Will Rogers World Airport

[jonny d]

As a very frequent traveler out of WRWA, this seems like a monumental waste of money. IMO, an observation tower and a new security checkpoint have to be number 100 and 101 on the list of improvements needed at WRWA.

If you don't think a new security checkpoint is needed at WRWA, then you aren't a frequent traveler. Every time I go, there is always an ignorant line to get through the 2 security lines...so yes, it is needed.

[cjohnson.405]

If you don't think a new security checkpoint is needed at WRWA, then you aren't a frequent traveler. Every time I go, there is always an ignorant line to get through the 2 security lines...so yes, it is needed.

I always go through the TSA pre-check line. I hit all hours of the day including the rush hours and the non-precheck line security is never terrible. It's not like these are Phoenix, Denver, or Newark security lines.

[PhiAlpha]

As a very frequent traveler out of WRWA, this seems like a monumental waste of money. IMO, an observation tower and a new security checkpoint have to be number 100 and 101 on the list of improvements needed at WRWA.

What would you improve? I am also a frequent traveler and a new security and recomposure area are very much needed here. The 9-11 fit tsa areas are awful here.

[no1cub17]

What would you improve? I am also a frequent traveler and a new security and recomposure area are very much needed here. The 9-11 fit tsa areas are awful here.

Pretty much the whole airport could use a refresh IMO. The security and gate areas are cramped. Baggage claim is incredibly unpleasant and claustrophobic. The elevators in the parking garages are well past their prime - they belong in an industrial complex, not an airport. Not to mention the atrocious food options.

Thankfully the precheck line is usually always open and short - otherwise flying out of OKC would be much more unpleasant.

[PaddyShack]

I always go through the TSA pre-check line. I hit all hours of the day including the rush hours and the non-precheck line security is never terrible. It's not like these are Phoenix, Denver, or Newark security lines.

That's why you don't seem to notice a problem. You use the pre-check lane. For us who think it is only a money grab fro TSA, we must line up with the rest of the cattle.

If TSA can do pre-check just fine, why can't they make pre-check the norm?

[catch22]

Pretty much the whole airport could use a refresh IMO. The security and gate areas are cramped. Baggage claim is incredibly unpleasant and claustrophobic. The elevators in the parking garages are well past their prime - they belong in an industrial complex, not an airport. Not to mention the atrocious food options.

Thankfully the precheck line is usually always open and short - otherwise flying out of OKC would be much more unpleasant.

Completely agree. The main terminal still has the 1960s designed bones. The airport should have been rebuilt from the ground up with more open space in the terminal. The west concourse should have been built about 25 feet wider to allow for larger gate hold rooms and more restroom space. It’s amazing to me that more than half of the airports passengers use the west concourse and there is only 1 restroom that has 6 urinals and 4 stalls. Not sure of the capacity of the women’s room.

[PaddyShack]

Will the new space have smooth floors instead of tile with grout lines? Not a huge deal, but I have noticed that the tiled floors seems old and creates a lot of noise compared to newer airport floors that are smooth. Is it a type of epoxy or something similar?

[Celebrator]

Completely agree. The main terminal still has the 1960s designed bones. The airport should have been rebuilt from the ground up with more open space in the terminal. The west concourse should have been built about 25 feet wider to allow for larger gate hold rooms and more restroom space. It’s amazing to me that more than half of the airports passengers use the west concourse and there is only 1 restroom that has 6 urinals and 4 stalls. Not sure of the capacity of the women’s room.

I travel quite a bit and I feel like Will Rogers is comparable if not slightly better than most airports across the country. I guess I'm just not seeing what you all are seeing. If Will Rogers has tons to improve then pretty much every domestic airport does too because I have seen a lot worse than Will Rogers across the country. Now of course I haven't been to every single airport so what are some out there that have a huge edge on Will Rogers? I mean I think PDX is a pretty great airport but you have to deal with a whole lot more people, so to me that doesn't necessarily make it better than Will Rogers which often delivers an overall better experience for me because of its size and fewer crowds. Is PDX nicer? Probably so. But my overall experience there is less pleasant because its just so much more crowded. MCO comes to mind as another good one.

