AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[GoldenBoot]

^^^And, even if ABIA reports 0% y-o-y growth in November and December (which we know will not occur) - the airport will still have processed 20.7 million passengers in 2022.

[LoneStarMike]

Some more interesting trivia gleaned from the Activity reports:

ABIA International Passenger Totals:

2017 - 329,948
2018 - 437,003
2019 - 530,387
2020 - 81,509
2021 - 241,532
2022 - 754,255 (through October)

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Some more interesting trivia gleaned from the Activity reports:

ABIA International Passenger Totals:

2017 - 329,948
2018 - 437,003
2019 - 530,387
2020 - 81,509
2021 - 241,532
2022 - 754,255 (through October)

WOW! I haven't looked at the numbers that close yet. That's impressive international growth over the old annual record (with two months to go, as you pointed out).

[GoldenBoot]

KLM using a B772 on its AUS-AMS route tomorrow...

[LoneStarMike]

Someone on another site mentioned American would be starting Austin - Sacramento flights. Couldn't find a press release, but in AA's reservation system it looks like the service starts May 5.

Outbound flight departs Austin 9:15 am & arrives in Sacramento at 11:00 am. Return flight departs Sacramento at 11:30 am and arrives in Austin at 4:35 pm.

Service will be daily using an Embraer 175.

[sewaneetigers]

We really need some direct flights to Exuma and North Eleuthera, Bahamas. Well, maybe not North Eleuthera because I don’t want any more tourist going to Harbor Island.

I arrived from Vegas around 9pm Friday night and the airport was packed. How long is this second terminal going to take? Has it even been approved?

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by sewaneetigers

We really need some direct flights to Exuma and North Eleuthera, Bahamas. Well, maybe not North Eleuthera because I don’t want any more tourist going to Harbor Island.

I arrived from Vegas around 9pm Friday night and the airport was packed. How long is this second terminal going to take? Has it even been approved?

I do not think there is any "need" to have direct links to either Exuma or Northern Eleuthera (other than your and my own personal need ). Those are beautiful locations!!!

Additionally, both of those airports service light aircraft and small jets only from the east coast.

AUS does, however, have a direct link to Nassau.

[eskimo33]

Deleted

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

AUS does, however, have a direct link to Nassau.

Also to Punta Cana (PUJ), Cozumel (CZM), Cancun (CUN), and San Juan (SJU).

Punta Cana and San Juan - let alone Atlanta, Miami, and Ft Lauderdale - can serve as transfer points to literally every other Caribbean destination to which we don’t have a direct flight already.

[sewaneetigers]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

I do not think there is any "need" to have direct links to either Exuma or Northern Eleuthera (other than your and my own personal need ). Those are beautiful locations!!!

Additionally, both of those airports service light aircraft and small jets only from the east coast.

AUS does, however, have a direct link to Nassau.

Only east coast jets? That explains why you can't even fly direct out of Houston or DFW.

[sewaneetigers]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Also to Punta Cana (PUJ), Cozumel (CZM), Cancun (CUN), and San Juan (SJU).

Punta Cana and San Juan - let alone Atlanta, Miami, and Ft Lauderdale - can serve as transfer points to literally every other Caribbean destination to which we don’t have a direct flight already.

Yeah, but it's not convenient

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by sewaneetigers

Yeah, but it's not convenient

I don’t disagree with your underlying premise that a few additional Caribbean destinations might make sense once we have an expanded airport and some good seasonal contenders could be:

• Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Oranjestad, Aruba
• Bridgetown, Barbados

St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands really needs a larger airport and to be better connected into the U.S. air infrastructure than it is, otherwise I’d have included it.

In the grand scheme of things, these are not routes that are low hanging fruit or that would be economically advantageous for Austin vis-a-vis other cities. Domestically alone, Cleveland, Omaha, Albany, Greenville, Birmingham, Milwaukee, and Richmond all don’t have a direct flight to Austin. Some of these probably wouldn’t make money.

[resansom]

Interesting article - with the current plans on hold, maybe it will give the city a chance to incorporate some of these ideas into the next gen terminal/airport:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90822103/airports-future-design

[drummer]

^^ So that is what a lot of Chinese airports do with buses already. They have larger halls for ~5-6 "gates" and a bus takes the passengers to the planes. It's not the same as what they're proposing, of course, but it's similar in concept. I don't like it one bit as someone who has traveled with kids. It's a pain in the butt to squeeze in with lots of folks usually with two carry-on bags a pop, etc. Now if you're just doing business and have a single bag or something, it's quick and easy. Functionally, the idea is good, but it's not much fun for the passengers. You also have weather, etc., to contend with...not much fun to board a plane have after walking through the snow or rain. It got to the point where my wife and I would joke that jet bridges were a nice luxury.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by resansom

Interesting article - with the current plans on hold, maybe it will give the city a chance to incorporate some of these ideas into the next gen terminal/airport:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90822103/airports-future-design

The airport plans aren't on hold. Both the new concourse and the new taxiways are in design. Taxiway construction is scheduled in 2025 so we have a few more years to get the south terminal razed.

[resansom]

Originally Posted by freerover

The airport plans aren't on hold. Both the new concourse and the new taxiways are in design. Taxiway construction is scheduled in 2025 so we have a few more years to get the south terminal razed.

That's good to know - I assumed the south terminal lawsuit was holding up the planning, at the very least. Cheers.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by resansom

That's good to know - I assumed the south terminal lawsuit was holding up the planning, at the very least. Cheers.

Here are the pending projects:

Replacement E-W midfield taxiway. This has to be operational before work can start on the new concourse since the new concourse requires closing the existing midfield taxiway. Construction starts 10/24 and lasts 2 years

Demo of old airforce buildings. 5/23 and lasts 1 year

West gates expansion which will build an addition of 3 Gates to the west end of the Barbara Jordan Terminal (BJT) and replace 12 aging boarding gates. 4/23 and lasts 3 years

Bus Gate Work The renovation of existing Gate 13 in the east end of the Barbara Jordan Terminal (BJT) to allow for more efficient bus operation and ground loading of planes on the Apron. Under Construction until 3/23

West Infil. At 60% design. Opens Q1 2026


Not sure if they have soured on the Atrium fill bc I haven't seen much on it in a few months.

[eskimo33]

.."Lufthansa will be swapping its A330-300s for A340-300 for its Frankfurt to Austin service beinning May 2. The A340 will be the first four-engine aircraft to fly to Austin since BA did so prior to the pandemic."...

https://crankyflier.com/2022/12/16/crank...-united-dreams-big-aa-aadjusts-and-more/

[psychlotron]

Originally Posted by eskimo33

.."Lufthansa will be swapping its A330-300s for A340-300 for its Frankfurt to Austin service beinning May 2. The A340 will be the first four-engine aircraft to fly to Austin since BA did so prior to the pandemic."...

https://crankyflier.com/2022/12/16/crank...-united-dreams-big-aa-aadjusts-and-more/

Just re-checked my May 7 AUS-FRA reservation and sure enough, the aircraft type is now showing as A340-300. Thanks for posting this info!

Haven't been on an A340 in a long time but I seem to remember thinking that plane feels relatively roomy. Can't remember why...higher ceilings?

[sammyk]

Kind of surprised the A340-300 is still around. Lufthansa's must be really old by now.

What's the old A340 joke? Only gains altitude because the earth is round?