San Antonio International Airport News & Updates

[ILUVSAT]

I really hope it works too.

Business customers are going to want to be able to use Frankfurt as a connecting airport. And, since Condor really does not partner with any other major airline, that might be difficult if Condor does not serve your final destination (as one would be required to claim and recheck their baggage in Frankfurt).

Maybe someone who has actually used Condor and connected in Frankfurt could chime in on this.

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I really hope it works too.

Business customers are going to want to be able to use Frankfurt as a connecting airport. And, since Condor really does not partner with any other major airline, that might be difficult if Condor does not serve your final destination (as one would be required to claim and recheck their baggage in Frankfurt).

Maybe someone who has actually used Condor and connected in Frankfurt could chime in on this.

Yeah, I’m interested in that as well. Maybe Frankfurt is the final destination for many of the business passengers. Good news is that we should hopefully get a full report at the end of the season

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by texboy

I follow several spotters that are based at San Antonio international On Instagram, and at least one of them was saying in a comment On a post today that at least some of these flights are running at 90 to 95% full. It sounds like that's based on bookings on the website and firsthand knowledge. At least one of them is a ramp agent at SAT. To quote him… ‘They’ve been doing AMAZING!’ So take that for what it’s worth, but makes me hopeful.

That’s to great to hear. I do enjoy seeing their livery fly over my house a few times a week.

[Tyrone Shoes]

I hear the airline is renting an apartment for flight crew lay-over...it's called a CONDOR-MINIUM!!!!!!!

I know what I just did and I'm so ashamed....

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

I hear the airline is renting an apartment for flight crew lay-over...it's called a CONDOR-MINIUM!!!!!!!

I know what I just did and I'm so ashamed....

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/38/06...a98f96ef15.gif

[Tornado]

Haha, I’m a fan of condor-minium. If you are on instagram, sat.aviation has a beautiful shot of an Air France A350 landing at SAT today due to a diversion from Houston. Flight was traveling from Paris.

[babysal]

Three new flights will depart from the runway this month. Where are they heading?

San Antonio Express News
By Melissa Manno,
Staff writer
June 2, 2024

Three new nonstop routes are taking flight from San Antonio International Airport this month, bringing its total of nonstops to 45.

The airport officially added its eighth international destination Saturday with the launch of service to Torreón, Mexico. The Viva Aerobus service is available on Tuesdays and Saturdays, making San Antonio one of just two U.S. cities to offer nonstop flights to Torreón, the airport said.

It’s the Mexican low-cost airline’s fifth nonstop destination from the Alamo City. The one-and-a-half-hour flight departs San Antonio at 12:05 p.m. and lands in Mexico at 12:35 p.m. local time, according to data from Google Flights. Return flights depart at 1:35 p.m. and arrive in San Antonio at 4:10 p.m.

https://www.expressnews.com/news/art...p-19491336.php

[SAhometown]

Here is some detailed schematics of the new facility coming up. This info was from Feb. 7th. Anyone have any further updates please share.

file:///C:/Users/jobit/Downloads/Airport%20Blvd%209800.pdf
file:///C:/Users/jobit/Downloads/Airport%20Blvd%209800_Construction%20Documents.pdf

[Tornado]

Welp, looks like Condor has already made a decision to reduce flights next year to twice a week from 3 times. Page 2 of the attached pdf. Always subject to change but them already planning this way shows the traffic isn't there yet to support. Maybe outgoing from SA to FRA is good but not enough travelers coming from FRA to SAT.

https://www.condor.com/us/generated/timetable_S2025.pdf

[Runner]

Originally Posted by Tornado

Welp, looks like Condor has already made a decision to reduce flights next year to twice a week from 3 times. Page 2 of the attached pdf. Always subject to change but them already planning this way shows the traffic isn't there yet to support. Maybe outgoing from SA to FRA is good but not enough travelers coming from FRA to SAT.

https://www.condor.com/us/generated/timetable_S2025.pdf

Still not bad. We just need to get this monkey off our back. The stigma that San Antonio doesn’t support their air service.

[satx]

Originally Posted by Runner

Still not bad. We just need to get this monkey off our back. The stigma that San Antonio doesn’t support their air service.

