2018 Oklahoma City Aviation Thread

[s00nr1]

Made a trip to Omaha this week and I just want to commend Josh and the WRWA staff for providing us with a far superior product to what I experienced at OMA. It's hard to believe they have better service options than OKC as the airport could be best described as a "dump." Food options airside are nil or very poor, facilities dirty, etc. Sure makes you appreciate how nice an airport we have for our market size.

[damonsmuz]

I enjoy the openness of the OKC terminal. I really wish the baggage claim area felt as "open" as the upstairs. Taking out the ceiling tiles and changing the paint color could really make the downstairs feel much more "open". But I agree with the post above, OKC airport really is quite nice for it's market size

[catch22]

March traffic has been posted.

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...lanement_0.pdf

[LakeEffect]

March traffic has been posted.

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...lanement_0.pdf

Still pretty impressive. Why is United down so much compared to the others? Capacity cuts?

[catch22]

Lower capacity and increased competition with frontier entering the DEN market recently. Nothing major, I believe we lost 1 mainline trip to DEN. That is likely the cause.

[damonsmuz]

Post deleted

[Josh Ryan]

Made a trip to Omaha this week and I just want to commend Josh and the WRWA staff for providing us with a far superior product to what I experienced at OMA. It's hard to believe they have better service options than OKC as the airport could be best described as a "dump." Food options airside are nil or very poor, facilities dirty, etc. Sure makes you appreciate how nice an airport we have for our market size.

I appreciate the feedback, will pass it along. Thank you.

[Josh Ryan]

ViaAir WILL NOT start up service to AUS. The route has been canceled .

Please don't spread rumors when you have absolutely NOT confirmed this type of information with us or the airline itself. The Via Ops Manager has been here all day setting up their office. The logistics of their operations are coming together, the same way other new airlines have operated when they move into the market. Via Airlines has not cancelled service from OKC/AUS. Via reported to us that they did have a scheduling issue. They were tweaking arrival/departure times and a couple of flights were inadvertently dropped from the schedule. The flights will be reloaded if they haven’t already.

[catch22]

ViaAir WILL NOT start up service to AUS. The route has been canceled .

Source? If it's the OAG thread I believe it was confirmed to be a filing error that invalidated the schedule in GDS. It is still for sale.

[damonsmuz]

My apologies. Will delete. It was from OAG

[Josh Ryan]

My apologies. Will delete. It was from OAG

Thank you.

[gopokes88]

Slowed down a touch but still posting solid growth #’s.

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...lanement_0.pdf

[OUman]

Slowed down a touch but still posting solid growth #’s.

https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...lanement_0.pdf

^Already linked above in post #253 ;-).

Also, glad to see Via is still on track to start AUS-OKC-AUS. Hoping with the increase in passenger numbers overall it gets some momentum. At any rate, wasn't expecting to have OKC posting double-digit growth this early in the year, good to see. Also doesn't look like American Eagle's SWO service has impacted OKC traffic in anyway.

Speaking of Eagle, I found out the other day on the DFW website that the Terminal E satellite is being renovated and updated, and will have up to 15 gates. Turns out that Eagle will be setting up shop there after its renovated. So Eagle will be in two different terminals since it moved to Terminal B. Just some tidbit of information.

[gopokes88]

^Already linked above in post #253 ;-).

Also, glad to see Via is still on track to start AUS-OKC-AUS. Hoping with the increase in passenger numbers overall it gets some momentum. At any rate, wasn't expecting to have OKC posting double-digit growth this early in the year, good to see. Also doesn't look like American Eagle's SWO service has impacted OKC traffic in anyway.

Speaking of Eagle, I found out the other day on the DFW website that the Terminal E satellite is being renovated and updated, and will have up to 15 gates. Turns out that Eagle will be setting up shop there after its renovated. So Eagle will be in two different terminals since it moved to Terminal B. Just some tidbit of information.

