AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Scuba]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Its a friendly piece with chamber members and consultants for ABIA saying that we really need TPAC routes and the consultant says he expects Tokyo or Seoul to be announced by the end of 2023

Originally Posted by gabetx

Kevin Schorr, vice president of Virginia-based Cambell-Hill Aviation Group, said he has seen more support and organization in the Austin business community around attracting direct flights to Asia than ever before. Schorr’s company helps airports pitch new routes to airlines and has been working with the city of Austin since 1998 to help the airport present business cases for new routes to airlines.
“If you look at where we have nonstop service right now, where we don't have nonstop service, you could quickly figure out that Asia is a gaping hole in the Austin routes,” he said. “We are working very closely with community stakeholders, directly with some companies, to make sure that we're putting together the best package possible and putting the best foot forward in our conversations with Asian carriers.”
Schorr said the conversation about direct flights to cities in Asia is picking up steam because Austin's economy has now grown to the point where airlines might consider nonstop service. He said his company has had conversations with multiple airlines about possible routes.

The main issue is always whether a route will be profitable, especially now that staffing and supply chain problems have strained airlines’ bottom lines. Schorr said he can’t say which specific routes airlines might be considering for Austin, but a key factor in attracting airline investment is the state of Austin’s economy.
Geske said the chamber conducts a survey among members to give airlines a better idea of what business travel demand exists in the area.
He said his best guess is Austin could see a direct route to a city such as Seoul, South Korea, or Tokyo announced as early as the end of next year. However, he said ongoing coronavirus-related lockdowns in those countries, as well as staff shortages at airlines based in Asia and the United States, are factors that might affect that timeline.
Airport spokesperson Sam Haynes said Austin's airport leaders can't say when more international routes might be added. While the airport pitches possible routes to airlines, the decision to add a route is ultimately not up to the airport.
“We don’t really have any additional info to add beyond that it’s something we know passengers would be interested in,” she said. “We don’t have a year when we expect to land that service, but when we do, we will be sure to share that news far and wide.”

dang, that got my hopes up, you saying it was "by the end of next year" the consultant expects Tokyo or Seoul to be announced. He actually says they're trying but has been working for 20+ years trying, and while there's a hole to Asia, there's a lot to consider but might or might not be profitable, COVID, supply chain, yada yada....all the article says is that consultant thinks int'l to Asia might be AS SOON as end of 2023. I guess I won't hold my breath after all. That's like stores that say "up to 50% off".

[kingkirbythe....]

American Airlines to start flying nonstop from Austin to Memphis

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...lines-nonstop-austin-flight-memphis.html

American Airlines Group Inc. announced Sept. 19 that it will start nonstop service between Memphis International Airport, also known by airport code MEM, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, aka AUS, beginning Jan. 10, 2023.

"We are excited and grateful for American Airlines’ continued growth at MEM," stated Michael Keeney, chairman of the Memphis-Shelby County board of commissioners. "This route creates new travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers alike."

The flight is slated to run Sundays through Fridays. American will operate a 76-seat Embraer 175 aircraft for the route.

This appears to be Austin's second nonstop connection to Memphis International, along with flights by Allegiant Air, according to the Austin-Bergstrom International website.

[Tyrone Shoes]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

American Airlines to start flying nonstop from Austin to Memphis

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...lines-nonstop-austin-flight-memphis.html

American Airlines Group Inc. announced Sept. 19 that it will start nonstop service between Memphis International Airport, also known by airport code MEM, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, aka AUS, beginning Jan. 10, 2023.

"We are excited and grateful for American Airlines’ continued growth at MEM," stated Michael Keeney, chairman of the Memphis-Shelby County board of commissioners. "This route creates new travel opportunities for both business and leisure travelers alike."

The flight is slated to run Sundays through Fridays. American will operate a 76-seat Embraer 175 aircraft for the route.

This appears to be Austin's second nonstop connection to Memphis International, along with flights by Allegiant Air, according to the Austin-Bergstrom International website.

Didn't Southwest fly this route non-stop at one time?

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoes

Didn't Southwest fly this route non-stop at one time?

Not sure about SWA, but, Northwest did prior to being acquired by Delta.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Not sure about SWA, but, Northwest did prior to being acquired by Delta.

Allegiant flies this route now...

[LightChop]

Walking through the terminal on Monday night it looks like they’ve started work on the escalators for the handstand operation at the old downstairs gate. At the very least they were putting up temporary walls for it.

