2024 Oklahoma City Aviation Thread

[Will Dearborn]

SWA offers great non-stop options (for me) out of OKC.

But if I need to connect, I'm flying someone else every time.

[oktxatty]

Piling on SW, I actually like most of their model -except this one: (You'll need a subscription)

Southwest’s Preboarding Line Is Out of Control
The airline’s snaking preboard lines rankle frequent fliers, who believe some passengers are cheating the airline’s open seating system

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel...olumnists_pos2

[Richard at Remax]

If they were consistent about putting an end to it, it would be done already.

[PhiAlpha]

Piling on SW, I actually like most of their model -except this one: (You'll need a subscription)

Southwest’s Preboarding Line Is Out of Control
The airline’s snaking preboard lines rankle frequent fliers, who believe some passengers are cheating the airline’s open seating system

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel...olumnists_pos2

I guess I need to start identifying as disabled lol.

[Richard at Remax]

looking at DCA flights with AA in August and it looks like they downgraded plane from E175 to CRJ700. Boooo

[The]

looking at DCA flights with AA in August and it looks like they downgraded plane from E175 to CRJ700. Boooo

At the same time, I think AA is planning on an all Embraer RJ fleet by the end of the decade. Can’t come soon enough!

[Richard at Remax]

^1000%. The E175/190 is one of my favorite planes

[brianinok]

At the same time, I think AA is planning on an all Embraer RJ fleet by the end of the decade. Can’t come soon enough!

This flight has been everything from CRJ700, CRJ900, E175, and A319. Most common over the course of the year is E175. I haven't had the chance to fly it when it's been an A319 oddly enough, but I've noticed it.

[gopokes88]

April is out and it's fantastic. Up 10% over april of '23, every airline growing. So much for the "can't grow anymore" crowd

https://www.flyokc.com/sites/default...nplanement.pdf

[PhiAlpha]

April is out and it's fantastic. Up 10% over april of '23, every airline growing. So much for the "can't grow anymore" crowd

https://www.flyokc.com/sites/default...nplanement.pdf

This despite the Airport Director's best efforts to eliminate air travel from OKC. LOL

[gopokes88]

This despite the Airport Director's best efforts to eliminate air travel from OKC. LOL

If only he had the courage to cold call the CEO of American Airlines and demand a Dubai flight

[amocore]

Nice month :
https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...nplanement.pdf

I am not sure if it is due to more flights or bigger planes but every airlines are up.
It has been told before but Frontier has been growing significantly out of OKC. Maybe more frequent flights as there are no new destination.

[Richard at Remax]

Nice month :
https://flyokc.com/sites/default/fil...nplanement.pdf

I am not sure if it is due to more flights or bigger planes but every airlines are up.
It has been told before but Frontier has been growing significantly out of OKC. Maybe more frequent flights as there are no new destination.

It has to be that they are running 1x a day to/from Denver now. Their LAS flights are still only Friday & Sunday from what I can see. Regardless a pretty big jump and must feel they can take away business from SWA and United.

[okcrun]

It has to be that they are running 1x a day to/from Denver now. Their LAS flights are still only Friday & Sunday from what I can see. Regardless a pretty big jump and must feel they can take away business from SWA and United.

I fly on them every few weeks to both and the scheduling is all over the place, never been able to make any sense of it. There were no flights at all from Denver or Vegas yesterday or today for some reason. I'm in Vegas now and fly back tomorrow.

That being said I hope they add another route at some point, seems like a waste to have a gate only for one or two flights a day. Their pricing is so competitive I can't imagine them not being able to fill flights elsewhere.

[bombermwc]

I wish airlines would throw out regional jets. I get so very tired of the flights from OKC being on stupid regional jets that dont have proper overhead bins, no power outlets, etc. I dont care who the manufacturer is, i hate them all.

Southwest has managed to exist in that same plane size space with a proper real aircraft with proper real bins. They do exist out in the world. United/Delta/AA they just all need to get on board with not using those pieces of crap at airports our size. You wanna throw that at Stillwater, fine. But between OKC and Chicago, come on. You can and do fill the thing, so there is absolutely enough traffic to warrant a larger aircraft.

We used to see a lot of MD80 use through OKC, and frankly, they weren't much better. It's just a longer version with insufficient overhead space and a LOT of noise. If you have been on any Airbus or Boeing aircraft with the new "oversized" bins, well you've experienced what the thing should have been like this whole time. It's amazing that it took this long for things to get designed properly. Bag wheels first, on its side, and you magically have enough room for everyone. And when it's like that, guess what else? People aren't cramming at the gate to try to be in as early as possible beacuse they don't have to fight for a spot in the bin to avoid the gate checking that they announce at every flight.

Honestly, i think airlines do this because they don't really want people to be too comfortable. We don't want to pay baggage fees, but they want the income. How do they fix that? Well, keep the bins too small so you encourage more people to not use them. Don't want people cramming at the gate? Well let's create 10 levels of different ways to collect more income on a ticket before we get to Group 2....Let's see.... Diamond, Emerald, Service Memebers, Advantage, I think I counted 7 on a Delta flight one time before I got to my group 2!!!

[fortpatches]

I wish airlines would throw out regional jets. I get so very tired of the flights from OKC being on stupid regional jets that dont have proper overhead bins, no power outlets, etc. I dont care who the manufacturer is, i hate them all.

Southwest has managed to exist in that same plane size space with a proper real aircraft with proper real bins. They do exist out in the world. United/Delta/AA they just all need to get on board with not using those pieces of crap at airports our size. You wanna throw that at Stillwater, fine. But between OKC and Chicago, come on. You can and do fill the thing, so there is absolutely enough traffic to warrant a larger aircraft.

