We're getting nonstops to Las Vegas again

[OUman]

Allegiant Air's gonna be adding nonstop service between OKC and LAS. This airline's been expanding in recent months adding flights to/from its LAS hub.

This is good news for Oklahoma City . I just hope it flight times are good enough so that it doesn't bum out like Transmeridian did.

OUman

[Patrick]

That's great news. The more direct flights we can get, the better. There are a lot of Okies that go to Las Vegas, so if the times are right, I'm sure it will be used. Like you mention, the problem with Transmeridian Air was the timing of the flights.

[Patrick]

Here's the article for those that might be interested:

"On standby: Airport officials are mum on potential new service to Oklahoma City. Allegiant confirms it has been in talks with Will Rogers World Airport

Posted: Wednesday, September 08, 2004


On standby: Airport officials are mum on potential new service to Oklahoma City. Allegiant confirms it has been in talks with Will Rogers World Airport

By Jennifer Frisch writers@okcbusiness.com

Buzz about a new airline servicing the metro is building after city and airport officials postponed an announcement about possible new services.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines announced changes in routes servicing Will Rogers World Airport on Aug. 23.

Earlier that month, officials called off a planned Aug. 11 press conference to make an “important announcement” about service to the airport. There has been no news on when the announcement may come.

Airport spokeswoman Karen Carney said she hoped the announcement would come soon but refused to release any more information. Carney said her office was acting as an intermediary for the airline.

But a spokesman for Allegiant Air, a low-cost carrier based in Las Vegas, said the airline is exploring the Oklahoma market.

Allegiant Air could announce plans to start flying out of Oklahoma City to Las Vegas before the end of the year.
“We have talked to the airport,” said Ponder Harrison, vice president of sales and marketing. “We are very serious.”
Harrison said Oklahoma City is on a short list of four or five airports under consideration.

The spokesman said Allegiant is waiting to evaluate how many planes are added to the company’s fleet in the next quarter and will take action as the number increases.

Harrison says the process involves very serious negotiations in a fluid environment and would not confirm any more detailed plans for the Oklahoma market at this time.

Allegiant is currently serving several Midwest states including Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois with routes to and from Las Vegas.

Allegiant offers routes to and from the glitzy Nevada destination. Typical fares for customers flying from Wichita or Souix Falls to Las Vegas are $109 to $189, according to the company's Web site. Sales fares are indicated as low as $39 and the company does offer packages combining flight and hotel costs.

Southwest will be cutting two routes to Dallas and two routes to Kansas City. At the same time the low-cost carrier will add one route to Kansas City, according to Carney.

Southwest is re-routing the planes to locations with the goal of using resources more efficiently.

“Aircraft on underperforming routes will be sent to places that are more in demand,” said Melanie Jones, a spokeswoman for Southwest.

Jones says the airline sees a potential to increase revenue by redistributing aircraft to more popular routes.

Southwest made changes in routes at airports across the country. In all, 88 routes were changed, according to the airline.

All of the route changes will be effective Oct. 31.

Southwest will face a few more challenges at Will Rogers World Airport. The airline will close its three existing gates when the second phase of the airport’s expansion project is completed in early 2005 and relocate to three new gates in the new area of the airport. All of the airlines servicing Will Rogers have already relocated to the new area of the airport except Southwest and Delta. Delta will be the last to make the move, in late 2005.

“All of our existing carriers will be operating out of new gates,” said Carney. Three additional gates will remain open for any prospective tenants or to allow current airlines room to expand."

[mranderson]

I really wish the press would start refering to these flights by the proper term. They are non stop, not direct. An example of direct would be United's flight that originates in San Diego, stops in Denver, and continues to Oklahoma City WITHOUT change of plane or flight number. Non stop is just that. No schedualed stops inbetween.

Yes. The more airlines the better, and better flight times. Trans Meridian could have been saved if they wanted it saved. The airline could have given better flight times and costs.

By the way. Check the Alleigient (sp) website. The logo looks nice. Maybe they can be the one that hubs here.

[swake]

Doesn't Southwest have non stop flights to Vegas from OKC?

