AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

No problem.

On another note I was speaking with Air Op's about future diversion ports for the A380. They more than likely will divert to DFW or IAH and only to AUS or SA if both airports are socked in due to weather. The taxiways in AUS and SA are not wide enough for the massive bird. They would have to shut down the outboard engines to prevent sucking up dirt, grass and possibly the taxiway lights.

Im surprised our taxiways are not big enough considering ABIA was once an airbase and the long runway can hold the biggest plane in the world. You would think the taxiways would have been built for that purpose.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Im surprised our taxiways are not big enough considering ABIA was once an airbase and the long runway can hold the biggest plane in the world. You would think the taxiways would have been built for that purpose.

LOL... because planes this big didn't exist till a few years ago. They may have been on the planning board 20 years ago at best as a concept that may or may not eventually get to market.

[KevinFromTexas]

Yeah, the passenger jets of today are bigger than most military planes. Even the mighty B-52 Stratofortress is just 159 feet long with a 185 foot wingspan. By comparison the 747-800 is 250 feet long with a 224 foot wing span. That plane would just fit on a block in downtown Austin. Most of the blocks downtown are 275x275 feet. Most of the 737s that land at ABIA are 138 feet long, and the A380 is 238 feet long. The biggest planes that land at ABIA regularly are the McDonald Douglas DC-10s and less so, the DC-11s. The DC-10 is 170 feet long and the DC-11 is 192 feet long. That's what FedEx mostly flies. So those planes are already landing here. The DC-11 even has 4 engines like the 747 does, but the fuselage is slightly smaller. That DC-10 Tanker that was stationed at ABIA last year during the wildfires was a DC-10.

Air Force One didn't start using the 747-200 until 1990. So by then Bergstrom was already closed. So Air Force One never landed at Bergstrom as a 747 until the airport opened during Clinton's administration. The only other time I can think of that a 747 landed at Bergstrom was during the mid 80s when NASA landed there with its space shuttle piggyback 747.

I guess they may have reconfigured some of the taxiways, but we can have big planes land at ABIA. The west runway was there when Bergstrom was an air base.

I'm kind of an aviation geek, too. I try to keep up on the sizes of planes for my scale models I've done with my Legos.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Im surprised our taxiways are not big enough considering ABIA was once an airbase and the long runway can hold the biggest plane in the world. You would think the taxiways would have been built for that purpose.

Actually, I don't think any of SA's runways are long or wide enough to handle the A380 in their current configuration. Austin's west runway, on the other hand, is long enough and wide enough to handle the "big bird." However, some retrofitting is probably in order for the runway and definitely the current terminal.

Also, there will need to be taxiway retrofitting to handle the A380 at both ports.

Let's not forget, future expansion plans for ABIA call for a South Terminal (and even further in the future, two mid-field concourses). The South Terminal could be designed to handle larger planes than the North Terminal (B. Jordan). The North Terminal was only designed to handle 757's; except for gates 2 and (I believe it's) 13 or 14...where MD-11's could dock.

[Austin1971]

A

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

ABIA has seen several large transports over the years. Occasionally Singapore and Cathay Pacific divert 747-400 freighters from DFW. I've seen the The Antonov An-124 Ruslan land at the port. It has a Wing span of 240ft 6in, it's 226ft 9in long and it stands 68ft 2in and it weighs in at a whopping 385,800lb with a max takeoff weight of 892,875lb.

Yes! I saw an Antonov An-124 Ruslan parked on the cargo tarmac back in November I think. It was HUGE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-124_Ruslan

[LoneStarMike]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

unfortunatley I don't see JetBlue expanding anytime soon.

Oooh - look what I found:

JetBlue site adds TF Green routes
RI officials set to announce airline's arrival Wed
July 17, 2012
By Ted Nesi, WPRI.com Reporter
Reporting by: Jennifer Mobilia

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - JetBlue Airways is expected to make the long-awaited announcement Wednesday that it's expanding service to T.F. Green Airport. But eager passengers can get a preview now.

A review of JetBlue's website by WPRI.com Tuesday evening showed the airline is already listing routes from Warwick to Austin, Texas; Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla.; and three cities in Puerto Rico: Aguadilla, Ponce and San Juan.

I guess theoretically they could offer service between Austin & Providence with a connection somewhere along the way, (like Orlando or Fort Lauderdale) in which case they wouldn't be really expanding at Austin, but if it turns out to be a nonstop flight, that would be an expansion at Austin. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the official announcement.

[LoneStarMike]

Well, never mind.

