San Antonio International Airport News & Updates

[SATXHighrise]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

It's a stopgap maneuver. They're looking at adding one gate to A and two to B (which have been apart of the current cap improvement plan). This project has very little (if anything) to do with the forthcoming new master plan and its implementation.

Any idea what the timelines are to start construction on the 3 gates and the larger master plan?

[DomInSATX]

The master plan is still in progress. At the earliest, the finalized master plan could be released and presented to the COSA City Council in late Summer (2021). These are just band-aids that will help turn around planes and fix a long time complaint about our baggage claim.
On a side note, it appears that airport admin is in talks with Breeze for additional locations, per press release. (They won't say where though.)

[SATXHighrise]

Originally Posted by DomInSATX

The master plan is still in progress. At the earliest, the finalized master plan could be released and presented to the COSA City Council in late Summer (2021). These are just band-aids that will help turn around planes and fix a long time complaint about our baggage claim.
On a side note, it appears that airport admin is in talks with Breeze for additional locations, per press release. (They won't say where though.)

I'll be very happy if they start construction on the master plan in 2022. As for the 'band-aids' I'm assuming that will start sometime this year?

Glad to see most flights return post covid to the airport along with new flights/destinations to Mexico, JetBlue(Boston/JFK) and now Breeze. If Breeze will add more destinations in the near future then that will be another step to increasing our nonstop destinations and helping to contribute to lower costs for passenger flights overall at SAT.

[texboy]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

It's a stopgap maneuver. They're looking at adding one gate to A and two to B (which have been apart of the current cap improvement plan). This project has very little (if anything) to do with the forthcoming new master plan and its implementation.

Where would they add on 2 to B? Are we sure this isn't just a PLB replacement?

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by SATXHighrise

I'll be very happy if they start construction on the master plan in 2022. As for the 'band-aids' I'm assuming that will start sometime this year?

Not sure when the "band-aids" will begin construction.

However, I can tell you that construction on the master plan will definitely not take place in 2022. The plan is not complete and thus, the FAA has not green-lit it. Once that occurs, they can then move into final design, financing and then construction. It's a few years off. If I'm not mistaken, I believe completion of the phased process is not expected to be complete until at least 2030ish.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by texboy

Where would they add on 2 to B? Are we sure this isn't just a PLB replacement?

I'm not 100% sure...

[Runner]

Originally Posted by texboy

Where would they add on 2 to B? Are we sure this isn't just a PLB replacement?

What does "PLB" stand for?

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by Runner

What does "PLB" stand for?

From what I can find, I believe it stands for 'Passenger Loading Bridge'

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Tornado

From what I can find, I believe it stands for 'Passenger Loading Bridge'

^^^Yep. This is what I was thinking - replacing two PLB's or adding dual jetways to two, existing gates (access to two planes from one jetway door).

About 78% of this capital improvement project is for a revamped baggage handling system. So, roughly $10 million is budgeted for gate/jetway improvements. I do not think they're "expanding" the current square footage of the terminals. But, I'm not 100% sure on that. If they do, it's incredibly minimal.

[satx23]

April Passenger Stats

Domestic Enplanements: 240,547
Domestic Deplanements: 231,418

Total Domestic Passengers: 471,965

International Enplanements: 34,385
International Deplanements: 40,198

Total International Passengers: 74,583

Total April Passengers: 546,548

https://flysanantonio.com/wp-content...-APR-Stats.pdf

[cole world11]

Originally Posted by AI0120

Beginning June 1, Aeromexico is bringing back mainline from Mexico City to SAT. Flight will be operated on a Boeing 737-800, though the website still shows pending government approval. Aeromexico will now have 3 daily MEX-SAT flights, 1 on maineline and the other 2 on Aeromexico Connect.

Did mainline service ever commence? I take a look at my flight radar app at least once a day and notice Aeromexico still uses the E190 as their equipment for all three nonstops to MEX.

[satx23]

Originally Posted by cole world11

Did mainline service ever commence? I take a look at my flight radar app at least once a day and notice Aeromexico still uses the E190 as their equipment for all three nonstops to MEX.

With FAA downgrade, Mexican airlines can't add flights out of San Antonio
Randy Diamond, Staff writer
June 9, 2021
Updated: June 9, 2021 2:35 p.m.


Mexican airlines have been adding service at San Antonio International Airport at a rapid pace due to unprecedented passenger demand, but a Federal Aviation Administration ruling has slammed the brakes on future expansion.

The May 25 ruling downgrades Mexico’s aviation safety rating and bars Mexican airlines from increasing the number of flights or adding service between the two countries.

The FAA said Mexico fails to meet international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations body that oversees global air travel.


