Midwest Airlines to OKC?

[chrisok]

I spoke with a friend of mine today and he mentioned that Midwest Airlines is looking to add OKC to its route structure. He didn't know for sure if the initial flights would be to Milwaukee, Kansas City, or both. He leaned towards Milwaukee, which I think would make sense since Southwest already flies to Kansas City. If it happens, look for it sometime in the 2nd or 3rd quarter. Midwest is currently fending off a hostile takeover from Air Tran, so you never know how that will go....

[jbrown84]

This would be nice, since my aunt lives in Milwaukee.

[venture]

The plan I think is 8 new cities this year with them bringing the CRJs into the mix now. Midwest would be a great addition with their more upscale service, fresh baked cookies, and just all around better service. It would blow anything else in OKC away.

[bombermwc]

I'm all for more direct flights to places. I just wish we could support some larger aircraft. Those CRJ's are just so crammped.

Or at least get some that the seat padding isn't completely squished down to a hard seat fram like on United...ARGHHGH!!!

[mranderson]

I'm all for more direct flights to places. I just wish we could support some larger aircraft. Those CRJ's are just so crammped.

Or at least get some that the seat padding isn't completely squished down to a hard seat fram like on United...ARGHHGH!!!

We have direct flights to a lot of places. What we need is more non stop flights. There is a difference betwen them (direct and non stop). Also. We CAN support larger aircraft. Plus Oklahoma City had nothing but DC9, 727, 737 and DC10 for years.

[Karried]

I flew in yesterday from New Orleans ( a total trip that should have been about 3.5 hours) .... we flew on a puddle jumper.. a joke of a plane.

We arrived in OKC and had to fly around for about 30 min and then the pilot tells us the weather was too bad, fog too heavy and we were running out of fuel ( things you don't want to hear on a plane from a pilot - ever!)

Anyway, he tells us he is going to Dallas to refuel.. okay, an extra hour flight won't kill us, better to be safe than sorry right?

We get to Dallas and are sitting on the tarmac waiting to refuel.. announcement from the pilot of Northwest Airlines
(aka Neveragain Airlines) ... OKC is not going to clear up so we have rented you a bus to get from Dallas to OKC Airport. A bus.

So, five hours later we finally arrive to OKC... we all determined, while we were waiting for our 'bus' watching all the other airlines still being able to fly into OKC with no problem, that Northwest figured out it would just be easier to bus us and much cheaper instead of flying us back to OKC. They tell us, it's all weather related so no vouchers, no meals, no hotels, nothing.. and maybe you can rebook for tomorrow or the next day.. so we hopped on a crappy bus.

I can't wait for direct flights.. if it had been a larger plane, we could have waited for the storm to lift and not worried about running out of fuel.. I'm just wondering why they even left Memphis in the first place instead of delaying and waiting for it to clear.. all kinds of other flights landed in the meantime while we were on the bus.

Plus, they were really snotty to the other passengers who 'dared' question anything.. really rude - horrible customer service. I travel frequently so I know how it goes, it's out of their control too and you just have to roll with it, but still - a little kindness goes a long way ... 15 hours of travelling was a little much when it should have been a 2- 3 hour flight non-stop if we had direct service. Oh well, we're home but I'm a little peeved at Northwest ..

[mranderson]

"I can't wait for direct flights.."

Funny how some people do not read other posts. We HAVE direct flights now. Again people, THERE IS A DIFFERECE BETWEEN NON STOP AND DIRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jbrown84]

Who cares? You know exactly what they meant. "Direct" to me seems like Point A to Point B with no stops in between. I don't know why it would mean anything else.

[Easy180]

Know this hasn't been discussed much on here, but I wish OKC would get more direct flights

Anyways I usually drive down to Dallas to catch a non stop if at all possible...Can't stand connecting flights or flying in puddle jumpers karried...Those tiny things make this dude whimper like a little puppy

[SpectralMourning]

Know this hasn't been discussed much on here, but I wish OKC would get more direct flights

Hahaha
Why hasn't anyone thought of that before?!

[mranderson]

Who cares? You know exactly what they meant. "Direct" to me seems like Point A to Point B with no stops in between. I don't know why it would mean anything else.

You have defined non stop. Direct means, for example (and not I said FOR EXAMPLE) Oklahoma City to Seattle with a stop and no change of plane in Denver.

[jbrown84]

I know what it means. I was just explaining why it's easily interchangeable.

[scotplum]

Know this hasn't been discussed much on here, but I wish OKC would get more direct flights

Perhaps we could permanently get some professional sports teams in OKC too?

[SpectralMourning]

We need a place to toss these ideas around. Perhaps a forum is in order...

[jbrown84]

Perhaps we could permanently get some professional sports teams in OKC too?

Totally! We will lose our only professional team when the Hornets go back to NO.

[Karried]

"I can't wait for direct flights.."

Funny how some people do not read other posts. We HAVE direct flights now. Again people, THERE IS A DIFFERECE BETWEEN NON STOP AND DIRECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, believe it or not, being a moderator and all .. I do read the posts. Most posts.. sometimes I skim when I don't think it's all that relevant like the difference between direct and non-stop.

You know what I meant..




How I yearn for the days when I can take a direct flights from OKC reading posts on an OKC city forum on my laptop, while on my way to see a professional team play (since we have none here) !

I'm such a naysayer! tee hee....

[jbrown84]

Karrie, you are taking "naysayer" out of context. If you had grown up with a Webster's Dictionary Writer, you would know that.

[Karried]

Karrie, you are taking "naysayer" out of context

You forgot the all caps and extra exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!! lol. Okay better play nice!

