Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA)

[itk]

[url=http://www.nwarktimes.com/adg/News/167299/]Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport officials plan to move forward with a proposed access road from Interstate 540 even though the project hasn

[mcheiss]

This thing may never happen then, unless the western portion of the Bypass starts rolling along.

[mcheiss]

Two large warehouses are in the planning stages to be constructed near the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill.

The developers are unknown, but the sizes of the climate-controlled warehouses are 350,000 SF and 650,000 SF. One will be public and the other private.

Once completed, at least one of the warehouses will be valued at $15 million, although the plans are not final.

[mcheiss]

Emplemant Numbers have been released for the month of September. The total revenue emplaments for September 2006 were 47,134. The emplament numbers for September 2005 were 44,244. It's good to see an increase of almost 3,000 emplaments. Hopefully the airlines will start to bring back the larger aircraft and some of the specialty cities such as Orlando.

[mcheiss]

It looks like a gas station is finally going to come out to the airport. The first phase of Airport Plaza at 7489 S. W. Regional Airport Blvd. is also being considered at the Bentonville Planning Commission meeting. Phase 1 consists of a 5, 189-square-foot convenience store and gas station that the developer said will be similar in look to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. The second phase will include a bank and 17, 800-square-feet of office space.

[mcheiss]

It looks like more construction has started on the airport. Apparently 6 weeks ago, construction started on the addition of four ticket counters. United Airlines and US Airways will each get a full ticket counter, while the other two will be left for future airlines or expansion. This expansion isn't suppose to completed until September 2007.

There's also plans on the board for the second level expansion of the terminal, which is suppose to add 8 to 9 "Jet Arm" gates, as well as some room for some more restaurants. This plan won't be done for another 2 or 3 years, seeing as how they are still negotiating with construction companies for a bid.

[RAK]

Adding more arms is essential for growth. I hope they get on with that.

[mcheiss]

I have it on very good word that XNA is going to start adding more flights. While we have lost many cities recently, this year is the first year that the airlines have begun to make money off flights, which means more flights. Hopefullly we can regain Detroit, Orlando, and possibly Las Vegas.

[RemusCal]

I would love to see some great restaurants maybe Starbucks or Arsagas (which would be cool since its unique), Chilis Too, Fridays, Au Bon Pain, those would all be good for the Airport.

[Thia]

I have it on very good word that XNA is going to start adding more flights. While we have lost many cities recently, this year is the first year that the airlines have begun to make money off flights, which means more flights. Hopefullly we can regain Detroit, Orlando, and possibly Las Vegas.

Northwest Airlines still offers a non-stop from XNA to DTW.

[mcheiss]

Northwest Airlines still offers a non-stop from XNA to DTW.

Whoops, I ment to say that we need the 2 daily non-stop flights to Detroit, not just one flight like we have now.

[slyder1]

Here is some info on XNA from today's addition of the Springfield New-Leader. Thought ya'll would want to know.

Northwest Arkansas looks to lure Southwest Airlines

Highfill, Ark.

[mcheiss]

Thanks for the article slyder. What makes me mad is that Southwest has already declined XNA's offer. Someone in the media made a poor story, because XNA is looking for a discount airline, not Southwest specifically. I think the market is too close to Tulsa to even bother with Southwest. Just go for Jetblue or Airtran, they're much nicer anyways.

[KJW]

Thanks for the article slyder. What makes me mad is that Southwest has already declined XNA's offer. Someone in the media made a poor story, because XNA is looking for a discount airline, not Southwest specifically. I think the market is too close to Tulsa to even bother with Southwest. Just go for Jetblue or Airtran, they're much nicer anyways.

Matt, going back to the new (Rogers) arena...it looks like there were two primary things working against the Bentonville location:

1. Concern from NBA/WNBA owners about the non (at this point) central location in NWA...problem now solved.

2. Concern about traffic and blocking future XNA expansion.

Don't know how big XNA will get, but if it expands into where we were told the arena would be, that's going to end up being one significantly sized airport (as it should be for a metro area which may be as big as we are being told it will become some day).

[mcheiss]

I don't know which side of Arkansas 12 it was suppose to be on, but my guess was that they were planning on putting it on the opposite side of the airport. That land over there is being eyed by the aiport for a future runway of around 9,000+ feet. XNA is planning on building some kind of bridge for airplanes over Arkansas 12 so they can continue operations from the main terminal, as well las an east-to-west facing runway. This is ofcourse 15 years down the road, but I suppose that Talley's development would have interfeared with this expansion somehow.

