San Antonio International Airport News & Updates

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by satx23

Southwest's 5 permanent route cuts
Southwest's new routes come at the expense of five permanent cuts being filed in conjunction with the schedule extension.

The affected markets are:

Atlanta — West Palm Beach, Florida (first operated in November 2013)
Burbank, California — New Orleans (new route that launched in June 2024)
Burbank — San Antonio (new route that launched in June 2024)
New York — Tampa (first operated in June 2017)
Long Beach, California — Kansas City, Missouri (new route that launched in March 2023)

Southwest didn't share more details about these cuts, including when they'd be made. Seemingly, these routes have been poor performers for the carrier as it more closely examines its network in the face of increased investor scrutiny.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/southw...s-spring-2025/

A route that launched in June already cut? Why do the route in the first place then? Are their analytics that poor?

[The Model]

[IMG]Future Terminal C San Antonio by Raul Medina III, on Flickr[/IMG]

Future home for Terminal C

[ILUVSAT]

Anyone know how the Condor flight is doing?

[texboy]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Anyone know how the Condor flight is doing?

I read in a recent article that load factors were averaging around 70% overall. If I can find the article, I'll post it.

[satx23]

Southwest Airlines brawling with San Antonio, warns future growth at airport uncertain
Southwest Airlines said it won't sign a lease with the city if it doesn't get 10 gates in planned third terminal.
By Megan Rodriguez,
Staff writer
Updated Sep 12, 2024 1:14 p.m.


Southwest Airlines is refusing to sign a long-term lease agreement with the San Antonio International Airport, throwing the carrier's plans for its operations here into question.

The dispute between the Dallas-based airline and the city centers on the airport's planned third terminal, which is set to open in 2028. Southwest wants to be in the new space, but the city has relegated it to gates in Terminal A.

Southwest, which makes up nearly 40% of the flights into and out of the San Antonio airport, had planned to expand its operations here. But those plans could go out the window if the city refuses to allow the airline to lease 10 gates in the new facility.

"The gate allocation decision forces us to revisit whether or not we can deliver our projected growth in that space," said Sherri Hull, Southwest's director of governmental affairs. "We have a math problem and a space issue."

If the airline doesn't sign a long-term lease agreement, it will have to operate on a month-to-month basis and incur higher fees to fly out of San Antonio.

Terminal A has one of the narrowest concourses among major U.S. airports, resulting in bottlenecks of travelers during peak travel times, and its electrical and HVAC systems are outmoded. The terminal, which opened in 1984, is the airport's oldest.

City Council OK'd an airline operating agreement and a series of terminal leases Thursday morning with little discussion. The current lease agreements expire on Sept. 30.

Most gates at the new terminal are currently slated to go to American Airlines and Delta Air Lines when the facility opens. Airport Director Jesus Saenz said the two airlines have pledged to open large lounges for business-class travelers in the new terminal.

Airport officials said there's no plan to move Southwest to the new terminal, but added they want to work with the airline to revamp Terminal A to meet their needs. That could mean dropping the number of gates in the terminal down from 17 to 10 to give Southwest employees and travelers more room and sprucing up the space with restroom improvements and other upgrades.

The agreement approved Thursday includes $200 million for upgrades to Terminal A and $100 million Terminal B, where United Airlines will operate.

A Southwest spokesperson said the carrier was promised gate space in the new terminal but was abruptly informed this summer that they wouldn't get it after all. Airport officials said every airline was clambering for space in the new facility and that Southwest was not guaranteed spots.

"This is a really good deal for the airlines, and our hope is ultimately that they will continue to be a signatory airline," Assistant City Manager Jeff Coyle said of Southwest. "We absolutely want them to grow and succeed, and I think we've done everything we can to accommodate to this point."

https://www.expressnews.com/news/art...s-19760581.php

[satx23]

[texboy]

Originally Posted by satx23

Southwest Airlines brawling with San Antonio, warns future growth at airport uncertain
Southwest Airlines said it won't sign a lease with the city if it doesn't get 10 gates in planned third terminal.
By Megan Rodriguez,
Staff writer
Updated Sep 12, 2024 1:14 p.m.


Southwest Airlines is refusing to sign a long-term lease agreement with the San Antonio International Airport, throwing the carrier's plans for its operations here into question.

The dispute between the Dallas-based airline and the city centers on the airport's planned third terminal, which is set to open in 2028. Southwest wants to be in the new space, but the city has relegated it to gates in Terminal A.