[venture]

Karried,

Just a couple things...what you went through all comes down to a couple things and is not restricted to regional jets or other small aircraft. If the aircraft is not equiped with certain ILS equipment and the crew is not trained (or comfortable) in such conditions...you are going to land somewhere else.

A few years ago Chicago got screwed up with fog. The airports were accepting only about 20 flights an hour and filled airports 200-300 miles away up with diverted aircraft. Airports like Detroit, Fort Wayne, Lansing, etc all had aircraft they normally never see. Toledo, just south of Detroit, even had a 757 of ATA diverted there that was coming in from Washington to Midway - from a picture i saw.

I don't understand why people immediately call these small jets puddle jumpers...here I thought that belonged to those small 19 seat turboprop aircraft. These jets are used on flights up to 4 hours...so not really puddle jumpers.

Anyways...back to your situation. Not sure exactly why Pinnacle would choose to divert to Dallas. More than like that is where they could position the plane back into rotation. Personally I would think Tulsa or Lawton would be a better alternate...of course Lawton would be least likely as only American Eagle operates there and that would increase the cost of diverting to a station that you don't have any operations.

[HOT ROD]

I flew in yesterday from New Orleans ( a total trip that should have been about 3.5 hours) .... we flew on a puddle jumper.. a joke of a plane.

We arrived in OKC and had to fly around for about 30 min and then the pilot tells us the weather was too bad, fog too heavy and we were running out of fuel ( things you don't want to hear on a plane from a pilot - ever!)

Anyway, he tells us he is going to Dallas to refuel.. okay, an extra hour flight won't kill us, better to be safe than sorry right?

We get to Dallas and are sitting on the tarmac waiting to refuel.. announcement from the pilot of Northwest Airlines
(aka Neveragain Airlines) ... OKC is not going to clear up so we have rented you a bus to get from Dallas to OKC Airport. A bus.

So, five hours later we finally arrive to OKC... we all determined, while we were waiting for our 'bus' watching all the other airlines still being able to fly into OKC with no problem, that Northwest figured out it would just be easier to bus us and much cheaper instead of flying us back to OKC. They tell us, it's all weather related so no vouchers, no meals, no hotels, nothing.. and maybe you can rebook for tomorrow or the next day.. so we hopped on a crappy bus.

I can't wait for direct flights.. if it had been a larger plane, we could have waited for the storm to lift and not worried about running out of fuel.. I'm just wondering why they even left Memphis in the first place instead of delaying and waiting for it to clear.. all kinds of other flights landed in the meantime while we were on the bus.

Plus, they were really snotty to the other passengers who 'dared' question anything.. really rude - horrible customer service. I travel frequently so I know how it goes, it's out of their control too and you just have to roll with it, but still - a little kindness goes a long way ... 15 hours of travelling was a little much when it should have been a 2- 3 hour flight non-stop if we had direct service. Oh well, we're home but I'm a little peeved at Northwest ..

Karried, while I am sorry to hear about your travels and also upset with Northworst's lackluster service; I have to say I was laughing heavily at your story.

Quite amuzing from my end yet as your friend and fellow forumer - I know at the time laughter was the last thing on your mind.

At minimum, you should have been compensated for your troubles with a voucher. No where on your ticket did it say you would arrive from MEM to OKC-Will Rogers World Airport via bus.

Maybe someone in city hall/chamber/airport distrust needs to hear your story of the "fine" air service Northwest is providing Oklahoma City. Along with Northwest's corporate offices. lol

[venture]

The situation sucks, but the biggest out in any Contract of Carriage is weather. Acts of God and such is a free pass card for the airline to do what *it* feels is right. Busing happens all the time. I've seen numerous stories of it taking place out to Chicago and Atlanta to cities a couple hundred miles away.

[Karried]

Karried, while I am sorry to hear about your travels and also upset with Northworst's lackluster service; I have to say I was laughing heavily at your story.

tee, hee... Hot Rod....

Well, I'm glad someone was laughing! I figure I could react two ways..

1) Get all pissy and end a fabulous New Orlean's trip with a bad attitude

2) Eat a burger and get on the bus and fall asleep... and laugh about it all

I chose the latter.. life's too short!

[Easy180]

karried...Where did you stay and eat while in Nawlins?...I'm headed there again in a couple of weeks

[Karried]

Easy180, PM me and I'll give you myspace addy & where I have all my pics.. and details..

We stayed in the French Quarter ( felt pretty safe), lived on Bourbon Street at night ha,ha.. got 4 pounds of beads, no- I didn't flash!, we followed a band (friends around - larapriceband.. the best blues band ever! the guitar player would blow your mind.. she's only 24 and is awesome and the lead singer - omg.. ) sorry..off topic!

PM me... we had a blast!

[OUman]

If the airlines compensated every passenger for weather delays, there would be only two-three airlines in service in the U.S. right now, and none would be a major (except for WN). Each business gets some leeway, in the airlines' case, it's weather. And it's inconvenient, I've had my fair share of weather delays while flying, but you have to be patient. Busing happens all the time, a third of the pax delayed by the Denver snowstorms last month were bussed out. Although yesterday, there was really nothing going on here weather-wise so I'm not sure why they mentioned weather as the cause.

I'd be really surprised if flights were n/'s between OKC and MKE, I'd expect something along the lines of direct service between OKC and MKE, with a stop at MCI. Also, remember that WN pulled out two flights between OKC and MCI, and that MCI is a connecting hub for Midwest and Midwest Connect, although MKE's is where its largest operation is. Pax traffic between OKC and MKE isn't that great to support daily nonstop service.