Date:  May 13, 2013

On Wednesday, May 15, a second Kansas Honor Flight will leave Wichita for Washington, DC, carrying 24 World War II veterans.  Traveling on that flight will be Eddie Graham of Wichita, a Bataan Death March survivor along with his brother, Don Graham from Hutchinson, a Korean War veteran.  While in Washington, they will visit the WWII Memorial, the Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial Wall, the Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visit Ft. McHenry.

The flight will depart from Wichita at 6:25 a.m. on AirTran Airways for a two-night stay in our nation’s capital.  They will return on Friday, May 17 at 4:37 p.m.  The public is invited to greet these heroes and welcome them home.

The trip has been organized by Kansas Honor Flight, Inc. The mission of Honor Flight is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, DC to visit the memorials at no cost to them with current priority to WWII Veterans. Subsequent to the World War II Veterans, efforts then focus on Korean War Veterans followed by Vietnam War Veterans, honoring them in similar manner. Guardians, who pay their own travel expenses, accompany each veteran to ensure safe travel. Contributions from the public provide the necessary funding for this trip.  Visit their web site, www.kansashonorflight.org to find more information regarding this all-expense paid trip.

Additional trips are scheduled throughout the summer and fall on Southwest Airlines, the official commercial airline of the Honor Flight organization.   These trips are made possible through the cooperation and coordination of the airlines, TSA, Ampco Parking, HMS Host, and Wichita Airport Authority staff.  “It is with great pride that the Airport can play a part in honoring these Veterans,” said Airport Director Victor White.

Construction to Begin June 3

April 24, 2013

A ceremonial groundbreaking today at Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport marks the beginning of a new parking garage and rental car facility at the state’s largest airport, a $40 million project that coincides with a new terminal currently under construction. The garage and terminal are scheduled to open in spring 2015.

“With this new state-of-the-art facility, we will be adding parking spaces and are projected to meet the needs of travelers for the next 20 years,” Mayor Carl Brewer said. “It brings a new parking garage to our airport, and increases our capacity nearly 40 percent.”

The new design increases the number of parking spaces by more than 1,200. Other features include a:

• Four-level, 1,600 space parking garage designed for potential expansion
• Covered rental car pick-up and drop-off on the first level
• Rental car agency customer service center adjacent to the garage
• New surface parking lot, including Close-in, Economy and Park & Ride

Construction is set to begin the week of June 3.

“We are pleased to be able to offer a new level of convenience, efficiency, safety and security, as well as protection from the weather, with this new facility,” said Thom Rosenberg, Chair of the Wichita Airport Authority’s Advisory Board.

The garage will be connected to the new terminal by a crosswalk canopy.

“When this project is complete, we will be able to offer an entirely new parking experience with more options and services, and better meet the needs of the traveling public,” said Victor White, Director of Airports.

White added that, during construction, visitors need to plan ahead to make parking easier. There will be a reduced amount of short-term parking available, and there will be a two-hour limit on parking in that lot with no overnight parking allowed. He said customers should use the Park & Ride shuttle lot whenever possible, as well as the courtesy one-hour parking spaces in the cell phone lot when picking up arriving passengers.

“There may be short-term inconveniences for long-term gains,” White said. “Our ultimate goal is to have our customers’ experiences be as positive as possible, but during construction, everyone will need to arrive a little earlier than normal and find the parking option that works best for them.”

Travelers should check the Airport’s website, www.flywichita.com, for project updates and to watch its construction progress, as well as follow updates on the airport’s Facebook page (FB.com/flywichita) or on Twitter (@flyICT).

Design of the new garage is being led by Dallas-based Carl Walker Inc., with local architects Schaefer, Johnson, Cox and Frey.  Ruggles and Bohm, Midwest Engineering and InSite Group are local engineers on the project. Crossland Construction Co. of Columbus, KS, will build the new facilities.

The parking and rental car facilities are being financed with airport parking revenues and rental car fees.

