Consolidated Rental Car Facility

[SOONER8693]

I like the whole thing. The look, the concept, location, everything about it. I think it will be a big positive for OKC and WRWA. I have used one very similar to this in Cleveland a couple of times. Very nice and convenient. Despite what others on here think it is a good thing. IMO

[dcsooner]

I like the whole thing. The look, the concept, location, everything about it. I think it will be a big positive for OKC and WRWA. I have used one very similar to this in Cleveland a couple of times. Very nice and convenient. Despite what others on here think it is a good thing. IMO

TOTALLY Agree

[HOT ROD]

I would tend to agree with both sides - it is inconvenient UNTIL you get there (when it becomes immediately convenient). I've been to these in BWI, SFO, IAD (more or less), and now we have it at SEA. The bus ride (and waiting for a bus - especially at BWI) sucks but once you get to the facility it is clockwork (unlike when they were at the terminal).

Overall, it probably is just a negligible increase in total time but IMO worth it given the increase in space (which usually translates to choice/options).

[catch22]

Instead of converting the old rental counter spaces into offices and storage as proposed by the airport, they need to just open it up as seating with windows out to the transportation plaza. Also room for a Starbucks and a proper visitor welcome center.

I think that would open up the feeling of the airport quite a bit. The ceiling is way too short in arrivals.

[HOT ROD]

totally agree catch!!!

[metro]

instead of converting the old rental counter spaces into offices and storage as proposed by the airport, they need to just open it up as seating with windows out to the transportation plaza. Also room for a starbucks and a proper visitor welcome center.

I think that would open up the feeling of the airport quite a bit. The ceiling is way too short in arrivals.

this!

[Pete]

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.

[HOT ROD]

concur with this Pete, truly small time IMO.

[catch22]

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.

About to get worse. The security checkpoint consolidation project will soon create a single central checkpoint, and retrofit the two existing security areas as greeter lobbies.

[PhiAlpha]

About to get worse. The security checkpoint consolidation project will soon create a single central checkpoint, and retrofit the two existing security areas as greeter lobbies.

I don't know how that will make it worse. Separating the greeter areas from the main security area and adding the observation deck/waiting area should make it a lot better and less congested than it is now. Greeters will be able to wait on the upper level and departure level but won't interfere with the security check point anymore. Right now, the greeters really only interfere with the security process and somewhat get in the way of the rest of the lobby due to the lack of space for them (all of the would be greeter space is taken up by the security checkpoints). The renovation should greatly improve the situation. A few other airports I've flown into allow greeting at the departure level and it works fine, it just doesn't work with our post 9/11 retrofit.

Having said that, seating and a restaurant or coffee bar would be great in the spaces vacated by the rental counters in the baggage claim.

[Rover]

^

They also need to stop the madness of greeters meeting people on the upper level (which is the DEPARTURE level) and divert them to the baggage level and provide seating and amenities.

I think OKC is the only place I go where people actually show up in the departure terminal to greet arriving passengers. Usually they can only do it on the exiting area from baggage claim. Here, people can wander throughout.

[PhiAlpha]

I think OKC is the only place I go where people actually show up in the departure terminal to greet arriving passengers. Usually they can only do it on the exiting area from baggage claim. Here, people can wander throughout.

Love Field is another example. Everyone can enter on the same level. The security check point is in the middle, ticketing counters are to the right and the baggage claim to the left. Greeters can either wait in the seating area next to the secured area exit on the second level (that has a bar and a dunkin donuts) or at the base of the escalators between the security checkpoint and the baggage claim. In a way it is similar to how they are redesigning Will Rogers. I've never noticed any issue with congestion because of it and the design seems have worked well since Love was renovated. Like I said earlier I think the biggest issue at Will Rogers is the congestion caused by the lack of space leftover when the two security checkpoints were combined with the two greeting lobbies. Removing the checkpoints from the two existing lobbies should open up a lot more space and the greeters will no longer interfere with the security check points. At that point, I don't think it will make a difference whether people wait in the baggage claim, observation deck or the greater lobbies. There should be plenty of space.

[catch22]

PDX is also an airport with arrivals spilling directly to the departure level.

