HOUSTON | Houston Airport System Developments

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Wanted to start a thread for developments at or involving the three airports under the administration of the HAS.

They are

-George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
-William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
-Ellington Airport (EFD)

Both of the major airports are seeing existing construction or plans to redevelop or expand terminals. Ellington Airport is also benefiting from the adjacent Spaceport developments and has had a new control tower completed in the past few years.

Developments at the Spaceport itself are covered in a separate thread.


https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...t-18208430.php

Houston mayor visits West Africa in hopes of establishing flight agreement

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other city leaders visited three African countries this week to discuss expansion opportunities, including a potential consulate office in the city.

By Kennedy Sessions
Updated July 19, 2023 11:55 a.m.

The Government of Nigeria and Houston officials are discussing creating a Bilateral Air Services Agreement for a potential direct flight from Houston to Nigeria in an effort to expand bilateral relations. Since Monday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has been on a trade mission visiting parts of West Africa, including Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana.

According to Albert Akota at People's Daily, the Permanent Secretary Dr. Emmanuel Meribole told Turner an agreement between the nations would launch after new Ministers were "appointed and deployed appropriately."

In addition to creating an agreement for a direct flight from Nigeria to Houston, Turner said he aims to create consulate offices in each of the three countries, noting specifically Houston has one of the largest Nigerian populations in the U.S.

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https://www.airportsinternational.co...wins-dot-award

Houston anti-trafficking work wins DOT award

By Tara Craig
4th August 2023

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has recognised Houston Airports for its Together We Will #EndHumanTrafficking initiative.

The initiative, which earned the second place US Department of Transportation 2023 Combatting Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award, is a comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking. The counter-trafficking proposal submitted by Houston Airports to the DOT includes expanding community awareness ahead of major travel periods and holidays, developing employee training to include human trafficking survivor voices, and providing donated financial support to local advocacy groups.

“Transportation workers and the travelling public have a key role to play in the fight against human trafficking – which is why it’s so important for everyone to recognise the signs and be prepared to report it,” said US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

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https://www.click2houston.com/news/l...-bush-airport/

New vehicle traffic control system using cameras, technology and manpower to keep vehicle traffic moving at Bush Airport

Published: August 2, 2023 at 7:06 PM

HOUSTON – Every day hundreds and thousands of people drive and travel through the Houston airports.

As we continue into the summer months, officials are anticipating even more vehicles will be helping travelers with dropoffs and pick-ups.

Luckily, Bush Intercontinental Airport has a Traffic Management Control Center to help ease the tension. It’s not for airplane traffic, but vehicle traffic.

The busiest time of the day for employee conduction traffic is between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, KPRC 2 went behind the scenes to see how the control center works.

“I love helping people,” one employee Selso Delgado said. “We like to help people.”

Delgado has been working at the airport for about four years and knows all things related to traffic. Delgado is part of the Traffic Management Control Center that oversees vehicle traffic at the airport using technology, cameras, and manpower.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=3#cxrecs_s

Airlines are seeing surging demand — but how do IAH's and Hobby's 2023 numbers compare to 2019?

By Ty West and Sofia Gonzalez – Houston Business Journal
Aug 16, 2023

Houston may be recovering well from the pandemic, but airport travel remains below pre-pandemic levels for both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), according to recent data from aviation company Cirium Inc.

What does airline travel at IAH and HOU look like in 2023 vs. pre-pandemic traffic?

The number of scheduled flights at IAH last month was down compared to July 2019, but the number of seats was up, according to Cirium data. July 2023 had 17,489 flights, down about 10.4% from 19,522 in July 2019. Meanwhile, there were nearly 2.45 million seats, an increase of 82,000, or 3.5%, compared to four years earlier.

Available seat miles at IAH also saw a 0.4% decrease, or about 12.9 million ASMs. July 2023 had about 3.39 billion ASMs, while July 2019 had more than 3.4 billion ASMs.

As for Hobby, flights, seats and ASMs all saw a decrease when comparing July 2023 to July 2019. Last month, the airport had 5,201 scheduled flights, down 8.1% from 5,661 in July 2019.

The number of seats at Hobby totaled 809,583 in July 2023, a decrease of almost 8,700 seats, or 1.1%, and ASMs decreased by 17.5 million, or 2.8%, to total more than 615.2 million In July 2023.

