AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[We vs us]

We're more of a focus city for AA than we ever were for Delta . . . who named us a focus city.

[LightChop]

Originally Posted by We vs us

We're more of a focus city for AA than we ever were for Delta . . . who named us a focus city.

Austin is still very much a focus for Delta. Discipline is the name of the game for Delta's post-COVID recovery.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

American Airlines will break ground on a new 15,000+ square foot Admirals Club at AUS.

https://simpleflying.com/american-admirals-club-austin/

Really good news, I remember that Admiral's club being really small even back in 2007 when I lived and flew through Austin. The putting green right before the main entrance was a nice touch.

[danny1010]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Really good news, I remember that Admiral's club being really small even back in 2007 when I lived and flew through Austin. The putting green right before the main entrance was a nice touch.

They had to remove the putting green to fit in more seats. When the BA flight for LHR is preparing to leave, the club is pretty packed! It’ll be really great to have this extra space.

The smallest Admirals Club was definitely the MCI one. It might’ve been not much more than 500 sq ft. After 9/11 and that airport had to go with the silly layout of a security checkpoint for every 3-5 gates, AA basically blocked off the small area at one of these sections for a club. There were only 2 staff members - agent checking you in and the bartender. It may’ve been small but the best service. Even before I completed the check-in, the bartender already had my drink of choice waiting for me by memory!

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by danny1010

They had to remove the putting green to fit in more seats. When the BA flight for LHR is preparing to leave, the club is pretty packed! It’ll be really great to have this extra space.

The smallest Admirals Club was definitely the MCI one. It might’ve been not much more than 500 sq ft. After 9/11 and that airport had to go with the silly layout of a security checkpoint for every 3-5 gates, AA basically blocked off the small area at one of these sections for a club. There were only 2 staff members - agent checking you in and the bartender. It may’ve been small but the best service. Even before I completed the check-in, the bartender already had my drink of choice waiting for me by memory!

Well maybe the putting green will make its return when the new club opens! I’ve never flown through MCI but I can only imagine how packed that club would get, likely having to turn people away. That kind of personal service must have been nice though!

I don’t know if the United Club is right next to the current Admiral’s Club or not, but that could be a good expansion/renovation opportunity for UA once AA moves out.

[ILUVSAT]

Geez...15,000 SF?!? That's huge for AUS. Isn't Delta's new lounge only 9-10,000 SF (if I remember correctly) ?

Is there still talk of a big, non-airline specific lounge (one run by an outside company)? Any talk of an international lounge? I know space opened up when the airport offices moved out of the terminal and into their new HQ.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

I don’t know if the United Club is right next to the current Admiral’s Club or not, but that could be a good expansion/renovation opportunity for UA once AA moves out.

It is right next to it. So I had the same thought. As far as I'm aware though, United hasn't shown all that much interest in expanding their AUS presence.

It's also possible that another airline that has no AUS lounge might snap up the AA spot.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by paul78701

It is right next to it. So I had the same thought. As far as I'm aware though, United hasn't shown all that much interest in expanding their AUS presence.

It's also possible that another airline that has no AUS lounge might snap up the AA spot.

Yeah if UA doesn’t make a move there are a few candidates for another lounge. Alaska Airlines, Amex Centurion Lounge, or a common use paid admission contractor. Alaska is the only airline that comes to mind that could be interested in a club. BA has the AA club, Lufthansa has UA, and KLM has the DL club. Alaska does codeshare with AA so they could very well be fine with using the AA club. I’ve never been in an Alaska Airlines lounge, given their airside product I would assume it is nice.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

Geez...15,000 SF?!? That's huge for AUS. Isn't Delta's new lounge only 9-10,000 SF (if I remember correctly) ?

Is there still talk of a big, non-airline specific lounge (one run by an outside company)? Any talk of an international lounge? I know space opened up when the airport offices moved out of the terminal and into their new HQ.

Delta lists the club as 9,000, that lounge is a really nice space to be and I do think is large. 15,000 really hints that AA sees Austin as a focus city in its network, which is nice to see. I had thought in the past that Amex Centurion had at least looked into adding a lounge, my brain could be playing tricks on me though.

[papertowelroll]

I want a lounge that's in the Priority Pass program.