JetBlue Airways to Take Off from Providence, Rhode Island to the Sunshine State - Twice daily flights to Orlando, Fla. and daily service to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood to begin Nov. 29, 2012

Customers traveling between Providence and Orlando can conveniently connect onwards to three other cities in JetBlue's route network: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; or Nassau, The Bahamas.

It doesn't mention even being able to connect to Austin, so I'm not sure where the Rhode Island station got its' info from.

[Austin1971]

B

[the Genral]

Well if you have the money..., you won't have to sit in traffic for 5 hours coming and 5 hours going, or ride on a shuttle with all the common folk, and you can't walk to the race 'cause they won't let you in if you show up at the gate on foot, so it actually seems like a bargain. Even less international events such as Nascar at TMS has a constant flow of helicopter traffic during the race weekends because of the horrific road traffic and people willing to shell out the money to avoid it. But watch there be a long wait for them to catch a copter ride...

[Austin1971]

Im

[Austin1971]

Be

[Austin1971]

B

[ATXboom]

I understand the "on foot" through put work but what about the east terminal gate expansion? Is this going to kick off any time soon?

[LoneStarMike]

Speaking of the airport,

ACTIVITY OVERVIEW - June 2012

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for June 2012 was 844,994, up 3.5% compared to June 2011. June 2012 enplanements totaled 430,716, up 3%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 324,930, up 8.5% compared to June 2011; American Airlines passengers totaled 171,837, up 0.5%; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 104,665, up 8%; United Airlines (including SkyWest, Shuttle America, ExpressJet, GoJet, and Mesa) passengers totaled 76,042, up 41.5%; Continental Airlines passengers totaled 60,258, down 28%; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 53,601, up 11%; U.S. Airways (including Mesa) passengers totaled 30,065, down 14%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 13,888, down 39%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 9,466, down 0.3%.

[SNIP]

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for January – June YTD was 4,591,402 up 4% compared to January – June 2011. January – June 2012 enplanements totaled 2,306,890, up 4%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 1,733,296 up 6%; American Airlines passengers totaled 934,509, up 4%; Delta Air Lines passengers 554,193, up 10%; Continental Airlines (including SkyWest, Express Jet) passengers totaled 393,563, down 12%; United Airlines (including SkyWest, Shuttle America, ExpressJet, GoJet, and Mesa) passengers totaled 362,118, up 27%; JetBlue Airways passengers totaled 287,711, up 15%; U.S. Airways (including Mesa) passengers totaled 173,122, down 7%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 93,340, down 17%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 57,273, down 41%.

A more detailed report:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Aviation Activity Report
Calendar Year 2012 vs 2011

Passenger traffic up 3.67% for the month and 3.98% Y-T-D.

International passengers for June totaled 5,452.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Speaking of the airport,
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW - June 2012
A more detailed report:
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Aviation Activity Report
Calendar Year 2012 vs 2011
Passenger traffic up 3.67% for the month and 3.98% Y-T-D.
International passengers for June totaled 5,452.

Lots of data to comprehend. Looking at the ramifications of just two data points.....
(1) Total passengers for June = 844,994
(2) International passengers for June = 5,452
Some simple math = (5,452 / 844,994) x 100 = 0.645%
Ramification = Around 2/3rds of 1% of ABIA passengers are on international flights.

Therefore, it would be a waste of the airport's and city's money to add to US Customs facilities at the airport.

Some more math and an additional data point...
(3) SW Airlines 737 capacity = 115 passengers.
5,452 / 115 = 47.408 international planes.
Admitting that not every international flight is full, the fact that just two international flights per day should easily handle this market. Therefore, just one gate and one customs official should be able to handle ABIA daily international passengers.

While it's true F1 would overload that small a staff and facilities, additional F1 traffic only occurs one weekend a year. How would you keep any additional staff and facilities busy the remaining 51 weeks a year?

Do you build airport facilities up to handle projected traffic one weekend a year, or for the actual traffic the rest of the year? I suggest the efficent answer would be for the other 51 weekends a year.

[BevoLJ]

If I am going from London to Austin but though New York am I considered international or domestic for ABIA?

[LoneStarMike]

You're considered domestic.

Last year, Helen Anders wrote a piece about Austin & San Marcos trying to lure more international visitors.


Austin, San Marcos make pitches to lure more international tourists
By Helen Anders
American Statesman Staff
May 20, 2011

A 2006 study, the most recent, concluded that 6 percent of Austin's 17 million yearly visitors are from outside the United States. Updated figures are expected this summer, and they're certain to show an increase because of the growth of South by Southwest.

The city can expect another leap with the 2012 opening of the Circuit of the Americas — the venue that will house Formula One's Grand Prix and motorcycle racing's MotoGP as well as concerts and other events. The circuit will be Austin's No. 1 talking point with media at the conference, according to Richards.