Despite traveling lagging pre-pandemic levels, the two airports have big projects in the works.

Those traveling on United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) in and out of IAH could soon see changes in Terminal B, thanks to a plan that aims to modernize and triple the capacity of the current facilities. Officials from the Chicago-based airline shared the current plans for the terminal’s redevelopment program during a May 31 meeting of Houston City Council's Economic Development Committee.

Much of IAH's current construction is related to expanding the airport’s international complex to accommodate operations for more than 15 foreign airlines as well as United’s international service. Major aspects of the $1.3 billion IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program include a refurbishment of Terminal D and the construction of a new D-West pier, as well as the construction of a new baggage screening facility.

Separately, the Houston Airports System is working to finalize its plans with Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) for a $450 million expansion at Hobby. The expansion will affect the west concourse — which Southwest opened in 2015 — the baggage claim area and the behind-the-scenes baggage system.

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Greater Houston Partnership hosting a State of the Airports event in October. Registration is now open. Usually a lot of good information at these events.

https://www.houston.org/events/state-airports-3

About this Event

Houston is a global city and its airports serve as a primary gateway to the South-Central region of the U.S. and Latin America. Houston Airports exists to connect the people, businesses, cultures and economies of the world to Houston.

Consistently ranked among the World's Top 100 airports, the Houston Airport System (HAS) is working to enhance the infrastructure and services provided to the millions of travelers and tons of cargo that pass through the region's two commercial airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport. The Houston Spaceport at Ellington Airport is the world’s first truly urban commercial spaceport, offering unhampered access to a thriving aerospace community and world-class facilities. Its three anchor tenants are directly supporting NASA’s latest lunar missions.

City of Houston Aviation Director, Mario Diaz, will deliver a dynamic presentation about how a thoughtful and deliberate strategy continues to guide Houston Airports toward long-term success as the airport system redefines the aviation and aerospace industries through a cultural, sustainable, and innovative revolution.

Registration and ticket information to come. For information on sponsorship, click here.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...t-traffic.html

Labor Day weekend to bring crowds to Houston airports, capping a record-setting summer

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 29, 2023

As Labor Day draws near, the city of Houston is prepared to welcome a record number of travelers for the summer.

According to the Houston Airport System, more than 830,000 passengers will be traveling through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), combined, between Aug. 31 and Sept. 4. Specifically, HOU is expected to welcome nearly 200,000 travelers, while IAH expects more than 636,000.

Of these numbers, domestic travelers represent nearly 80% of the total, while more than 20% are bound for international destinations, HAS said.

Houston's 2023 Labor Day travel projections are 3% higher than traffic seen during the same period in 2022 and 5% more when compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to HAS data. Sept. 1 is expected to be the busiest day of holiday travel at Houston’s airports.

Meanwhile, Chase Travel found Houston has seen an 82% year-over-year increase in Labor Day weekend bookings, crowning the Bayou City the No. 1 "rising Labor Day weekend destination" in the country.

Following behind Houston on the Chase Travel list are Spokane, Washington, at No. 2; Kansas City, Missouri, at No. 3; Anaheim, California, at No. 4; and Boise, Idaho, at No. 5. The only other Texas city on the list is San Antonio at No. 6.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=7#cxrecs_s

Houston OKs first funding installment for Southwest Airlines' $470M Hobby Airport expansion

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Aug 30, 2023

The city of Houston has allocated an additional $250 million for Southwest Airlines Co.'s (NYSE: LUV) planned expansion at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

The funding was unanimously approved during an Aug. 30 Houston City Council meeting. Overall, the expansion will affect the west concourse — which Southwest opened in 2015 — the baggage claim area and the behind-the-scenes baggage system. A driving factor for this expansion is an increase in demand for service from Hobby, Houston Airport System said.

The project previously was believed to cost at least $250 million. However, when the original budget was estimated for the seven-gate expansion, the airline didn’t include a significant expansion in outbound baggage capacity, Steve Sisneros, vice president of airport affairs for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, told the Houston Business Journal. Another element that drove the budget increase was material and cost escalation, he said.