Southwest, which makes up nearly 40% of the flights into and out of the San Antonio airport, had planned to expand its operations here. But those plans could go out the window if the city refuses to allow the airline to lease 10 gates in the new facility.

"The gate allocation decision forces us to revisit whether or not we can deliver our projected growth in that space," said Sherri Hull, Southwest's director of governmental affairs. "We have a math problem and a space issue."

If the airline doesn't sign a long-term lease agreement, it will have to operate on a month-to-month basis and incur higher fees to fly out of San Antonio.

Terminal A has one of the narrowest concourses among major U.S. airports, resulting in bottlenecks of travelers during peak travel times, and its electrical and HVAC systems are outmoded. The terminal, which opened in 1984, is the airport's oldest.

City Council OK'd an airline operating agreement and a series of terminal leases Thursday morning with little discussion. The current lease agreements expire on Sept. 30.

Most gates at the new terminal are currently slated to go to American Airlines and Delta Air Lines when the facility opens. Airport Director Jesus Saenz said the two airlines have pledged to open large lounges for business-class travelers in the new terminal.

Airport officials said there's no plan to move Southwest to the new terminal, but added they want to work with the airline to revamp Terminal A to meet their needs. That could mean dropping the number of gates in the terminal down from 17 to 10 to give Southwest employees and travelers more room and sprucing up the space with restroom improvements and other upgrades.

The agreement approved Thursday includes $200 million for upgrades to Terminal A and $100 million Terminal B, where United Airlines will operate.

A Southwest spokesperson said the carrier was promised gate space in the new terminal but was abruptly informed this summer that they wouldn't get it after all. Airport officials said every airline was clambering for space in the new facility and that Southwest was not guaranteed spots.

"This is a really good deal for the airlines, and our hope is ultimately that they will continue to be a signatory airline," Assistant City Manager Jeff Coyle said of Southwest. "We absolutely want them to grow and succeed, and I think we've done everything we can to accommodate to this point."

https://www.expressnews.com/news/art...s-19760581.php

Oh wow... I didn't have Delta on my bingo card for wanting those new gates... along with a lounge! would have definitely thought it'd be 5 gates for American and then the rest to Southwest spilling over into B gates and sharing with United. American is upping their gate count from 5 to 6 which has me curious as well. Didn't Southwest just pull their Burbank route? What's their expansion plans? They currently operate out of a max of 6 gates I believe, a 4 gate increase is quite a bit more capacity considering their turnaround times. Count me confused.

[Tyrone Shoes]

Originally Posted by texboy

I read in a recent article that load factors were averaging around 70% overall. If I can find the article, I'll post it.

Please help me out here...is a 70% overall load factor a good number or a bad number?

[texboy]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Please help me out here...is a 70% overall load factor a good number or a bad number?

I don't think its HORRIBLE, but I've heard that airlines like to see over 80%. Next Summer will tell the full story on this route.

[Runner]

This city is so backwards. We need young blood, a much younger city council/mayor Who has the capability to think outside the box.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Runner

This city is so backwards. We need young blood, a much younger city council/mayor Who has the capability to think outside the box.

Point of fact:

Kahr, Jalen, Viagran, Rocha-Garcia, Castillo, Gavito, and Whyte are all varying degrees of young. Not one of them is older than 45, and Kuhr is ~34. Jalen is 29. Do you want more of Jalen’s 20-something antics and spats on the council?

Palaez and Havrda are seasoned, but still relatively young for politicians.

Only Courage is not young. And even he isn’t old.

Unlike you, I think San Antonio city council needs more seasoned hands with actual decades of experience with the city and its business community and infrastructure. Too many major American cities have councils that are too young, too inexperienced, too ideologically extreme, and have zero idea about what policies actually work in practice versus a pie-in-the-sky youthful idealism about policy.

Austin’s youthful council is in hot water because they routinely violated open-meetings laws. These young and youthful city councils are landing themselves in hotter and hotter water the more than they act like fools.

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by Runner

This city is so backwards. We need young blood, a much younger city council/mayor Who has the capability to think outside the box.

Huh?

In what world is the council not young?

Are you telling me you want a bunch of gen z TikTok obsessed toddlers on the council? Lmao

[Runner]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

Huh?

In what world is the council not young?

Are you telling me you want a bunch of gen z TikTok obsessed toddlers on the council? Lmao

Then maybe we need a mix of red and blue council members.