But the city also would like to see more international tourism that isn't event-based. Richards said a recent study of what visitors like about Austin showed that most came for music, "but once they got here, visitors reported being pleasantly surprised by what the rest of the city offered," such as outdoor activities, restaurants, shops and an educational, edgy vibe.

If 6% of 17 million visitors were international back in 2006 that would be just over a million international visitors.

I wish I knew who did that study and what the results showed for the study that was supposed to be released in 2011. I emailed Anders a few months ago, but never got a response.

The most international passengers at Bergstrom was 91,711 back in 2008.

source

To get the total, you have to add international enplaned & deplaned revenue passengers, international enplaned and deplaned non-revenue passengers, and international enplaned & deplaned passengers (South Terminal) The South Terminal didn't have any international enplaned/deplaned non-revenue passengers that year.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by electricron

Lots of data to comprehend. Looking at the ramifications of just two data points.....
(1) Total passengers for June = 844,994
(2) International passengers for June = 5,452
Some simple math = (5,452 / 844,994) x 100 = 0.645%
Ramification = Around 2/3rds of 1% of ABIA passengers are on international flights.

Therefore, it would be a waste of the airport's and city's money to add to US Customs facilities at the airport.

Some more math and an additional data point...
(3) SW Airlines 737 capacity = 115 passengers.
5,452 / 115 = 47.408 international planes.
Admitting that not every international flight is full, the fact that just two international flights per day should easily handle this market. Therefore, just one gate and one customs official should be able to handle ABIA daily international passengers.

While it's true F1 would overload that small a staff and facilities, additional F1 traffic only occurs one weekend a year. How would you keep any additional staff and facilities busy the remaining 51 weeks a year?

Do you build airport facilities up to handle projected traffic one weekend a year, or for the actual traffic the rest of the year? I suggest the efficent answer would be for the other 51 weekends a year.

Your missing more than one point. Your looking at current numbers. Not what the numbers will be in the next 5 years. You are also missing the point that Formula One is not the only event that will bring in international travelers as there will be several racing events year around including Australian Supercars and LeMans, not to mention the fact that COTA has been in talks with multiple other race series, most of which are on the international level, not so much on the national level.

Your forgetting SXSW which brings in international visitors. An expansion that would cater to international flights would make it much easier for them to come to Austin than how they fly in now. If you looked at the YNN story you would see that Austin could warrant in the not too distant future international flights to Europe not to mention the growing demand for a direct flight between Austin and Soul Korea as Austin has the largest Samsung production facility outside of Asia and the only one at last I checked in the western hemisphere. We have a rapidly growing Korean population here and in fact the fastest growing demographic group in Austin is Asian.

To say Austin can't justify expanding its customs and adding international gates is just short sightedness and does not fit what is really happening.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Your missing more than one point. Your looking at current numbers. Not what the numbers will be in the next 5 years. You are also missing the point that Formula One is not the only event that will bring in international travelers as there will be several racing events year around including Australian Supercars and LeMans, not to mention the fact that COTA has been in talks with multiple other race series, most of which are on the international level, not so much on the national level.

Your forgetting SXSW which brings in international visitors. An expansion that would cater to international flights would make it much easier for them to come to Austin than how they fly in now. If you looked at the YNN story you would see that Austin could warrant in the not too distant future international flights to Europe not to mention the growing demand for a direct flight between Austin and Soul Korea as Austin has the largest Samsung production facility outside of Asia and the only one at last I checked in the western hemisphere. We have a rapidly growing Korean population here and in fact the fastest growing demographic group in Austin is Asian.

To say Austin can't justify expanding its customs and adding international gates is just short sightedness and does not fit what is really happening.

Interesting argument. All your international "future" events customers being generated by one business. Why should all the taxpayers of Austin subsidize just one (COTA) business?
All those international customers going to COTA don't have to fly directly to Austin. They can fly directly to other Amercian cities with larger airports, then fly to Austin on domestic flights, actually increasing business for America's domestic airline industry.
Even if we double the international travel into Austin's major airport, it'll still be around 1% of all passengers, and for events during just a few more weekends a year.
Airlines might set up flight schedules on a seasonal basis, but they don't for sporadic events scattered through out a year. Most of these additional international flights for F1 for COTA will be private Charters, not America's domestic airlines that actually pay the taxes that build America's infrastructure.

The citizens of Austin were promised by COTA that holding races wouldn't cost the city one additional penny, yet they keep coming to the city asking for more freebies on a monthly basis. Before long, the city will be spending more to hold events at COTA than COTA's developers. And that's wrong!