Nonstop international flights in five-year plan for Tulsa commercial travelers

Tulsa International Airport (TUL) already has a small U.S. Customs and Border Protection workplace that may clear non-public/constitution flights of 20 passengers or fewer, and the airport accommodates between 10 to twenty of these flights weekly, mentioned Kim Kuehler, communications supervisor for TAIT. The airport additionally repeatedly handles international cargo flights, she mentioned.

Currently, nonetheless, TUL provides no nonstop commercial flights to out-of-country venues.

“An airline is not going to come into TUL on an international flight if they don’t have a way to go through customs,” Relja mentioned. “How many aircraft will this terminal have the first year? Well, we really don’t know. It’s one of those ‘build it and they will come’ things.”

As the brand new, 45,000-square-foot federal inspection facility will get nearer to completion, the airport will start pitching nonstop international route alternatives to main carriers, Andrew Pierini, TAIT’s vice chairman and chief commercial officer, wrote in an e mail.

“We would be looking at securing once- or twice-a-week service to some destinations in Mexico or the Caribbean,” Pierini mentioned. “Our largest markets from Tulsa internationally (in order) are Cancun (Mexico), Cabo (Mexico), London, Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Cozumel (Mexico), Montego Bay (Jamaica) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic).”

The world terminal is amongst 19 tasks totaling $100.4 million in TUL’s capital enchancment plan for fiscal years 2024-28. That proposal contains runway, taxiway and apron rehabilitation, in addition to electrical car charging stations for TUL autos.

“We are touching everything from fencing to pavement to building, going all the way down to sealing employee parking lots,” Relja mentioned.

Another capital improve that’s a part of the prevailing five-year plan figures to be transformative, as nicely.

TUL representatives met Monday with designers and Federal Aviation Administration officers to debate the proposed air visitors management tower and terminal radar method management facility, Relja mentioned. Among discussions was the mission planning doc, which outlines all the necessities the FAA has for a selected construction.

Total value of the mission is about $106 million, which incorporates roughly $26 million for new FAA tools, Relja mentioned. The new tower may have a couple of 15,000-square-foot base and rise to about 250 toes, roughly 100 toes taller than the prevailing tower, which was accomplished in 1961.

“Air traffic controllers have to be able to see all the pavement on the airfield,” Relja mentioned. “The location and height of the tower that we currently have is limiting some of the area that can be constructed. By going up and moving the tower to the west, we are able to open up the areas that were not previously available for expansion of hangars and tenant areas.”

Leo A Daly, a worldwide planning, structure, engineering and interiors agency primarily based in Omaha, Nebraska, is designing the mission, for which bids will likely be solicited in late 2023.

“It’s going to open up property for building new structures, new hangars,” Relja mentioned. “It’s going to open up property to be leased. It’s going to be a major improvement for TUL.”