Date:  April 23, 2013

The first Kansas Honor Flight of 2013 will be headed to Washington, DC this Wednesday, April 23, carrying 27 World War II veterans.  While in Washington, they see the WWII Memorial that honors their service to our country 70 years ago.  They will also enjoy a tour of other memorials and museums.  Highlighting their trip is a visit to Arlington National Cemetery to witness the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The flight will depart from Wichita at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 on AirTran Airways for a two-night stay in our nation’s capital.  They will return on Friday at 4:45 p.m.  The public is invited to greet these members of the Greatest Generation to welcome them home.

Additional trips are scheduled throughout the summer and fall on Southwest Airlines, the official commercial airline of the Honor Flight organization.   World War II, Korean, and Vietnam veterans and their families are encouraged to contact Kansas Honor Flight at 620-546-2400 or visit the web site, www.kansashonorflight.org to find more information regarding this all-expense paid trip.

Date:  April 17, 2013

United Airlines will begin nonstop service to LAX beginning May 1, a day earlier than previously announced due to internal fleet and schedule changes.

United operates approximately 200 peak-day departures from LAX, including service to many destinations throughout the west, with very convenient connections to Hawaii.  Connections to points beyond LAX are also available on United’s Star Alliance partner airlines.

The new United Airlines flight will be operated by SkyWest, using a 66-seat CRJ-700 aircraft with six first-class seats, 28 Economy Plus seats, and 32 economy seats.  The schedule will be convenient for business travelers who will be able to catch the morning departure, conduct business and return the same evening. The daily schedule follows:

• Departs ICT @ 6:00 a.m; arrives LAX @ 7:25 a.m.
• Departs LAX @ 6:46 p.m; arrives ICT @ 11:35 p.m.

On May 1, United Airlines will begin offering the only daily non-stop service from ICT to LAX. With the addition of this service, travelers will have the ability to arrive in Los Angeles and travel back to Wichita in the same day, if they wish. According to Valerie Wise, Air Service & Business Development Manager, the service will be of particular interest to business travelers who frequently fly to LA. “Having the ability to arrive in LA by 7:30 a.m. allows travelers to take full advantage of the work day – and still arrive back in Wichita that same day,” she said.

The daily flight schedule will be as follows:

• Departs ICT @ 6:00 a.m.
• Arrives LAX @ 7:25 a.m.
• Departs LAX @ 6:46 p.m.
• Arrives ICT @ 11:35 p.m.

A Twitter contest is taking place to award a free seat on the inaugural flight. To enter for a chance to be seated on the inaugural flight to and from LA, visit www.twitter.com/flyICT and share how you do business in LA using the hashtag #nonstopLAX. To highlight the benefits of the new nonstop flight, the traveler will need to document their experience on Twitter using the same hashtag.

Click here for official contest rules.

March 13, 2013

Contact: Valerie Wise, Air Service & Business Development Manager, 316-946-4700

The airlines serving Wichita Mid-Continent Airport are reporting full loads March 14 – 18.  If you are traveling over spring break, the airlines and TSA recommend you arrive at least 1.5 to 2 hours before your flight, particularly if your flight is between 6:00 – 7:00 a.m.  Due to sequestration, the TSA may not be able to staff additional TSA officers during heavy travel periods, so the wait times through security could be longer than travelers are used to.

The Airport and TSA offers the following travel tips to help make your travel a breeze:

• The checkpoint opens at 4 am.  Arriving early ensures you will be on the flight.
• Check in online up to 24 hours prior to departure.
• Travelers who are 75 years and older, or 12 years and younger, do not have to remove shoes at the security checkpoint.
• Passengers should be at the gate to begin loading AT LEAST 30 minutes before departure.
• Airlines close the aircraft door 10 minutes prior to departure.
• Make sure you have your government-issued photo ID.
• Travelers should remember the three simple steps to security: have ID’s out, coats and shoes off, and laptops and 3-1-1 bags out for screening.
• TSA reminds travelers to follow 3–1–1 for carry-on luggage for non-exempt liquids: 3.4 ounce bottle or less for all liquids, gels and aerosols; placed in a 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag to hold all small containers; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. The limitations on liquids apply only to carry-on bags and larger quantities may be packed in checked baggage.
• TSA reminds travelers to be vigilant by reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement. The traveling public plays an important role in security, so “If You See Something, Say Something.”
• For travel tips or information on your mobile device, click here to download the MyTSA mobile app.
• For more information on these and other helpful tips, please visit http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information

Date:  February 20, 2013

Due to the winter weather all across the region, numerous arriving and departing flights at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport have been cancelled. However the Airport is open and the runways are being continuously plowed and treated.  Passengers with flight plans are encouraged to check with their airline prior to arriving at the Airport for updated status and rebooking instructions.