According to the HAS, the money currently allocated is just the beginning. A supplemental appropriation request of $200 million will come before Houston City Council in about 12 to 15 months. Once all approved, the total funding will come to $470 million.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...epartures.html

IAH security wait times among longest for big airports; on-time rates close to average


By Brianna Kelly and Olivia Pulsinelli – Houston Business Journal
Sep 1, 2023

Attention, Labor Day travelers: Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has one of the longest average security wait times among the busiest airports in the U.S., according to a recent study by travel company PlanetWare.

With an average wait time of 17.1 minutes, IAH tied with Tampa International Airport in Florida for the No. 4 spot among busiest airports.

These are the top five busiest airports with the longest average wait times:

No. 1: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu) – average wait time of 20.5 minutes
No. 2: Chicago O'Hare International Airport – average wait time of 19.5 minutes
No. 3: Chicago Midway International Airport – average wait time of 18.4 minutes
No. 4 (tied): Tampa International Airport – average wait time of 17.1 minutes
No. 4 (tied): George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) – average wait time of 17.1 minutes

Here are the top five busiest airports with the shortest average wait times:

No. 1: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport – average wait time of 5.1 minutes
No. 2: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport – average wait time of 7.1 minutes
No. 3: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – average wait time of 7.8 minutes
No. 4: Philadelphia International Airport – average wait time of 9.2 minutes
No. 5: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – average wait time of 10 minutes

PlanetWare analyzed average wait times at more than 170 U.S. airports using data from iFly.com, which monitors flight volumes and when TSA is staffed at certain capacities to determine the estimated wait time by hour.

When considering all of the airports in the sample, including smaller airports with much shorter average wait times, IAH comes in at No. 19, while Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) takes the No. 33 spot with an average wait time of 13.6 minutes.

Overall, Texas ties with Oklahoma for No. 10 among states with the longest average wait times: 11.7 minutes. That's higher than the average of 10 minutes for all 171 airports analyzed.

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https://www.passengerterminaltoday.c...erminal-d.html

George Bush Airport upgrades Terminal D
By ELIZABETH BAKER
September 5, 2023

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston has begun installing modern seating – with bigger armrests and more cupholders and power outlets – inside Terminal D’s new International Central Processor.

There will also be modern upgrades like standing desks and family pod seating, and an extension with six wide-body gates that can also accommodate 10 narrow-body gates in Terminal D.

The steel framing for an oculus measuring 11.5 x 25.5m in the new International Central Processor is now in place. Once completed, the oculus will feature 61m of digital displays visible to passengers on two levels of the new building, which will house 66 check-in kiosks and 17 lanes for TSA security and baggage claim.

Each night, construction crews have five hours to tackle these projects safely and efficiently. The tight window of time measures the lull between the last flights of one day and the first flights of the next. “It’s a huge, complex operation,” explained Kelly Woodward, assistant director of operational readiness for Houston Airports. “You cannot do this during the day inside a very busy airport.”

The teams journey almost a kilometer with the new airport furniture, which must be screened and checked by security officers before moving through the airport’s existing international terminal, which is now under construction. New furniture comes in, old furniture gets carried out. “The tile has come in. The carpet has come in,” says Woodward. “We’re now in the furniture phase of redesigning all of our gate-hold areas. Every night for three weeks, we’ll be bringing in furniture and redesigning 12 gate-hold areas.”

Video from HAS
• Video Link

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=5#cxrecs_s

Viva Aerobus adds new flights from Houston's IAH to Mexico ahead of holiday season

Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will soon begin offering more flights to Mexico, thanks to Viva Aerobus.

The Mexican carrier will add year-round services to Queretaro, Mexico, as well as increase the number of flights on four existing routes. Viva Aerobus' expanded service will help continue to strengthen the ties between Houston and Mexico, Mario Diaz, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said in a recent statement.

The new nonstop flight to Queretaro, which begins on Dec. 2, will be offered four days per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Queretaro be the airline's fifth nonstop connection from IAH to Mexico.

Also starting in December, Viva Aerobus will increase the number of flights it offers from Houston to four of its popular destinations:

-IAH-Leon/Bajio will increase from four flights per week to five flights per week.

-IAH-Guadalajara will increase from four flights per week to daily service.

-IAH-Mexico City will increase from six flights per week to daily service. IAH is the only U.S. airport that has a direct flight to Mexico City's new Felipe Angeles International Airport, according to Houston Airports.

-IAH-Monterrey will increase from 13 flights per week to 19 flights per week.

