Omaha Eppley Airfield - DISCUSSION

[damonhynes]

Here's a pic and story about the "new" terminal at Eppley from 1962. I flew out of this terminal from the late 60s til the current one was built. It was a very different way to travel and when the current one was built it really did feel modern and comparable to larger ones around the country.

1962 Eppley Terminal

DC8s and 707s as far as the eye can see!

[damonhynes]

AA announces 13 new destinations from Austin; none of them OMA. Someone's missing out on some high-margin business.

[jessep28]

I don't know if this was mentioned here yet, but Customs and Border Protection is now doing Global Entry interviews at Eppley. This is a program that allows expedited passport processing back into the United Sates.

https://www.flyoma.com/passenger-servic ... -precheck/

[Mr.Nuke]

Eppley at some point recently added a page with a little bit more about the terminal drive changes and parking garage renovations. Not to much that wasn't known already, but shooting for Mid next year for completion.
https://www.flyoma.com/omaha-airport-au ... in-motion/

[Bearcat06]

Eppley at some point recently added a page with a little bit more about the terminal drive changes and parking garage renovations. Not to much that wasn't known already, but shooting for Mid next year for completion.
https://www.flyoma.com/omaha-airport-au ... in-motion/

Looks like KETV also just had a story on this with a hyperlink to the OMA in Motion site.

https://ketv.com/article/eppley-airfiel ... d/36745214

[Bob from Omaha]

May numbers are out. Some key numbers:

Year to date up 13.5%
Carrier air ops up .8%
Southwest up 33%
Others in various stages of growth over last year.

I'd like to see more growth in bringing back service, some new destinations, particularly Southwest, and frequency. All in good time. Faster growth could bring a restarting of the timetable of terminal modernization.

I'm sure Nuke can bring us up to date on these and other topics.

[skinzfan23]

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield begins new construction project

The south garage restoration project will include energy-efficient lighting, wider stalls, a new ramp to Level 3 for new, climate-controlled premium parking, and new signage. Expansion of the Terminal Roadway will include more traffic lanes, a new entrance with stoplights, and new lighting and landscaping.

“It’s going to involve relocating the current entrance about 1,500 feet, quarter-mile, to the south of where it is right now,” said Stephen McCoy, chief development officer at Eppley. “The new entrance will have signalized lanes, traffic lights, and turn lanes that will improve the entrance into the roadway system here.”

Access to the south garage and Terminal will be open during construction and improvements, the news release stated, though customers might encounter minor detours and find some parts of the garage closed. The Airport Authority recommended that visitors use the new north garage, which is accessible via Abbott Drive.

Funding for the $20.3 million roadway expansion will comprise $12 million from the Federal Aviation Administration. Airport Authority funds will cover the rest and also the full $8.3 million projected cost for the south garage improvements.

Construction should be completed by late 2022, the news release stated.

[ita]

Omaha’s Eppley Airfield begins new construction project

The south garage restoration project will include energy-efficient lighting, wider stalls, a new ramp to Level 3 for new, climate-controlled premium parking, and new signage. Expansion of the Terminal Roadway will include more traffic lanes, a new entrance with stoplights, and new lighting and landscaping.

“It’s going to involve relocating the current entrance about 1,500 feet, quarter-mile, to the south of where it is right now,” said Stephen McCoy, chief development officer at Eppley. “The new entrance will have signalized lanes, traffic lights, and turn lanes that will improve the entrance into the roadway system here.”

Access to the south garage and Terminal will be open during construction and improvements, the news release stated, though customers might encounter minor detours and find some parts of the garage closed. The Airport Authority recommended that visitors use the new north garage, which is accessible via Abbott Drive.

Funding for the $20.3 million roadway expansion will comprise $12 million from the Federal Aviation Administration. Airport Authority funds will cover the rest and also the full $8.3 million projected cost for the south garage improvements.

Construction should be completed by late 2022, the news release stated.

Does anyone know if they are considering how drop off and pick ups will go? There is no hope at this point for an elevated roadway for drop offs, so I wonder if any other measures will be taken to improve that aspect of the airport, otherwise this project seems like a lot of money to fix a minor issue. I mean I don't think I have ever had issues with traffic going into the airport. Can someone who has a better understanding or more information about this explain if or how this is an improvement or if it is future proofing anything if the airport continues to have shared drop off and pickup by the terminal? It seems like it is being built so they can have wait lines off of Abbot.

[riceweb]

I don't think this is about traffic so much as it is about clarity. Most airports have a limited-access type of entrance and it's really clear where to go for arrivals and departures. Not so much with Eppley. It feels like it sneaks up on you a bit and the signage could be clearer.

