San Antonio International Airport News & Updates

[Restless One]

Originally Posted by texboy

Instead of renovating terminal A, they should already be talking about demolishing it immediately after the new terminal is constructed instead of throwing lipstick on a pig. It will be a wasted $200M. SA just cannot get out of this small city mindset and it is so frustrating. They talk about thinking big and finally doing big things like the new Terminal, then decide to quite literally throw a paint job on the very reason they are building the new terminal in the first place.

It should be noted that Southwest is going through some major changes right now in terms of their model and could very well go to a hub a spoke model very soon. Does San Antonio want to be just another spoke on another airlines wheel? Something city leadership should consider before its too late. The opportunity is there to give Southwest Airlines their own brand new terminal which I believe they rightfully deserve as the cities largest airline.

I don't remember where I read this, but understand that SAT had a chance to be a hub for a major airline, (at least at the time), in seventies, but city did not want to pay for upgrades at the airport. That has, and still is, costing us.

[SpiritofSeguin]

No matter who the deal is with, San Antonians should not look like idiots at the conference table (that’s seemingly the job of City Council and soon-to-be Mayor Clayton Perry…kidding! XD). No surprise we have ALWAYS been looked down on, but we really haven’t been unreasonable from our perspective if we’ve offered 100 million in negotiations which is kind of a lot for us relative to the 42 million dollar Broadway project, and it seems like Southwest is a pretty big player for economy fliers. Unlike a Spurs arena, the airport is really something that has to be perfected on with each year.

I’m not saying wave the flag of surrender, but it’s in our future best interests to cave in and build. Projects like these are almost once in a generation to get agreed upon, especially if even one phase won’t be done for another…eight to ten years? That’s nearly two whole president terms by then. Who knows what the countries problems will be like, maybe San Antonio could step into the national picture by hosting another major company relocating from xyz, or a new one entirely? That all depends on how awesome of an airport we got.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Restless One

I don't remember where I read this, but understand that SAT had a chance to be a hub for a major airline, (at least at the time), in seventies, but city did not want to pay for upgrades at the airport. That has, and still is, costing us.

I don't think this claim is correct. SAT was way too small in the 1970s to even be considered for a "hub." American, Eastern, TWA and United were the "major" airlines of that time.

I cannot find any credible literature to confirm said claim.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by SpiritofSeguin

...but it’s in our future best interests to cave in and build.

That is unbelievably poor financial advice. SAT has offered to upgrade Terminal A. If WN wants more - they should pay. However, I wouldn't expect them to in their current position.

Also, anyone who is fretting the possibility of WN's potential departure from the San Antonio market should seriously chill out. They are not going anywhere.

Everything is going to turn out fine and all involved will be very pleased with the "new" airport when construction comes to a close.

[SpiritofSeguin]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

That is unbelievably poor financial advice.

I also do palm readings.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Originally Posted by Restless One

Yeah, because there is absolutely no history of democratic drunks on our City Council.

Or perhaps you're too young to know.

Literally 100% of the Rs on the Council in the past decade were arrested for DUI lol, get some perspective.

[babysal]

Mayor says San Antonio will move forward with an airport plan that has community, city council and airline input.

W. Scott Bailey – Senior Reporter,
San Antonio Business Journal
Oct 1, 2024

Southwest Airlines’ ongoing fight with the city of San Antonio over where it will land in an expanded and improved Alamo City airport never should have reached this point.

That’s according to San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who says the Dallas-based carrier had plenty of time to make its case for a spot in a planned new third terminal at the center of the city’s $2.5 billion San Antonio International Airport expansion and improvements plan.

According to Nirenberg and other city officials, Southwest Airlines chaired the committee that has discussed terminal plans for well over a year.

“As we build this new terminal facility it's important to have all of the airlines at the table in a fair process, and that's exactly what has been taking place over the last 18-plus months,” Nirenberg told me during an exclusive interview. “We cannot abandon that process just because not everyone is satisfied with exactly where they're placed.”

The plan is for Southwest to operate out of Terminal A. That facility was initially set to undergo $200 million in improvements, a figure Nirenberg said the committee Southwest chaired supported. The city has since offered to raise that figure.

“We're going to set aside another $100 million for terminal improvements above the $200 million that all the airlines thought was adequate,” he said.

While Southwest is now seeking space in a planned new Terminal C, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez has denied the airline’s request for a temporary restraining order. The carrier has indicated that it could request a preliminary injunction hearing.

“We believe the city’s gate-allocation methodology discriminated against Southwest. We look forward to a robust discovery process that will shed light on the city’s actions,” Southwest Airlines said in a statement.

San Antonio has secured commitments from several airlines including American, United, Spirit and Viva Aerobus, as well as UPS and FedEx, for the new Airport Use and Lease Agreement that took effect Oct. 1.

The agreement is for 10 years with a five-year extension. City officials told the Business Journal the agreement will net San Antonio $3.2 billion in revenue. Southwest has not yet agreed to the new AULA.

Nirenberg pulled no punches when asked his thoughts about Southwest’s legal pursuits at this stage of the airport planning process.

“I would say it was a mix of anger and disappointment,” he said.

City officials note that Southwest’s continued presence in San Antonio, where the airline was essentially born, is important. While Nirenberg suggests that the city and airline share a key alignment as both want an airport that offers an improved passenger experience, he insists the city will pursue the plans already in play.

“Those plans have been developed over the course of two years, with community, council and airline input, but most importantly through a process created by the airlines themselves — most specifically with Southwest at the helm,” Nirenberg said.

[JACKinBeantown]

^^ So if that is all accurate, it implies that Southwest is at fault for not having the active involvement they were offered. Is that the case? If so, how did they let themselves not stay involved in the process?

[Rynetwo]

We look forward to a robust discovery process that will shed light on the city’s actions,”

Let us hope our city did everything by the book....

[jkill34]

Originally Posted by Rynetwo

Let us hope our city did everything by the book....

This sounds like a Southwest issue, not a SA issue.

[JACKinBeantown]

Southwest hasn't exactly been a shining beacon of good business practices lately. I'd very easily believe they screwed up the process.

[aggie2008]

This is what is so wild to me the whole time. All the airlines were a part of the process. If Southwest had issues why was it not brought up a year ago? Seemed like a failure on their part already but now we hear they chaired the process?! That’s insane.

I guess I also just don’t understand what they want. They’ve indicated they realize they won’t get the new terminal and they’ve been offered more money for renovations. It seems they are just wanting to obstruct progress at this point.

[GoldenBoot]

Southwest is undergoing several financial and senior management issues at the moment. In fact, several high-ranking shareholders are calling for heads. It doesn't surprise me they totally dropped the ball on this one.

Overall, the airport will be fine and construction will go on as planned. WN will say they are "sorry" and everyone will eventually be happy. WN is not leaving the market. To suggest otherwise would simply be wrong.