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Thread: Airport update

  1. #1
    Patrick Guest

    Default Airport update

    Here's an upate on progress at Will Roger's World Airport. I find a some problems with this article, but at the same time there are some good things mentioned. Towwards the end of the article, it appears to me that Karen Carney really doesn't care to have Will Rogers be a hub. Seems like she' more focused on pointing out the benefits of not being one. With that attitude, we'll never attract any type of hub, not even a minihub!

    Also, it still bugs me that the airport trust isn't going to start Phase III (the east concourse) until they feel its needed. Well, you know the airport trust and Luther Trent...if this is the case, Phase III may never be completed!

    But, I think it is good that the airport trust is looking into trying to attract more low cost carriers to the market. That's a sign of progress!



    --------------
    "Working through airport construction
    by Heidi R. Centrella
    The Journal Record
    8/23/2004

    Those able to maneuver around Will Rogers World Airport in the most efficient manner these days would have to be members of the maintenance crew via one of five available Segway Human Transporters on site.
    For employees and travelers, however, the maze of plastic drop cloths, duct tape and roped-off areas with signs pointing the new way to baggage claim, ticket counters and gates has proven quite frustrating. And as for picking up or dropping off passengers at the travel plaza, well, that's a story in and of itself.

    But the airport's $110 million expansion project, with its projected completion date of December 2005, is moving along and showing promise for the peeved.

    Phase I of the project began in 2000 with infrastructure projects and parking lot improvements to prepare for the more labor-intensive airport overhaul of Phase II, for which construction began in 2002.

    And despite Oklahoma's prolonged rainy season, which delayed certain aspects of the job such as pouring concrete, everything is on schedule and going according to plan with milestones on the horizon.

    The existing building, built in 1967, will expand in five directions, and already has shown improvement with the new "West Concourse," which officials used for lack of a better name. It houses gates for all but two of the 16-plus airlines flying in and out of Will Rogers World Airport.

    According to airport spokeswoman Karen Carney, the primary challenge for architects from The Benham Cos., who partnered with Gensler out of Denver and Los Angeles during the design phase, was to provide more openness, more space and more light, all the while maintaining a native, yet contemporary, look. This was accomplished with the 551-panes-of-glass-meets-fieldstone-wall that runs the front length of the facility. Combined, the length of the window wall on the front of the building is 575 feet, or about 18,516 square feet, of glass.

    "We wanted some kind of identity with the state of Oklahoma, something that would make this airport unique so that it doesn't look exactly like every other airport in the country," Carney said. "The stone is native to the region and the earth tone colors were chosen by the architects to incorporate some local feeling and color into the design."

    In September, the upper level for departure traffic will open with the entrance extended another 30 feet toward the roadway, a large canopy and raised roadways. This, Carney said, is not only a milestone, but it will be good for skycaps and travelers alike, who have had to maneuver around the construction so far from the ticket counters.

    In October, the lower level - baggage claim - should be completed with the entrance extended another 60 feet. And in the next week or two, a second new baggage claim belt will open on the west side of the lower level. In January, three new gates will open for Southwest Airlines.

    "One of the main challenges we've faced is remaining fully operational while construction continues," Carney said.

    The general contractor, Boldt Construction, has hired 22 subcontractors, totaling an estimated work force of 170 on site. And, to date, Dane Electric has installed 1.2 million feet, about 230 miles, of wire throughout the facility.

    Other new features at the airport will include a Big 12 and CNBC retail shop, Sonic, Schlotzsky's and Sbarros. And a large hotel-like lounge surrounded with the large panes of glass overlooking fields to the south will provide passengers a not-so-airport-bar feel as they await their departure.

    Will Rogers served more than 3.4 million passengers in 2003, a number that has yet to reach pre-9/11 levels, but is fast catching up. According to Carney, before 9/11 the airport saw roughly 3.5 million passengers.

    For the first seven months this year, the airport reported 983,493 enplanements, up from 942,624 for the first seven months of 2003.

    Despite these lows that gradually have been increasing, Carney said the airport didn't feel near the hit others did after the 9/11 tragedy in New York City. Not being a hub, Will Rogers had an advantage.

    "Therefore if we would lose one airline, it's not like we would lose everything in the airport," she said, citing as an example US Airways' decision to shut down its Pittsburg hub, which will have a tremendous impact on that airport with the number of employees. "While it would not be ideal, we would certainly hate to lose any of our carriers, it wouldn't devastate us."

    But the ever-evolving airline industry that has landed itself in turmoil affects all airports, as well as air travel for passengers.

    "I think the (major) airlines are looking at the successful low-fare carriers and working at evaluating and improving their service," Carney said. "And we have to work together with the airlines to make the flying experience more positive for passengers so that people want to fly."