[chundercracker]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Delta lists the club as 9,000, that lounge is a really nice space to be and I do think is large. 15,000 really hints that AA sees Austin as a focus city in its network, which is nice to see. I had thought in the past that Amex Centurion had at least looked into adding a lounge, my brain could be playing tricks on me though.

https://viewfromthewing.com/why-aust...t-put-on-hold/

The Austin airport was supposed to be getting a new lounge accessible by American Express Platinum cardmembers. The airport solicited bids to run a new independent lounge, and selected MAG (“Manchester Airport Group”) USA which runs Escape lounges. A rendering of the lounge even suggested it might be a dual Escape Lounge-Centurion lounge which is the setup in Phoenix. However the City Council balked in a dispute over minority contracting rules.

[StoOgE]

The Delta lounge should be bigger IMO. It gets *very* full on Monday mornings.

[sjk]

Allegiant Air opens $75M operations base at Austin airport's South Terminal amid expansion conflict
Low-cost carrier has new hub in Texas capital, although it stands in way of plans for new concourse

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...XEsSPmVoKcpilE

Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air has invested $75 million into an operations base at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's South Terminal, the future of which is uncertain because expansion plans point toward its possible demolition in the coming years.

Allegiant Travel Company (Nasdaq: ALGT) announced Nov. 18 that it has officially kicked off operations at its new base in the privately run terminal south of the main Barbara Jordan Terminal at ABIA. The Las Vegas-based airline will use the new hub as a daily hub for crews, maintenance personnel and three Airbus A320 aircraft. Executives have said it will allow Allegiant to offer more services from Austin and prepare for possible growth in the future as demand escalates for flights through Central Texas.

“Austin is the perfect location for an Allegiant base — a premier destination for vacationers and a growing community of local residents looking for value and convenience as they travel,” Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue and planning, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to start base operations in a big way — with nine new nonstop routes for locals and visitors to enjoy. And you can be assured that’s just the beginning of what we envision for Allegiant’s future in Austin.”

As Austin's population continues to swell and airlines invest in new services through ABIA, airport leaders have turned their attention back to a long-planned facility expansion. It's unclear how the South Terminal will fit into those plans.

[drummer]

Seems like an unwise business move - not that Austin shouldn't be a focus for them, but investing a large chunk of money into a building that will likely cease to exist in the relatively near future doesn't seem like a good idea. If I were an airline operating out of the South Terminal, I would keep normal operations while watching closely to the discussions regarding the South Terminal. Spend money when there is more certainty.

[WestAustinite]

Originally Posted by drummer

Seems like an unwise business move - not that Austin shouldn't be a focus for them, but investing a large chunk of money into a building that will likely cease to exist in the relatively near future doesn't seem like a good idea. If I were an airline operating out of the South Terminal, I would keep normal operations while watching closely to the discussions regarding the South Terminal. Spend money when there is more certainty.

What I want to know is what boneheads at the city signed a 40 year lease for operating the South Terminal when they surely knew they would be expanding the airport and mow down the South Terminal buildings in the not-so-distant future.

[masonh2479]

Virgin Atlantic will be announcing a new US route in the coming weeks, fingers crossed it's Austin! https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/...us-destination

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Virgin Atlantic will be announcing a new US route in the coming weeks, fingers crossed it's Austin! https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/...us-destination

I too hope it is Austin. However, a few years back, Virgin Atlantic was quoted as looking into the possibility of expanding their route system to include Chicago, San Diego, Raleigh Durham, Denver and Austin. So, it could be a larger, unserved market.

Other markets, not specifically listed by them as potential expansion cities, are: Dallas, Houston, Minneapolis, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Tampa, Philadelphia, and Portland.

Also, it would be interesting if two premium services to the same airport (LHR) would work in Austin. There is a potential since they work within two different airline alliances.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by WestAustinite

What I want to know is what boneheads at the city signed a 40 year lease for operating the South Terminal when they surely knew they would be expanding the airport and mow down the South Terminal buildings in the not-so-distant future.

Presumably morons that knew that worst come to worst they have eminent domain authority.

[masonh2479]

Not sure if this is old news or not but BA will be switching aircraft starting February 28, 2022 and will fly the A350 to Austin. This switch was about to happen in 2020 as well but Covid hit. I’ve had the pleasure of being able to fly on an A350 and it is a comfortable and quiet aircraft.

[Novacek]

ignoring the first pass at the South Terminal in _2008_, the current South Terminal lease was negotiated in 2015 and signed in 2016.

https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/11/30/...outh-terminal/

Adler first became mayor in 2015, but the City Manager at that time was still Ott. Who was hired in 2008
https://www.statesman.com/story/news...b/10143582007/

when Will Wynn was mayor.