More good news for Will Rogers airport

[Patrick]

Looks like daily departures and arrivals continue to increase at our airport. Hmmmm....is the airport trust listening? If we continue increasing at this rate, we'll need that East Concourse within the next 10 to 20 years! With SW airlines dominating the OKC market, I really think they should consider locating a mini-hub here.

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"Boardings up 4.2% at Will Rogers World Airport


1/13/2005

Boardings at Will Rogers World Airport were up 4.2 percent in 2004.
Enplanements for the year totaled 1.7 million. Boardings were higher for all 12 months in 2004 from the same month of 2003, according to a monthly report released Wednesday. Monthly increases ranged from a high of 11.2 percent in March to low of 1.1 percent in July.

December's enplanements totaled 143,830, up 3.8 percent from December 2003. Deplanements in December totaled 135,735, up 3.5 percent from a year earlier.

Southwest Airlines was the dominate carrier at the airport in December with 41,055 enplanements, up 11.4 percent from a year earlier and 28.5 percent of total boardings in Oklahoma City for the month.

American Airlines was the second most active carrier for the month with 14,301 enplanements, or 9.9 percent of total boardings, and Continental was third with 13,244 enplanements, or 9.2 percent of the boardings at Will Rogers International Airport.:

[Nuclear_2525]

December's enplanements totaled 143,830, up 3.8 percent from December 2003. Deplanements in December totaled 135,735, up 3.5 percent from a year earlier.

Where did all the people go? 143,000 left OKC and only 136,000 came back!

[okcpulse]

Deplanements are usually higher in January than enplanements. I would assume that some fly out before Christmas and are back after the new year.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Brilliant analysis!

[Patrick]

What do you guys think it will take to get the airport trust to go forward with the expansion of the East Concourse? Seems like news like this would sure help our cause in lobbying for Phase III!

[okcpulse]

I have an idea! Let's lobby Mayor Mick Cornett to send the Airport Trust a memo informing the members to consider resignation if they can't use something as simple as common sense to reconsider Phase III and go ahead with the project.

[bmrsnr]

what exactly is phase III you're talking about? And does anyone know if SW airlines is even looking to locate a more central (albeit mini) hub here? What could we do to get them to?

[mranderson]

what exactly is phase III you're talking about? And does anyone know if SW airlines is even looking to locate a more central (albeit mini) hub here? What could we do to get them to?

bmrsnr: You are new to the group, and we welcome you. So, let me give you a brief history.

For years, the Oklahoma City Airport Trust has been sitting on their hands (in lieu of a phrase I can not use publically), failing to really improve air service to this city, and to do a REAL expansion to Will Rogers. We are a metro of almost 1.3 million people, and among the largest cities in the nation without hub status. In addition, we have the worst air service of any city our size in the nation. This is one reason corporations hesitate about moving here.

As a team effort, through this forum and the ones that preceeded it, we have been pressuring the trust to address these problems in a realistic fashion.

We need at minimum of 30 gates, and service to all major cities in the nation. Not connecting service. A combination of direct and non stop. This is achieved in two possible ways. One. Bring in every airline and their grandmother to serve a small number of cities each. This is not logical. Oklahoma City would have 100 airlines (well, maybe not quite, but many), many of which will fold. The other plan. Hub status.

I have written a lot about this. America West is investigating Oklahoma City for the possible location of a major hub. This will reduce drastically the number of cities not served by Will Rogers, and is the best plan of action. Southwest may increase flights from here, but I doubt a mini hub is in the plans.

We are lobbying the trust, mainly through this forum, and my possible candidacy for city council in 2007, to replace the trust with one that will take action and go after what we need. Plus do a REAL expansion to Will Rogers. One additional gate is NOT an expansion.

I hope this explains things.

[HOT ROD]

I would vote for you , but unfortunately I live in Seattle.

I am all in favour of getting rid of the OKC Airport Trust. They are the ones who are really holding OKC back!!!

[Patrick]

what exactly is phase III you're talking about? And does anyone know if SW airlines is even looking to locate a more central (albeit mini) hub here? What could we do to get them to?

I will explain the xpansion plans here, although you can also read them at flyokc.com.

Phase I involved building the new west concourse, expanding and moving the parking garage, demolishing the old southwest concourse, etc. It is now complete.

