Will Rogers losing flights

[Jesseda]

I work for parking at the airport and from what I have been told, Will rogers will be losing a lot of flight very soon.. champion flights will be no more starting june 1st, also us airways will be leaving the oklahoma city will rogers airport, and recently united will be eleimating most of the flights out and to oklahoma city, now i hear today that express jet will be no longer in oklahoma city the last flights from express jets out and to oklahoma city will be at the end of november this year. So far a total of almost 20 percent of all daily flights will be elimated by years end. Is this a bad sign of things to come or what. hopefully I have been given wrong information but it is the talk amongst employees out here at the airport

[OU Adonis]

I wonder why we are losing so many flights if that is the case?

[sgt. pepper]

How can this be if OKC is in such a huge up swing?

[Jesseda]

I do not know, I thought we where doing good since parking is always seems to be full and that we are building a new parking gargage that should be done fall of 2009, and the new bridges and roads they are building to makethe flow of traffic better. Today I was told the express jet will be stopping service, this is bad news because most of my family who flies here are from california and they love the non stop flights from san diego and from sacramento, I know that the planes are only half full now, my niece flew to and from just this past week and she said there was a lot of empty seats...

[OKCMallen]

Our upswing doesn't make airplane fuel cheaper.

[metro]

How can this be if OKC is in such a huge up swing?

because the industry overall is in serious trouble. OKC is not a large market compared to other markets. I imagine you'll see routes cut nationwide, OKC not being a huge tourism or business destination, can unfortunately afford to lose a few flights despite record attendance. That's just my guess though...

[OKCTalker]

A decrease in supply doesn't mean a decrease in demand, although regrettably, it probably means an increase in fares.

[jbrown84]

ExpressJet we knew of, but I haven't heard a thing about all those others.

[OKCMallen]

A decrease in supply doesn't mean a decrease in demand, although regrettably, it probably means an increase in fares.

It does mean cutting less profitable routes so maybe they can keep fares more attractive and not completely alienate every customer due to air increases. It's much more complex than what you're indicating.

[Ash_Fox]

I hope it all works out. My family flies all the time, my father a lot for work, and seeing those airlines/flights leave is slightly depressing.

[soonerguru]

That would be a huge bummer if we were to lose the United service.

[venture]

Champion closed down today after losing most of their charter contracts. Allegiant Air has been hired to replace them for MLT Worry Free.

ExpressJet is ending branded service in the next couple of months. Fuel costs are too high for them to make money. ExpressJet will continue to operate as a Continental Express and Delta Connection carrier and operate to OKC from Salt Lake, Newark, Houston, and Cleveland.

So far nothing specific out of American or United with their cutbacks. I wouldn't be shocked to see how lose a couple flights on American.

Needless to say...people aren't willing to pay higher fares that cover fuel costs, so airlines have to cut service to focus on only the high yeild passengers. So if you want cheap fares...kiss em good bye.

[jbrown84]

Venture, do you think United and US Airways could really be pulling out of OKC completely?

[chrisok]

I don't believe United would pull out of OKC. United does pretty well here. The Denver flights have been hurt a bit, but last I heard LAX and IAD are doing as well as was expected. Maybe we might lose some mainliner service on the Denver routes, but I can't see them leaving.

US Airways is another story. They've never really caught on here. About the time America West started up here, the merger with US Airways took place. Since then, that airline has been in disarray. Southwest really hurts them here as well. SW basically killed off the Vegas route (along with Allegiant). Plus they're in direct competition on the Phoenix flights. In my opinion, US Airways would be better served here if they flew east rather than west. I think there is still room for growth to the east coast.

I think things are going alright in OKC, considering the problems with the commercial air industry. Continental's Cleveland flights are finally beginning to catch on here. Although they haven't added any flights, Northwest has slightly increased capacity here by rotating in some Embraer 175 and (currently) a DC-9.
Despite their financial troubles, Frontier is doing three mainliners a day. Not bad considering they've decided to pull the plug completely on Tulsa.