[SAhometown]

Here is another take with Southwest and the airport..

https://sanantonioreport.org/sats-la...-new-terminal/

[Spoiler]

Originally Posted by Runner

Then maybe we need a mix of red and blue council members.

Maybe we need dancing bananas

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Point of fact:

Kahr, Jalen, Viagran, Rocha-Garcia, Castillo, Gavito, and Whyte are all varying degrees of young. Not one of them is older than 45, and Kuhr is ~34. Jalen is 29. Do you want more of Jalen’s 20-something antics and spats on the council?

Palaez and Havrda are seasoned, but still relatively young for politicians.

Only Courage is not young. And even he isn’t old.

Unlike you, I think San Antonio city council needs more seasoned hands with actual decades of experience with the city and its business community and infrastructure. Too many major American cities have councils that are too young, too inexperienced, too ideologically extreme, and have zero idea about what policies actually work in practice versus a pie-in-the-sky youthful idealism about policy.

Austin’s youthful council is in hot water because they routinely violated open-meetings laws. These young and youthful city councils are landing themselves in hotter and hotter water the more than they act like fools.

This is why large, successful companies have a heirarchy of experienced people leading younger people. You get the best of both: youthful ideas and energy combined with the wisdom and experience of how things actually work. Then eventually the young people who learn from the experienced ones become the leaders. I was young and exuberant, then over time I learned that my exuberance was combined with a lot of impatience that stemmed from my lack of understanding of how to actually accomplish big things in a structured environment. (And as a now experienced person, I fully will not be surprised if someone younger wants to argue with me here.)

Originally Posted by Spoiler

Maybe we need dancing bananas

You are correct.

[texboy]

At the end of the day, Southwest will maintain and grow their market share in SA regardless of what terminal they're in. They would be dumb not to just because they didn't get new gates in the terminal. I get the sentiment for sure, they started in San Antonio and are the closest thing SA has to a hometown airline and deserve some nice digs... BUT the main point of the new terminal was to finally get international gates with appropriately sized waiting areas and widths in between gates that could handle 3 widebodies at one time. The other item to note here is that both American and Delta are going to build business lounges in the new terminal, neither of them have lounges in the airport currently. This is huge as business travelers (like myself) look for the lounges before and after trips to work or unwind away from the masses. Not having them does affect how business travelers feel about flying through a city. Last I checked, Southwest had no plans of a lounge. In my opinion this is a great move to lure more business travelers through the airport. In time Southwest will be getting a BRAND NEW terminal A, most likely all to themselves. It may not be for anther 10 years, but I think a $200M spruce up and gate reduction on terminal A will more than get them through until that time.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Originally Posted by Runner

Then maybe we need a mix of red and blue council members.

All these comments are going to get nuked for being off topic, but I wanted to say that maybe if conservatives stopped running drunk drivers for Council this "problem" would fix itself

[jkill34]

Originally Posted by texboy

At the end of the day, Southwest will maintain and grow their market share in SA regardless of what terminal they're in. They would be dumb not to just because they didn't get new gates in the terminal. I get the sentiment for sure, they started in San Antonio and are the closest thing SA has to a hometown airline and deserve some nice digs... BUT the main point of the new terminal was to finally get international gates with appropriately sized waiting areas and widths in between gates that could handle 3 widebodies at one time. The other item to note here is that both American and Delta are going to build business lounges in the new terminal, neither of them have lounges in the airport currently. This is huge as business travelers (like myself) look for the lounges before and after trips to work or unwind away from the masses. Not having them does affect how business travelers feel about flying through a city. Last I checked, Southwest had no plans of a lounge. In my opinion this is a great move to lure more business travelers through the airport. In time Southwest will be getting a BRAND NEW terminal A, most likely all to themselves. It may not be for anther 10 years, but I think a $200M spruce up and gate reduction on terminal A will more than get them through until that time.

They did leave us for Dallas, so kick them to the curb.

Not really though. Agreed with your point Texboy. It would be hard for Southwest to leave SA without giving up some really profitable routes.

[Rynetwo]

From the San Antonio Report article:

Southwest spokesman Chris Perry said Terminal A barely meets its current needs. “It’s too narrow, it bottlenecks, it just doesn’t fit,” he said, adding that $200 million is not enough to bring it up to standards.

City officials argue that it wouldn’t be fair to the other carriers to increase the renovation budget without their agreement at this stage and would “undo two years of negotiations,” said Assistant City Manager Jeff Coyle.

The city's leadership did this to themselves. The statement above has been a problem for the airlines for decades.