But otherwise, even with arrivals/departures, I've never felt like there's any traffic at Eppley. At least not compared to any airport in any major city.

[jjjjhskr]

Interesting - Southwest has new flight added (5975) non-stop Omaha to Oakland

[Bob from Omaha]

Interesting - Southwest has new flight added (5975) non-stop Omaha to Oakland

Looks like unscheduled stop. Normally a MDW-OAK non stop

[NEDodger]

I don't think this is about traffic so much as it is about clarity. Most airports have a limited-access type of entrance and it's really clear where to go for arrivals and departures. Not so much with Eppley. It feels like it sneaks up on you a bit and the signage could be clearer.

But otherwise, even with arrivals/departures, I've never felt like there's any traffic at Eppley. At least not compared to any airport in any major city.

Yeah, this is exactly it. We locals who use the airport fairly frequently know where to go. But if you're visiting from out of town, the lanes split off REALLY quickly. This is a smart adjustment.

[ita]

I don't think this is about traffic so much as it is about clarity. Most airports have a limited-access type of entrance and it's really clear where to go for arrivals and departures. Not so much with Eppley. It feels like it sneaks up on you a bit and the signage could be clearer.

But otherwise, even with arrivals/departures, I've never felt like there's any traffic at Eppley. At least not compared to any airport in any major city.

Yeah, this is exactly it. We locals who use the airport fairly frequently know where to go. But if you're visiting from out of town, the lanes split off REALLY quickly. This is a smart adjustment.

Thanks for the input. That makes sense. The article from OWH quotes Steve McCoy from OAA that says exactly that, to give more time to drivers to make a decision.

[Mr.Nuke]

May numbers are out. Some key numbers:

Year to date up 13.5%
Carrier air ops up .8%
Southwest up 33%
Others in various stages of growth over last year.

I'd like to see more growth in bringing back service, some new destinations, particularly Southwest, and frequency. All in good time. Faster growth could bring a restarting of the timetable of terminal modernization.

https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf
The recovery is still looking pretty good. Up 562.5% year over year, and air carrier movements were up 117.2% over last May. Like you said all in good time. It would still be nice to see United resume EWR and SFO.

Interesting - Southwest has new flight added (5975) non-stop Omaha to Oakland

No. Like Bob said this was a on-off scheduled diversion. 5975 is a Chicago Midway to Oakland flight. Midway has relatively short runways for commercial aviation. On warm days (such as yesterday in Chicago) on longer routes, atmospheric conditions can sometimes require a takeoff length greater than Midway's runways. One way of getting around this is by loading less fuel than necessary to get to the destination. Obviously in this case, the plane needs to stop somewhere to get the required amount of fuel to make it to the final destination. Just on a quick glance, it looks like a flight to San Diego and a flight to San Francisco stopped in Kansas City yesterday as well to do the same thing.

[jjjjhskr]

May numbers are out. Some key numbers:

Year to date up 13.5%
Carrier air ops up .8%
Southwest up 33%
Others in various stages of growth over last year.

I'd like to see more growth in bringing back service, some new destinations, particularly Southwest, and frequency. All in good time. Faster growth could bring a restarting of the timetable of terminal modernization.

https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf
The recovery is still looking pretty good. Up 562.5% year over year, and air carrier movements were up 117.2% over last May. Like you said all in good time. It would still be nice to see United resume EWR and SFO.

Interesting - Southwest has new flight added (5975) non-stop Omaha to Oakland

No. Like Bob said this was a on-off scheduled diversion. 5975 is a Chicago Midway to Oakland flight. Midway has relatively short runways for commercial aviation. On warm days (such as yesterday in Chicago) on longer routes, atmospheric conditions can sometimes require a takeoff length greater than Midway's runways. One way of getting around this is by loading less fuel than necessary to get to the destination. Obviously in this case, the plane needs to stop somewhere to get the required amount of fuel to make it to the final destination. Just on a quick glance, it looks like a flight to San Diego and a flight to San Francisco stopped in Kansas City yesterday as well to do the same thing.

I was hoping flights to the bay area had started back up.

[Bob from Omaha]

I don't think this is about traffic so much as it is about clarity. Most airports have a limited-access type of entrance and it's really clear where to go for arrivals and departures. Not so much with Eppley. It feels like it sneaks up on you a bit and the signage could be clearer.

But otherwise, even with arrivals/departures, I've never felt like there's any traffic at Eppley. At least not compared to any airport in any major city.

Usually, traffic is not too bad in the front of the airport, but it doesn't take much for the drop-off and pickup lanes to get packed, and then you stuck in a line for 15 mins. I am a Lift Driver when every there is a big event around Omaha, so I'm at the airport a lot.

