AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[freerover]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

In fairness, I don't think they've done too much at their other "focus city" (RDU) either.

Delta is known for slow, methodical planning...

Additionally, they have had major projects underway at their SEA, SLC, LGA and BOS hubs. They are also upgrading ATL.

Here is a good example of fake delta is coming hype proliferated in this thread. It was always guesses we were making. Never real commitments from Delta itself.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by freerover

Here is a good example of fake delta is coming hype proliferated in this thread. It was always guesses we were making. Never real commitments from Delta itself.

That's pretty harsh. Wouldn't call that "fake delta hype" at all. It's a handful of data points well-meaning, adult-style people can take into consideration when thinking about this.

Please feel free to give more, not fewer, people the benefit of the doubt on this forum.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by We vs us

That's pretty harsh. Wouldn't call that "fake delta hype" at all. It's a handful of data points well-meaning, adult-style people can take into consideration when thinking about this.

Please feel free to give more, not fewer, people the benefit of the doubt on this forum.

I said WE. Not Him or y'all. I can't say as to if it's harsh or not but I can say it's accurate. We were so sure that big delta investment was coming and we kept that speculating going for years and it never came. My point is that Delta wasn't doing anything to suggest it was. We just thought we knew more than I guess we did. There is nothing wrong with owning that.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by freerover

To be fair, delta barley ever officially hyped austin as a focus city. 99% of the hype came from here and Airliners.

At the same time they released "focus city" for Nashville & San Jose, CA but those plans got scrapped. The most Delta has done at BNA is build a new SkyClub in the B concourse.

Delta should've been more aggressive when announcing something like that, because you see American responded VERY aggressively and has not even called AUS a "focus city" all the while having the most flights for a non-hub in their portfolio. I just don't see anything coming of it, even with their SkyTeam partner KLM and soon to be alliance member Virgin Atlantic in the house.

[Riverranchdrone]

Originally Posted by futuresooner

At the same time they released "focus city" for Nashville & San Jose, CA but those plans got scrapped. The most Delta has done at BNA is build a new SkyClub in the B concourse.

Delta should've been more aggressive when announcing something like that, because you see American responded VERY aggressively and has not even called AUS a "focus city" all the while having the most flights for a non-hub in their portfolio. I just don't see anything coming of it, even with their SkyTeam partner KLM and soon to be alliance member Virgin Atlantic in the house.

A Delta Air Lines Inc. executive told an investor conference last week that Austin is now one of just two “focus cities,” a significant designation before the pandemic.

Delta President Glen Hauenstein told investors on March 1 at the Raymond James conference only Austin and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, will remain as its focus cities in a downsized airline, according to industry publication Airline Weekly. Nashville, Cincinnati and San Jose have lost the designation.https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2021/03/09/delta-austin-focus-status.html

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by futuresooner

Delta should've been more aggressive when announcing something like that, because you see American responded VERY aggressively and has not even called AUS a "focus city" all the while having the most flights for a non-hub in their portfolio.

In fairness, you are making the assume that all companies work and conduct their own individual businesses in the same exact manner. And, that is simply not the case.

Additionally, you assume that every airline (or business) defines "focus" in the same way. Again, that is not the case.

With regard to AA - I believe their "aggressive" expansion of service out of AUS was mostly due to relieving pressure at DFW and not to get out ahead of any individual airline.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

In fairness, you are making the assume that all companies work and conduct their own individual businesses in the same exact manner. And, that is simply not the case.

Additionally, you assume that every airline (or business) defines "focus" in the same way. Again, that is not the case.

With regard to AA - I believe their "aggressive" expansion of service out of AUS was mostly due to relieving pressure at DFW and not to get out ahead of any individual airline.

Delta had, in the original announcement, said they would grow and expand AUS with more routes and flights, and that simply has not happened. Now apparently "focus" for them is improving customer experience, which doesn't really make any sense. I understand the pandemic knocked the kneecaps of the industry, but it is plain as day that Delta won't make waves at AUS.