So which airport is the model for WRWA?

[jedicurt]

I always go through the TSA pre-check line. I hit all hours of the day including the rush hours and the non-precheck line security is never terrible. It's not like these are Phoenix, Denver, or Newark security lines.

the line itself may not be terrible... but the time it takes to get through often is... if there are 100 people infront of me in Denver, i can get through TSA checkpoint quicker than if there are only 25 total in OKC... and trust me, i've timed it. It needs to be completely redesigned...

[PhiAlpha]

Completely agree. The main terminal still has the 1960s designed bones. The airport should have been rebuilt from the ground up with more open space in the terminal. The west concourse should have been built about 25 feet wider to allow for larger gate hold rooms and more restroom space. It’s amazing to me that more than half of the airports passengers use the west concourse and there is only 1 restroom that has 6 urinals and 4 stalls. Not sure of the capacity of the women’s room.

While that may be true, is that even realistic at this point? I feel like that ship sailed the second the remodel was completed. It seems like the costs to completely overhaul it would be astronomical when the new additions will solve a lot of the main issues with the airport as it’s currently configured.

[PhiAlpha]

the line itself may not be terrible... but the time it takes to get through often is... if there are 100 people infront of me in Denver, i can get through TSA checkpoint quicker than if there are only 25 total in OKC... and trust me, i've timed it. It needs to be completely redesigned...

Apprently he isn’t traveling between 5AM and 8AM on a weekday because it is a complete mess compared to any other airport I’ve flown out of at those times. The lines back up into the checkin areas, neither the precheck nor regular lines have enough space between the ID checker and the security station causing the lines to back up more, add in anyone waiting to greet arriving passengers exiting in the same space and the whole process and space usuage is just completely inefficient here. The new security area and repurposing of the current areas for use solely as greater lobbies is the biggest need at the airport right now.

[Urbanized]

Will the new space have smooth floors instead of tile with grout lines? Not a huge deal, but I have noticed that the tiled floors seems old and creates a lot of noise compared to newer airport floors that are smooth. Is it a type of epoxy or something similar?

It was mentioned somewhere upthread that there would be terrazzo floors instead of tiles for just this reason. Can’t remember for sure but I think it also might have been mentioned that the existing tile floors would also at some point be replaced with terrazzo.

Strange to think that travel has changed so much in just a few years, but the current terminal - which I think of as a pretty recent remodel - was done before both the 9/11-dictated security measures AND the wide usage of rolling luggage.

I remember well easily going back and forth through a security checkpoint with no boarding pass in order to see people off or meet them at their gate, and even before that going all the way to the gate and getting on a plane without clearing any security checkpoint whatsoever. Those were the days...especially if you were a hijacker!

[no1cub17]

Completely agree. The main terminal still has the 1960s designed bones. The airport should have been rebuilt from the ground up with more open space in the terminal. The west concourse should have been built about 25 feet wider to allow for larger gate hold rooms and more restroom space. It’s amazing to me that more than half of the airports passengers use the west concourse and there is only 1 restroom that has 6 urinals and 4 stalls. Not sure of the capacity of the women’s room.

Great point about the tiny lav on that side of the airport. One of the grimier airport bathrooms we use on a regular basis for sure.

[no1cub17]

I travel quite a bit and I feel like Will Rogers is comparable if not slightly better than most airports across the country. I guess I'm just not seeing what you all are seeing. If Will Rogers has tons to improve then pretty much every domestic airport does too because I have seen a lot worse than Will Rogers across the country. Now of course I haven't been to every single airport so what are some out there that have a huge edge on Will Rogers? I mean I think PDX is a pretty great airport but you have to deal with a whole lot more people, so to me that doesn't necessarily make it better than Will Rogers which often delivers an overall better experience for me because of its size and fewer crowds. Is PDX nicer? Probably so. But my overall experience there is less pleasant because its just so much more crowded. MCO comes to mind as another good one.

So which airport is the model for WRWA?