[OUman]

Here's the latest article:

Las Vegas jet service to be added
By Adam Wilmoth
Business Writer

Oklahoma City leisure travelers soon will have more options in reaching one of their most popular destinations when Allegiant Air begins nonstop service between Will Rogers World Airport and Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas-based carrier announced the new service Tuesday, but declined to disclose details, deferring all questions to a news conference scheduled for this afternoon.

The airline did say, however, its offering will include "low-fare, nonstop jet service" and "affordable vacation packages."
Nearly 25 Las Vegas hotel properties are included on Allegiant Vacations' air-and-hotel vacation package program.
Sherry Willis, vice president of operations at Oklahoma City's Bentley Hedges Travel, said flights must be offered at suitable times and packages must be competitive for Allegiant Air to be successful.
"Anything that makes it convenient and economical for the traveler is going to be well received," she said.

"Las Vegas is always a popular place to go from Oklahoma City. It's pretty economical and gives people different things to do."
Allegiant's announcement marks the second time in nine months a new airline has started flights between the two cities.

Champion Air, partnered with Worry Free Vacations, offers flight and hotel packages between Oklahoma City and Las Vegas.
TransMeridian Airlines began offering competing flights in February, but canceled the service just two months later citing poor passenger counts.
Travel agents and leisure travelers, however, said TransMeridian failed because of its unpopular flight times.

"I'm not sure there was a tremendous amount of excitement after they (travelers) found out about the poor schedule at basically no difference in rates," said Jay Musgrove, president of Oklahoma City's Rainbow Travel Service Inc.
"They were certainly less convenient."

Besides leading to more options for Oklahoma City travelers, a successful run by Allegiant also would generate additional revenue for Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport, said Luther Trent, director of the Oklahoma City Airport Trust.
"Recreational travel often times picks up at times when business travel is slower," Trent said.

"It puts people on airplanes when business travel is not putting as many people on the aircraft, such as around the holidays and during the summer time."
Las Vegas is the sixth-most-desired destination for Oklahoma City travelers.

"Las Vegas has always been and remains a very popular recreational destination for Oklahoma City and this area of Oklahoma," Trent said.
"It's always good to provide more options for people to go to Vegas and enjoy the opportunities that are provided to them."

[OUman]

Doesn't Southwest have non stop flights to Vegas from OKC?

Nope. Southwest used to have 'em but they were Saturday-only (experimental), and didn't do too well. Champion Air has nonstops but only four days a week. Now Allegiant will have n/s's.

OUman

[billintulsa]

I occasionally work in Vegas so it would be great if Tulsa got that same service. But it is nice to know that I can pickup a flight from OKC.

[Patrick]

Here's their website: http://www.allegiantair.com/

Service starts Oct. 28th. The times look good. The flight leaves Las Vegas at 2 PM Pacific Time and arrives in OKC at 6:30 PM Central time. The flight then leaves OKC at 7:10 Central time and arrives in Las Vegas at 7:55 Pacific Time.

They'll be flying large MD-83's, not small prop planes or small jets (like Great Plains had). MD-83's are similar in size to the 737's that Southwest flies.

Anytime we can get decent jet service out of our city, it's worth celebrating.

By the way the prices range from $79 to $89 one way. Not too bad.

[Patrick]

By the way, planes will fly Thursday and Friday (perfect for the weekend or returning from a week long trip!!!) and Sunday and Monday (perfect for returning home.....or leaving for a weeklong trip).

[mranderson]

Actually, acording to the airlines website, the MD-83 holds 163 passangers which is larger than a 737. The stretch 737 only holds around 120. This would make the MD-83 similar to a 727 or 757 in size.

Not the largest aircraft that has served Will Rogers. That destinction goes to my least favorite airline... American. They flew DC-10's to Chicago.

[OUman]

Sun Country also flew DC 10-30's to/from OKC in the early 90's.

OUman

[OUman]

Btw, AA had DC 10 service between here and Chicago? That's news to me! When was that?

OUman

[mranderson]

While living out of state during the late 80's to mid 90's, when I came back to Oklahoma City, there was always an American DC-10 docked at the east terminal. Since Chicago is the furthest destination for American out of Will Rogers, it was only logical. Chicago is the only possible destination for it. DFW is to short for a long range aircraft like a DC-10.

