AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[ATXboom]

Friday, February 29, 2008 - 12:00 PM CST
Air cargo, passenger traffic up at ABIA
Austin Business Journal

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's passenger traffic in January was up 10percent compared with the same month last year, totaling 657,816 passengers.

Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Continental, U.S. Airways, JetBlue Airways, Frontier Airlines and Aeromexico all carried more passengers than a year ago. Frontier saw the largest jump compared to the same month last year, with a 29 percent increase in passengers.

Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Northwest Airlines all saw decreases in passenger activity in January.

January air cargo, mail and general aviation also increased in January.

Air cargo totaled 18.7 million pounds, a 4 percent increase, mail rose 10 percent and general aviation operations increased 20 percent.

[LoneStarMike]

Update on VivaAerobus service.

1) They've already applied - and received approval - from DOT to begin service between Austin and Monterrey, Cancun, Puebla, Guadalajara, Leon and Queretaro. So far, they've only announced service to Monterrey and Cancun.

Up until about two weeks ago, the only other service they could have offered out of Austin was to Leon. They weren't yet flying out of Queretaro, Guadalajara or Puebla - not even to Monterrey.

I noticed today, that Queretaro has been added as a VivaAerobus destination - from Monterrey - but not from Austin (yet).

Queretaro and Leon were the only two cities out of Austin that would not have daily service. VivaAerobus was planning to fly to one of the two cities 3 times a week, the other one 4 times a week.

Maybe now that Queretaro is open, they'll go ahead and announce service to Leon and Queretaro from Austin soon.

2) VivaAerobus recently announced plans to serve Mexico from Gary, IND (near Chicago) and Las Vegas. A March 11, 2008 article in the Gary Post-Tribune mentioned:

vivaAerobus, a Mexican version of Skybus, filed paperwork with the U.S. Department of Transportation today to begin offering direct flights daily from Monterrey, Mexico, to Gary, as well as service to Las Vegas and Austin, Texas.

The only reason Austin would be included in this most recent DOT application would be if they were planning to add additional destinations from Austin. The six cities mentioned above have already been approved by DOT.

I can't find the link to VivaAerobus' most recent application to DOT, but someone familiar with it said that VivaAerobus is applying to serve Puerto Vallarta and Veracruz from Austin. Puerto Vallarta would be served four times a week and Veracruz would be served three times a week.

BTW, I'm flying out of ABIA later this morning. I'm not sure if you can see the low-cost terminal from the main terminal, but I'm sure going to be looking.

[pato79]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Update on VivaAerobus service.

1) They've already applied - and received approval - from DOT to begin service between Austin and Monterrey, Cancun, Puebla, Guadalajara, Leon and Queretaro. So far, they've only announced service to Monterrey and Cancun.

Up until about two weeks ago, the only other service they could have offered out of Austin was to Leon. They weren't yet flying out of Queretaro, Guadalajara or Puebla - not even to Monterrey.

I noticed today, that Queretaro has been added as a VivaAerobus destination - from Monterrey - but not from Austin (yet).

Queretaro and Leon were the only two cities out of Austin that would not have daily service. VivaAerobus was planning to fly to one of the two cities 3 times a week, the other one 4 times a week.

Maybe now that Queretaro is open, they'll go ahead and announce service to Leon and Queretaro from Austin soon.

2) VivaAerobus recently announced plans to serve Mexico from Gary, IND (near Chicago) and Las Vegas. A March 11, 2008 article in the Gary Post-Tribune mentioned:



The only reason Austin would be included in this most recent DOT application would be if they were planning to add additional destinations from Austin. The six cities mentioned above have already been approved by DOT.

I can't find the link to VivaAerobus' most recent application to DOT, but someone familiar with it said that VivaAerobus is applying to serve Puerto Vallarta and Veracruz from Austin. Puerto Vallarta would be served four times a week and Veracruz would be served three times a week.

BTW, I'm flying out of ABIA later this morning. I'm not sure if you can see the low-cost terminal from the main terminal, but I'm sure going to be looking.

Veracruz and Vallarta would be awesome.

[KevinFromTexas]

From the Austin Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/st...l?surround=lfn

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 - 2:41 PM CDT

Southwest launches Austin to Philly nonstop flight
Austin Business Journal

Southwest Airlines will begin nonstop service from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to Philadelphia starting March 17, 2008.

Flights will depart Austin at 6:40 a.m. and arrive in Philadelphia at 11:25 a.m. Flights will also depart Philadelphia at 6 p.m. and arrive in Austin at 9 p.m.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has nonstop service to 54 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Nearly 8.9 million passengers came through ABIA in 2007.

[LoneStarMike]

A couple of photos of the Low Cost Terminal.

the first was taken March 12, 2008. It's the building on the left.



The second photo was taken March 18, 2008.




Apparently it was painted while I was on vacation.

[KevinFromTexas]

^ Funny. Leave town, and come back to a lime green building at the airport.