You cannot even begin to compare the comfort and amenities of PDX to OKC. PDX has literally infinitely more dining/drinking options dotted all throughout the airport. No matter where you are there, you'll be close to multiple dining/drinking options, all of which are far superior to anything we have. Granted PDX is also much busier (and I'm sure will get only busier) and has international flights (such as to NRT) which we'll never have, but you can't even mention OKC in the same breath as PDX IMO.

[BG918]

It was mentioned somewhere upthread that there would be terrazzo floors instead of tiles for just this reason. Can’t remember for sure but I think it also might have been mentioned that the existing tile floors would also at some point be replaced with terrazzo.

TUL has terrazzo floors and it is still somewhat loud but you don't have the sound of luggage hitting the grout lines. I actually prefer carpet in airport terminals like what they have at DEN, it's much quieter. Speaking of DEN they are starting several large projects at the main terminal and concourses that will really change that airport over the next 2-3 years. Just a heads up if you are heading that way there is some major construction that will be happening.

[catch22]

While that may be true, is that even realistic at this point? I feel like that ship sailed the second the remodel was completed. It seems like the costs to completely overhaul it would be astronomical when the new additions will solve a lot of the main issues with the airport as it’s currently configured.

No, it's not hence I said "should have been"

All in all, we have a very nice looking airport, but functionally it is becoming more and more obsolete. The east concourse "stub" and terminal expansion on the east side will make things better; but there is still a lot of room for improvement. There really just isn't an easy way to improve the west concourse with its existing footprint. The busier the airport gets the more noticeable it will be that the 1 restroom and 2 very small restaurants will not be sufficient.

Baggage claim really needs to be more "open". It feels so cramped down there. But there aren't many ways to make that happen without a major, costly rebuild. That ship has sailed, you are right.

[Celebrator]

You cannot even begin to compare the comfort and amenities of PDX to OKC. PDX has literally infinitely more dining/drinking options dotted all throughout the airport. No matter where you are there, you'll be close to multiple dining/drinking options, all of which are far superior to anything we have. Granted PDX is also much busier (and I'm sure will get only busier) and has international flights (such as to NRT) which we'll never have, but you can't even mention OKC in the same breath as PDX IMO.

I'll never do it again.

[bombermwc]

You cannot even begin to compare the comfort and amenities of PDX to OKC. PDX has literally infinitely more dining/drinking options dotted all throughout the airport. No matter where you are there, you'll be close to multiple dining/drinking options, all of which are far superior to anything we have. Granted PDX is also much busier (and I'm sure will get only busier) and has international flights (such as to NRT) which we'll never have, but you can't even mention OKC in the same breath as PDX IMO.

PDX is a hub, OKC is the end of the line. So no, there isn't a comparison to be made here. The size difference makes a HUGE difference in what you see too. As we've said here before, the dining options are limited because there is a lack of captive audience at WRWA. Amenities for layovers dont exist here because we dont have layovers. The more direct flights, the better, but those just solidify the UN-need for those amenities. Now, if you start making OKC a jump point from other airports, then you will have a need for more dining or entertainment. Until then...meh.

And if you think our security or airport is bad or feels "old" (which i would strongly disagree with), check out places like NOLA or John Wayne. Holy crap. Wanna see what not to do? PIT. Or for the prize winners of how crappy the whole experience can be (especially for international transfers? O'hare, Bush, how bout Heathrow? On all scales and sizes, i think you'll find places that do things far worse than our little engine that could.

[BobbyV]

the line itself may not be terrible... but the time it takes to get through often is... if there are 100 people infront of me in Denver, i can get through TSA checkpoint quicker than if there are only 25 total in OKC... and trust me, i've timed it. It needs to be completely redesigned...

I don't doubt this at all . . . but don't you feel super safe?

[Urbanized]

^^^^^^^^
Agree with all of this 100%. Catch has made some excellent point here over the years regarding behind-the-scenes configuration issues that make it difficult for the airport to perform well in the long term, and obviously the security area and such are bad for the current state of travel, and the latter is being corrected in this remodel.

But as for the look and feel of the airport , the most recent remodel at least made it feel a part of the 21st century, unlike many other cramped, dingy airports around the country. The new remodel will go much further in this direction and fix some of the glaring problems.

