CHAMBER-LED TASK FORCE TARGETS AIR SERVICE EXPANSION IN OKC
Improving Oklahoma City’s air service is the goal of a new task force formed by the Chamber. Chaired by Burns Hargis, former chair of the Chamber and former president of Oklahoma State University, the task force is comprised of airport representatives, Airport Trust members,
BURNS HARGIS
and business leaders interested in working together to provide valuable information to airlines as they consider expansion in the market. OKC Will Rogers International Airport staff are dedicated to this work and routinely engage with airlines in one-on-one meetings and at air service conferences throughout the year. The goal of the Chamber effort is to enhance the information they can provide to airlines, with intelligence on business and visitor growth in the area that supports growing demand. To assist with the effort, the Chamber has engaged an air service consultant. While the airport has a consultant working with them to provide data and support to the
effort, the Chamber consultant provides the community with tools and processes to aid the airport effort. One of those activities is a survey of businesses about their air service needs. “This survey is a vital piece of our committee’s work,” explains Hargis. “We went into the field last week and every Chamber member company received an invitation to participate via email. This survey will give us vital intelligence to consolidate information about current and future demand that we can’t see in existing travel patterns. We strongly encourage every member to complete the survey.” Air service, and particularly the number of nonstop flights, has fluctuated since the pandemic, primarily due to challenges in the airline industry and restructuring of networks due to demand. “These changes have definitely impacted Oklahoma City, even as our traffic is growing,” said Jeff Mulder, director of airports for the City of A new Chamber-led task force is working to expand air service at Will Rogers International Airport by providing airlines with key data on business growth and travel demand in OKC.
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