AA's expansion was not to relieve DFW because they've added even more flights out of their than ever before. AUS was specifically targeted because of the explosive growth and opportunity to capture frequent fliers or attain new ones with a myriad of new destinations and routes. AUS is now even used as a secondary connection because of the offerings.

Now, with all this growth, they've got to hurry up the pace on expansion. An airport like BNA took advantage of the pandemic and plowed on with a majority of the first phase expansion being delivered next summer/fall. Meanwhile, ABIA is moving slower than a snail's pace.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by futuresooner

Delta had, in the original announcement, said they would grow and expand AUS with more routes and flights, and that simply has not happened. Now apparently "focus" for them is improving customer experience, which doesn't really make any sense. I understand the pandemic knocked the kneecaps of the industry, but it is plain as day that Delta won't make waves at AUS.

AA's expansion was not to relieve DFW because they've added even more flights out of their than ever before. AUS was specifically targeted because of the explosive growth and opportunity to capture frequent fliers or attain new ones with a myriad of new destinations and routes. AUS is now even used as a secondary connection because of the offerings.

Now, with all this growth, they've got to hurry up the pace on expansion. An airport like BNA took advantage of the pandemic and plowed on with a majority of the first phase expansion being delivered next summer/fall. Meanwhile, ABIA is moving slower than a snail's pace.

Do you have sources (links) to bolster your points? I cannot find any specific, formal Delta announcement that upholds your comment.

I thought this was interesting:

Deltas Decision to Dump Focus Cities Makes Me Wonder What Is a Focus City

NOTE: In the above article, a Delta spokes person told the author the following with regard to what it means to be a "focus city: "There isn’t actually a definition of what makes a focus city. It’s really just a loose grouping of markets where Delta sees growth potential in a variety of ways."

BNA's expansion project has been in the works longer than the current master plan for AUS. Construction on the BNA Vision (their master plan) began in 2017 and will continue through 2023. Thus, securing funding prior to the pandemic. The next phase, New Horizon is set to be completed in 2028. So, directly comparing what is happening in Nashville to Austin is not one set on solid ground.

[futuresooner]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Do you have sources (links) to bolster your points? I cannot find any specific, formal Delta announcement that upholds your comment.

I thought this was interesting:

Deltas Decision to Dump Focus Cities Makes Me Wonder What Is a Focus City

NOTE: In the above article, a Delta spokes person told the author the following with regard to what it means to be a "focus city: "There isn’t actually a definition of what makes a focus city. It’s really just a loose grouping of markets where Delta sees growth potential in a variety of ways."

BNA's expansion project has been in the works longer than the current master plan for AUS. Construction on the BNA Vision (their master plan) began in 2017 and will continue through 2023. Thus, securing funding prior to the pandemic. The next phase, New Horizon is set to be completed in 2028. So, directly comparing what is happening in Nashville to Austin is not one set on solid ground.

While it was not explicitly said by Delta, it was implied in 2018 when they announced AUS as a "focus city." It's been 6 years and even with the pandemic, the only change has really been the new SkyClub.
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/d...focus-city-bringing-more-direct-flights/

Also, I get that it's not an apples to apples comparison with BNA, but AUS has been talking expansion for just as long and seemingly dragging their feet. BNA Vision started in 2017, the same year ABIA announced their master plan study that was approved in 2019. I get that the pandemic happened, but just getting a couple extra gates delivered in 2024, so far. Both airports have been on similar growth trajectories for at least a decade and overall AUS is growing much faster as a whole and seems to lag behind.

I don't know, maybe I'm overly critical, but ABIA has got to fast-track things because how much more can the terminal really handle and it kills the traveler experience with how cramped and inefficient it can and has been lately. Is the issue with the South Terminal the biggest hangup right now?

[LightChop]

I’m not convinced AA is making all that much money in AUS. Everyone puts the focus on DL not doing anything while they ignore the Southwest vs AA bloodbath. Most of AA’s route structure is an attack on established WN routes rather than taking business from DL.

