Jack Brooks Regional Airport

Jack Brooks Regional Airport
IATA: BPT – ICAO: KBPT – FAA LID: BPT
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Jefferson County
Serves Beaumont / Port Arthur, Texas
Location Nederland, Texas
Elevation AMSL 15 ft / 5 m
Coordinates 29°57′03″N 094°01′14″W / 29.95083°N 94.02056°W
Website http://flysetx.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 6,750 2,057 Concrete
16/34 5,070 1,545 Asphalt/Concrete
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations 59,010
Based aircraft 87
Former airport logo

Jack Brooks Regional Airport (IATA: BPT, ICAO: KBPT, FAA LID: BPT), formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was formerly the Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor former U.S. Representative Jack Brooks (D - Beaumont). The airport is southwest of the city of Nederland in unincorporated Jefferson County, and is used for general aviation. Jack Brooks Regional Airport is one of only two destinations where Southwest Airlines ended scheduled service (in 1980) and never returned. A number of other airlines have also initiated and then ceased service including American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection and United Express. The latest chapter with regard to passenger airline service at the airport involves the resumption of service by American Eagle on behalf of American Airlines to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW).[2]

Facilities

Jack Brooks Regional Airport covers 1,799 acres (728 ha) and has two paved runways: 12/30 is 6,750 x 150 ft (2,057 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 5,070 x 150 ft (1,545 x 46 m).[1]

In the year ending January 31, 2007 the airport had 59,010 aircraft operations, average 161 per day: 82% general aviation, 11% air taxi, 7% military and <1% scheduled commercial. 87 aircraft are based at this airport: 67% single engine, 15% multi-engine, 10% jet aircraft and 8% helicopters.[1]

Airlines and destinations: past & present

The airport was served by United Express until July 1, 2012.[3] Colgan Air operated the United Express service with Saab 340 turboprop flights to Houston (IAH) before this service was suspended.

Currently, ground transportation is provided by United Express bus service to Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) several times a day.

American Airlines then announced their American Eagle affiliate would once again serve the airport effective February 14, 2013 with flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW). The current American Eagle service is operated by ExpressJet flying Canadair CRJ-200 regional jets configured with 50 coach passenger seats.[4]

Beaumont/Port Arthur was served by Eastern Airlines during the 1950s and 1960s with Martin 4-0-4s and Convair 440s with flights to Houston/Hobby Airport, TX as well as direct service to Baton Rouge, LA and New Orleans, LA. Some Eastern flights continued to Atlanta, GA; Newark, NJ and Boston, MA.[5] Delta Air Lines began passenger service in the 1950s with a linear multistop route: Houston/Hobby Airport, TX - Beaumont/Port Arthur - Shreveport, LA - Little Rock, AR - Memphis, TN - St. Louis, MO - Chicago/Midway Airport, IL. Delta operated this round trip service with a Convair 440.[6]

The airport also had scheduled passenger jet service provided by no less than six airlines at different times over the years. Trans-Texas Airways (TTa, which later changed its name to Texas International Airlines) operated Douglas DC-9-10 jetliners as well as Convair 600 turboprops with service to Houston and Dallas. According to the February 1, 1976 edition of the Official Airline Guide (OAG), Texas International was operating direct, no change of plane DC-9 jet service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Beaumont/Port Arthur, although five (5) intermediate stops were made en route between LAX and BPT.[7] Texas International was then merged into Continental Airlines which in turn continued to operate jet service from the airport. In July 1983, Continental was flying Boeing 727-100 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jetliners nonstop to Houston (IAH).[8] Delta Air Lines flew Boeing 727-200 jetliners as well as McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jet aircraft on services to Atlanta (ATL), Houston (IAH) and Shreveport (SHV).[7] At one point, Delta also operated direct, no change of plane Boeing 727-200 jet service from Beaumont/Port Arthur to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA).[7] Delta Connection, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), flew Canadair CRJ-200 regional jets to Atlanta and also operated Embraer EMB-120 "Brasilia" turboprops to Dallas/Ft. Worth, which ended when Delta closed their DFW hub in early 2005. Southwest Airlines operated Boeing 737-200 jetliners nonstop to Dallas Love Field (DAL). ExpressJet operating as Continental Express flew Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets to Houston (IAH). American Eagle also served the airport with Saab 340 turboprop service to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) on behalf of American Airlines. USAir Express served the airport as well on behalf of USAir (now US Airways) with nonstop Beechcraft 1900C turboprop service to New Orleans (MSY).[9]

In addition, a number of independent commuter airlines served Beaumont/Port Arthur at various times over the years including Metro Airlines with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and Short 330 turboprop flights nonstop to Houston (IAH), Royale Airlines with Embraer EMB-110 "Bandeirante" turboprop service nonstop to Houston (IAH) and direct to New Orleans (MSY), Air Texana with nonstop Beechcraft prop aircraft service to Houston/Hobby Airport (HOU) as well as nonstop Douglas DC-3 flights to New Orleans (MSY), and Conquest Airlines with Beechcraft 1900C and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprop service nonstop to Austin (AUS) and Dallas Love Field (DAL). Conquest Airlines was originally based in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area before this air carrier moved its corporate headquarters to Austin where a hub and spoke operation was then established.

Current passenger service

Airlines Destinations
American Eagle Dallas/Fort Worth [10]

Incidents

On May 20, 1983, a tornado struck the airport, destroying a Short 330 commuter turboprop aircraft operated by Metro Airlines.

Hurricane Rita

On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita hit the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. The then-named Southeast Texas Regional Airport passenger terminal had to be shut down with the airport authority then using the old terminal on a temporary basis. The renovated terminal reopened in May 2009[11] after several delays. However, due to the reduction in airline service experienced by the airport since 2000, only a portion of the terminal was reopened. Much of the terminal building was walled off with renovations to that portion being left unfinished. However, the terminal facilities can be expanded in the future should the demand exist for reopening the closed gate areas.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 FAA Airport Master Record for BPT (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2007-07-05
  2. ↑ http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/flashback-fridays-southwest-airlines-tiniest-airport
  3. ↑ http://investor.jetblue.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=131045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1713025&highlight=
  4. ↑ American Airlines 3/7/13 system timetable
  5. ↑ timetableimages.com, Eastern Air Lines January 7, 1950 timetable
  6. ↑ timetableimages.com, Delta Air Lines August 1, 1958 system timetable
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide, North American edition
  8. ↑ departedflights.com, July 1, 1983 Official Airline Guide, Houston Intercontinental schedules
  9. ↑ departedflights.com, April 2, 1995 Official Airline Guide (OAG), New Orleans schedules
  10. ↑ http://www.kiiitv.com/story/19901208/american-airlines-returning-to-jack-brooks-regional-airport
  11. ↑ "Southeast Texas Regional Airport prepares to open refurbished terminal". Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved 5 September 2012.

External links