“As a primary gateway to Latin America, it’s imperative that Houston Airports continue to support the strengthening of the economic ties between Houston and Mexico,” Željka Momirovic, director of the air service development for Houston Airports, said in a statement.

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https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/20...es-boeing-777/

Air New Zealand Leases Boeing 777 For Melbourne to Houston Flights via Auckland

The aircraft, formerly identified as B-KPJ with the MSN36157, has been registered in the New Zealand aircraft registry as ZK-OKU

BY BHAVYA VELANI
November 2, 2023

AUCKLAND- Air New Zealand (NZ), based in Auckland, has entered into an agreement with Air Lease Corporation to lease a Boeing 777-300ER for a three-year period.

The aircraft, which is 14.90 years old and was previously leased to Cathay Pacific (CX) based in Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), was transported to Auckland in mid-October. It is currently undergoing maintenance and is scheduled to commence service in mid-November.

Air New Zealand Leases Boeing 777
The aircraft, formerly identified as B-KPJ with the manufacturer serial number (MSN) 36157, has been registered in the New Zealand aircraft registry as ZK-OKU, reported Ch-aviation.

In September 2020, Cathay Pacific placed the aircraft into deep storage at Alice Springs, but it did not return to scheduled flights for the airline. Instead, it was returned to the lessor.

Air New Zealand’s CEO, Greg Foran, announced in September that the lease for the aircraft was imminent, though he did not disclose its source. ZK-OKU will help alleviate the carrier’s long-haul capacity shortage as it awaits the delivery of two Boeing 787-9s and six 787-10s.

Foran also stated that he is actively searching for a second 777-300ER to lease. Currently, Air New Zealand operates seven aircraft of this type.

The second 777 is sought to address capacity issues arising from certain Airbus Neo jets being taken out of service due to the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine recall.

Deployment on US and Australian Routes
ZK-OKU is scheduled to operate a route that runs three times a week from Melbourne Tullamarine to Auckland, then to Houston, back to Auckland, and finally returning to Melbourne. Additionally, it will operate several services to Sydney Kingsford Smith in the latter part of November.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

United Airlines pushes for new service from IAH to Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 9, 2023

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) could soon be welcoming more daily nonstop flights from Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport.

Chicago-based United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation on Nov. 9 to begin offering this route. If approved, United will become the first U.S.-based carrier to fly nonstop service between IAH and Haneda.

United currently offers nonstop flights from IAH to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. However, Haneda is Tokyo’s close-in airport, while Narita is more than twice as far from downtown Tokyo.

In February 2019, United tried to petition to the DOT to operate nonstop flights from Houston to the Haneda Airport. The airline at the time cited convenience for passengers. In a Nov. 9 release, United said it “has worked diligently to develop a Japanese network to promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service options for U.S. travelers.”

Currently, Houston has a nonstop flight to Haneda International Airport thanks to Japan-based All Nippon Airways. In November 2019, the airline announced it would move its Houston-Tokyo service from Narita International Airport to Haneda International Airport.

According to United, other cities that have flights to Haneda include New York/Newark with five; Los Angeles with seven; Chicago with three; Dallas-Fort Worth with two; and Washington, D.C., with two. United’s current service to Tokyo spans all of its seven U.S. hubs and includes multiple flights to each of Haneda and Narita airports, a release says.

If the DOT approves United's new application, nearly 64 communities across the South will have the opportunity to be connected to Haneda via IAH. According to United, this would represent roughly 575,000 annual Tokyo bookings, or 21% of all U.S. mainland’s Tokyo demand.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=6#cxrecs_s

Houston airports expecting 2.4M travelers for Thanksgiving, largest crowd on record

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 13, 2023

With the holiday season ramping up, Houston airports are expecting this year’s Thanksgiving crowd to be the largest on record.

According to the Houston Airports System, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) are expected to welcome a combined 2.4 million travelers during the busiest travel season of the year, which HAS defines as the 13-day period from Nov. 16 to Nov. 28.

This year’s combined number of expected travelers is a 6% increase from the same travel period in 2019 and an 11% increase from 2022. Separately, IAH expects more than 1.8 million travelers, while HOU expects 540,000 travelers.

