AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[LoneStarMike]

August 2016 Passenger, Cargo traffic at Austin-Bergstrom

August 2016

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for August 2016 was 1,054,496 down 0.8% compared to August 2015. August 2016 enplanements totaled 512,141, down 0.9%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 388,151, up 2% compared to August 2015; American Airlines passengers totaled 216,452, up 23%; United Airlines passengers totaled 166,186, down 7%; Delta Air Lines passengers totaled 128,306, down 1%; jetBlue Airways passengers totaled 51,553 up 9%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 32,659, down 17%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 21,211, up 29%; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 14,607, up 36%; Virgin America passengers totaled 14,906, down 31%; British Airways passengers totaled 11,071, up 3%; Air Canada passengers totaled 3,269, up 5%; Condor Airlines passengers totaled 3,161; Volaris passengers totaled 2,030; and Texas Sky passengers totaled 162, down 19%.

August 2016 air cargo totaled 14,201,025 lbs., up 19.5% compared to August 2015. International air cargo totaled 1,160,406 lbs., up 54%. Federal Express carried 8.4 million lbs., up 19.5%; and United Parcel Service carried 2.3 million lbs., up 10%.

Air Services transferred 428,158 lbs. of mail, down 22.5%; and 1,248,702 lbs. of belly freight, up 25.5%.

Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 3,652, down 18.5%. Combined operations (including commercial and military) totaled 15,819, down 5%.


January – August 2016

Passenger Activity: Total passenger traffic for January – August YTD was 8,212,639, up 5%, compared to January – August 2015. January – August 2016 enplanements totaled 4,106,374, up 5%. Southwest Airlines passengers totaled 3,149,308, up 11%; American Airlines passengers totaled 1,679,079, up 25%; United Airlines passengers totaled 1,276,043, down 2%; Delta Air Lines passengers 1,014,977, up 6%; jetBlue Airways passengers totaled 385,675, up 2.5%; Frontier Airlines passengers totaled 196,311, down 15.5%; Alaska Airlines passengers totaled 150,359, up 51%; Allegiant Air passengers totaled 115,251, up 42.5%; Virgin America passengers totaled 114,891, down 23%; British Airways passengers totaled 86,903, up 7%; Air Canada passengers totaled 27,216, up 125.5%; Condor Airlines passengers totaled 7,806; Volaris passengers totaled 2,030; and Texas Sky passengers totaled 1,105, down 42%.

August YTD (January – August 2016) air cargo totaled 110,066,883 lbs., up 8% compared to August 2015. International air cargo totaled 10,448,932 lbs., down 12%. Federal Express carried 65.7 million lbs., up 16%; and United Parcel Service carried 17.3 million lbs., down 12%.

Air Services transferred 2,797,158 lbs. of mail, down 31.5%; and 10,747,751 lbs. of belly freight, down 4%.

Aircraft Operations: General Aviation operations totaled 33,445 for January – August YTD, down 4.5%. Combined operations (including Commercial and military) totaled 127,215, up 0.8%.

More detailed report at:


ABIA Aviation Activity Report (pdf file)

[Jdawgboy]

2nd month in a row down. A couple of observations...

Domestic flights are a mixed bag with some up and others down but international flights continue to increase. Even air Canada's little express is getting a lot of growth. Maybe the route will be upgauged in the future.

Cargo is up but mail by air and belly freight are down.

General aviation is down across the board. Is it due to smaller regional airports getting more private plane traffic? Less military activity at the port as well.

Overall it's not that bad but it does seem to indicate at least a temporary halt in growth. I'd like to see a reversal happen soon because if it continues, it could indicate a deeper problem if only concentrated to the domestic side.

Still we are 5% above where we were last year but that number will shrink if we continue the year with monthly declines.

[East7thStreet]

Cheaper gas prices is all I can think of.

We should finish strong because every Longhorn football home game is not conflicting with both ACL festivals or F1 weekend.

[brando]

Our convention center is capped out so business tourism goes stagnate. It's a shame the council has no interest in OKing the expansion.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by brando

...It's a shame the council has no interest in OKing the expansion.

Who said "they are not interested?" That seems more like your personal opinion. It is definitely not a fact.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by brando

Our convention center is capped out so business tourism goes stagnate. It's a shame the council has no interest in OKing the expansion.

The convention center did itself no favors with how it sold the last expansion.

At least according to those numbers, we're far from being capped out (source: one of the previous articles linked here that I don't have time to dig up right now).

[Speculator]

Passed through the new airside exits. Feels very Euro.

[LoneStarMike]

Here's a small photo from a press release last month when the exits were being tested:



Testing of automated exit lane security system begins

Removal of construction walls on the post security side of the Barbara Jordan Terminal revealed one of the two new exit systems at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. When the testing and training period ends, the new exit system will be operational and create a secured one-way corridor for arriving passengers to get to baggage claim, ground transportation and exit the concourse.