[ATXboom]

This does not account for the busy months and 8 new destinations starting in May. We should top 10 mil in 2008 if we continue this momentum in addition to the added capacity.


www.bizjournals.com/austin

Monday, March 24, 2008 - 2:19 PM CDT
ABIA traffic goes up in Feb.
Austin Business Journal

Passenger traffic at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport increased 7 percent in February, compared with last year, led by gains at the city's two dominant carriers, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines.

A total of 333,860 people boarded planes at ABIA in February. Southwest's traffic rose 8 percent to 229,368 passengers and American's increased 3.5 percent to 171,407. For the combined first two months of 2008, traffic was up 8.5 percent to 1.3 million people.

Air cargo for the month was up 8.5 percent to 17.3 million lbs. International cargo rose 14.5 percent led by ABX Air Inc., which more than doubled its cargo.

General aviation operations were nearly flat and combined commercial and military operations were up 14 percent.

[austintilIdie]

Is this low cost terminal deal a temporary deal? If these nonstop flights accumulate over the next couple of years, I imagine we'll be faced with the prospect of planning a substantial expansion...like to think we could be a bit more creative with the LC terminal as well in future expansion.

Does anyone recall the conditions of commencing real expansion at ABIA?

[ATXboom]

^^^ Yes. This is a test facility to see if this "low cost" model will fly, no pun intended. If it proves profitable, etc they plan to build a legit terminal. I imagine that will take a year or 2 to prove out one way or the other.

[Jdawgboy]

Since this thread has kinda moved from just the low cost flights to the overall general news of the airport, Kevin, Shouldn't we change the name of this thread to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Updates or ABIA updates or something???

[KevinFromTexas]

^ Ok, good idea. I had considered it. I guess the transportation thread should be more about roads and rails, than the airport.

[texastarkus]

For those of you wondering why the low cost terminal is Margarita Green/Lime Green etc...check this link out. The terminal is leased by GE and it's color is to reflect a railroad locomotive. I hope everyone finds the humor in that...a locomotive at an airport.

http://ge.ecomagination.com/site/products/hybr.html

[bgrn198]

I think it would be cool if there was a low cost airline that had direct flights to Europe from Austin like Zoom Airlines is going to offer direct flights From San Diego to London Gatwick or if BMI flew into ABIA.

[sammyk]

No chance for Skybus at the low cost terminal:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live...4/skybust.html

This probably means no one else is going to try that business model any time soon so not a good sign for this terminal.

[Mikey711MN]

Originally Posted by sammyk

No chance for Skybus at the low cost terminal:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live...4/skybust.html

This probably means no one else is going to try that business model any time soon so not a good sign for this terminal.

This is precisely why the City transferred the risk to GE for construction of a temporary facility. While the ULCC concept may not be inherently flawed in the US, the execution of it by Skybus certainly was.

It'll be interesting to see if Viva makes the operation here work. If it doesn't, I don't see this building being up for very long.

[texastarkus]

It seems the south terminal has its very own web site.

http://www.staustin.com/

I'm not sure who is behind it...I don't think it's a COA/DOA webiste...maybe it's GE. From the looks of the site, they're trying to sell advertising inside our lime green building.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by texastarkus

It seems the south terminal has its very own web site.

http://www.staustin.com/

I'm not sure who is behind it...I don't think it's a COA/DOA webiste...maybe it's GE. From the looks of the site, they're trying to sell advertising inside our lime green building.

It's a website of Austin AIB One, LLC; with whom GE Aviation, I believe, is a general or limited partner.

Pretty neat website, though. Hope we get more routes out of it and they end up building a perminant structure.

[Mikey711MN]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Hope we get more routes out of it and they end up building a perminant structure.

Fortunately, I think we will, at least from VivaAerobus. Unfortunately, however, I don't believe there are too many other ULCC's that will give the facility a sincere attempt simply because there aren't that many.

As noted above, one of the more ballyhooed ULCC's, Skybus, has since ceased operations. I am pretty convinced that such a structure would've suited them well here to provide service to places like CMH and BUR, et. al.

If ever a permanent structure is warranted, I believe that would be an undertaking by the City of Austin in conjunction with the planned second terminal in the Master Plan. This is likely years out, however, given that construction has yet to begin on the eastern extension of the Main Terminal.

[ATXboom]

^^ There should be an announcement late this year in regard to expanding east terminal. City asked them to start planning and budget process.

Looks like the Cancun flights are sold out for the first month... I couldn't find seats anyway. I'm already on 1 flight looking for another...


Large industrial complex slated for SE Austin$25M project to yield 400,000 s.f.
Austin Business Journal - by A.J. Mistretta ABJ Staff
Print Article Email Article Reprints RSS Feeds ShareThis

Submitted rendering
BURLESON BUSINESS PARK WILL BE CLOSE TO AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AN UNDERDEVELOPED AREA, SOME SAY.
View Larger Construction is under way on a roughly $25 million project that will add 400,000 square feet of industrial space in Southeast Austin, and a top local real estate professional is switching companies to oversee its development.

A partnership led by Dallas-based TIG Real Estate Services, Brock Consulting Group Inc. of Austin and GID Investment Advisors LLC of Boston recently bought 34 acres on the southwest corner of Burleson and Smith School roads. Work has begun on the first three distribution/warehouse buildings at Burleson Business Park, totaling 324,000 square feet, and those should be completed by September. Construction of the remaining 76,000-square-foot building will begin based on market demand.