[Urbanized]

If someone has only carry-ons it is roughly 1000x easier to pick them up on the departure level rather than the arrival area, which is usually a zoo. That said, I usually sit in cell phone waiting until I get a "coming out" text, then roll up and pick them up on the curb. The arrival level is often all but empty while many dozens of cars fight for curb access downstairs.

When there are delays, I occasionally park upstairs in hourly and walk in to wait on departure level. But again, if they have no checked luggage there is zero reason to deal with downstairs.

[Pete]

This facility officially opens on Wednesday (tomorrow).

[Pete]

Karen Carney
Public Information & Marketing Manager
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, March 1, 2016

WILL ROGERS WORLD AIRPORT CAR RENTAL CENTER READIES FOR OPENING DAY
Rental Car Companies Prepare for Overnight Transition

OKLAHOMA CITY, March 1, 2016 – Rental car companies are busily working on last minute details as they prepare to move their operations overnight from the terminal building to their new location on Meridian Avenue. The Car Rental Center will open for business on Wednesday, March 2, 2016.

“We have really been looking forward to the opening of this facility,” says Mark Kranenburg, airports director. “Not only does it meet the growing demand for rental cars, the consolidation of operations improves the efficiency and delivery of service resulting in an enhanced customer experience.”

The new facility, located less than a mile from the terminal building, features a 19,000 square-foot customer service building, enhanced pick-up areas for loyalty patrons, an inner loop providing easier ingress and egress for customers, and four quick-turn-around areas for fueling, car wash and maintenance. The number of “ready return” spaces, (the spaces where customers pick up their vehicles) more than doubles from 378 spaces to 820. The current demand averages more than 600 vehicles per day.

Car rental customers will be transported to and from the airport terminal on new, 35-foot CNG-powered buses. The bus services will be managed by First Transit and provide “bump and run” operations, meaning that as one bus departs, another bus is pulling in to take its place. This ensures a waiting bus at both the car rental center and the airport terminal at all times.

Because WRWA rental car businesses operate 24/7, the move to the new facility will occur overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Customers who rent a car at the terminal building on Tuesday will return it to the new facility. Electronic signs will be placed on Meridian Avenue to assist customers in returning their vehicles to the right location. Additional signage will be placed in the terminal building and on Terminal Drive exiting the airport.

Nine rental car companies will operate from the new location: Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

The Car Rental Center was designed by architectural and engineering firms Guernsey and PGAL. The general contractor was Manhattan Construction. The project cost was $36.2 million.

###

Will Rogers World Airport is the city’s commercial airport and accommodates over 3.8 million travelers each year. The airport serves 22 nonstop airports with an average of 69 daily departures. Will Rogers World Airport is owned by the City of Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Airport Trust oversees the management and operation of the airport.

[Pete]

From https://twitter.com/laceylett:

[dcsooner]

From https://twitter.com/laceylett:

Big upgrade. Nice and needed!

[AP]

I agree. Very nice. While I'm sure the added travel time while be inconvenient, for a lot of people the car rental facility is one of the first things they see and this will be impressive.

[Urbanized]

^^^^^
A little bit inconvenient, but likely something for better or worse that especially business travelers have come to expect, especially at larger airports.

[_Cramer_]

New video. Service started yesterday according to WRWA Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/WillRogersW...3485439009732/

[bombermwc]

Its a much shorter ride than at most airports with car centers, but its also close enough, maybe we should consider a mag-shuttle instead of busses.....

[FighttheGoodFight]

Very nice. Not too far of a ride really. I have always had quick shuttle rides at the airport. I know our airport is small but it is a breeze to get in and out of.

[AP]

^^^^^
A little bit inconvenient, but likely something for better or worse that especially business travelers have come to expect, especially at larger airports.

That's def true. Most airports I travel into, I've had to go offsite for rentals.

[Mike_M]

I'm just happy that there will be an employee presence at the actual lot. WRWA is one of the larger airports I've been to that doesn't do Instant Returns. I know it sounds picky, but having to mark down my mileage and walk keys back to the desk is something I usually only had to do at hotels or super small off airport facilities. Not to mention the few times I needed to change cars and had to make a round trip all the way back to the desk with all my luggage. It was nice for what it was, but WRWA kind of cancelled out most of the perks associated with loyalty programs.

Also, with the facility less than a mile away and two buses operating. It might actually just as quick as the tunnel walk, along with getting away from the chaos of baggage claim/arrivals.