The FAA did not look at specific Mexican airlines in its safety review, only examining the role Mexican aviation regulators play in ensuring air safety in the country.

San Antonio Aviation Director Jesus Saenz Jr. said he’s optimistic that the FAA downgrade is just a temporary obstacle — that the ban on new flights to new Mexican destinations could be rescinded quickly.

“Mexico is a very attractive market for the city of San Antonio,” Saenz said. “We hope the situation gets resolved as soon as possible.”

Saenz said the continued shutdown of the Mexican land border, making flights the only way to get from Mexico to the U.S. for travelers, and falling coronavirus infection rates have helped spur air travel between the two countries.

The ban on new flights comes as the number of passengers traveling to and from Mexico has been booming at San Antonio International. The San Antonio airport saw 74,583 international travelers in April, a 101.5 percent increase from the same month in 2019, nearly a year before the pandemic arrived.

Domestic travel continues to rebound from the COVID-19-induced slump, but it’s still lagging. The number of U.S. passengers was down 24.3 percent at San Antonio International in April from two years ago.




The fallout
Because of strong passenger demand, Aeromexico had planned to replace its 100-seat regional jet this month with a 130-seat Boeing 737 that would fly daily. But the carrier is prohibited by the FAA order from registering new jets in the U.S., so it’s stuck with the smaller plane.

Aeromexico had sold more than 100 seats for the 1:30 p.m. flight on most days last week, anticipating it would fly the larger aircraft. So the airline inadvertently oversold its flights, forcing dozens of travelers to re-book on other flights, according to San Antonio airport personnel aware of the situation.

The employees asked that their names not be used because they were not authorized to speak for Aeromexico.

Delta Air Lines, which owns 49 percent of Aeromexico, said it has been helping the affected Aeromexico passengers at San Antonio International.

“Delta teams in San Antonio are assisting a small number of customers on behalf of our partner Aeromexico with accommodations on other Delta flights to get them to Mexico City or their final destination,” a Delta spokesman said.

Aeromexico also has canceled new service to Mexico City that was scheduled to start on July 1 from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport because it is not allowed under the FAA order.

While Delta owns a large share of Aeromexico, it is also prohibited by the FAA order from selling Aeromexico tickets with Delta’s name on it, a practice known as code-sharing. The FAA order also ended Frontier Airline code-sharing agreement with Volaris.

https://www.expressnews.com/sa-inc/a...d-16236336.php

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by satx23

"Aeromexico also has canceled new service to Mexico City that was scheduled to start on July 1 from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport because it is not allowed under the FAA order."

https://www.expressnews.com/sa-inc/a...d-16236336.php

I believe they mean the new VivaAerobus flights to MEX and MTY from AUS. Aeromexico's service to MEX from AUS is not "new." They've had that flight for some time.

[Tornado]

Glad to see the international traffic is doing well going to/from Mexico. I'd love to see some South American service at some point.

[cole world11]

Originally Posted by satx23

https://www.expressnews.com/sa-inc/a...d-16236336.php

Interesting. I figured something was up. Thanks for sharing!

[SATXHighrise]

Looks like Southwest is adding two new seasonal destinations later this year.
Colorado Springs
Albuquerque

Good to see more and more destinations and airlines continuing to expand at SAT

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...o-springs.html

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by Tornado

Glad to see the international traffic is doing well going to/from Mexico. I'd love to see some South American service at some point.

Yeah. With regard to international travel - Mexico is all we have. Hopefully, Air Canada to Toronto will come back one day.

I would also like to see more Central American, Caribbean and possible South American destinations added. But, I'm not incredibly confident on those in the near term. If and when it were to happen, I think it may be a LCC, ULCC or international carrier.

[SATXHighrise]

SAT Airport set to present its strategic plan to city council by fall. Big changes are needed to the airport. Council must recognize that and push forward if we are to have competitive advantages with air service in the future.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...port-plan.html

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by SATXHighrise

SAT Airport set to present its strategic plan to city council by fall. Big changes are needed to the airport. Council must recognize that and push forward if we are to have competitive advantages with air service in the future.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...port-plan.html

Don't disagree with you. However, there's a long way to go.

An approved plan (at the city level) must be achieved prior to requesting FAA approval. Pre-COVID, it would have taken the FAA roughly 6-9 months (without changes) to give their approval. After that, final design and financing must be organized (which will also take some time).

[satx23]

May Passenger Stats

Domestic Enplanements: 298,988
Domestic Deplanements: 287,705

Total Domestic Passengers: 586,693

International Enplanements: 47,411
International Deplanements: 51,352

Total International Passengers: 98,763

Total April Passengers: 685,456

https://flysanantonio.com/wp-content...-MAY-Stats.pdf