AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Austin1971]

[q

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

2 domestic (PDX yearly and RDU) and 1 international (mexican carrier replacing Aeromar service to MMMX)

3 new routes isn't what I would call several so I take it the spokesperson overhyped the year ahead. Since you work at ABIA yourself you know the inner workings probably better than anyone. That would mean less new added routes this year than last even with the announcements for service starting this year.


This is just pure speculation on my part and I have no basis for my reasoning other than my observations over the last few years, but I would think that there will be some hiden surprises that are under wraps and would guess that about 6 added routes domestic or international could be announced. I'm also taking into account new carriers entering the market as that was also mentioned.

[Austin1971]

[q

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Recently an airport spokesperson mentioned that several announcements will be forthcoming now that new customs has opened indicating that we can expect more direct international routes.

Here's the link back to that article:

http://kxan.com/2014/12/15/new-custo...opens-at-abia/

Those who fly in and out of ABIA are looking forward to a spruced up airport including 10 additional security checkpoints, 900 more parking spaces and a new customs facility should move double the amount of people cleared from arriving international flights in an hour.

[SNIP]

ABIA’s Executive Director, Jim Smith says these changes are a long time coming and the goal is to get you on your plane faster. But that’s not all

“It also puts us in a position to get a lot of new airlines to get in here and over the coming year we plan to have a number of new announcements of additional carriers and routes,” Smith says.

I think most of the new service announced over the coming year will be domestic, not international, and the new service won't be a result of the new customs facility, but rather from the 10 new screening checkpoints. A new customs facility isn't getting anyone to their planes faster. (You don't even go through customs until after you've gotten off the plane.) But those 10 new screening checkpoints that are slated to open in May will get people to their planes faster.

Since that article came out, new service to Orange County, St. Louis and a resumption of service to Branson, MO have all been announced.

[wwmiv]

I wish there had been direct service to John Wayne when I had been flying there...

[Digatisdi]

Okay so here's the verdict on the current situation of the customs expansion: It's a mess.

They only have four automated passport kiosks and the vast majority of people coming are either citizens or ESTA and when my flight landed it was right after the flight from Cancún so it was two flights-worth of people, most of whom had no idea how to operate the automatic passport kiosks, trying to get through at the same time. There were maybe... Three customs officers on staff, and the queue for US passport holders was so small it turned into this bulbous mass, and then there was a malfunction with the conveyer and it took about a really long time for me to clear.

Also the doors to leave customs aren't automated so they had staff standing at the doors to open them for departing passengers.

It was a bizarre experience.

[Digatisdi]

Looks like November traffic at the airport was still up 5% even with F1 being in October

[Speculator]

Originally Posted by Digatisdi

Okay so here's the verdict on the current situation of the customs expansion: It's a mess.

They only have four automated passport kiosks and the vast majority of people coming are either citizens or ESTA and when my flight landed it was right after the flight from Cancún so it was two flights-worth of people, most of whom had no idea how to operate the automatic passport kiosks, trying to get through at the same time. There were maybe... Three customs officers on staff, and the queue for US passport holders was so small it turned into this bulbous mass, and then there was a malfunction with the conveyer and it took about a really long time for me to clear.

Also the doors to leave customs aren't automated so they had staff standing at the doors to open them for departing passengers.

It was a bizarre experience.

Growing pains. As a general rule, I give new facilities one month before venturing through them when I can.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by Digatisdi

Looks like November traffic at the airport was still up 5% even with F1 being in October

Does anyone know why the BA numbers went down so much in November? September and October were both over 10K, then Nov was 8.5K. Were some flights canceled?

[Digatisdi]

This is just a guess but based on the demographics of my flight from LHR I'd say about 80% were US citizens, and I'd be willing to bet that the thanksgiving holiday had an impact on it. I'd assume that international travel was a bit lower during the week of the holiday.

[GoldenBoot]

I would agree...

[DoubleC]

Alaskan Airlines is doubling its Austin-Seattle flight, one of which is a red-eye flight. I'd totally fly on that morning route to Seattle though.

ABIA doubles nonstop flights to Seattle

http://www.kvue.com/story/news/local...ttle/21749843/

[LoneStarMike]

Super low introductory fares mark a new way to Atlanta on Frontier

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Frontier Airlines announced Austin-Atlanta daily* nonstop service with super low cost introductory fares (see attachment from Frontier). Frontier will begin the new Austin-Atlanta nonstop on March 6, 2015.

Frontier’s new nonstop leaves Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) at 10:45 a.m. and arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) at 1:50 p.m. The flight departs Atlanta at 3:10 p.m. and arrives in Austin at 4:40 p.m. The flight is now available on http://www.flyfrontier.com.

* The service is actually daily except Saturday.

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Kinda funny about the timing, as soon as Aeromar leaves, Air Canada jumps right in.

I'm wondering if the timing had anything to do with the Austin-Toronto Music Alliance which formally launched last May.

This Alliance is the culmination of economic development and trade relations efforts that have been underway between the cities for the past year. The Alliance was a Council Resolution sponsored by Mayor Leffingwell and Council Member Martinez that was passed unanimously by City Council several months ago. The Advisory Board is scheduled to meet for their first Work Session in June.

"We had a great opportunity to visit with leaders from the City of Toronto last fall during the Austin City Limits festival to discuss how the music industry has shaped and benefited our communities,” said Council Member Mike Martinez. “I'm looking forward to working with the Music Alliance to strengthen this relationship and explore the opportunities ahead for these two creative and innovative cities."

The resolution states that the Alliance will work to “identify opportunities and concurrent activities that will jointly assist in growing the music industry market sector as well as create new relationships for ongoing information exchange, both government-to-government and industry-to-industry."

More from The Austin Business Journal:

Austin-Toronto alliance looks to tap music market four times Austin's size
May 12, 2014

[DoubleC]

I'm a little confused. The article mentioned flights to Dulles as well... Are those not happening?

[LoneStarMike]

^^The flights operate from Austin to Atlanta to Dulles and Dulles to Atlanta back to Austin. The Atlanta service is nonstop. The Dulles service is one-stop through Atlanta with no change of planes.

If you consider that Austin has a lot of small technology companies who might not have a big travel budget, the one-stop service to Dulles might be attractive to any of those small tech companies who do business with other companies located in the Dulles Technology Corridor

[jg6544]

Braniff was flying non-stop Dulles-Austin in the late 1960s. Used to call it the "LBJ Express".

[Jdawgboy]

I could be mistaken but Don't we have a direct flight to Dulles?

[waynechef]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I could be mistaken but Don't we have a direct flight to Dulles?

Yes, on United, I think 3 times daily.

[LoneStarMike]

Here's something cool I found on ABIA's Facebook page from October.

Putting the airport's growth into perspective, new data shows we are the fastest growing North American airport by seats in Sept. 2014. Seats meaning total number of departing airline seats each week. ABIA is the only North American Airport with double-digit percentage growth from September 2013 to 2014. This is attributed to new airlines coming to Austin, as well as those already flying here, increasing their number of flights and size of aircraft. That doesn't happen without you filling those seats. So, your airport is growing with you in more ways than one. Thanks for flying Austin!

Link