We used to see a lot of MD80 use through OKC, and frankly, they weren't much better. It's just a longer version with insufficient overhead space and a LOT of noise. If you have been on any Airbus or Boeing aircraft with the new "oversized" bins, well you've experienced what the thing should have been like this whole time. It's amazing that it took this long for things to get designed properly. Bag wheels first, on its side, and you magically have enough room for everyone. And when it's like that, guess what else? People aren't cramming at the gate to try to be in as early as possible beacuse they don't have to fight for a spot in the bin to avoid the gate checking that they announce at every flight.

Honestly, i think airlines do this because they don't really want people to be too comfortable. We don't want to pay baggage fees, but they want the income. How do they fix that? Well, keep the bins too small so you encourage more people to not use them. Don't want people cramming at the gate? Well let's create 10 levels of different ways to collect more income on a ticket before we get to Group 2....Let's see.... Diamond, Emerald, Service Memebers, Advantage, I think I counted 7 on a Delta flight one time before I got to my group 2!!!

I actually prefer to gate-check my bags. It's like luggage concierge - I don't have to lug my luggage through the aisle of a plane and instead have it waiting for me at the gate when I disembark. Convenience: 100%.
I think I mentioned it earlier, but the last few times I have flown Delta in/out of OKC it has been on a Boeing 737-800. Is there a way to lookup what types of planes are normally used by a specific carrier at a specific location? Delta also just changed from Groups to "Zones" - there are 8 zones I think. Main cabin tickets start at zone 5(?). Economy tickets are zone 8. I think it is comfort+ is zone 3-4 and first is 1-2?

[Jeepnokc]

I actually prefer to gate-check my bags. It's like luggage concierge - I don't have to lug my luggage through the aisle of a plane and instead have it waiting for me at the gate when I disembark. Convenience: 100%.
[/COLOR]

I used to gate check but the problem is having to wait on the bag at the gate if you have a really short layover. Almost missed a few flights that way. I just always check my bags now which also works well as I like to carry a cigar torch lighter which you can't do on carry on. There is a special container that is TSA approved for torch lighters in checked bags.

[LakeEffect]

I actually prefer to gate-check my bags. It's like luggage concierge - I don't have to lug my luggage through the aisle of a plane and instead have it waiting for me at the gate when I disembark. Convenience: 100%.
I think I mentioned it earlier, but the last few times I have flown Delta in/out of OKC it has been on a Boeing 737-800. Is there a way to lookup what types of planes are normally used by a specific carrier at a specific location? Delta also just changed from Groups to "Zones" - there are 8 zones I think. Main cabin tickets start at zone 5(?). Economy tickets are zone 8. I think it is comfort+ is zone 3-4 and first is 1-2?

Delta's app will tell you when you're looking at the flight details, even when you book (if it's not too many months out). Another option is typing your flight into SeatGuru or FlightAware and seeing what it shows.

[brianinok]

Oklahoma City one of the big winners on these one-off Delta flights for college football: link

[s00nr1]

April is out and it's fantastic. Up 10% over april of '23, every airline growing. So much for the "can't grow anymore" crowd

https://www.flyokc.com/sites/default...nplanement.pdf

If only we could get UAL to bring back SFO and IAD.

[BG918]

If only we could get UAL to bring back SFO and IAD.

Yep those would be great. EWR no longer needed with the AA/DL flights to LGA as long as IAD is added.

[HOT ROD]

EWR is still needed for OKC to have a United presence in the NYC market. But yes, we need connectivity to all hubs; SFO and IAD remaining for United.

[bison34]

DTW, IAD, EWR, SFO, JFK (probably will never happen) and PHL are the missing main hubs for the big 3 airlines (Delta, United, AA). The OKC-SFO flight was always full when I took it, as was DTW. Never flew EWR or PHL, and IAD was about 90% full when I flew it.

[Richard at Remax]

The map above shows the most glaring issue is connection to the NE. Excluding CLT, it seems all the carriers are content with running all OKC international travel through the midwest and south. Our two connections in the NE (DCA, LGA) do not offer international travel options (across Atlantic). It also shows me that we lack the international travel and the business travel right now. Add PHL (AA), IAD (UA), and BOS/DTW (DL) and it would open up so many more options.

United:

With EWR focus on reducing regional jets, I can't see that one resuming anytime soon.
I am sure they are looking at data, but as for IAD, maybe they don't think there is enough passengers to pull away from SWA or AA (to DCA) to make it profitable.
The SFO hole is the biggest surprise to me. I don't know why this isn't back yet. I am also surprised that either SWA hasn't added a flight to Oakland or Alaska added a regional flight to SFO. This flight was always full when I was on it. It's a big leisure market, but there are smarter people that me calling the shots.
Wouldn't mind them adding LAX back to maybe give the AA flights some competition

AA

I can't see JFK happening. I've done it before and it's a bit annoying, but getting a cab from LGA to JFK is not bad at all.
Adding PHL would open up a lot more international travel options, esp on AA. They have quite a few more Europe routes (15) than DFW (8) or MIA (4) does.

Delta

Adding back DTW and possibly BOS would be nice.
Long shot, but adding a morning flight to SEA and and afternoon flight from SEA would maybe give Alaska some competition. I love Alaska but their flight schedule to SEA leaves a lot to be desired.

FInally, once the international customs area and OKC airport rebranding is complete, I can see them adding a flight to Cancun via SWA or Frontier.

[HOT ROD]

Very nice analysis and prediction Richard. I'd love to see Catch's response/reaction, if any.