HOU/IAH | Houston Area Airports

[iamawesomezero]

awesome!

[roogenial]

Is the TerminaLink extension to Terminal A completed?

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by roogenial

Is the TerminaLink extension to Terminal A completed?

Yup, it's been operating for more than a year now.

[diablo234]

War between United, Southwest looms over Houston
Plan for Hobby global flights triggers clash between airlines
By Kiah Collier and Chris Moran

Updated 08:13 p.m., Sunday, March 18, 2012

A proposal by Southwest Airlines to offer international flights from Hobby Airport has triggered an intense lobbying duel with United Airlines, which still wields considerable local clout as the successor to Houston-based Continental.

If it gets city approval, Southwest says it would spend an estimated $75 million to $100 million to build a new international terminal equipped with full-scale Customs facilities, as well as to improve the aging airport's domestic terminals. Southwest flights would depart from the new terminal to destinations such as Cancun and the Caribbean.

But United has already broken ground on what may become another international terminal, a $700 million investment piled on top of an additional billion it has pumped into Bush Intercontinental Airport since the late 1990s.

United says this town isn't big enough for both projects.

While the city awaits two consultants' reports, expected next week, on the pros and cons of Hobby going international, both airlines have dispatched emissaries to City Hall. The outcome of their lobbying battle will determine whether Houston becomes the sixth among the nation's 10 largest cities to have two full-scale, international airports.

Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston Airport System director, Mario Diaz, have not publicly picked a side. They say only that they're obligated to listen to Southwest's pitch.

"The airport is not in the position of choosing winners and losers," Diaz said. "We're in a position of laying down a level playing field."

In letters to airport officials in the past week, United has argued that the deal would damage the economy by diluting international traffic at Bush - traffic United depends on to fill overseas flights, many of which originate elsewhere. Those flights create jobs and boost trade by making Houston accessible from spots across the globe, United said in a letter to Parker.

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http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...on-3414923.php

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[diablo234]

In case anyone here is interested Southwest Airlines has started a online petition to start expanding the existing US Customs service at Hobby. This will allow Southwest Airlines to start direct flights from Houston-Hobby to various destinations in Mexico and the Carribean and will provide some much needed competition for United Airlines.

Southwest Airlines: Free Hobby Airport

[diablo234]

Some other news updates.

Houston Airports Supports Southwest Airlines’ Effort to Launch International Service at Houston’s Hobby Airport
http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3919418/0/83280D83283/

HOUSTON, May 1, 2012—In a memorandum to Mayor Annise Parker, Houston Director of Aviation Mario Diaz recommends the City of Houston work with Southwest Airlines (Southwest) to expand the federal inspection services (FIS) facility at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to support scheduled commercial international service.

“I have concluded given Southwest’s existing and sizeable domestic network operation at Hobby, it would not be reasonable to require the airline to relocate to Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), or even conduct split operations – domestic service at Hobby and international service at Intercontinental,” said Diaz. “Therefore, it’s my recommendation we support Southwest’s request to begin the process of obtaining the necessary approvals to initiate international service at Hobby.”

Houston Airports commissioned two independent studies to evaluate the economic impact on the City of Houston from international flights operated by Southwest.

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Frontier Airlines to Shift Houston Operations Back to Bush Intercontinental in July
http://www.fly2houston.com/0/3919443/0/83280/
April 16, 2012

Frontier Airlines announced today that, based on strong customer feedback, it will shift its Houston operations from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) back to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) effective July 11, 2012. Frontier will be the only domestic low-cost carrier at Bush Intercontinental, allowing it to bring low fares to Houston’s larger airport.

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[diablo234]

Houston-Hobby Airport will finally be able to recieve international flights in 2015 after an expansion to the terminal is built.

Hobby expansion approved, international flights planned for 2015

http://blog.chron.com/houstonpolitic...nned-for-2015/

City Council has approved a deal to have Southwest Airlines build a $100 million expansion of Hobby Airport to open it to international flights for the first time in more than 40 years.

The 16-1 vote authorizes five international gates and a Federal Inspection Services facility at Hobby. Southwest will pay for the expansion in exchange for control of four gates, an exemption from rent on the newly constructed facilities and a rebate linked to any increased sales at the airport once the airline starts its routes to Mexico and the Caribbean in 2015.

Houston Airport Director Mario Diaz promoted the expansion as having the potential to create 18,000 jobs and inject $1.6 billion a year into the local economy. He also predicted that the “Southwest effect” of lower fares would take hold if the airline were allowed to compete with United Airlines, which with its partners has a near monopoly on Latin American routes out of Bush Intercontinental Airport.

“Today’s historic vote is going to allow the creation of international and federal facilities at Hobby,” Councilwoman Melissa Noriega said.

United and Southwest engaged in a furious head-to-head battle over whether Houston should get a second international airport. They hired lobbyists, spent lavishly on print, broadcast and billboard advertising and repeatedly packed Council chambers with employees.

Council approved the plan under the assumption that Southwest’s entry into the international market will lower fares, increase the number of fliers, and create jobs. The expansion plan also assumes that Houston will be able to get the customs officers to staff a new Federal Inspection Services facility at Hobby.