Phase II involved adding gates to the main terminal, expanding the terminal to the north, and demolsihing the current southeast concourse. This is currently in progress. This project will bring the airport back up to 16 gates.

Phase III involves adding a new east concourse which will bring the airport up to 25 gates.

There has been talk among the airport trust that there will not be a need to complete Phase III, since air traffic is down post-911, and Delta closed their DFW hub.
I firmly believe in the statement, "Build it, and they will come." I think not building the East Concourse would be a step backwards, showing airlines that we don't want better air service for our city.

[bmrsnr]

Who all is on this airport trust? Is it an appointed position or automatic "appointment" with election to a gubernatorial position? And why the hell would they even consider not completing phase III? These people sound like royal idiots! I better get on that lobbying...haha

[Patrick]

Luther Trent is the director of the airport trust. The members of the airport trust were appointed by various mayors/councils in the past. You can reach him at luther.trent@okc.gov.

[xrayman]

That letter is not a bad idea. Leadership sometimes has to be tough.

[JOHNINSOKC]

Is America West really considering OKC for a hub?? I haven't heard anything in the media about it. I really hope it comes to fruition though.

[mranderson]

Is America West really considering OKC for a hub?? I haven't heard anything in the media about it. I really hope it comes to fruition though.

The information comes from an inside contact. The media would not report this until a decision has been made or is close.

[JOHNINSOKC]

I wonder if the Airport Trust has any idea about the hub possibility. If they do know something, then it's possible that they are holding out on the east concourse until they find out that OKC is chosen. I would think that the new concourse needs to be substantially larger than what is currently planned. What I like about our airport is how much room there is to grow. With the new design and configuration, all that needs to happen is just expand on what is currently there. OKC could accommodate a huge airport like DFW, size-wise. I really hope America West establishes a major hub here. I believe that major companies will be foaming at the mouth to locate in OKC once this happens.

[mranderson]

Odds are they do know, but are not making it well known and would proabably deny it. However, if they are holding the east concourse until a decision is made, that would be a serious mistake. America West will need that space immediatly, not in a year or two to wait construction.

What may happen is the airline may request a second terminal based on a multi decade lease, along with hanger space for maintanance.

Keep in mind. This information is from a person inside America West. They may not be at the stage to even contact the distrust. (for the new people that is what we call the airport trust), however the distrust may still know, but are not talking yet.

[HOT ROD]

I wonder if the Airport Trust has any idea about the hub possibility. If they do know something, then it's possible that they are holding out on the east concourse until they find out that OKC is chosen. I would think that the new concourse needs to be substantially larger than what is currently planned. What I like about our airport is how much room there is to grow. With the new design and configuration, all that needs to happen is just expand on what is currently there. OKC could accommodate a huge airport like DFW, size-wise. I really hope America West establishes a major hub here. I believe that major companies will be foaming at the mouth to locate in OKC once this happens.

I Totally Agree!!!!! $$$$

[Patrick]

I wonder if the Airport Trust has any idea about the hub possibility. If they do know something, then it's possible that they are holding out on the east concourse until they find out that OKC is chosen. I would think that the new concourse needs to be substantially larger than what is currently planned. What I like about our airport is how much room there is to grow. With the new design and configuration, all that needs to happen is just expand on what is currently there. OKC could accommodate a huge airport like DFW, size-wise. I really hope America West establishes a major hub here. I believe that major companies will be foaming at the mouth to locate in OKC once this happens.

I spoke with Karen Carney about the hub possibility a few weeks ago. She acted like she didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Nothing unusual about that....Carney and Trent always act clueless.

Yes, I also like the new airport design. The reason the old airport was demolished to make way for this new design was because the new design is expandable, the old design was not. All they need to do now is expand the concourses east and west. With the current design, it's easy to do!

Even if America West builds a separate terminal here on the south side of the main runways, the East Concourse is still needed. Personally, I'd use the west concourse and main terminal for major airlines, giving them designated gates.....then use the East Concourse for low cost airlines, without designated gates. Smaller planes like American Eagle could also use the East Concourse.