Flight status can also be found at www.flywichita.com; click on the Flight Information link.

Date: February 15, 2013

Contact: Valerie Wise, Air Service & Business Development Manager, 316-946-4700

The U. S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics recently released its third quarter 2012 air fare report, and despite increases in fares over the past three years, Wichita’s third quarter average fare is still less – by 10.1% – than in 2000.  Out of the top 100 U.S. airports, Wichita ranked 17^th in largest decrease in fares since 2000. Low-fare carriers are largely credited with keeping fares competitive.

“This is evidence that the Kansas Affordable Air Fares program has been a success in lowering air fares in Wichita, when prices across the country continue to rise at a faster rate,” Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer said, “We are excited about the potential that the arrival of Southwest Airlines in June will have on Wichita’s air service.”

The report shows that Wichita’s average fare increased just .4% from a year earlier but dropped 6% from the previous quarter.  The average third quarter 2012 fare at Wichita was $379 compared to a U.S. average of $367, which increased 1.8% during the third quarter 2012. Compared to regional airports and the national average, Wichita’s fare is less than fares at Tulsa and Oklahoma City, and the gap between Kansas City’s fare and Wichita’s fare has narrowed considerably, as seen in the chart below.

February 8, 2013

Construction of the new Air Capital Terminal 3 (ACT 3) at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is on schedule, thanks, in part, to pleasant weather late last year. The new terminal is expected to open in the spring of 2015.

Since the beginning of major construction in early October 2012, construction crews have cleared the project site, relocated and extended utilities, mass excavated the site, began foundations, installed conduits and pipes beneath the building, prepared the aggregate base course beneath the floor slabs, and began tunnel construction.  Approximately 40 percent of the new concrete foundations have been completed and 80 percent of the utilities have been altered. The tunnel, in addition to serving as an emergency storm shelter, will provide access to the new terminal from the Building Maintenance Division, which is housed in the basement of the current terminal and will remain there following opening of the new facilities.

Construction work anticipated in the next couple of months includes continued foundation work, work beneath floor slabs, finish preparing the bases to the floor slabs, and building the tunnel. The building’s structural steel framing is expected to begin late this month and continue into June. Two large 100-ton Crawler-type cranes will install the steel creating the skeleton of the new Terminal.

Three construction web cameras have been installed for the public to observe the new terminal site.  Images from these cameras can be found at www.flywichita.com/terminal-web-cam.php. The cameras are located on the existing terminal roof, the DoubleTree Hotel roof, and a camera pole adjacent to Parking Lot C.  The cameras take pictures every 15 minutes and have a time-lapse function allowing the viewer a sight of the construction over time.  The airport website www.flywichita.com also contains other interesting features about the project.

Coinciding with the construction of the new terminal building is the parking garage and rental car facilities project.  The construction contract is slated to bid within the next two months and will be completed prior to the opening of the terminal. Mid-Continent’s ACT 3 Terminal will be the airline gateway to the State of Kansas, and as such is the first and last impression of Wichita for visitors to the entire region. The terminal project will not use any local tax dollars, but will be funded from airport concession revenue, lease revenue, and federal grants collected from aviation user fees. The parking garage also will not use any local tax dollars, but will be funded with airport revenue.

Date:  December 21, 2012

Unnamed sources report that Santa Claus will be at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport Saturday through Monday. The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, reports that Santa’s schedule at ICT is:

• Saturday, December 22, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Sunday, December 23, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Monday, December 24, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

It is unknown at this time if Santa will be flying in on his sleigh or on one of the commercial airlines.