The multiple lane system uses a combination of automated technology that includes alarms, motion, and video camera analytic sensors. Now clearly visible by concourse exits, the system is expected to become operational this fall, after testing is completed.

Operating a series of parallel one-way doors that automatically open for approaching passengers, the system detects directional changes and wrong-way security entrances. It also detects when objects and items are left behind such as purses or carry-on bags. If alarms are activated the series of exit doors will not open until cleared by security officials. Once alarmed, the system will not trap a person between doors but modify the direction they can proceed and notify security.

At a cost of $3,309,408, the automated exit system at ABIA will modernize the airport exit security process and is part of the overall Barbara Jordan Terminal Expansion and Improvements project. Automated exit systems are currently used in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland and Eugene, Oregon and throughout many European airports.

Other airport news from the same press release:

Gate 4 coming back to life

Functional testing is proceeding on one of the four extended gateway bridges that will serve as temporary gates during the nine-gate renovation project. Once all four temporary extended elevated doors and bridges have been completed, work can begin on the east apron. This includes demolition, sub-floor and utilities work around Gates 1-3.

Gate 4, which was dormant during installation of the first temporary gate and walkway, is scheduled to reopen this month and serve as a domestic departure gate. Three more additional temporary gates and walkways, accommodating varying sized jets, will open later this year and will serve both international and domestic flights during the nine-gate terminal expansion. Arriving international passengers will flow to US Customs along existing corridors and circulation paths.

Source: New Exit & Retail, Free Cell Phone Lot Moves - September 2, 2016

[MTM-ATX]

Time lapse video of the new Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility construction.

https://vimeo.com/162754272

[GoldenBoot]

Time to start watching for the F1 heavy's to come in. In fact, have they not started already?

[DoubleC]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Time to start watching for the F1 heavy's to come in. In fact, have they not started already?

I've seen Nippon Cargo and Air Bridge Cargo's 748s last week, plus I've checked out flightaware and there was at least another one flying in the same day as the two I saw.

No 777Fs?

[Mikey711MN]

The Raleigh-Durham nonstop returns on DL after most recently having been a flight by AA...

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...om-march-2017/

[Austin1971]

T

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

Temporary gates now in use, construction on east gates imminent.

South terminal construction moving along at a fast pace with a scheduled May 2017 opening. Allegiant possibly going to move some of their Vegas ops to Austin.

Condor strongly considering making their Frankfurt flight year round.

Air Canada switched equipment on the Toronto route from a CRJ-900 to an E170.

That's great to hear regarding Condor, I hope it happens. Shows we have a strong demand for flights to Europe.

It's not much of an upgauge from Air Canada but at least it's something.

By Alliegiant possibly moving some operations here, would that mean that they are considering making Austin a secondary hub???

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by Austin1971

Temporary gates now in use, construction on east gates imminent.

South terminal construction moving along at a fast pace with a scheduled May 2017 opening. Allegiant possibly going to move some of their Vegas ops to Austin.

Condor strongly considering making their Frankfurt flight year round.

Air Canada switched equipment on the Toronto route from a CRJ-900 to an E170.

Awesome. Thanks for the update. We can always count on you, Austin1971!

I would love to see the Condor flight go year-round (even though I'd rather Lufthansa to take over and offer year round service). Either way, I cannot complain.

I also hope ABIA is in deep negotiations with an Asian (or domestic) carrier for non-stops to Asia out of Austin.

[sammyk]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

I would love to see the Condor flight go year-round (even though I'd rather Lufthansa to take over and offer year round service). Either way, I cannot complain.

Condor is no longer a part of Lufthansa so if LH wanted to start Austin service, they need not "take over" from Condor, they could just start their own service.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by sammyk

Condor is no longer a part of Lufthansa so if LH wanted to start Austin service, they need not "take over" from Condor, they could just start their own service.

Yes. Exactly!

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

By Alliegiant possibly moving some operations here, would that mean that they are considering making Austin a secondary hub???

Yes. Possibly.

I'd love for them to start service to Hawaii from ABIA! It is possible via their 752 equipment.

Additionally, I'd love to see them implement service to Puerto Rico (a new Allegiant location as of Dec 2016).

[DoubleC]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Yes. Possibly.

I'd love for them to start service to Hawaii from ABIA! It is possible via their 752 equipment.

Additionally, I'd love to see them implement service to Puerto Rico (a new Allegiant location as of Dec 2016).

They're actually retiring their 757 fleet in order to avoid having to perform "D checks" (some sort of overhaul) and thus ending most Hawaii service, unless they wish to use a319s on those routes, but they would need a stop if flying from Vegas. Flying to Hawaii from here on an a319 would be impossible.

[LoneStarMike]

September traffic:

September Aviation Activity Report (pdf file)

September -1,018,29 - up 5.53%
September Y-T-D - 9,230,931 - up 5.05%

Press Release