    Carney said there are more low-fare carriers not yet serving this market that airport officials would like to lure here. And an announcement is expected to be made in the near future of one such carrier entering the Sooner State.

    Phase III, or an "East Concourse," will begin as airport officials see need for further expansion."

  2. Default Re: Airport update

    Any speculation on which airline is coming? Could it be JetBlue, ATA? A new one?

  3. Default Re: Airport update

    I believe the Oklahoma City Airport Trust is making a big mistake on holding off contruction on the east concourse. Even though Southwest Airlines recently cut four flights at Will Rogers World Airport and added a flight to another city, does the Airport Trust not anticipate the increase in air traffic for the big events being held in Oklahoma City in 2006 and 2007? This is something they may want to think about.

    Especially in 2007, I have this strange feeling that there WILL be a sizeable increase in passengers flying to and from Oklahoma City, mainly due to the Big 12 events and the State Centennial. Oklahoma's centennial is one of the last four state centennials the U.S. will see. The next centennial is Arizona's in 2012. Alaska and Hawaii's centennials are in 2059. That's it. So I believe 2007 will be Oklahoma's year... big time. I know the Airport Trust can't go on a 'gut feeling', however, they may want to use some common sense. Complete the east concourse, or else face some serious congestion!

    Continue the Renaissance!!!

  4. #4
    Patrick Guest

    Default Re: Airport update

    I agree with you all the way, OKC Pulse. I think they should go forward with Phase III immediately following Phase II. I'm afraid that if they hold off, Phase III won't ever be completed. I ay that, because unfortunately I know the way things work in this state. Not trying to be pessimistic, just being honest. We better keep the momentum going while we have it!

    Our airport trust, like you say, needs to think about the future. Unfortunately, they never have!

    Seems to me like, if you build it, they will come....isn't that the old saying. Well, if we built a better airport and finished what we started, maybe more corporations would come and the airport would be used. The problem in this state is that we always do things after the fact. Take MAPS for instance....the only reason we passed MAPS back in 1993 was because we were getting desparate. We need to think ambitious and think ahead instead of thinking after the fact.

  5. Default Re: Airport update

    all I have to say here is we need to hold somebody accountable about this.

    The airport trust sat up there and said they had the funding (and didnt even pursue Federal dollars which I think is absolutely the dumbest thing I have ever heard) but now they are not going to finish the project?

    I personally thought Phase II included removing and reconstructing BOTH concourses to create 26 gates! Phase III was to build a Centre Concourse that would expand the airport to near 40 gates, but that it would be shelled in as warranted.

    So why did they backtrack? What happened to those dollars (your tax dollars by the way, I dont care how much oil they produce or heards they graze. It is city land, city entity, and so somebody should roll about this).

    New Blood is Needed at the Airport Trust!!!!!!
    Oklahoma City, the RENAISSANCE CITY!

  6. #6
    Patrick Guest

    Default Re: Airport update

    No, actually Phase II was to expand the main terminal building, adding 4 gates (something the main terminal building has never had) to bring the airport up to 15 gates (basically what we had before....we had 16 gates before, but one didn't have an air-bridge).

    Phase I was the new west concourse with 11 gates (it's actually numbered to 12, but it's missing a number in there somewhere....not quite sure why the developer did that, but that's just the way it is).

    Phase III was the last phase and that included building the east concourse. This hasn't been completed. We're still on Phase II.

    Here's the link: http://www.flyokc.com/willrogerssite.../timeline.html

    That's been the plan ever since construction started.

    I couldn't agree with you more.....I think our airport trust made a huge mistake by not going after federal dollars for this project. They have the money for the entire project, but most of it is coming from passanger use fees and from leasing out space for grazing on the grounds of the airport. Pretty sad huh? Especially, the last funding source I mentioned. Just shows you how backwards our airtport trust is!

  7. Default Re: Airport update

    I could not agree more! Pretty backward.

    The Airport Trust leadership should be fired and expelled from the state!
    Oklahoma City, the RENAISSANCE CITY!

  8. #8
    Patrick Guest

    Default Re: Airport update

    I guess I should add "Fire the Airport Trust" back to my signature again! I remember back with both Mr. Anderson, I, and a few others had it included inour signature. I'll refrain from doing that, but I'm still not happy with the course our airport trust is taking. I think we need to complete what we start. Also, thinking about someting else besides being a backwards, small, run of the mill city might be a good start for our airport trust. I hate to be so negative on a forum where we mostly talk about the great renaissance in our city, but it really makes me upset that the Airport trust holds us back the way they do. Not sure if they do it on purpose or if they're just too ignorant to know how to operate and develop a first class airport facility, and by all means, a Master Plan that has ambition.

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