I agreee with Venture, that American may do some cutting back here. Either with flights or capacity.

[solitude]

Champion will be missed. They offered great package deals to Vegas and Cancun.

I think much of what is happening is due to fuel costs. This is just killing the economy in so many ways.

Gas, by the way, was $1.46 when George W. Bush took office. Just sayin'.

[chrisok]

Champion will be missed. They offered great package deals to Vegas and Cancun.

I think much of what is happening is due to fuel costs. This is just killing the economy in so many ways.

Gas, by the way, was $1.46 when George W. Bush took office. Just sayin'.

While I will miss Champion's 727's (great planes in their time), the great package deals are still available on MLT. Allegiant will be doing the flying now.

Gas was around $2.35 when the Democrats took control of Congress.

[venture]

United will not be going anywhere.

US Airways...their schedule seems to be ok for now. I agree that they would be better off having service to Charlotte than Phoenix...but they aren't growing any out there until 2009 at the earliest.

[PennyQuilts]

Gas, by the way, was $1.46 when George W. Bush took office. Just sayin'.

Pretty much all Bush haters EVER say which is why you can't take them seriously. Just sayin'.

[venture]

United is cutting one of the daily LAX flights, they will only have one a day now. So a huge hit from OKC to Southern California.

[soonerguru]

Pretty much all Bush haters EVER say which is why you can't take them seriously. Just sayin'.

Oh dear God. Please don't tell me you believe Bush has exerted a pinkie finger's worth of leadership to deliver this country a sane energy policy. And don't tell me his buddies in the oil patch are not at the top of his Rolodex (Blackberry?). Oh Jesus. Of course we know Bush doesn't set the oil prices. We DO know, however, that he and his pals are making off quite well during this particular hardship for the rest of us, that Iraq is a factor in oil prices, and that we are totally beholden to his family's best friends in Saudi Arabia. You GOP apologists seem to enjoy characterizing any Bush critique as simplistic and devoid of merit. How eight years of unmitigated disappointment and failure hasn't caused you to second guess him is beyond me.

[Superhyper]

Well at least we might have expanding rail service....maybe.....someday. Not as convenient, but at least i've never been told they've oversold my train and i'll have to wait until 6am(at 2pm).

[Jesseda]

What is really sad is all those direct flights they where so great to make it from okc to san diego or sacramento in less that 3 hrs

[SoonerDave]

Oh dear God. Please don't tell me you believe Bush has exerted a pinkie finger's worth of leadership to deliver this country a sane energy policy.

No more or less than any other president in my lifetime...

We now return you to your regularly scheduled airline thread.

[sgt. pepper]

Gas, by the way, was $1.46 when George W. Bush took office. Just sayin'.

Oh dear God. Please don't tell me you believe Bush has exerted a pinkie finger's worth of leadership to deliver this country a sane energy policy. And don't tell me his buddies in the oil patch are not at the top of his Rolodex (Blackberry?). Oh Jesus. Of course we know Bush doesn't set the oil prices. We DO know, however, that he and his pals are making off quite well during this particular hardship for the rest of us, that Iraq is a factor in oil prices, and that we are totally beholden to his family's best friends in Saudi Arabia. You GOP apologists seem to enjoy characterizing any Bush critique as simplistic and devoid of merit. How eight years of unmitigated disappointment and failure hasn't caused you to second guess him is beyond me.

Keep all the *^&%#* Bush bashing in the poliltical forum PPLLEEAASSEE!!!
I get enough of that and all the obama the messiah praising bull crap in there!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled airline thread.

Oh dear God please.

[Luke]

While I will miss Champion's 727's (great planes in their time), the great package deals are still available on MLT. Allegiant will be doing the flying now.

Is there a press release or anything you can link me for this info? Allegiant specializes in Las Vegas and Orlando vacations. MLT didn't have Orlando with Champion. Will OKC perhaps get a OKC-Orlando nonstop with Allegiant flying?

Thanks for any info.