The Federal Aviation Administration must also sign off on Southwest’s proposed new routes.

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[diablo234]

Projected new initial international markets from Houston Hobby Airport:


Source: Center for Aviation

Projected schedule once all new international flights are introduced from Houston Hobby Airport:


Source: Center for Aviation

[diablo234]

Some more photos of Houston-Hobby (HOU).

image hosted on flickr

Peet's Coffee at Houston Hobby by Sean_Yoda_Rouse, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

DSC_5193 by PB&J-Texas, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Houston Texas Hobby Airport 1940 Air Terminal Museum 2009 art-deco heritage aviation Exhibits history Aeronautical Building Signs IMG_1586 by mrchriscornwell, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Houston, Texas Sign by jimmywayne, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

100_8314 by SWABlogGuy, on Flickr

[diablo234]

Turkish Airlines is expected to start serving Houston-Intercontinental soon.

IAH will soon offer flights to Turkey

There’s word that Bush Intercontinental Airport will welcome another foreign airline, weeks after city approval of a controversial Hobby Airport expansion.

KTRK-Channel 13 says Turkish Airlines will offer direct flights from Houston to Istanbul, starting in April 2013. The flights will reportedly be four times a week: Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.


Tickets are already available online … Mayor Annise Parker is expected to make an official announcement with more details Monday morning.

The news comes nearly a month after City Council signed off on the Hobby expansion, which will let Southwest Airlines offer flights from Houston to Mexico and the Caribbean in 2015.

The vote angered United Airlines, which with its partners has a near monopoly on Latin American routes out of Bush. Hours after the vote, United announced it would be cutting planned operations at Bush by 10 percent and eliminating 1,300 Houston jobs.

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[diablo234]

Spirit Airlines is expected to start service to Houston-Intercontinental (along with Baltimore) in September.

USA Today: Spirit adds Baltimore, Houston as part of Dallas expansion

[diablo234]

Looks like United is going to axe the Houston to Paris route.

United cuts route to Paris in the fall

It's not a huge loss however as Air France also offers direct flights between the two cities.

[diablo234]

Houston site to maintain United's Dreamliners
By Kiah Collier
Published 09:08 p.m., Monday, July 9, 2012
http://www.chron.com/business/articl...rs-3694519.php

United Airlines expects to receive the first of 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in late September, and plans to service all of the fuel-efficient, mid-size jetliners at its maintenance facility at Bush Intercontinental Airport, the Chicago-based airline announced Monday.

The cabin on the wide-body, long-range aircraft will seat 219 people with 36 seats in first class, 72 in economy plus and 111 in economy, United said in a statement.

The carrier had previously said it anticipated receiving the first Dreamliner sometime this fall, but Monday was the first time it had announced a specific month.

In the statement, the company said it would put the first aircraft into service later in the fall after various tests and training.

It said the 787 uses 20 percent less fuel that similarly sized aircraft, and has lower noise and emissions during takeoffs and landings.

United, the world's largest airline, has only announced one route it plans to service with the aircraft - Denver to Tokyo - and has discussed using it on a direct flight from Houston to Lagos, Nigeria.

A spokeswoman said United still plans to fly the 787 on the Houston-Lagos route, but did not say when that service might begin. Monday's announcement didn't include any new routes for Dreamliner service.

United and Houston-based Continental airlines had ordered 25 Dream-liners each before merging in 2010, so the new United is expecting to receive 50 total aircraft through 2019 with the first five delivered and incorporated into its fleet by the end of this year.

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[diablo234]

The expansion plan for Hobby Airport if anyone here is interested.

[Almaden]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Looks like United is going to axe the Houston to Paris route.

United cuts route to Paris in the fall

It's not a huge loss however as Air France also offers direct flights between the two cities.

Houston's loss is San Francisco's gain --- United will be adding daily non-stop to Paris from SFO in April (in addition to Air France and XL Airways).

[bozenBDJ]

Originally Posted by diablo234

The expansion plan for Hobby Airport if anyone here is interested.

Is that terminal on the top left of the picture the (proposed) new Intl. Terminal?

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by bozenBDJ

Is that terminal on the top left of the picture the (proposed) new Intl. Terminal?

Actually it is the expansion of the existing terminal which will include Immigration and Customs facilities.

[bozenBDJ]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Actually it is the expansion of the existing terminal which will include Immigration and Customs facilities.

So Southwest can fly International flights to South/Latin America or the Carribean or somewhere else, right?

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by bozenBDJ

So Southwest can fly International flights to South/Latin America or the Carribean or somewhere else, right?

Well currently no, but once the new terminal expansion opens in 2015, Southwest (and a few other airlines as well) plan to start serving international destinations from Hobby serving mainly Mexico and Central/South America.

[bozenBDJ]

Originally Posted by diablo234

Well currently no, but once the new terminal expansion opens in 2015, Southwest (and a few other airlines as well) plan to start serving international destinations from Hobby serving mainly Mexico and Central/South America.

ohh...i see
(btw, Thanks for the reply!)