Omaha Eppley Airfield - DISCUSSION

[Mr.Nuke]

January up 2.2%
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

How much of the results was due to cancelled flights?

It is hard to say. Eppley obviously had several bad days, but stuff like that is going to tend to average out. It is Winter it happens. A fair portion of people probably re-booked their travel too versus outright cancelling. I can pull actual flight cancellation data in a couple of months when the DOT data comes out, but that basically would tell us how many potential seats Omaha lost for the month at best. The February data next month will probably be as good of an indicator as anything on the impact of weather this month i.e. is there a significant uptick next month vs the 2.2% growth this month?

[Mr.Nuke]

The airport also had an official groundbreaking ceremony for the terminal expansion today.
https://www.ketv.com/article/eppley-air ... n/46872395

[Bearcat06]

Well, hot damn...looks like international travel may be coming to OMA again.


https://ketv.com/article/eppley-airfiel ... n/46872395

[Coyote]

Eppley Airfield to offer international flights to Mexico, Caribbean around 2028



Eppley Airfield's $950 million modernization project opens the door to direct international flights to Mexico and the Caribbean, according to an Omaha Airport Authority spokesperson. Airlines are expected to decide on exact cities near the tail end of construction around 2028.

The multi-million dollar project also nearly doubles the terminal size, and connects the concourse to a central TSA checkpoint. City, state and federal officials Tuesday say the expansion allows Eppley to handle expected travel demand in the future.

[Mr.Nuke]

Well, hot damn...looks like international travel may be coming to OMA again.


https://ketv.com/article/eppley-airfiel ... n/46872395

It is kind of comical that is KETV's takeaway from the groundbreaking event.

[Bob from Omaha]

And your take?

[Mr.Nuke]

And your take?

Eppley broke ground on a $950 million terminal modernization that will change nearly every passenger facing aspect once someone walks in thee terminal from consolidated security to greater food offerings, new check in counters, etc. The projected is anticipated to handle Eppley's growing passenger demand for decades to come. That is the story today, especially at groundbreaking.

The international travel is something that is going to be a relatively minor part of the overall project near the very end of it, and it is something beyond the airport's direct control. I think someone potentially multiple airlines trys at a minimum Cancun, but unless Eppley is creating a designated international subsidy pot (and they very well could be), I wouldn't count on it is a given either.

So basically the 2nd paragraph in what Coyote posted from KETV, not the first... Hence why when I posted the article I merely said it looks like there was a groundbreaking ceremony today.

Well, hot damn...looks like international travel may be coming to OMA again.

I mean this has literally been known to us for years at this point from an early rendering on the site to the terminal modernization meeting soliciting bids, etc... And it is still obviously years away. What someone needs to ask them at one of these events especially if they presumably initiated a question about international travel is 1) Are you actually building out the FIS? and 2) Did the CBP staffing decision changes since 2006? I'm assuming yes, but no one has asked, partially presumably because no one knows to. If the answer to either of those is no, the whole thing is a moot discussion.

[Bob from Omaha]

I've got a couple of takes.

One, Omaha local tv stations don't ask questions for the most part. In this case, it was a groundbreaking & the news media was asked to attend. Second, it's a lot easier to just stick a mike in front of, say, the Airport Director and let them lead the conversation. In all likelihood the reporter, and I use that term lightly, isn't an airport geek.

With regard to international travel, it's a status thing. A flight a week, maybe two if you're lucky. But you get to say you have international travel. KCI at this point would give away Mahomes for a flight to London or Paris. You really aren't going to add significant numbers or money to the mix. Eppley doesn't bribe airlines to bring service. On the other hand, and I don't know the dollars, for them to lay out the cash versus simply being able to build out the facilities kind of makes me think Southwest or someone said do it and we'll probably offer service.

As to CBP since 2006, it can be political. Don Bacon has been able to rangle some cash for Eppley for quite a while. While I don't have any info I'd suspect he's quarterbacking the international effort in DC. Just an opinion.

P.S. Allegiant doesn't offer Mexico or Caribbean service. Frontier does to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo. Southwest offers Cancun & Cabo as well as Montego Bay Jamaica from KCI.

[Mr.Nuke]

It was a groundbreaking & the news media was asked to attend.

Again, hence my semi-comical comment KETV. It is kind of missing the forest for the trees.

Here is how WOWT ran with it

Eppley Airfield breaks ground on terminal expansion project

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Omaha and Nebraska leaders broke ground Tuesday on the next phase of the Eppley Airfield expansion project.

