Air Travel Warms Up: Spring Break, Mild Temperatures Spur Passenger Activity, Airports Say

By Ja’Rena Lunsford, The Daily Oklahoman

Mar. 22–The temperatures are rising — and so is the number of air travelers.

Although winter weather and ice kept many travelers grounded earlier this year, warmer weather is helping Oklahoma airports make up for those low passenger departures as people begin to take to the skies.

“I definitely do think there is a correlation between warm weather and higher passenger loads,” Southwest Airlines spokesman Chris Mainz said.

Mainz said people usually have more free time during the warmer months because of spring break, Memorial Day and summer vacations. And more leisure time leads to more time to travel, he said.

Will Rogers World Airport posted a 5.7 percent increase in the number of passengers who flew out of Oklahoma City in February compared to January. Airport director Mark Kranenburg expects the numbers to continue to increase as the months — and temperatures — progress.

“Spring break through the end of summer is just nonstop,” Kranenburg said.

Passenger loads in February at Will Rogers were down 1.27 percent compared with the same time last year. Still, Kranenburg said, the airport is seeing a lot of activity.

“We went through a pretty rough winter, and I bet a few folks have cabin fever,” he said.

Additional air services coming to Will Rogers later this year and the growing number of large events the city is attracting will continue to increase the number of travelers who use the airport, Kranenburg said.

“Depending on your point of view, it’s either the best of times or the worst of times,” he said.

Airports across the nation saw some of the worst passenger traffic earlier this year when loads plummeted because of inclement weather. Now airport officials, like Barbara McNally, are hoping the numbers they saw in February and the activity now indicate passengers are ready to fly again.

“This is a really good trend, and we hope that it continues for the year,” McNally said of Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport’s 17.8 percent increase in passengers last month.

McNally, Lawton’s airport manager, said although the airport started the year off slowly, travel is increasing steadily.

“That’s what a little bit of good weather will do for you,” she said.

Good weather brought out travelers in Tulsa, as well. Tulsa International Airport had 2,537 more passengers depart from the airport in February than the month before, a 2.5 percent increase.

Delta Airlines spokesman Anthony Black said good weather does bring out the traveler in people. He said the Atlanta-based airline begins to see spikes in travel during Easter weekend. And even when the weather isn’t warm, Black said it’s the idea of warm weather that entices travelers.

“In the winter time, it is warm weather destinations that are popular,” he said.

But for travelers who prefer to travel during the warm months, flights should be booked soon.

“It’s not too early to book a summer flight,” American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said. He said advance reservations already have American expecting a busy summer.

“The bookings are definitely coming in,” he said. Leisure travelers will always look to summer as the optimum time for travel, he said.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Daily Oklahoman

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