything in the airport plans about shared lounge that members of the DL, AA, and UA clubs could access? IMO that would significantly enhance the appeal of WRWA for business travelers. Shared lounges aren't really a thing in the US though, so I doubt it.

[ljbab728]

Is there anything in the airport plans about shared lounge that members of the DL, AA, and UA clubs could access? IMO that would significantly enhance the appeal of WRWA for business travelers. Shared lounges aren't really a thing in the US though, so I doubt it.

I've not seen any proposals for anything like that.

[Urbanized]

Not sure how much something like that makes sense in OKC, which is the beginning or endpoint for nearly every passenger in the terminal, with very, very few layovers/transfers. Basically you'll only catch the few people who show excessively early for a departure.

[Snowman]

Not sure how much something like that makes sense in OKC, which is the beginning or endpoint for nearly every passenger in the terminal, with very, very few layovers/transfers. Basically you'll only catch the few people who show excessively early for a departure.

Yea, the proposed meet & greet areas seem like they have a much higher chance of being used, and should be an upgrade for the people waiting to pickup passengers verse waiting in the lower lever.

[ljbab728]

Not sure how much something like that makes sense in OKC, which is the beginning or endpoint for nearly every passenger in the terminal, with very, very few layovers/transfers. Basically you'll only catch the few people who show excessively early for a departure.

At one time before the current terminal configuration, Delta had a lounge in OKC. I used it a few times and saw almost nobody in there.

[Just the facts]

If you fight for your limitations you get to keep them.
https://www.delta.com/skyclub/viewSk...Request.action

[Urbanized]

LOL did you even look at that list before posting? Nearly every one is a major hub, or at least a hub, or an international airport. You're making my case for me, thanks. But by all means, let's spend a crapton of money on something that will rarely be used...

[Eddie1]

I think what we need at our airport more than a lounge would be more/better food options. Overall, WRWA is a very nice airport for the size out our community but it would be nice to expand breakfast potions especially. I do a fair amount of earlier-in-day flights and it would be nice to grab something other than Sonic.

[no1cub17]

Not sure how much something like that makes sense in OKC, which is the beginning or endpoint for nearly every passenger in the terminal, with very, very few layovers/transfers. Basically you'll only catch the few people who show excessively early for a departure.

Nah I agree. Some very large spokes (many, actually) have airline specific lounges (i.e. AA at AUS), but I agree that a shared lounge would be the only way to make it worth it here, and those don't exist in the US. I will say though that they're probably more useful than you think, even if just for half an hour (free wifi, free coffee/snacks/beer, etc). You certainly don't have to arrive 2 hours before your flight to make use of one. I know it won't happen here, but just thought I'd throw the concept out there. If and when GPI gets built though I'd think there would definitely be a space for airline clubs there, especially when GPI attracts service from BA, JL, LH, etc.

[no1cub17]

I think what we need at our airport more than a lounge would be more/better food options. Overall, WRWA is a very nice airport for the size out our community but it would be nice to expand breakfast potions especially. I do a fair amount of earlier-in-day flights and it would be nice to grab something other than Sonic.

Agreed - our food options are mostly horrible. Even Starbucks (which I can't stand anymore) would be a step up from the current coffee options.

[no1cub17]

LOL did you even look at that list before posting? Nearly every one is a major hub, or at least a hub, or an international airport. You're making my case for me, thanks. But by all means, let's spend a crapton of money on something that will rarely be used...

Well to be fair - the only ones that are DL hubs on that list are DTW, MSP, ATL. SLC, and NRT. MEM and CVG aren't hubs anymore for all practical purposes. It would probably cost a lot less than you think while only enhancing the airport experience here, so let's bash it into oblivion!

[Rover]

Restricted access lounges are for people with long layovers between connecting flights. We don't have that here. Need here is nil. No airline we have will pay rent for a lounge they will never use.

[gopokes88]

The only thing we could maybe get is an Amex Centurion Lounge Studio like Seattle has, an even that is a long shot. Amex uses all kinds of analytics to figure out where their card members fly in and out of and they are super expensive to operate. Basically a bunch of Platinum and Centurion cardholders would have to call and request it + free rent from WRWA.

They are nice though.

Seattle-Tacoma

[PhiAlpha]

If you fight for your limitations you get to keep them.
https://www.delta.com/skyclub/viewSk...Request.action

Will adding a lounge bring us up to a large hub status where people will actually have to layover here and use it?

[PhiAlpha]

Agreed - our food options are mostly horrible. Even Starbucks (which I can't stand anymore) would be a step up from the current coffee options.

They aren't that bad outside of extremely early morning. The new Crossgrain bar has pretty good food from breakfast to dinner as does the bar on the other end of the terminal. Could always use more options though.

[no1cub17]

Restricted access lounges are for people with long layovers between connecting flights. We don't have that here. Need here is nil. No airline we have will pay rent for a lounge they will never use.

More misinformation. Lounges aren't just for long layovers. This is just incorrect.

I do agree that no airline would pay for such a facility here (yet) and we probably just don't have the premium traffic to justify it. Plus the big three aren't exactly friends these days so there's no way they would go in on a shared facility.

[no1cub17]

Will adding a lounge bring us up to a large hub status where people will actually have to layover here and use it?

This again. We could build 20 lounges and we still won't become a hub. Austin has lounges and isn't a hub either.

What a lounge would do is enhance the airport experience for those with access, making it more appealing to mostly business travelers (and frequent leisure travelers too).

[PhiAlpha]

This again. We could build 20 lounges and we still won't become a hub. Austin has lounges and isn't a hub either.

What a lounge would do is enhance the airport experience for those with access, making it more appealing to mostly business travelers (and frequent leisure travelers too).

I was actually being sarcastic in response to another one of JTFs posts insinuating that we are fine with the "mediocrity" of our airport(which again, I think is far better than mediocre, especially for compared to most similar airports). I'm not stupid. Who the heck would actually think an airline lounge would make OKC a hub?

Though I disagree that we need private, airline specific lounges due to the fact that we are not a major hub with layovers and transfers, etc. Sure, smaller airports have them, but I think it would be better to dedicate extra space to additional restaurants, bars, and lounges that everyone could use.

[PhiAlpha]

It looks like they are close to finishing the renovations on the concourse area. Not a major renovation, but a pretty big improvement., especially with regard to signage.

[OUman]

I'm wondering about one thing - that article mentioned a "public observation gallery." If that is true, that's the most exciting news I've heard in a long time.