“I’m excited,” said Omaha Airport Authority CEO David Roth. “We’ve been planning it for several years now.”

Airport officials showed what the planned renovations will look like.

The new terminal is slated to be double the size of the current one -- along with a centralized TSA security checkpoint.

Other renovations will involve additional arrival and departure gates and the addition of two gates for international flights.

https://www.wowt.com/2024/02/21/eppley- ... n-project/

And the W-H
'A world-class airport': Omaha ceremony launches $950 million Eppley terminal rebuild

The turning of 10 shovelfuls of dirt on the Eppley Airfield tarmac Tuesday morning marked the ceremonial start of the airport’s huge $950 million terminal expansion project.

https://omaha.com/news/local/a-world-cl ... d4fd7.html

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With regard to international travel, it's a status thing. A flight a week, maybe two if you're lucky. But you get to say you have international travel. KCI at this point would give away Mahomes for a flight to London or Paris. You really aren't going to add significant numbers or money to the mix.

I agree on all counts, hence why it is really minor part of the overall story with the new terminal.

Eppley doesn't bribe airlines to bring service.

International service is a different animal for a lot of other airports that normally don't shell out for service. It wouldn't surprise me if Eppley wanted something other than Cancun that they'd have to pay and I'm still not convinced someone didn't pay someone for Toronto either as it was a really odd add at the time. Not having access to PDEW for international flights makes it tougher to gauge though.

As to CBP since 2006, it can be political. Don Bacon has been able to rangle some cash for Eppley for quite a while. While I don't have any info I'd suspect he's quarterbacking the international effort in DC. Just an opinion.

Yes and no. Ben Nelson was involved in 2006 to an extent and at that point the Senate was an even split in the same election. Nelson a moderate Democrat, swing voter, theoretically had more political power than Bacon. If for whatever reason the CBP said again we aren't going to staff it, you are basically screwed. New FIS' and staffing have been a pretty big issue in that they don't happen all that often.

Again though with how public they've been with the plans, I'm assuming everything has been worked out.

Southwest offers Cancun & Cabo as well as Montego Bay Jamaica from KCI.

Which is why McCoy mentioned in the KETV video that these three destinations would be potential options based on where people are flying out of Omaha. They'll go to the carriers with the PDEW just as they do now on domestic destinations and try and sell them on it. But like pretty much every other route you'd have to figure taking what Kansas City has and cutting it due to the population and passenger differences between the two airports. Cancun looks good based on the PDEW Eppley released any thing other than that is probably iffy, although it would be curious to see leakage to Kansas City on all three.

P.S. Allegiant doesn't offer Mexico or Caribbean service. Frontier does to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo. Southwest offers Cancun & Cabo as well as Montego Bay Jamaica from KCI.

American also flies to Cancun out of Kansas City. Sun Country is another option for Omaha if they end up sticking around. They fly it seasonally from Milwaukee and Minneapolis of course.

[zedmib]

Emirates, Turkish, or Virgin Atlantic?
Closest Emirates gets to Omaha is Chicago and Dallas. Might be a bit of a squeeze for the heavies but it could work.

[Coyote]

Omaha Airport Authority breaks ground on next phase of Eppley expansion project

[thenewguy]

can't wait to see updates for this as it progresses. Not that it wasn't going to happen, but now it feels more real since they flipped over some dirt.

[damonhynes]

Really, I expect nothing less. My beef is even with me spending 99USD/yr and one of the rewards is two lounge passes a year, I'd like to be able to use them. One of my passes expired out of my folio, unused at the end of the year. Even more galling is, as I mentioned, there's no room at the inn for the free one-day passes, but they'll be glad to sell me one. It was a value proposition, to be sure--I was able to sit at a legit desk and bust out some computer work with my company reimbursing me.

There's been a lot of discussion on A.net and flyertalk.com about chronic short-staffing in lounges. Not only UA, but they caught the most static for it.

Additional datapoint: Flying out of IAH Tuesday the 20th, noon flight to MCI, there was a sign at the entrance to the United lounge advertising that it was wide open with no restrictions. Of course, I didn't need a lounge on this trip.

[strangerthings]

Emirates, Turkish, or Virgin Atlantic?
Closest Emirates gets to Omaha is Chicago and Dallas. Might be a bit of a squeeze for the heavies but it could work.