Those traveling through Houston airports can expect the busiest days for travel to be Nov. 17 and Nov. 26. On these days, more than 200,000 people are expected to travel. Meanwhile, for anyone who hasn’t yet planned a trip but wants to, the slowest air travel days are expected to be Nov. 23, with an expected 125,000 travelers, and Nov. 28, with 165,000 travelers.

Chicago-based United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) also expects its busiest-ever Thanksgiving holiday travel season this year. More than 5.9 million people will fly United this Thanksgiving travel season, which the airline defines as Nov. 17 to 29. That's an increase of almost 5% compared to 2019 and 13% compared to last year.

The carrier will fly more than 3,900 flights per day on average, equal to about three flights taking off per minute. United has added more than 550,000 seats to meet the greater demand.

Those traveling are being asked to plan ahead, especially for those flying in and out of IAH due to ongoing construction of the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program — the largest capital improvement project in Houston airport history.

With the international terminal under construction, multi-ton pieces of steel trusses will be delivered during the day by semi-trucks in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, HAS noted.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

City approves agreement with United Airlines for nearly $2.6B plan at IAH, funding still pending

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 15, 2023

Houston City Council is moving forward with plans for Chicago-based United Airlines' Terminal B redevelopment project — which is expected to cost $2.6 billion — at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

During a Nov. 15 meeting, a memorandum of agreement was approved between the city and airline. In the meeting, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the item is simply a resolution for the city to be collaborative; there was no money on the item. Another agenda item is still in the works for the appropriation of funds and is expected later this month.

A week earlier, the original agenda item for the approval and authorization of a memorandum of agreement between the city and United (Nasdaq: UAL), as well as an appropriation of $150 million for the project, was withheld by City Controller Chris Brown.

In a previous emailed statement, Brown said he declined the item “in the interest of protecting taxpayer funds,” citing a similar situation that occurred with the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program.

“While future requests for financing will need to be approved by my office, this morning’s Council action provides an opportunity to work with the administration and the Houston Airport System to increase the due diligence around the agreement, including updating the feasibility study,” Brown said in a statement emailed Nov. 15. “I look forward to working with the Houston Airport System, the administration and United to resolve the concerns I’ve outlined since the agreement’s inception.”

A Nov. 15 joint release from United and HAS says the city portion of the money for the project will be provided by the HAS enterprise fund and is consistent with federal law as an “appropriate use of airport revenues.” United said it will be responsible for $1.9 billion of the costs, while the city expects to fund $624 million in “enabling projects.” Turner said the request for appropriation of the funds will be done in several segments.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...t-flights.html

United to add flights between IAH in Houston and Mexico's future Tulum airport

By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Nov 20, 2023

Houston is one of the first U.S. cities getting flights to a new airport in Tulum, Mexico.

United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) plans to offer nonstop flights to the soon-to-open Tulum International Airport (TQO) from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) as well as Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in the New York area. The 22 weekly flights are expected to start March 31, 2024, pending government approval. Additionally, United plans to add daily seasonal service from Los Angeles on May 23.

Flights became available for sale on Nov. 18.

"Mexico continues to be a leading leisure destination and Tulum has quickly emerged as one of Mexico's most popular destinations for American travelers," United said in its Nov. 17 announcement.

Tulum International Airport — officially known as Aeropuerto Internacional de Tulum or Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport — is under construction about 90 miles south of Cancun and is slated to open Dec. 1, according to the airport's website. It is expected to process more than 5 million passengers annually, making it the second-busiest airport on the Yucatán peninsula. It will have an on-site military air base to increase airspace security and a train station.

United says it will be the largest airline flying between the U.S. and the Riviera Maya region of Mexico this winter. During the seasonal peak, United will have more than 200 weekly flights from eight U.S. cities to Cancun, including from Houston. The airline also will continue to fly between Cozumel and Houston, Chicago and Denver, operating up to 11 weekly flights this winter.

Overall, the Chicago-based airline is growing its Latin America and Caribbean by 25% this winter. Some additional enhancements in the company's local winter schedule include:

-Three daily flights between Houston and San Jose, Costa Rica, and San Salvador, El Salvador.
-Two daily flights between Houston and Belize City, Belize.
-Three daily flights between Houston and Leon/Guanajuato, Mexico.
-Ten weekly flights between Houston and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=5#cxrecs_s

Houston's IAH, Hobby Airport rank among top 10 on WSJ's 2023 U.S. Airport Rankings

By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Nov 22, 2023

If you're flying into or out of Houston's airports this busy holiday travel season, there is good news. The Wall Street Journal ranked both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) among the best nationwide.