I think this is realistically just about the best we could have hoped for. After Air Canada pulled out, I was skeptical this service could last into a second summer even with the city’s subsidies. And if Condor were to fully pull out, it’s going to be many years before another airline tries to bring a route to Europe back. If the route is there, Condor can assess load factors and decide whether to do more with the route in the future (SAT has grown other routes over time, Seattle and Miami come to mind).

[texboy]

Originally Posted by satx

I think this is realistically just about the best we could have hoped for. After Air Canada pulled out, I was skeptical this service could last into a second summer even with the city’s subsidies. And if Condor were to fully pull out, it’s going to be many years before another airline tries to bring a route to Europe back. If the route is there, Condor can assess load factors and decide whether to do more with the route in the future (SAT has grown other routes over time, Seattle and Miami come to mind).

An A330-900 was way too big for this route. I can see an airline coming in with an A321XLR and seeing some success. Much more fuel efficient and probably the right capacity at the right frequency. I had my hopes for this route. but also my doubts. Hopefully the data from this will at least serve as a base line for future route expansions in the US and beyond.

[Runner]

I know some of you will not like this. We need to stop supporting Austin’s air service. I prefer to make a pit stop in Houston or Dallas rather than drive all the way to Austin. Every time someone from SA flies out of Austin it will further delay our progress of better air service.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by Runner

I know some of you will not like this. We need to stop supporting Austin’s air service. I prefer to make a pit stop in Houston or Dallas rather than drive all the way to Austin. Every time someone from SA flies out of Austin it will further delay our progress of better air service.

Here's the problem, a lot of times the difference in airfares makes it worthwhile.

There's also more options even with connections to reduce travel time. Last April, I had to fly to Alaska for the military. Out of SAT was a 27 hour travel day vs 16 & same-day out of AUS.

Overall, the issue is that AUS & SAT share a relative catchment area to where the population actually matters and the fact I've saved >$300 multiple times round-trip & only a 1 hour drive is proof.

[satx]

How much of the Condor traffic do you think is people from the Austin area? The savings relative to Lufthansa out of Austin are huge (I’ve seen around 50%) some days. Traveler leakage runs both ways.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by satx

How much of the Condor traffic do you think is people from the Austin area? The savings relative to Lufthansa out of Austin are huge (I’ve seen around 50%) some days. Traveler leakage runs both ways.

Probably a little. However, there is a reason Condor left Austin when the more premium product (Lufthansa) began servicing the airport. International airlines are serving Austin with their most premium equipment & products. The market there is different than in San Antonio.

[satx23]

SAT-FRA numbers for the month of May posted on airliners.net

Inbound
passengers 852
seats 2,170
39.3%

Outbound
passengers 1,375
seats 1,860
73.9%

Outbound is one less flight than inbound because it goes by the day it lands. The last flight of the month was on the last day of the month, so it landed (and counts) in June

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by satx23

SAT-FRA numbers for the month of May posted on airliners.net

Inbound
passengers 852
seats 2,170
39.3%

Outbound
passengers 1,375
seats 1,860
73.9%

Outbound is one less flight than inbound because it goes by the day it lands. The last flight of the month was on the last day of the month, so it landed (and counts) in June

This is a dumb question but does a round trip ticket get counted as an outbound and inbound passenger? If not, then those outbound numbers arent terrible but the inbound from Frankfurt is rough.

[texboy]

Originally Posted by satx23

SAT-FRA numbers for the month of May posted on airliners.net

Inbound
passengers 852
seats 2,170
39.3%

Outbound
passengers 1,375
seats 1,860
73.9%

Outbound is one less flight than inbound because it goes by the day it lands. The last flight of the month was on the last day of the month, so it landed (and counts) in June

The outbound numbers actually aren't bad, but those inbound numbers... yikes. I still think LHR would have been the better route to kick off trans atlantic service.

[satx23]

May pax umbers

Domestic Enplanements: 467,545
Domestic Deplanements: 450,634
Total Domestic Passengers: 918,179 - up 3.5% over May 2023

International Enplanements: 29,303
International Deplanements: 26,596
Total International Passengers: 55,899 - up 24.4% over May 2023

Total All Passengers: 974,078 - up 4.5% over May 2023

https://flysanantonio.com/wp-content...ats-Report.pdf