Negative chance

[riceweb]

The only likely airline/flight changes out of this rebuild are with domestic discount carriers.

[Louie]

The only likely airline/flight changes out of this rebuild are with domestic discount carriers.

Just discount? I think that's selling it short.

[riceweb]

No, not selling it short. The airlines aren't making decisions based on the airport amenities, they're making decisions based on ticket volume and fares. The extra gate space will not influence American/Delta/United or even Southwest/Alaska.

[ozbone69]

No, not selling it short. The airlines aren't making decisions based on the airport amenities, they're making decisions based on ticket volume and fares. The extra gate space will not influence American/Delta/United or even Southwest/Alaska.

Don't disagree.

Just feels like there is a chicken and egg situation going on here. The more nonstop options out of Omaha, the more passengers we're going to see. But if airlines are waiting on passenger counts to go up first without adding those options...

Oh well, the improvements going on Eppley should hopefully increase passenger levels alone by providing a better overall experience. Continue to see those numbers rise and more domestic (and beyond) flights should follow.

[ita]

Having recently travelled to Honolulu through Phoenix, I have to say that the current condition of Eppley is not far off and probably equivalent to those airports. I was actually pretty surprised. Of course those airports are way bigger and have many more amenities, but the general condition and design was not levels better than Eppley. Anyway, it got me very excited for a totally renovated Eppley.

[FishFighter92]

Having recently travelled to Honolulu through Phoenix, I have to say that the current condition of Eppley is not far off and probably equivalent to those airports. I was actually pretty surprised. Of course those airports are way bigger and have many more amenities, but the general condition and design was not levels better than Eppley. Anyway, it got me very excited for a totally renovated Eppley.

On Hawaiian? They depart out of terminal 3 which is the new one. It is much nicer than Eppley.
AA and WN use the old terminals.

[joleo]

Having recently travelled to Honolulu through Phoenix, I have to say that the current condition of Eppley is not far off and probably equivalent to those airports. I was actually pretty surprised. Of course those airports are way bigger and have many more amenities, but the general condition and design was not levels better than Eppley. Anyway, it got me very excited for a totally renovated Eppley.

Terminal 3 at Phoenix is really nice. The American terminal in Phoenix is crappy and I avoid it when possible, who wants to connect in a crappy terminal?

No, not selling it short. The airlines aren't making decisions based on the airport amenities, they're making decisions based on ticket volume and fares. The extra gate space will not influence American/Delta/United or even Southwest/Alaska.

Don't disagree.

Just feels like there is a chicken and egg situation going on here. The more nonstop options out of Omaha, the more passengers we're going to see. But if airlines are waiting on passenger counts to go up first without adding those options...

Oh well, the improvements going on Eppley should hopefully increase passenger levels alone by providing a better overall experience. Continue to see those numbers rise and more domestic (and beyond) flights should follow.

The only advantage you get with a new terminal for airlines potentially adding service is on Southwest. Southwest won't connect passengers in Omaha because there is not a full service restaurtant with good food options. It's not a place that is enjoyable to spend time in right now. Southwest will connect passengers in airports such as OKC and you can buy a ticket from Dallas to Washington DCA via OKC for example. They don't sell tickets from LAS to OMA to DCA right now with a Omaha connection. This can help make other routes more viable, like OMA-SAN or OMA-BOS if you can connect in Omaha to east coast destinations. I'm assuming the management at Eppley is well aware of this and has been in communication with Southwest on this vary subject.

[ita]

Having recently travelled to Honolulu through Phoenix, I have to say that the current condition of Eppley is not far off and probably equivalent to those airports. I was actually pretty surprised. Of course those airports are way bigger and have many more amenities, but the general condition and design was not levels better than Eppley. Anyway, it got me very excited for a totally renovated Eppley.

Terminal 3 at Phoenix is really nice. The American terminal in Phoenix is crappy and I avoid it when possible, who wants to connect in a crappy terminal?

Haha, we flew American. That makes my perceptions make more sense; I missed the nice part of Sky Harbor.

[Bob from Omaha]

OKC story similar to OMA.

[https://simpleflying.com/oklahoma-city- ... expansion/]

[Renovator2559]

Right now many airports around the country are going through expansions, I just keep seeing this airport and this other airpoint going through expansions

[ProgKingHughesker]

Once an airport gets big enough it's never NOT under construction somewhere

I've been to Minneapolis twice in my life (as in times I've left the airport, connected more than that). The first time was in the summer of 01, I was a kid, our overnight flight got cancelled and we spent forever walking through the under construction parking garage trying to find the rental car area

When I went back for vacation in 2019, although I took transit everywhere else I ended up taking the airport shuttle for my departure flight and noticed that that the dam' parking garage was STILL under construction!