The WSJ's 2023 U.S. Airport Rankings scored the 50 busiest airports in the country, split into 20 large and 30 midsize airports. IAH ranked No. 7 overall in the large category, and Hobby took the No. 5 spot in the midsize category.

To compile the ranking, the airports were scored on 30 measures divided into two main categories: reliability as well as value and convenience. Houston's airports landed among the top in several of these measures as well.

IAH ranked in the top 10 for seven of the 10 reliability measures. That includes ranking No. 1 in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics security delay category, No. 5 in the fast security clearance category, No. 7 for both flight cancellations and average arrival delays, No. 8 for on-time arrival, and Nos. 9 and 10 for average taxi-out and -in times, respectively. IAH's worst ranking in the reliability category was for average departure delays, coming in at No. 17 out of 20 airports. The airport ranked No. 14 in the baggage claim rating and No. 11 in on-time departures.

Out of 17 measures in the value and convenience category, IAH claimed top-10 rankings in nine areas. That includes ranking No. 1 for its on-site parking rating; No. 2 in child facilities; No. 8 for nonstop destinations as well as lounge and gate seat ratings; No. 9 for ratings of bathrooms, restaurants/bars and shopping; and No. 10 for the cost of UberX to the center of the city. However, IAH also came in last at No. 20 for its taxi/ride-share rating.

With more competition among the midsize airports, Hobby only claimed top-10 spots in four of the 10 reliability measures. It ranked No. 1 for both fast security clearance and average taxi-out time as well as No. 3 for both its baggage claim rating and average departure delays. At the other end of the spectrum, Hobby ranked No. 28 out of 30 airports in the BTS security delay measure and No. 27 for on-time departures.

In the value and convenience category, however, Hobby took top-10 spots in 13 out of 17 measures. Those rankings were:

No. 1: taxi/ride-share rating
No. 2: lounges rating; restaurants/bars rating; child facilities ratings; shopping rating
No. 3: water-filling stations rating; UberX to city center
No. 4: on-site parking rating
No. 5: Wi-Fi/outlets rating
No. 6: Airport layout rating; bathroom rating; gate seats rating
No. 7: average domestic fare
No. 9: staff/announcements rating
No. 10: nonstop destinations

Among Texas cities, Houston ranks far ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin but behind San Antonio.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2023/11/30/united-airlines-redevelopment-groundbreaking.html

United Airlines breaks ground on $2.6B Terminal B redevelopment project at IAH, other new developments

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 30, 2023
Updated Nov 30, 2023 5:25pm CST

United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) has officially broken ground on the $2.6 billion redevelopment of Terminal B at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

During the Nov. 30 groundbreaking event, the airline shared more details about the expansion — which is currently awaiting final approval for the city's portion of funding — as well as a new baggage system, a new United Club location and the addition of A321neo, the first new Airbus aircraft to enter United’s fleet since 2002. According to the airline, these investments are part of its United Next growth plan, which aims to make its fleet bigger.

With the Terminal B redevelopment project, United Airlines plans to modernize and triple the capacity of the current facility, which was built in 1969. Once the redevelopment is complete, Terminal B will span 765,000 square feet across three levels and will have 22 mainline, narrow-body gates.

The project includes upgrades such as expansion of curbside and roadway capacity, expansion of the ticketing lobby, and two new passenger concourses. It will also include two major concession hubs with 115,000 square feet of food and retail space, an expanded baggage claim hall and a new baggage-handling system.

The proposed Terminal B expansion will also include a new United Club location, joining the eight new clubs the airline has introduced within the past two years. With United Club and lounge locations, travelers have access to free snacks and beverages and high-speed Wi-Fi, among other amenities.

The goal with the redevelopment project is to help increase the number of people who can travel during peak periods 40% by 2026, in comparison to 2023, Phil Griffith, vice president of United’s Houston Hub, said during the event.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who also spoke during the event, said the new project will bring in nearly 4,000 new jobs and is poised to welcome 36 million travelers. Mario Diaz, Houston Airport System executive director, said the project will also help bring in more new international destinations — such as the first-ever flight to Georgetown, Guyana — while increasing employees' earnings.