[JOHNINSOKC]

Those ideas sound great!! It's really disappointing to know that Karen Carney has absolutely no clue about what is possibly ahead for the airport. If I remember correctly, she has stated in the past to the Oklahoman that they've had inquiries from a few airlines. There needs to be a more proactive stance on the part of the Airport Trust. When you look at everything positive that has happened in the last ten years, the airport is really the only thing that is stagnant. Yes, we are doing a total renovation and slight expansion, but nothing that really sticks out that has a WOW factor like MAPS, for instance. We are taking major steps to improve downtown, education, tourism, and trying to greatly improve the image of OKC to the nation, and yet, our airport is falling behind. We can no longer blame Dallas for our lack of air service and ability to fly to other major cities, especially the coastal cities of importance. With everything going on tourism and convention-wise and the REAL possibility that things will take off moreso in the future, the time to act is NOW. How is the Airport Trust elected?? It seems like the same people have been running it for years.

[okcpulse]

I really wonder, and hope, that the airport trust reads this forum. I know I've said this before. If they do, it must not be registering in their minds that they are doing a poor job after everything we have posted.

[OUman]

bmrsnr: You are new to the group, and we welcome you. So, let me give you a brief history.

For years, the Oklahoma City Airport Trust has been sitting on their hands (in lieu of a phrase I can not use publically), failing to really improve air service to this city, and to do a REAL expansion to Will Rogers. We are a metro of almost 1.3 million people, and among the largest cities in the nation without hub status. In addition, we have the worst air service of any city our size in the nation. This is one reason corporations hesitate about moving here.

As a team effort, through this forum and the ones that preceeded it, we have been pressuring the trust to address these problems in a realistic fashion.

We need at minimum of 30 gates, and service to all major cities in the nation. Not connecting service. A combination of direct and non stop. This is achieved in two possible ways. One. Bring in every airline and their grandmother to serve a small number of cities each. This is not logical. Oklahoma City would have 100 airlines (well, maybe not quite, but many), many of which will fold. The other plan. Hub status.

I have written a lot about this. America West is investigating Oklahoma City for the possible location of a major hub. This will reduce drastically the number of cities not served by Will Rogers, and is the best plan of action. Southwest may increase flights from here, but I doubt a mini hub is in the plans.

We are lobbying the trust, mainly through this forum, and my possible candidacy for city council in 2007, to replace the trust with one that will take action and go after what we need. Plus do a REAL expansion to Will Rogers. One additional gate is NOT an expansion.

I hope this explains things.

Umm, I probably missed something somewhere, but where did you find out that America West is investigating Oklahoma City for a possible hub?

It's odd, because America West just recently dumped its Port Columbus International hub since it was a money-losing operation. And Columbus has a bigger population than Oklahoma City does, about 1.5-1.6 mil.

Not saying you're making stuff up or anything, just wondering where you heard this. I would be really excited if America West decided to do that at OKC (slim possibility, but hey, it's something to hope for!)

OUman

[OUman]

Ahh, btw,

even if you know something if you're on the airport trust, isn't it that you can't disclose any information until it has been made official or public? I've heard that if you're on an official post, you can't disclose information prematurely like that.

Sorry for the digression. Going back to the topic, I really hope we get something along the lines of what's going on at Indianapolis Int'l airport. Northwest and Northwest Jetlink now have something like 55 daily departures alone! And they both took over an entire concourse (8 gates). Maybe we won't get something that big, but a 5-gate minihub will still be good.

And w/ the increase in traffic, yes, the East Concourse will be built, eventually. I have asked this through e-mail a few times a while back, and the response was that yes, the East Concourse is still going to be built.

OUman

[mranderson]

Umm, I probably missed something somewhere, but where did you find out that America West is investigating Oklahoma City for a possible hub?

It's odd, because America West just recently dumped its Port Columbus International hub since it was a money-losing operation. And Columbus has a bigger population than Oklahoma City does, about 1.5-1.6 mil.

Not saying you're making stuff up or anything, just wondering where you heard this. I would be really excited if America West decided to do that at OKC (slim possibility, but hey, it's something to hope for!)

OUman

I listened in on a conversation (with permission) between someone and a relative of theirs who works at America West HQ in the Phoenix area. He said Oklahoma City was being considered because of our high secuirty due to the Murrah building and our central location. Will it happen? Who knows. I can only report what I heard. And he also said it is based on traffic count. Which is not much to ask.

[JOHNINSOKC]

Just out of curiosity, how long ago did that conversation take place? It's been 10 years since the bombing. Again, not doubting the conversation, just wondering how long ago that was. If it's been in the past few months, then there's hope. Who knows, nobody knew about Dell before it was announced.