[mcheiss]

I didn't know, but the construction on XNA's ticket counter booths has started. The construction is suppose to increase ticket-counter space by up to 50%.

[mcheiss]

Another city has been added to XNA's non-stop destinations. Miami will be the 6th city to be served by American Airlines/American Eagle. The daily flight will leave a 6:30 in the morning beginning April 11th. This all together makes 16 non stop destinations from the airport.

Atlanta

Charlotte

Chicago

Cincinnati

Dallas

Denver

Detroit

Houston

Los Angeles

Memphis

Minneapolis/St. Paul

New York Laguardia

Newark

Miami

Salt Lake City

St. Louis

[razorbackfan]

Another city has been added to XNA's non-stop destinations. Miami will be the 6th city to be served by American Airlines/American Eagle. The daily flight will leave a 6:30 in the morning beginning April 11th. This all together makes 16 non stop destinations from the airport.

Atlanta

Charlotte

Chicago

Cincinnati

Dallas

Denver

Detroit

Houston

Los Angeles

Memphis

Minneapolis/St. Paul

New York Laguardia

Newark

Miami

Salt Lake City

St. Louis

That is good news, I'm still not happy with the fact that Delta pulled the plug on the flight to Orlando.

[masons_dad1]

Another city has been added to XNA's non-stop destinations. Miami will be the 6th city to be served by American Airlines/American Eagle. The daily flight will leave a 6:30 in the morning beginning April 11th. This all together makes 16 non stop destinations from the airport.

Atlanta

Charlotte

Chicago

Cincinnati

Dallas

Denver

Detroit

Houston

Los Angeles

Memphis

Minneapolis/St. Paul

New York Laguardia

Newark

Miami

Salt Lake City

St. Louis

Yeah and for the low, low cost of only $400 per ticket you too can fly from XNA to Miami. Whooop!

That is good news, I'm still not happy with the fact that Delta pulled the plug on the flight to Orlando.

You can stay at one of the finest hotels in Tulsa, dine at a fine restaurant and fly from Tulsa to Orlando for much less than just a flight from XNA.

[mcheiss]

Yeah and for the low, low cost of only $400 per ticket you too can fly from XNA to Miami. Whooop!

You can stay at one of the finest hotels in Tulsa, dine at a fine restaurant and fly from Tulsa to Orlando for much less than just a flight from XNA.

True, but it is much more convienant for the business traveler to Miami, Latin America, Caribbean, etc.

[Aporkalypse]

True, but it is much more convienant for the business traveler to Miami, Latin America, Caribbean, etc.

Yeah, it makes life much easier when flying to the Caribbean to connect in Miami via a direct flight. For example, coming from LR you have to connect in Dallas or Atlanta and then Miami for many destinations (though some go direct from ATL or DFW) and that means three flights.

That said, the Miami airport is a pain in the rear end. Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood is nicer and 50% cheaper. I prefer to fly into that airport but it doesn't have nearly as many international flights. FLL is the preferred airport for the discount airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, and AirTran as well.

[mcheiss]

Yeah, it makes life much easier when flying to the Caribbean to connect in Miami via a direct flight. For example, coming from LR you have to connect in Dallas or Atlanta and then Miami for many destinations (though some go direct from ATL or DFW) and that means three flights.

That said, the Miami airport is a pain in the rear end. Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood is nicer and 50% cheaper. I prefer to fly into that airport but it doesn't have nearly as many international flights. FLL is the preferred airport for the discount airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, and AirTran as well.

I do enjoy FLL much better as well. They used to have a pretty good Delta selection with Delta Song whenever I flew there. It's much nicer than Miami with several entrances with a better designed terminal complex.

[fooman03]

Didnt really enjoy FLL airport last time I was in there, granted they were in the middle of a vast remodel. I dont really like the idea of them having 6 or 7 different terminals that you cant walk in between without leaving security. Sometimes layovers get long and I get bored and walk around. It got old walking around the little Delta terminal.

[edensfall]

I wish theyd make a non stop to philadelphia, everytime i go i get a layover in memphis and its always for an hour and a half, it gets realy old.

[mcheiss]

I wish theyd make a non stop to philadelphia, everytime i go i get a layover in memphis and its always for an hour and a half, it gets realy old.

It might come seeing as how US Airways has a hub in Philadelphia and once the whole US Airways/American West merger happens (If ever) then Philadelphia will be a primary hub.