Delta is plenty happy allowing its joint venture partners to fly to AMS and LHR while slowly continuing to upgauge its core network.

I think their play is waiting for AA to blink in the midst of an economic downturn. At this point their debt is far and away greater than the other legacy airlines. Also the Northeast Alliance they have with JetBlue will likely get struck down thanks to the Soirit merger. AA will have to decide how they want to balance the network and something will have to give.

[StoOgE]

I mostly wish Aeromexico would become more active at ABIA.

[Tyrone Shoes]

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin’s airport is one of the nation’s top offenders when it comes to lost luggage, a new study shows.

Austin-Bergstrom ranked fourth for most lost luggage in the study by Price4Limo.com. Only Chicago’s O’Hare International, Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International and San Diego International ranked Austin-Bergstrom was the only airport in Texas to appear on the list. Major airports like Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington Dulles also appeared in the top 10.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/a...-offenders-for-lost-luggage-study-shows/

[Scuba]

Here's something rather unflattering posted about ABIA and the whole South Terminal debacle posted about a month ago but I just read due to the problems Delta is trying to fix with their overcrowded clubs.

link below:
https://viewfromthewing.com/austin-airpo...ver-do-business-with-the-city-of-austin/
the blogger is a high profile airline and points guy with a huge following/readership.
good rundown on the politics at the airport/city and not just about the south terminal but also the fuel farm and how we lost a centurion lounge that had been planned, thanks to the city council. not a flattering profile of the city at all. perhaps a little exaggerated but overall very well laid out.

[chinchaaa]

The airport is a mess right now

[lonewolf]

very sad to watch the incompetence play out over the past couple years at ABIA. used to be a gem of an airport

[LiveattheOasis]

Are we able to create an airport authority to get this out of the hands of people with no knowledge of things?

[We vs us]

What was most interesting to me about that article was that he squarely placed the blame on the city council, not ABIA, for being a bad business partner. TBH, I can't really say that's not the case . . . even though I'm 100% for speeding through the process and getting the expansion moving as soon as humanly possible.

To me, whoever negotiated and signed that 40 yr deal for the south terminal is the real culprit.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by We vs us

o me, whoever negotiated and signed that 40 yr deal for the south terminal is the real culprit.

Maybe the author was trying to say that even though the contract was negotiated by those directly tied to ABIA - every member of the city council (and staff) had an opportunity to review the contract and raise questions about it. If I remember correctly, it gained council approval pretty easily.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Scuba

Here's something rather unflattering posted about ABIA and the whole South Terminal debacle posted about a month ago but I just read due to the problems Delta is trying to fix with their overcrowded clubs.

link below:
https://viewfromthewing.com/austin-airpo...ver-do-business-with-the-city-of-austin/
the blogger is a high profile airline and points guy with a huge following/readership.
good rundown on the politics at the airport/city and not just about the south terminal but also the fuel farm and how we lost a centurion lounge that had been planned, thanks to the city council. not a flattering profile of the city at all. perhaps a little exaggerated but overall very well laid out.

doesn't seem like a very informed take

"They plan to use the current American Airlines Admirals Club space “to provide areas for temporary tenant relocation during future construction and development projects in the” terminal, according to an airport spokesperson. "


Given the massive capacity crunch at the airport (and need for multiple construction projects), this is absolutely the best usage of the space.

"City Council Action Enables Expansion Projects" doesn't read nearly as negatively, does it.

[LoneStarMike]

October 2022 Passenger, Cargo Traffic at Austin-Bergstrom

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) passenger traffic growth for October 2022 was up 31.57% compared to October 2021 with 2,002,078 passengers flying during the month.

[SNIP]

Total passenger traffic for January – October 2022 was 17,526,095, up 68.78%, compared to January – October 2021.

2022 (through October) has now surpassed all of 2019 by 182,366 passengers.

Looking back, 2013 was the first year Bergstrom surpassed the 10 million mark (10,017,958)

Source

and in 9 years we will have doubled. Insane!