I missed it in the drama

[catch22]

I'm curious if Via Air is doing any advertising for Austin POS travelers? I haven't noticed any advertising at all in OKC. Due to my social media preferences and site visits, I get ads for every airline in OKC. I haven't noticed any Via Air ads. I really hope they aren't depending on word of mouth or GDS (think Expedia, etc.) based sales. They have zero brand awareness and that concerns me.

I wish them well. I noticed the other day flying out that they had a few bag carts laying around by Gate 12. I wonder if Frontier's ground handling company is also handling Via Air?

I wish my company had apass agreement with them, I'd fly them just to try them out. But I'm not paying $300 RT for a trial.

[gopokes88]

I'm curious if Via Air is doing any advertising for Austin POS travelers? I haven't noticed any advertising at all in OKC. Due to my social media preferences and site visits, I get ads for every airline in OKC. I haven't noticed any Via Air ads. I really hope they aren't depending on word of mouth or GDS (think Expedia, etc.) based sales. They have zero brand awareness and that concerns me.

I wish them well. I noticed the other day flying out that they had a few bag carts laying around by Gate 12. I wonder if Frontier's ground handling company is also handling Via Air?

I wish my company had apass agreement with them, I'd fly them just to try them out. But I'm not paying $300 RT for a trial.

Ballin on a budget can have consequences

[Josh Ryan]

You should start to see/hear ads in about a week. They are hiring their own staff and will operate out of Gate 10, with United.

[gopokes88]

Allegiant just doing Allegiant things

https://thepointsguy.com/news/allegi...00000212675773

[catch22]

You should start to see/hear ads in about a week. They are hiring their own staff and will operate out of Gate 10, with United.

How is that working? United is the leaseholder for Gate 10, did they work out a sublease? Or is the airport forcing gate utilization?

[Josh Ryan]

How is that working? United is the leaseholder for Gate 10, did they work out a sublease? Or is the airport forcing gate utilization?

The lease gives them preferential use, not exclusive use of the gate. All gate leases at WRWA are for preferential use. So Via is timing everything to co-exist with United operations. If their is a conflict with United operations, Via will have to move.

[catch22]

Thanks for the clarification, I had thought they were exclusive.

So, let me ask this, why share with United and not Frontier, Alaska, or the city's Gate 1? All 3 of those are very low utilization. Gate 10 is pretty low utilization too, but it strikes me odd that they would be "borrowing from" the busiest (by # of departures) carrier at the airport? If a United hub backs up, (fairly likely in the winter at ORD and EWR, and summer at IAH and DEN), United goes back to using all 5 gates as airplanes back up and block gates.

[Josh Ryan]

Thanks for the clarification, I had thought they were exclusive.

So, let me ask this, why share with United and not Frontier, Alaska, or the city's Gate 1? All 3 of those are very low utilization. Gate 10 is pretty low utilization too, but it strikes me odd that they would be "borrowing from" the busiest (by # of departures) carrier at the airport? If a United hub backs up, (fairly likely in the winter at ORD and EWR, and summer at IAH and DEN), United goes back to using all 5 gates as airplanes back up and block gates.

Gates 1, 2 & 10 all had possible scheduling conflicts. United was willing to work with them and chose Gate 10.

[mattbrafford]

With Spirit Airlines possibly purchasing smaller regional size jets to service smaller markets, what are the chances that OKC would pick up Spirit as a carrier?

[no1cub17]

With Spirit Airlines possibly purchasing smaller regional size jets to service smaller markets, what are the chances that OKC would pick up Spirit as a carrier?

That would be truly stunning if NK actually bought a new type. A ULCC like NK would most likely stick with the A320 series so that would be a massive shift in their strategy to introduce a whole new aircraft. Regardless, surely NK is taking note of F9's success here.

[catch22]

That would be truly stunning if NK actually bought a new type. A ULCC like NK would most likely stick with the A320 series so that would be a massive shift in their strategy to introduce a whole new aircraft. Regardless, surely NK is taking note of F9's success here.

Depends on success? Full flights aren’t always profitable. I’ve been buying Frontier tickets for my commute to denver and they are cheap. 2 examples: 1 fare was $9.80 + tax. My trip May 5 is $3.72 + tax.