Will Rogers World Airport

[catch22]

Not quite normal config. Frontier will remain where they are by Delta, and United will be taking over the old Frontier and ExpressJet space in February, when the baggage system is complete on the west end of the terminal building. Then they will begin work on the east end of the baggage system.

[Snowman]

Citizen services are about providing citizens with a service, not an economic gain for the public entity.

Public entities are to provide services that aren't economical for the private sector. If our airport was run by a private company, you would have a point.

We are spending $70,000,000 on a 3 gate concourse expansion, I think we can come up with the several thousand dollars to install PikePass readers.

In the airport's RFP for the terminal expansion, the airports mission statement included a line to the effect of "maintaining a modern airport with modern day amenities". Automated payment is something that Tulsa is doing, and it's something we should do.

FYI they cost over a hundred thousand dollars per fixed reader several years years ago and limited volume/low competition items like that tend to only get more expensive over time.

[zookeeper]

FYI they cost over a hundred thousand dollars per fixed reader several years years ago and limited volume/low competition items like that tend to only get more expensive over time.

Wow! Seriously? I had no idea they were that expensive. I haven't been involved in this particular discussion, but that actually helps explain a lot of other things for me related to these readers. Interesting.

[Just the facts]

Another opportunity to not have interaction with a human being,? Meh.

When given the choice between a human and a machine, I have started opting for the human. I don't even use the self check-outs any more.

[bombermwc]

Citizen services are about providing citizens with a service, not an economic gain for the public entity.

Public entities are to provide services that aren't economical for the private sector. If our airport was run by a private company, you would have a point.

We are spending $70,000,000 on a 3 gate concourse expansion, I think we can come up with the several thousand dollars to install PikePass readers.

In the airport's RFP for the terminal expansion, the airports mission statement included a line to the effect of "maintaining a modern airport with modern day amenities". Automated payment is something that Tulsa is doing, and it's something we should do.

I don't see how not putting in pikepass readers that serve a very limited customer base, makes the airport not modern? And the 70 million involves a lot of under-concourse work, not just slapping a few gates on the thing. And like ive said, it's not just a few thousand. And again, even if you're ok with the initial purchase, there is a lot more that goes into maintaining the system later.

We obviously aren't ever going to see eye to eye on this one, so I don't see the point in continuing to go back and forth though.

Something I would like to see at the airport is a faster food line. If I end up eating a meal there while I wait to fly out, every food vendor I've used seems to be incredibly slow. I'm sure it's because they don't have as large of an employee base in the kitchen given the smaller customer base, it just makes it take longer. And for time sensitive travelers, that's a pretty big issue.

[catch22]

I am well aware of what is being done to the current terminal building, as well as what will be required of in the expansion. I work at the airport and am in the "under-concourse" area about 40 hours a week.

My point was, we can afford to add the convenience. Our airport is not strapped for cash, and when there are areas to improve customer convenience that other airports are already doing (especially Tulsa, as we do compete with them for some traffic), we should look into doing it.

The restaurants are ran by a private company, any beef with staffing levels you should contact that company. Delaware North Companies.

[Tigerguy]

My point was, we can afford to add the convenience. Our airport is not strapped for cash, and when there are areas to improve customer convenience that other airports are already doing (especially Tulsa, as we do compete with them for some traffic), we should look into doing it.

I'm all for making things more convenient if there's a problem (I have no preference regarding the pikepass readers; I don't have one and have never had to wait in line too long), but I don't think the readers are going to be the deciding factor in somebody choosing TUL over OKC. Price, schedule, and destination will do it. I've only started a trip from TUL once, and that was so I could say I've been on a 757 in Oklahoma. Let it also be said that I don't know where they stand in terms of conveniences they have that we don't, so I stand to be made aware.

[bombermwc]

It's been a very long time since I've been in TUL. I haven't seen any of the renovation work first hand, but some of the pictures look nice. Especially considering the limited construction that was done in the old low-ceiling structure.

One thing I do like at TUL is the line around baggage claim....at least I think that's where I saw it. A good 4-5 feet away from the carousel. Said something like Stand here until you see your bag! I've even had problems at WRWA having to stand sideways in order to get my bag. Very frustrating. I would LOVE to see that put in at WRWA and they don't even have to wait for construction to do that one!

I'd like to see more power outlets too. We have more than a lot of places I've gone, but comparing technology use to even 10 years ago, it's crazy how many people want to plug in. When someone has a power strip near the outlet, they're a miracle worker! And considering the cost associated with that, I'd actually love to see a green initiative too. All that roof space could be solar paneled up. It's not like they're going to make up the energy the airport needs to run or anything, but maybe they would be able to offset some of the concourse use?

Something else I've always wondered about airports is the grass space. Is there any reason why they don't use that land productively? I can understand the areas inside the runways for visibility, but outside the runway, WRWA has a TON of grassland. Why not grow something on that land? Don't want to go through the effort of raising a crop like corn or whatever, why not something like alfalfa or feed grasses? I'm no farm economist so I can't tell you if the ROI on that is dumb or not.

[catch22]

That's a good idea about the line. I wish people had more sense than to clog the area where other people can't get their bags. Same thing happens in the jet bridge when bringing up gate checked bags. There's always that 4 or 5 people who have to stand right next to the door and prevent others from getting their bags. See your bag, grab it. Don't wait and clog the path for everyone else.

The airport does sell the grass for hay.