But I think we need to be realistic regarding what we will ever see (or need) behind the security checkpoint in the gate areas. Hubs are just an apples and oranges comparison. Passengers using WRWA are either just about to get on a plane or they are disembarking and headed for the exit. There is precious little linger time without connections, so investing a lot in food/beverage/retail options beyond a quick snack, coffee, newspaper etc is really a huge, unneeded gamble which would be doomed to underperform.

I’d much rather see us invest in making the corridors, restrooms and gates less cramped and more comfortable, and this remodel and expansion is a great step in the right direction.

[HangryHippo]

Someone asked for a model of what OKC could/should be and Terminal 2 at Raleigh/Durham is exactly what I wish OKC would emulate. It's a great terminal with lots of amenities and seems to function well for the airlines.

[Richard at Remax]

MSY is bad but they are within a year or so from opening the new terminal on the North side of the airfield. If you turn 3D Off you can see it here https://goo.gl/maps/oEPLkygZm9P2

Also, I came in on the late flight from LAS last night, and a woman commented how nice ours looked and felt compared the LAS Terminal 1 (which is in serious need of an overhaul) on our way to baggage claim

[cjohnson.405]

^^^^^^^^
Agree with all of this 100%. Catch has made some excellent point here over the years regarding behind-the-scenes configuration issues that make it difficult for the airport to perform well in the long term, and obviously the security area and such are bad for the current state of travel, and the latter is being corrected in this remodel.

But as for the look and feel of the airport , the most recent remodel at least made it feel a part of the 21st century, unlike many other cramped, dingy airports around the country. The new remodel will go much further in this direction and fix some of the glaring problems.

But I think we need to be realistic regarding what we will ever see (or need) behind the security checkpoint in the gate areas. Hubs are just an apples and oranges comparison. Passengers using WRWA are either just about to get on a plane or they are disembarking and headed for the exit. There is precious little linger time without connections, so investing a lot in food/beverage/retail options beyond a quick snack, coffee, newspaper etc is really a huge, unneeded gamble which would be doomed to underperform.

I’d much rather see us invest in making the corridors, restrooms and gates less cramped and more comfortable, and this remodel and expansion is a great step in the right direction.

I agree with your thoughts. OKC is an end point. People come in and they go out. Any effort should be to focus on 1) more direct flights, and 2) make it easier to get in and out.

If we are an end point, the focus of any change should be to make it easier for people utilizing the airport to get in and get out. It should start with better and closer parking. Elevators in a parking garage that work more frequently, people movers (which are great) that work all of the time, maybe designate a shuttle for Lot 3 rather than making Lot 3 people sit through drop-offs in multiple lots.

Sure, reconfigure security. My experience is that it's not bad. But, I'm not going to argue that it can be improved. I have no idea how more space will help if TSA maintains the same amount of personnel. Does some of the $89m pay for more TSA to move the lines faster?

My chief issue (and why I feel like the expansion as designed is a monumental waste of money) is the Observation Deck. There are dozens of low cost ideas that have been floated on this board that seem way more important than an Observation Deck. That thing seems like a solution looking for a problem.

Most of the relatively low cost (compared to $89 freaking million) recommendations are from people who actually use the airport frequently. The Observation Deck would be for people who rarely use it. Why spend so much money on those people rather than the people you should be serving? Makes no sense to me.

Can some of the $89m go towards subsidizing more direct flights? ( I know it can't...just expressing a little frustration.)

[Pete]

TSA may eliminate security screening from 150 medium and small airports:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/01/polit...rts/index.html

[HOT ROD]

Not to derail the conversation but is PDX really a hub? I can't think of what airline hubs there besides the mini-hub Alaska Airlines does with its Horizon unit.

PDX used to be an international gateway hub for Northwest Airlines (mainly to Japan iirc) which became Delta. This was cut and now I don't think there's ANY international out of PDX anymore. Perhaps Catch can educate us since he lived there but I think the reason PDX is so nice is because it USED to be a gateway (along with they probably just wanted a nice airport to compete) but no longer is.

I just think prospective is important, especially when we compare OKC to other airports/markets.