I should take a picture sometime of the pickup lanes here at Detroit Metro. It sometimes looks like a zoo, especially when a lot of Delta flights land at once. If you don't know the tricks 15 minutes wait would be a pleasure. Oh and Metro has upper and lower roads. Doesn't help.

[Brad]

Just heard this on Grow Omaha:

Jet Linx Breaks Ground on New Omaha Private Terminal

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... e-terminal

Following the opening of or plans for private terminals in three cities in the past year, aircraft charter and management firm Jet Linx broke ground this week on a new private terminal and hangar at its home base at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, to replace its original facility. The 70,000-sq-ft complex will consist of a 10,000-sq-ft terminal and a 60,000-sq-ft hangar.

Terminal amenities will include numerous seating areas, a private meeting room, an executive lounge, and a stocked kitchenette and bar. Plans call for the new facility to open in June 2022.

[Louie]

Just heard this on Grow Omaha:

Jet Linx Breaks Ground on New Omaha Private Terminal

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... e-terminal

Following the opening of or plans for private terminals in three cities in the past year, aircraft charter and management firm Jet Linx broke ground this week on a new private terminal and hangar at its home base at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, to replace its original facility. The 70,000-sq-ft complex will consist of a 10,000-sq-ft terminal and a 60,000-sq-ft hangar.

Terminal amenities will include numerous seating areas, a private meeting room, an executive lounge, and a stocked kitchenette and bar. Plans call for the new facility to open in June 2022.

How many private terminals are at Eppley now?

[Bearcat06]

United is ramping things up and has placed an order for 200 new Boeing 737 Max10s and 70 Airbus A321neos.

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/uni ... ssion=true

[KeepCalmInOmaha]

Saw this on news that allegiant is expanding in DSM.

https://www.kcci.com/article/allegiant- ... s/36907724#

Will be nice if Eppley could get some of this growth and expansion as well from other airlines.

[Bob from Omaha]

Saw this on news that allegiant is expanding in DSM.

https://www.kcci.com/article/allegiant- ... s/36907724#

Will be nice if Eppley could get some of this growth and expansion as well from other airlines.

While it does add destinations most are twice a week frequency. Thus not going to add significantly to totals.
OMA would do better, and they are always communicating with the airlines, to work on Southwest and the other larger airlines to add frequency and destinations. Spirit, Jetblue, others are rather like gimmicks with few destinations in all but a few cities.

[blueblood]

Is there a way to find out when Covid related nonstop flights might resume? Specifically the United nonstop to San Francisco. At the pre Covid peak we had 2 daily. As it stands now when you schedule a flight it shows as a nonstop but then later gets changed to a connecting flight. Is there a rumor board or anything to look at?

[strangerthings]

Is there a way to find out when Covid related nonstop flights might resume? Specifically the United nonstop to San Francisco. At the pre Covid peak we had 2 daily. As it stands now when you schedule a flight it shows as a nonstop but then later gets changed to a connecting flight. Is there a rumor board or anything to look at?

airliners.net civil aviation section

[Mr.Nuke]

How many private terminals are at Eppley now?

Basically two. Signature and TAC air. This Jet Linx one is presumably going to be a bit different in that they're handling their own customers.

Is there a way to find out when Covid related nonstop flights might resume? Specifically the United nonstop to San Francisco. At the pre Covid peak we had 2 daily. As it stands now when you schedule a flight it shows as a nonstop but then later gets changed to a connecting flight.

Nope. United has been loading their schedules about one month at a time and pulling San Francisco and Newark off the schedule further out each time that happens, and as you note you'd be rebooked on a connecting flight. Eppley presumably will make an announcement (they have been for other resuming routes) when United decides to restart it.

[Mr.Nuke]

There was a story in the World-Herald yesterday about Eppley's traffic recovering. The only thing of note was this quote.

"In the pandemic downturn, the airport authority has put on hold its planning toward a rebuild of the Eppley terminal that could cost $500 million.

Roth said the airport authority continues to watch traffic numbers and industry trends to determine when the time is right to restart that. Part of the wait is to see how and when business travel recovers."
https://omaha.com/travel/eppley-traffic ... 5b3e2.html

[damonhynes]

What a 96MPH gust will get ya--surprised there wasn't more damage:

[Mr.Nuke]

June up 266.6% for the month, 37.1% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[Bob from Omaha]

June up 266.6% for the month, 37.1% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

Nuke, you're a stud. I was checking the OMA site to see if the stats were updated for June, left that & came here, clicked on new posts, and BAM!, there you are. You must have updated the web site when you saw me looking at that page.

Any info on new routes/frequencies/Jet Blue, Air France, etc?