[Bearcat06]

Not sure if this means Kracky McGee's is out or if they will have a leg up in the new terminal.

For selfish reasons, I'm hoping it's the former.

[almighty_tuna]

Reaching out for interested restaurants would be just part of normal preparations for expanded services in the new terminal. I would not be sad if Kracky McGee did not make the cut - I think we can do better.

[ProgKingHughesker]

Reaching out for interested restaurants would be just part of normal preparations for expanded services in the new terminal. I would not be sad if Kracky McGee did not make the cut - I think we can do better.

For food, sure. The four dollar drink with unlimited refills is a ripoff by landside standards, but it's a steal airside and I'd be sad to lose that. I might or might want to eat at the airport, I'll always want a beverage to sip on while waiting

[Renovator2559]

New Construction Options, at Eppley currently ongoing. Its a mess but they are actively working hard.

[skinzfan23]

Are the last 2 pictures part of the terminal modernization?

[almighty_tuna]

Great to see that they're not wasting any time getting underway!

[Renovator2559]

Are the last 2 pictures part of the terminal modernization?

Yes, sorry I wasn't very specific but yes the first picture is from the canopy project and the last 2 are from the new terminal expansion. These 2 pictures were taken from the south terminal, close to security.

[Louie]

Are the last 2 pictures part of the terminal modernization?

Yes, sorry I wasn't very specific but yes the first picture is from the canopy project and the last 2 are from the new terminal expansion. These 2 pictures were taken from the south terminal, close to security.

That is incredibly fast moving then. I guess when they've been working on the plans for so many years, they had everything ready to go once the ceremonial shovels hit the dirt.

[skinzfan23]

Thanks for the clarification. I wonder if that is for the new central utility plant. Going back to the video that showed the process of the modernization, that was the first piece. I also found this from the OWH story:

The Omaha Airport Authority said the utility plant is part of the Build OMA program that launched in June. Construction of the 21,550-square-foot central utility plant is planned to start in early 2024 with completion expected in 2025.

So although this is part of the process, I believe this was already in motion.

[Mr.Nuke]

Are the last 2 pictures part of the terminal modernization?

Yes, sorry I wasn't very specific but yes the first picture is from the canopy project and the last 2 are from the new terminal expansion. These 2 pictures were taken from the south terminal, close to security.

That is incredibly fast moving then. I guess when they've been working on the plans for so many years, they had everything ready to go once the ceremonial shovels hit the dirt.

Well keep in mind too what you are actually seeing photos of is Central Utility Plant preliminary work. That has to get built first and it's guaranteed maximum price contract and notice to proceed were finalized last July as opposed to the GMP and notice to proceed on the terminal itself just last month. So while it looks like a quick turnaround from the groudbreaking, this piece has actually been finalized for about half a year design/cost wise.

[Mr.Nuke]

Thanks for the clarification. I wonder if that is for the new central utility plant. Going back to the video that showed the process of the modernization, that was the first piece. I also found this from the OWH story:

The Omaha Airport Authority said the utility plant is part of the Build OMA program that launched in June. Construction of the 21,550-square-foot central utility plant is planned to start in early 2024 with completion expected in 2025.

So although this is part of the process, I believe this was already in motion.

Correct I was typing my response at the same time as yours. It has started fairly recently but the ramp between gates A2 and B19 has been closed since the end of November. I'm suspecting that is when work commenced. This is part of the terminal modernization program, but really something that more or less has to get done first before the actual "terminal" work proceeds. The CUP was nearing the end of its useful life and its current location is right in the middle of where you want to build all of the stuff i.e. security and baggage transfer below to allow a linear terminal design.

[Greg S]

Just saw a friend post that parking is essentially full at Eppley. Park and Go is reservation only.

[Mr.Nuke]

Just saw a friend post that parking is essentially full at Eppley. Park and Go is reservation only.

The actual on airport parking always has their current availability online.
https://www.flyoma.com/parking/

[SkyWarrior55]

Groundbreaking video

[thenewguy]

Groundbreaking video

doesn't seem all that groundbreaking to me. I've seen videos like this a hundred times.