Will Rogers World Airport

[LakeEffect]

I don't know if it's been mentioned but you can no longer wait for people at the curb downstairs. You have to go to a waiting/parking area just to the north of the terminal and wait to get a text from the arriving passenger, then quickly pick them up and move on.

I think that rule has been in force for many years...

[LakeEffect]

So, the new security will be centralized on the east end? Meaning, if I'm flying American I have quite a walk ahead...

But might not AA, United, etc. maybe make a switch to the new gates, leaving the west gates open?

[Pete]

But it's only been recently strictly enforced.

It only changed in the last month or so.

[sooner88]

But it's only been recently strictly enforced.

It only changed in the last month or so.

They were enforcing it as early May. They had someone (either an officer or security) walking up to each car and sending them back around to the waiting area if the person they were picking up was not outside.

[Pete]

This was what I meant:

https://www.okc.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1771/5146

[catch22]

But might not AA, United, etc. maybe make a switch to the new gates, leaving the west gates open?

With only 3 available gates on the east concourse extension, AA would be the only one likely to move from the west concourse. UA has 5 gates. I honestly don't know who will try for those 3 gates but my money is on Delta.

[AP]

But might not AA, United, etc. maybe make a switch to the new gates, leaving the west gates open?

I didn't even think about that. Good point.

[HangryHippo]

Any way the airport can redo the pick up area down by baggage claim? It is so damn cramped down there it's ridiculous.

[Zorba]

Another ridiculous decision. Virtually every other airport puts arrivals on the lower level and departures on the top level. The mixing of people waiting, departing, and arriving creates confusion and really jams things up.

Huh? I've flown in and out of all of the busiest airports in the US and tons of others, the only one I can think of that splits arriving and departing passengers by levels within the secured area is Vegas.

Outside of security OKC is split by level.

[catch22]

Huh? I've flown in and out of all of the busiest airports in the US and tons of others, the only one I can think of that splits arriving and departing passengers by levels within the secured area is Vegas.

Outside of security OKC is split by level.

I am referring to where you are put when you leave security as an arriving passenger. Most airports send you straight to the bottom floor for arrivals, they do not dump you out into the departure ticketing lobby.

[HangryHippo]

I am referring to where you are put when you leave security as an arriving passenger. Most airports send you straight to the bottom floor for arrivals, they do not dump you out into the departure ticketing lobby.

I hate that so much. It needs to be fixed at Will Rogers.

[d-usa]

Aren't we only talking about 10 feet or so before hitting the escalator down to the baggage claim?

[catch22]

Aren't we only talking about 10 feet or so before hitting the escalator down to the baggage claim?

Tons of people clog that area up waiting for arriving passengers also making it difficult for those going up to the departure level to get where they need to go. Meet and greet needs to be downstairs and there doesn't need to be anyway for arriving passengers to dump onto the departure level. Keep the two flows separate and keep all of the people waiting for passengers downstairs on the arrivals area.

[PhiAlpha]

Tons of people clog that area up waiting for arriving passengers also making it difficult for those going up to the departure level to get where they need to go. Meet and greet needs to be downstairs and there doesn't need to be anyway for arriving passengers to dump onto the departure level. Keep the two flows separate and keep all of the people waiting for passengers downstairs on the arrivals area.

Based on the airports I fly through, will Rogers isn't that unique in that regard. At any rate, I like being able to leave the airport through the departure area...its 1000x easier to catch an uber upstairs than downstairs.

[HOT ROD]

I was going to say Catch, SeaTac is the same way as WRWA - it just has a much larger space than WRWA but you can go direct into the lobby after leaving the TSA arrival or CHOSE to go downstairs.

Lots of people wait right at the TSA for arrivals at SeaTac; but I do agree at WRWA it is a bottleneck given it's mostly O&D there.

[Zorba]

I am referring to where you are put when you leave security as an arriving passenger. Most airports send you straight to the bottom floor for arrivals, they do not dump you out into the departure ticketing lobby.