Edit: Dam(n) you're good. You updated the LNK stats too.

[strangerthings]

June up 266.6% for the month, 37.1% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

Any info on new routes/frequencies/Jet Blue, Air France, etc?

Ummmm joke with these two or?

[Garrett]

June up 266.6% for the month, 37.1% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

Any info on new routes/frequencies/Jet Blue, Air France, etc?

Ummmm joke with these two or?

Well all of these French tourists will need some way to come visit our big European Village

[Bob from Omaha]

June up 266.6% for the month, 37.1% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

Any info on new routes/frequencies/Jet Blue, Air France, etc?

Ummmm joke with these two or?

Well all of these French tourists will need some way to come visit our big European Village

No more calls. We have a winner. Your prize will be delivered in 60-90 days.

[jjjjhskr]

Has Allegiant stopped flying to OMA? They haven’t had any flights listed on flyoma for over a week.

[Uffda]

Has Allegiant stopped flying to OMA? They haven’t had any flights listed on flyoma for over a week.

According to their web site they have the first 2 weeks of august of Wednesday and Saturday and then flights until the week before thanksgiving. Looks like the same type of break for flights to Sioux Falls

[nebugeater]

Has Allegiant stopped flying to OMA? They haven’t had any flights listed on flyoma for over a week.

According to their web site they have the first 2 weeks of august of Wednesday and Saturday and then flights until the week before thanksgiving. Looks like the same type of break for flights to Sioux Falls

I do not see anything listed for options for any Fl destination or Sept.

[Mr.Nuke]

Has Allegiant stopped flying to OMA? They haven’t had any flights listed on flyoma for over a week.

There is an Orlando Flight on the ground as I type this (and Eppley's site isn't reflecting this). Don't rely on the airport's website for flight tracking when there are way better alternatives out there. They aren't operating many flights here by the looks of it though.

It looks like a Wednesday/Saturday Phoenix (Mesa) flight, a Monday/Friday Las Vegas flight, A Wednesday/Saturday Clearwater flight, a Monday/Friday LAX flight, a Monday Destin flight and a Sunday Orlando flight have all operated in the past week.

[nebugeater]

Has Allegiant stopped flying to OMA? They haven’t had any flights listed on flyoma for over a week.

There is an Orlando Flight on the ground as I type this (and Eppley's site isn't reflecting this). Don't rely on the airport's website for flight tracking when there are way better alternatives out there. They aren't operating many flights here by the looks of it though.

It looks like a Wednesday/Saturday Phoenix (Mesa) flight, a Monday/Friday Las Vegas flight, A Wednesday/Saturday Clearwater flight, a Monday/Friday LAX flight, a Monday Destin flight and a Sunday Orlando flight have all operated in the past week.

I was on the Alegent web site. After the next two weeks or so I see nothing to / from FL

[Mr.Nuke]

There is an Orlando Flight on the ground as I type this (and Eppley's site isn't reflecting this). Don't rely on the airport's website for flight tracking when there are way better alternatives out there. They aren't operating many flights here by the looks of it though.

It looks like a Wednesday/Saturday Phoenix (Mesa) flight, a Monday/Friday Las Vegas flight, A Wednesday/Saturday Clearwater flight, a Monday/Friday LAX flight, a Monday Destin flight and a Sunday Orlando flight have all operated in the past week.

I was on the Alegent web site. After the next two weeks or so I see nothing to / from FL

You and Uffda are almost having a separate discussion to the original question i.e. due to not seeing any arrivals on the airport's website over the last week have they stopped flying here? That is what I'm answering above. No, all of these flights operated in the past 7 days...

Now to your guys discussion I show Destin operating through the first week in September. Orlando stopping 8/15, but resuming on 10/7, Clearwater stopping on 8/15 resuming on 11/18. Punta Gorda starts on 11/18

In non Florida routes, Las Vegas stops 8/15 and resumes on 11/18. Mesa stops on 8/14, resumes on 10/6. LAX continues throughout. So in September for whatever reason they'll be down to just the two weekly flights to LAX for a time.

[Bob from Omaha]

The airport authority board met today so they should be posting the stats for July in the next day or so.....unless Nuke pops in here & posts them himself.

Here's a sneak peek:
July 2021: 410,828 total
159.4% higher than 2020, 11.8% lower than 2019. Thanks whoever messaged me from Flyoma.

The stats should be loaded to the web site tomorrow.

[Mr.Nuke]

July up 159.4% vs July of 2020 as Bob noted, up 51.9% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[ItsAllAboutMe]

The sculpture, that currently is located by the north parking garage, is being relocated farther south near the future entrance. I've always thought it was a fantastic piece of art. Expect it to be in the new location very soon.