SAN ANTONIO | City and Metro Transportation Thread

[adtobias]

I am in the airline industry and two reason SAT is not growing. One: b high ticket prices and Two: lack of direct flights.

[Schertz1]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

So, if all of those people flew out of SAT in 2014 instead of AUS, it would only increase SAT's passenger traffic by about 3.5% (~8.4 million to ~8.7 million PAX). Yes, ticket prices are an challenge, but, it should not be the sole focus as it is not the only problem with SAT.

Many of the problems/issues have been identified. Both terminals are basically new and a new parking structure and car rental facility is under construction. The airport's customer satisfaction rating is high among midsize airports. So we are aware of the PROBLEMS at SAT and ticket price, certainly if it causes 400K a year to not fly, is the major issue. Nonstop flights is a close second.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Schertz1

Many of the problems/issues have been identified. Both terminals are basically new and a new parking structure and car rental facility is under construction. The airport's customer satisfaction rating is high among midsize airports. So we are aware of the PROBLEMS at SAT and ticket price, certainly if it causes 400K a year to not fly, is the major issue. Nonstop flights is a close second.

More flight options = lower ticket prices (for the most part). However, SAT will not gain more flight options without more demand. It's a catch-22. And regarding demand, the economic environment of SA is obviously different than that of Austin. Austin's, at this stage, is just more conducive to air travel.

Also, what about operational costs at SAT (i.e., landing fees, gate fees, apron fees, RON fees, fuel surcharges, city taxes, etc.)? How do they compare to competing airports? It is my assumption that they are higher. Obviously, airlines are just going to roll that cost on down to the passenger, making it more costly to travel in and out of SAT - even with more flight options.

[Schertz1]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

More flight options = lower ticket prices (for the most part). However, SAT will not gain more flight options without more demand. It's a catch-22. And regarding demand, the economic environment of SA is obviously different than that of Austin. Austin's, at this stage, is just more conducive to air travel.

Also, what about operational costs at SAT (i.e., landing fees, gate fees, apron fees, RON fees, fuel surcharges, city taxes, etc.)? How do they compare to competing airports? It is my assumption that they are higher. Obviously, airlines are just going to roll that cost on down to the passenger, making it more costly to travel in and out of SAT - even with more flight options.

More flights does not mean lower ticket prices and the demand is here. Some of the demand is going elsewhere. Please do not tell me the minor difference in passenger travel between ABIA and SAT should somehow be construed as overwhelming demand. We have already verified over 300K- on the low side - are from San Antonio. This effectively brings the airports 600K closer in terms of passengers. As stated in the article, operating cost are being addressed and they have a great deal more to do with ticket price than demand. If it were not so airports with far less traffic would not have lower fares than SAT. Again SAT suffers from poor management, not lack of demand.

Economically Austin surpassed San Antonio after AT&T left. So, I really do not put much stock in the economic growth deal. If the Austin economy had suffered such a loss the city would still be pulling itself out of the hole. San Antonio is doing great considering the loss.

In a previous post I mentioned ABIA markets the entire Central Texas region. This includes all of northern suburban San Antonio, San Antonio, College Station, Killeen, Waco, and Temple. The airport website even states it is the airport of choice for Central Texas. San Antonio may not be able to counter the Centralplex, but they certainly should be able to maintain its own.

The focus here should be on SAT and making it better, getting the passengers back and growing the airport. Austin is not the issue. San Antonio is dynamic and larger enough to do much better. The city just needs the correct people in place.

[ILUVSAT]

I'm not going to get in a cat fight with you. But, it is not as simple as you perceive it to be. You are very much correct on some points and way off on several others. I cannot teach a blind man to see. And I apologize for that.

[Schertz1]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I'm not going to get in a cat fight with you. But, it is not as simple as you perceive it to be. You are very much correct on some points and way off on several others. I cannot teach a blind man to see. And I apologize for that.

You are also way off on several points and apparently quite childish.

[Fireoutofclay]

New leader put in charge of San Antonio airport
By Vianna Davila
San Antonio Express-News
August 26, 2015 | Updated: August 26, 2015 7:58pm

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...rt-6467408.php

Assistant City Manager Carlos Contreras has been temporarily assigned to be the “primary lead” of San Antonio’s aviation department, according to an internal memo City Manager Sheryl Sculley sent to her executive leadership team Tuesday. He will physically work on site at the airport while in that position.

[texboy]

Good. They're getting serious about the situation at SAT.

[urban_encounter]

Thought you guys would find this interesting.

Top ten destinations from SAT

Dallas/Fort Worth,TX
Atlanta, GA
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX (IAH)
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX


Some other interesting facts

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airport...&carrier=FACTS

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by urban_encounter

Thought you guys would find this interesting.

Top ten destinations from SAT

Dallas/Fort Worth,TX
Atlanta, GA
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX (IAH)
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX


Some other interesting facts

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airport...&carrier=FACTS

All hubs.