I knew that is what you were talking about, but I think you are mistaken. I generally don't think about the exit area that much, so I can't recall the setup at every airport. But the only one I can think of that forces arrivals to a different level (or even allows for this) within security is Vegas. I know or am almost positive that MCO, DFW, TUL, SEA, LAX (at least the AA terminal), HOU, DAL, JFK (AA Terminal), ORD, LGA, MIA are not set up this way. I've been through a ton of others, and I remember the set up at Vegas always stands out because it is unique. As long as there is an escalator before you get to the ticketing or security queue area, I don't really see the issue.

Thinking about Vegas more, I think the escalator might actually dump you onto the ticketing floor though, and then you have to get on another one to get to baggage claim. I think DEN might be setup that way too.

Do you have some examples of airports that are setup the way you are talking about?

[Pete]

Lax

[bradh]

Terminal B at IAH is just like OKC, but I have never noticed and issue. Terminal 2 at PHX doesn't even have anything separate, it's all together.

[Zorba]

Lax

Which terminal? In AA's security in and out is up stairs, although I don't remember if there is a meet and greet up there. But I am pretty sure that you are then taken to the same level as ticketing, so there is still a mix of everybody on the same level.

[Pete]

Which terminal? In AA's security in and out is up stairs, although I don't remember if there is a meet and greet up there. But I am pretty sure that you are then taken to the same level as ticketing, so there is still a mix of everybody on the same level.

When you arrive, you go downstairs and then take the moving sidewalks to the baggage claim.

In other words, arriving passengers go downstairs long before you get to the ticketing area.

[Pete]

Also as a reminder, WRWA created a ton of new space downstairs when they moved all the rental car companies to the new off-airport facility.

And, with the two old security points now turned into lounges for greeters, that means everyone on the ticketing level has to cross them on the way to the new security spot at the far east end.

Early on, I suggested to airport personnel when they were planning this new phase that they merely put the down escalators a little further south and move all the arriving passengers downstairs before hitting the ticketing area. And converting the old rental car space to place for people to wait with a few amenities.

Would have been super easy to do.

[Laramie]

So tired of driving to/flying into Dallas for international flights . . .

Airports in our region like Tulsa (91 mi) & Wichita (153 mi), would benefit from international flight service based out of WRWA. It would also open up the potential for new businesses & corporations relocating to OKC.

Will this be the key to our future growth; how close are we to gaining some international flights at WRWA?

[catch22]

So tired of driving to/flying into Dallas for international flights . . .

Airports in our region like Tulsa (91 mi) & Wichita (153 mi), would benefit from international flight service based out of WRWA. It would also open up the potential for new businesses & corporations relocating to OKC.

Will this be the key to our future growth; how close are we to gaining some international flights at WRWA?

I think the best international we can hope for is some leisure routes to Mexico. Calgary might be possible during the next oil boom. Other than that I don't see too many opportunities. Certainly zero chance of long haul international.

[Jeepnokc]

I think the best international we can hope for is some leisure routes to Mexico. Calgary might be possible during the next oil boom. Other than that I don't see too many opportunities. Certainly zero chance of long haul international.

How does that work when a airport that is non international wants to start international flights? Is it automatic that customs will be set up or is it dependent on getting the Feds to agree to set up immigration and customs? Who pays for it? Or, are we destined to have to stop at a true international airport first and then continue on to OKC?

[catch22]

How does that work when a airport that is non international wants to start international flights? Is it automatic that customs will be set up or is it dependent on getting the Feds to agree to set up immigration and customs? Who pays for it? Or, are we destined to have to stop at a true international airport first and then continue on to OKC?

Oklahoma City currently has customs, it is simply on an "on-call basis". They have mobile units that can be dispatched to any airport really, provided proper notice is given.

The main issue is with infrastructure to handle recurring international flights. OKC currently has no gates which split arriving passengers off into a sealed, sterile holding area to process through immigration and enter the country. It theoretically could be done with the existing setup, but passengers would have to be physically separated and watched by immigration officers until cleared on a one by one basis. No one could step out of line for any reason and no one could come too close to the line. It would be a corral essentially inside the concourse.

With the right infrastructure, screening equipment, and segregation it can be a true facility that can process international arrivals.