[tfvc.org]

Something else I've always wondered about airports is the grass space. Is there any reason why they don't use that land productively? I can understand the areas inside the runways for visibility, but outside the runway, WRWA has a TON of grassland. Why not grow something on that land? Don't want to go through the effort of raising a crop like corn or whatever, why not something like alfalfa or feed grasses? I'm no farm economist so I can't tell you if the ROI on that is dumb or not.

I work at the MMAC and take 104th to get to work and they do use the land to grow hay. About twice a year I see them bale it up. What happens to the hay after it is baled and hauled away, I don't know, but they are using it, at least on the South side of the airport.

[ChargerAg]

Where is a good place to look at old pictures of the airport. I have only known the airport since it has been remodeled and would like to get a understanding of what parts are old and what parts are new.

[Of Sound Mind]

Where is a good place to look at old pictures of the airport. I have only known the airport since it has been remodeled and would like to get a understanding of what parts are old and what parts are new.

Let me google that for you

[ChargerAg]

I took a look at google but I can't really tell from the pictures what parts are original and what are new. Is the piece of the terminal where the Delta and Southwest gates are part of the old terminal?

[no1cub17]

It's been a very long time since I've been in TUL. I haven't seen any of the renovation work first hand, but some of the pictures look nice. Especially considering the limited construction that was done in the old low-ceiling structure.

One thing I do like at TUL is the line around baggage claim....at least I think that's where I saw it.

Wife and I flew out of TUL a few weeks ago and were stunned by how nice it was compared to OKC. Not that OKC is horrible - it isn't, but there are clearly things which could've been done better had they not cut corners. Nice also that TUL has a TGI Friday's (yeah I know, Frozen's), which by no means is great food, but I'd much rather eat there than anything we have at WRWA. Regarding baggage claim - the main thing isn't just the line around the carousel, it's that TUL actually spent the $$$ to install circular carousels rather than keep the old one-ways that OKC has. Clearly WRWA management didn't want to spend the money needed to redo the bag claim area here so with the current design, people will naturally crowd the opening to snatch their bags the fastest. Just human nature. Good thing our bags are usually priority tagged. Having said that, when we claimed our bags at TUL they made no announcement whatsoever that our bags would be coming out on a different carousel than the one posted, so an entire 737 worth of passengers stood at the "correct" carousel for over half an hour until suddenly we noticed our bags were on the adjacent one. No announcement at all from the AA agent standing there the whole time.

[Mel]

I miss the old claim area that was a straight line metal slope on the pax side and roll up doors on our side with the carts parked ride behind us. Who ever screamed the loudest about their bag got theirs last. Low cut blouses got priority.

[catch22]

Here's the west end of the bagroom. The columns are original to the terminal building. Often placed in awkward areas to the new design of the concourse. Everything kind of snakes around them.



^^

This is looking east from the western most part of the bagroom. (By carousel 6 -- to the left)Can see in the above photo how narrow some of the tug routes will be with the gigantic bag checking system.



^^

For reference, this is the backside of where Carousel 5 and 6 (on the right) are, looking west. The restriction on pulling carts will be at the end of the blue belt that is running on the ground. It will reach far enough to the wall, that there will only be enough turning radius to get two carts maximum through there.



^^

Here's where that sharp turn will happen. There is a wall just outside of the frame, almost exactly where the edge of the photo stops.

[Mel]

Going to be fun pulling a long line of carts through that.

[catch22]

Well we won't be. The airport will enforce 2 cart maximum, and one-way routes.

150 bags. Will take 1 guy 3 trips, or 3 bodies to follow each other. Hope the passengers don't mind waiting an extra 15 minutes for their bags, if they happen to be on the 3rd trip....

[Mel]

Two cart max. Yikes. When SWA first opened we had 2 tugs. I can remember pulling 5 or more carts at one time. The airport seems so alien to me from the facility I started working at in 1980.

[no1cub17]

Sweet photos, catch. Always wondered what the innards looked like. Thanks for sharing!

[catch22]

Sweet photos, catch. Always wondered what the innards looked like. Thanks for sharing!

No problem. Maybe I can take some more photos of other areas sometime.

[catch22]

Here's two more of the same location, but a few weeks ago. This is where the centralized baggage checkpoint will be. All bags will travel from all of the ticket counter belts, to this area on the west end of the terminal, be screened, then sent back east and a scanner will push the bags off to circulating belts that each airline will have. A bag checked in at Delta will have the longest amount of time because the bags will travel via belt to the west, then have to travel the entire length east again to Delta's sorting area. Any bags that are unable to be sorted by the system will travel to a "junk" belt that every airline will need to monitor to see if any of their bags didn't get scanned or sorted correctly.

I really don't have high hopes for this project, if you can't already tell...

[Tier2City]

No wonder they've got to go to a 45-minute check-in cutoff. How will that be sold? As a customer service enhancement?

[Mel]

No wonder they've got to go to a 45-minute check-in cutoff. How will that be sold? As a customer service enhancement?

Blame it on Homeland Security.

[bluedogok]

The Tulsa remodel happened after OKC and post 9/11, construction had already started in OKC when 9/11 happened. We had to change all of the security areas at Will Rogers under vague and changing regulations and even the FAA and OKC Airport Police was guessing at what they wanted, this was pre-TSA/DHS. Civic projects are almost always a compromise between wants and budgets, sometimes those making the decisions have wants that don't seem to make much sense.