The park's developers hope to capitalize on its location less than a mile from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and its proximity to the major thoroughfares of State Highway 71, State Highway 130 and U.S. Highway 183.

Tom Pardee, who most recently oversaw the marketing of Kennedy Wilson's industrial portfolio in Austin, has joined TIG as a senior vice president; he'll lead the firm's industrial division. Over the last two decades, Pardee has closed more than $100 million in lease transactions and has been involved in the purchase and sale of numerous industrial assets and land tracts in Central Texas.

"TIG has a strong management team and a good business model," says Pardee. "This is an opportunity for me to do ground-up development. ...I think beyond Burleson Business Park, TIG is certainly looking at other sites in town and other partners to do development with."

David Alsmeyer, principal in TIG's Austin office, says Pardee brings with him not just deal experience but years of relationships with local brokers and owners.

"Having him on our team makes us one of the most credible industrial leasing teams in the market," says Alsmeyer.

More than 1 million square feet of industrial space is currently under construction in Southeast Austin. That accounts for roughly half of the total citywide project pipeline, according to a first-quarter report from CB Richard Ellis Inc.

The submarket saw negative absorption of 104,716 square feet in the first quarter, but that's due in large part to new product that has been completed in recent months. Developers are eager to introduce new industrial properties to an area that many believe has been historically underserved, considering its proximity to the airport.

Greg Marberry, first vice president in the industrial division of CBRE, says completed highway improvements and the future extension of SH 130 South, which will connect to I-35, have made Southeast Austin far more connected to the rest of the region.

http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/04/14/story2.html?b=1208145600^1618396

[ATXboom]

AVIATION

Luxury jet hangars landing in Austin?
City Council will consider the proposal in coming weeks.
By Kathy Adams

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF


Tuesday, April 15, 2008

A California developer is looking to build a spate of luxury hangars in Austin aimed at serving corporate jets and attracting business to the area.

The Austin City Council is expected to vote in the coming weeks on a proposal by Ascend Development to build secure, luxury hangars, a runway and other structures on 12 acres at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The Ascend project has the potential to make Austin even more appealing to corporations, said Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce member Dan Sullivan, who represents general aviation interests for the chamber. Many large companies own private jets or charter private jet services, and they need a place to park, refuel and obtain other services, he said.

"Now we will have places where people can park an aircraft, and that will put us in a much better position when attracting companies or businesses to come to Austin," Sullivan said.

The terms of the lease between Ascend Development and the city will not be made public until the council takes up the proposal, probably on April 24 or May 8.

Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation now provide hangar space, concierge service and fueling for small-aircraft owners, corporate jets and other members of the general aviation community, which excludes commercial airlines.

If approved, Ascend's development will expand the hangar space available and provide more high-end services and facilities.

Ascend Development declined to comment, but its Web site says it plans to construct the hangars through its ParkAvion division. The development's "58 private bays will feature sleek, modern exteriors and top of the line amenities," including remote-controlled doors, customizable office space and "dramatic window walls," according to the Web site.

Though Ascend's facilities would alleviate Austin's need for more high-end, corporate-focused airport services, it would still leave a segment of the general aviation community unsatisfied, said pilot Jay Carpenter, a Texas Aviation Association board member.

When Robert Mueller Municipal Airport and Austin Executive Airport closed in 1999, the general aviation community lost hangar space and most other services, according to airport statistics.

High fuel prices, hangar waiting lists, rent and insurance costs now make it difficult for aircraft owners to get what they need, Carpenter said.

Signature and Atlantic provide excellent service, he said, but there's demand for repair shops and more self-service and low-cost options, such as a self-fuel station.

"I love Signature," said Carpenter, who leases a hanger for about $315 per month and pays $140 a year in insurance. "It's four-star service, and that's great, but sometimes I want Motel 6 service. I don't need to stay at a Four Seasons every time I fly."

The city should do more to promote general aviation development and ease restrictions that are prohibitive for general aviation businesses wanting to open at Bergstrom, Sullivan said. He said some of the city's insurance, fire and other regulations are stricter than at other airports in the state and nationwide.

Austin's general aviation community contributes $89.3 million annually to the local economy, according to a 2005 Texas Department of Transportation study.

Expanding general aviation facilities and services could garner millions more, returning as much as $7 for every dollar invested, Carpenter said.

"They don't really care to invest in general aviation development at our airport, and they're missing the boat, because if they do, the return on the dollar is huge," he said.


Austin general aviation facts

Employment: 612 people

Annual payroll: $23,084,000

Total output: $89,301,000

Fuel prices:

Austin Signature $6.09 full-service

Georgetown $4.00 full-service

Taylor $3.62 full-service

Hangar space:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport 129

Robert Mueller Municipal Airport

and Austin Executive Airport (closed)335

Hangar waiting list: About five years

Source: Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce member Dan Sullivan, Texas Department of Transportation's 2005 Economic Impact of General Aviation in Texas study