[lonewolf]

july numbers finally out
https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Airport/July%202022.pdf

[We vs us]

So crazy! We're averaging about 300k more passengers per month than same time 2019. We can't fit anyone else in there at this point, can we?

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by lonewolf

july numbers finally out
https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Airport/July%202022.pdf

Interesting that June and July slipped off a bit from May's record number. Typically they are busier than May.

Anyway, at this rate, I estimate ABIA processing roughly 21 million passengers this year.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Interesting that June and July slipped off a bit from May's record number. Typically they are busier than May.

Anyway, at this rate, I estimate ABIA processing roughly 21 million passengers this year.

Maybe the summer heat and drought keeping everyone away?

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Maybe the summer heat and drought keeping everyone away?

Or they could have been like my wife and flew out twice to escape the heat.

[drummer]

There's also the fact that a bunch of folks are uncertain of the economy and may be holding back from big spending - companies and families alike.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

...Anyway, at this rate, I estimate ABIA processing roughly 21 million passengers this year.

...In a facility designed to handle 15 million PAX.

[kingkirbythe....]

Why American Airlines flies so frequently between Austin, DFW

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2022/09/23/american-airlines-austin-dfw-flights.h

American Airlines Group Inc. operates more flights to Austin from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport than any other destination even though it may not be the most profitable route, according to flight data tracker Cirium.

Fort Worth-based American (Nasdaq: AAL) serves Austin 14 times a day and this month is scheduled to operate 409 flights from DFW to the Texas capital. Despite the segment's frequency, Cirium ranks it in the bottom quartile of all routes within American's network for profitability.

Network planners, analysts and consultants historically have used metrics like load factor and yield to gauge the profitability of a route. Cirium's new "Route Grader" tool rates flight segments by taking into account ancillary and cargo revenue as well to determine overall performance.

According to Cirium, the Austin-DFW segment had one of the lowest load factors at 63% in the first quarter, meaning flights are almost two-thirds full. Yield for the segment is 37.6 cents, ranking No. 15 among 178 routes graded by Cirium. Yield is the amount an airline earns for each passenger mile flown.

Jason Reisinger, managing director of global network planning for American, said Austin is a "super important" city for the carrier.

"We want to make sure that we can get you anywhere in the world as easily as possible from Austin," he said.

[LoneStarMike]

You accidentally left out the "tml" after the "h" at the end.

Here's the whole article archived

[kingkirbythe....]

Austin airport slides down J.D. Power list of best travel hubs

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...ps-in-jd-power-airport-satisfaction.html

Overall customer satisfaction has dropped over the past year at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, according to an annual study from the consumer research firm J.D. Power and Associates.

Central Texas' primary airport fell 34 points on the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study, from a score of 819 in 2021 to 785 to 2022. The index uses a 1,000-point scale and evaluates terminal facilities, airport arrival/departure, baggage claim, security check, check-in and baggage check as well as food, beverage and retail options.

[GoldenBoot]

^^^Growing pains did not help with customer satisfaction last year.

This was expected. I think it would be more shocking if the airport rated higher than the previous year. It may be a while before ABIA receives more favorable customer satisfaction scores.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

^^^Growing pains did not help with customer satisfaction last year.

This was expected. I think it would be more shocking if the airport rated higher than the previous year. It may be a while before ABIA receives more favorable customer satisfaction scores.

it may be a loooooong while. I have thought for decades ABIA was underrated and quite ahead of the curve when it came to offerings/demand. I now think they are behind the curve. very different ballgame now. Can they outpace Austins growth from here going forward? It just doesn't seem possible.

[gillynova]

I've been traveling a lot lately and I gotta say... ABIA definitely needs to upgrade a lot in terms of getting people in and out of the airport. I had a flight at 5:30am on a Thursday in July and to my surprise there was traffic for the departing area at 4:40am.

I really wished Austin had a train going in and out of the airport.

TSA lines are a bit confusing to me too. I didn't realize there were 3 different check points to get in

Also, inside has been VERY packed during the summer. Not sure how they can fit everyone in next summer when there's no expansion

Sorry for that little rant but I do love how the inside looks like and all the food/drink offerings inside are ALL local businesses

[LiveattheOasis]

Yeah we will drop the next 5-6 years until they complete the new terminal. And it needs to have 30 new gates ...