“[The project] will amplify Houston's reputation as a premier destination and cultivate even more opportunities for its economic development,” Turner said.

Currently, United is one of Houston’s largest employers with about 14,000 to 15,000 jobs in the city.

During the event, United CEO Scott Kirby said the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026. During a Nov. 15 meeting, Houston City Council approved a memorandum of agreement between the city and United to support the project.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=8#cxrecs_s

United Airlines unveils first-ever nonstop service from Houston's IAH to Georgetown, Guyana

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 30, 2023

United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAL) will soon offer new nonstop service between Houston and Georgetown, Guyana, becoming the first airline to do so, officials say.

According to the Houston Airport System's Fly2Houston.com website, this will be the only existing nonstop flight from Houston to the entire country of Guyana, which is on the northern coast of South America.

The service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will begin on April 1 with four flights per week on a 737-Max 8 aircraft.

The new flight comes amid energy companies' growing interest in Guyana thanks to a recent offshore discovery and major acquisition. Spring-based Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) and New York-based Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES), which will be acquired by California-based Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) for $53 billion, are among the major production companies in the area. Hess' Guyana assets are estimated to make up about 80% of the value of the Chevron deal.

This new route will join the more than 160 destinations travelers can reach through a nonstop flight from Houston. According to United, it is the only carrier to serve nonstop flights to more than 85 of those destinations, including locations such as Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama and Peru, among others.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...-security.html

Houston City Council OK’s $36.8M contract for security guard services at IAH, Hobby Airport

By Sofia Gonzalez – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 29, 2023

A nearly $36.76 million contract for security guard services for the Houston Airport System has been awarded to a new company.

During its Nov. 29 meeting, Houston City Council approved awarding the contract to California-based Universal Protection Services LP, which does business as Allied Universal Security Services. Enterprise funds will be used to pay for the contract, which lasts for three years but has two one-year options, according to the City Council agenda item.

According to city documents, the enterprise fund is “established to account for city operations that are financed and operated in a manner similar to private business enterprises where the cost of providing goods or services to the general public is financed primarily through user charges.”

The city's request for proposals was “issued as a goal-oriented contract with a 15% minority/women-owned business enterprises contractor participation level,” according to the agenda item. Of the money allocated, around $5.5 million will be used for the certified M/WBE subcontractor chosen by Allied Universal Security Services — Houston-based USAPD LLC, which does business as USA Patrol Division.

The contractor is required to provide fully qualified security officers, along with supervision, tools, equipment, permits, parts, expendable items, material and supplies for its services at both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), the agenda item states.

This contract is for security personnel, not the Transportation Security Administration, District C Council Member Abbie Kamin emphasized during the meeting.

Under the new contractor, employees' wages will begin at $16 per hour, Kamin said. The contractor will also provide the health care benefits that the city of Houston requires for its employees. She said that this is important as the city continues to focus both on its airports as well as the need for a living wage.

“We appreciate everything that our airport workers do,” Kamin said.

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...heated-debate/

Houston City Council approves changes to airport concessions contracts in heated debate

In a 9-7 vote, the council approved changes to how four airport concession agreements are terminated. That makes it tougher for Pappas to potentially win back operations at the city’s airports after losing them last year.

ASHLEY BROWN | POSTED ON DECEMBER 21, 2023, 2:30 PM

Mayor Sylvester Turner wrapped up his last city council meeting on Wednesday before he leaves office at the end of the month. But, before heading out, Houston City Council had a heated debate over airport concession agreements.

In a 9-7 vote, the council voted to make changes to how four airport concession agreements are terminated. Some council members called the language unfair and wanted all concession contracts to read the same, although the four agreements were already approved.

The Houston Airport System director previously had the authority to cancel the contracts at will under a "termination of convenience" clause. District K Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum presented the amendment, stripping the power from the airport director.

"I don’t feel like this is fair for these four agreements to be the only revenue agreements that have a clause in it that says that they can be terminated for convenience," said. "If I had an agreement at the airport, I would want my agreement to be like everyone else’s agreement at the airport."

The agreements will now have to present a reasonable cause for leaving a contract. The four concessions are for 10 years totaling over $1 billion with food, beverage, and retail concessions at Hobby Airport and Bush Intercontinental Airport.