[Fireoutofclay]

Lone Star Rail seeks funding from VIA
Rogelio Mares
KENS 5
1:28 a.m. CDT August 28, 2015
http://www.kens5.com/story/news/loca...-via/71292316/

VIA Metropolitan Transit said it's been fairly close to the Lone Star Rail project so far.

"Lone Star Rail has come forward and requested that we include in our FY16 budget about $500,000 to help support continued planning on their part of the system," said Jeffrey Arndt, VIA President and CEO.

The rail project is still in the developing stages, but as City Councilman Joe Krier said, San Antonio has much to gain from local support for the commuter rail line.

[texboy]

Originally Posted by urban_encounter

Thought you guys would find this interesting.

Top ten destinations from SAT

Dallas/Fort Worth,TX
Atlanta, GA
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX (IAH)
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Los Angeles, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX


Some other interesting facts

http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airport...&carrier=FACTS

Clearly all hubs. It'd be interesting to see what the actual final destinations are.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by texboy

Clearly all hubs. It'd be interesting to see what the actual final destinations are.

Well, Las Vegas is the least hub-ified of all of them, so that'd probably be on the list of final destinations as well.

The rest of them, though, are clearly hubs and whether they'd be on a list of top final destinations from SA is entirely unclear.

[kornbread]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Well, Las Vegas is the least hub-ified of all of them, so that'd probably be on the list of final destinations as well.

The rest of them, though, are clearly hubs and whether they'd be on a list of top final destinations from SA is entirely unclear.

I wouldn't be surprised if most would be high on the list of final destinations. Dallas and Houston for business. USAA has a huge presence in Phoenix. A lot of SA residents travel to Colorado and California. Atlanta is probably the one place that might not be a top final destination. But, certainly because they are hubs, it is unclear.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...#photo-8572914

"VIA Metropolitan Transit is planning to expand its Primo service by adding routes along Military Drive and Zarzamora Street.

The routes are expected to begin operating in 2018, when the construction of the Brooks Transit Center, a proposed project at Brooks City Base, might be complete."



(they labeled the West Side transit center in the wrong place, lol)

[jaga185]

Transportation the Talk of Austin-San Antonio Growth Summit

This year’s conversation was all about transportation alternatives, principally LSTAR but also a growing conversation about long-term planning for a regional airport to serve a metro area of more than 6 million people by 2050 as two of the fastest growing major U.S. cities steadily grow closer.
...
“In order to benefit more from all this growth we are going to have to think regionally,” Mayor Taylor said, adding that the two cities are sharing their respective long-term comprehensive planning efforts, known as SA Tomorrow in San Antonio, and Imagine Austin in that city. “It’s no longer San Antonio versus Austin, but San Antonio and Austin.”

Very interesting seeing as how that's what he have been discussing here over the past few weeks. Murmurs of a regional airport are happening.

[kornbread]

Here is a link to SATs master plan going out to 2050.
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Aviation/A...asterPlan.aspx

The Executive Summary is an interesting read:
http://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/...%20Summary.pdf

[Rynetwo]

Year-to-date (Y-T-D) total passenger numbers (3,380,474) through May 2015 were up 2% compared to the
same five-month period in 2014. The Y-T-D domestic passenger count (3,182,524) increased 0.9% and
international passengers (197,950) increased 23.1%. For the month of May 2015, the total passenger count
(741,014) was up 2.6% compared to May 2014.

http://www.recenter.tamu.edu/mdata/p...e_AirCargo.pdf

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by jaga185

Transportation the Talk of Austin-San Antonio Growth Summit



Very interesting seeing as how that's what he have been discussing here over the past few weeks. Murmurs of a regional airport are happening.

All of the "murmurs" are from one side - San Antonio. Also, should the current growth rate remain relatively the same over the coming decades (estimated growth from 2010-2014), the Austin-San Antonio region may have roughly 8.2 million in it by July 2040 (~3.9 million in SA and ~4.3 million in Austin).

Austin and San Antonio are too far apart to make a "regional" airport viable. It is actually cost prohibitive. I also think Mayor Taylor's comment about creating a DFW-like airport for this region is laughable. DFW is what it is today because of its hub status. U.S. legacy airlines are not creating new hubs. In fact, they are moving away from that model as their customers are demanding more and more direct flights (see San Antonio's current concern). Furthermore, DFW is 17 miles from both downtown Dallas and Ft. Worth.

Austin tried to push for a regional airport in the 80's (an effort to bolster their economy, tourism, and passenger numbers via more direct flights)...San Antonio giggled and nothing happened. Today, about 30 years later, San Antonio is trying to push for a regional airport (in the same vain as Austin in the 80's) and now Austin isn't even giving the idea the time of day.

Just out of curiosity, who is building new, major "regional" airports anymore?

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Just out of curiosity, who is building new, major "regional" airports anymore?

Nobody anywhere.

And it isn't in either Austin or San Antonio's interest to do so now. Taylor is out of her depth.