[HOT ROD]

Doesnt Champion Air Charter still fly DC10-30s out of WRWA - to Cancun and Vegas? Last time I was in OKC I remember seeing one at the C9 gate - an absolutely beautiful sight!

WRWA can accomodate any aircraft save the new Airbus A380 (which most airports in the US cant either - Tulsa can) and the Annotov [I forget the rest - the big Russian cargo plane; once again, most airports can not serve it].

We are all right, the OKC airport trust needs to get off their butts and get service. While a flight is great, we should have had an announcement of at least several new non-stops! For Luther to sit and say that "well complete the expansion later as the market demands" but then sit around and only get us one additional flight (when we are losing several due to Delta-Dallas) is preposterous!

I still think we should hold them accountable and fire their asses [xcuse my french]. Lets send them to DFW, theres an airport they could mess-up, oh I mean manage.

[mranderson]

"Doesnt Champion Air Charter still fly DC10-30s out of WRWA - to Cancun and Vegas? Last time I was in OKC I remember seeing one at the C9 gate - an absolutely beautiful sight!"

No. They have a fleet of 16 Boeing 727-200's.

In fact, the airline was originally MGM Grand. It was billed as the most luxurious airline around, and had demograpic target markets to cater to the prima-donna's.

[swake]

I occasionally work in Vegas so it would be great if Tulsa got that same service. But it is nice to know that I can pickup a flight from OKC.

Tulsa does have non-stop service to Vegas. Southwest has daily non-stop service to Vegas and Champion (MLT) flies to Vegas four days a week.

Delta used to have Saturday non-stop service to Vegas, but I’m not sure if that flight still exists. But then, Delta may not be around all that long if they don’t stop losing money. I think USAir is about done for.

[Patrick]

Champion also offers service from OKC to Vegas the same days this new airline will. And yeah mranderson, Champion flies 727's to Cancun. Campion in Tulsa also flies to Vegas the same days as here.

By the way, Southwest still has direct flights to Las Vegas from OKC, but they stop in either Phoenix or KC first, depending on the flight. Actually I believe Tulsa does have one non-stop daily flight that leaves at 7:20 AM, but the rest stop in Phoenix or KC.


Also, Champion in OKC and Tulsa fly to Oahu, Hawaii once a week (Thursdays). Anyways, those flights stop in Vegas. Then you have to switch planes and fly Omni Air International from Vegas to Oahu.

And the OKC flight to Cancun is non-stop but only flies in the summer months: May-August.

So to sum it up.......

OKC: Champion: Sevice to Las Vegas, Cancun, and Oahu
SW: Direct flights to Vegas, but they stop in PHX or KC

Tulsa: Champon: Service to Las Vegas and Oahu
SW: One daily non-stop flight to Vegas, the rest are the same as OKC.

[BG918]

For the Cancun flight, where do you do customs at the OKC airport?

[Patrick]

We actually have an international customs office there near the airport.....they have their own building and everything. I'm not sure if they come over to the airport to deal with the customs issue, or whether they cart you over to the customs office. I'm guessing the former.

[mranderson]

Technically, the Cancun flight is not non stop. Will Rogers has no customs office (just the customs slammer on Meridian).

The passangers are in the legal custody of the INS (now known as the Department of Imigration and Customs). The flight lands in Dallas where the passangers are either taken in a group to a staging area where the customs officers process them, or the processing is done on the plane.

This was told by a very UNreliable source... Jerry Foshee. Fact or fiction. I do not know, however, it is all I have been told.

[Patrick]

Karen Carney told me it was non-stop to OKC and that the customs people from over at the "customs slammer" come over to the airport and take care of the work before the travelers are allowed to leave the airport.

[HOT ROD]

So OKC does have Non-Stop International service! Even though it is in the summer, who cares. Its a start!

And yes, OKC is a customs rights airport. (which is why I always thought we had international flights).

[Patrick]

Actually, we used to have flights to Frankfort, Germany once a month back in the day. American offered them on DC-10's, but they did stop in Dallas also. Obviously, those are now history.