Mobile Regional Airport

Mobile Regional Airport
Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile
(former Bates Army Airfield)

Summary
Airport type Public / Military
Owner/Operator Mobile Airport Authority
Serves Mobile, Alabama
Location Mobile County
Elevation AMSL 219 ft / 67 m
Coordinates 30°41′29″N 088°14′34″W / 30.69139°N 88.24278°W / 30.69139; -88.24278Coordinates: 30°41′29″N 088°14′34″W / 30.69139°N 88.24278°W / 30.69139; -88.24278
Website www.mobairport.com
Map
MOB

Location in Alabama

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 8,502 2,591 Asphalt
18/36 4,376 1,334 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 100 30 Asphalt
H2 100 30 Asphalt
H3 100 30 Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Passengers/Enplanements: 277,232
Aircraft operations (2011): 102,427
Based aircraft: 78
Image of Bates Field, February 1952

Mobile Regional Airport (IATA: MOB, ICAO: KMOB, FAA LID: MOB) is a combined public/military airport 13 miles west of the city of Mobile, in Mobile County, Alabama.[1] It is near Pascagoula, Mississippi. The airport is owned and operated by the Mobile Airport Authority,[1]a self-funded entity that receives no local tax dollars.

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.[2] Federal Aviation Administration records show the airport had 286,956 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[3] 280,491 in 2009 and 277,232 in 2010.[4]

The airport is home to U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, Mobile, providing advanced training to U.S. Coast Guard pilots and aircrew in HH-65 Dolphin and HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters as well as HU-25 Guardian jets and HC-144 Ocean Sentry turboprop aircraft. The Alabama Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment's "B" Company is also located at the airport.

History

Early years

Eastern Air Lines served Mobile from the 1930s until 1991; in the 1930s Eastern's one flight a day each way between Newark and San Antonio stopped at what is now Mobile Downtown Airport.

Bates Army Airfield

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used Mobile Regional Airport. The 533d Army Air Force Base Unit commanded the airport, then known as Bates Field. The Army Air Forces also operated an auxiliary airfield at St. Elmo Airport.

The Army used this airport as a basic (level 1) pilot training airfield, under contract to Waterman Airlines. They performed flying training with Fairchild PT-19 aircraft as the primary trainer. The Army also assigned several Boeing-Stearman Model 75 aircraft. The Army also used Bates for glider pilot training under contract to Mobile Area Soaring, which used primarily Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Waco CG-4 unpowered gliders. The school aimed to train student pilots in proficiency in operation of gliders in various types of towed and soaring flight, both day and night, and in servicing of gliders in the field.

In 1944 with the reduced demand for pilots, the Army ended the flying training, and Domestic Transport Division of Air Transport Command (United States Air Force) used the airport as a transport airfield. Air Transport Command moved operations to Brookley Army Airfield (later Brookley Air Force Base) near downtown Mobile in late 1945.

U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard Activity

The U.S. Air Force returned to Bates Field in May 1959 when the Air Force Reserve activated the 78th Troop Carrier Squadron at the airport with Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar aircraft. In 1961, the Air Force moved this squadron to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana as a Douglas C-124 Globemaster II heavy-lift squadron. The 357th Troop Carrier Squadron then replaced it and acquired the C-119s. The Air Force subsequently upgraded Bates to a Group level upon organizing the 908th Troop Carrier Group, Medium in 1963. However, the Air Force, then moved the reservists to the larger Brookley Air Force Base located near downtown Mobile in October 1964 due to budget restraints.

In 1966 the U.S. Coast Guard acquired the vacant U.S. Air Force Reserve facility on the airfield. On December 17, 1966, the Coast Guard officially commissioned an Air Station in Mobile with Grumman HU-16 Albatross fixed wing aircraft from the Coast Guard's Air Station in nearby Biloxi, MS. The Coast Guard also established a fixed wing and helicopter training facility at the airport. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Mobile serves as an Aviation Training Center with a designated headquarters unit that is under the direct control of the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Past airline service

National Airlines Jacksonville-New Orleans flights stopped at Mobile in the 1930s. National Lockheed L-188 Electras appeared in 1962-63; later their Boeing 727-200s flew nonstop to New Orleans and Houston. At one point National 727s flew direct from Mobile to Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. Following its acquisition of National, Pan Am served the airport with Boeing 727-100s.[5]

Capital Airlines began Mobile flights in 1948; United Airlines acquired Capital in 1961 and served Mobile with Douglas DC-6Bs and Capital's Vickers Viscounts. Mobile's first jets were United Sud Aviation Caravelles to Newark via Birmingham in 1962. United ended mainline service to Mobile in 1971 although United Express still serves the airport with regional jets.

In the 1960s Eastern Airlines flew Lockheed L-188 Electras to Mobile, then Boeing 727-100s and Douglas DC-9s mainly to Atlanta. At times Eastern jets flew direct from Mobile to Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Boston. Eastern served Mobile until its demise in 1991.

Southern Airways also served Mobile; in the 1970s Southern flew nonstop Douglas DC-9s to Atlanta and New Orleans. Southern merged with North Central Airlines to form Republic Airlines which was acquired by Northwest Airlines which continued at Mobile with DC-9s to the Northwest hub in Memphis. Northwest eventually merged into Delta Air Lines.

In the mid-1980s American Airlines Boeing 727-200s flew to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport via Jackson, MS or New Orleans, LA.[6] American also flew to its hub in Nashville from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s before the airline closed that hub.

USAir (later US Airways and now merged into American Airlines) flew nonstop to Charlotte, NC during the mid 1990s with McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s and Fokker 100s.[7]

Continental Airlines flew Boeing 737-200s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop to Houston Intercontinental Airport during the late 1990s. Continental has since merged into United Airlines.[8]

The MC Farmer Terminal was completed in 1985.[9]

The 21st century

United Airlines via United Express previously served Mobile from its hubs in Chicago (ORD) and Washington D.C. (IAD). However, following the September 11, 2001 attacks, United canceled all service and withdrew from Mobile. United Express has since reinstated nonstop service to Chicago and also flies nonstop to Houston (IAH) following the merger of United with Continental Airlines. Regional jets are operated on all United Express flights serving Mobile.

In 2006 Delta Air Lines dropped several flights from Mobile and Continental Airlines added flights. In December 2006 Delta had six weekday flights to Atlanta and one to its Cincinnati hub. Delta ended service to Cincinnati on December 12, 2006.

American Airlines restored flights to Chicago (ORD) in April 2007 but ended them in September 2008. Flights to Charlotte (CLT) and Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) continue on its American Eagle regional airline affiliate via the use of Embraer ERJ regional jet aircraft.

In 2010 Northwest Airlines merged into Delta Air Lines. Northwest had operated nonstops from Mobile to its hub in Memphis (MEM); those flights ended following the merger with Delta.

After its merger with Continental Airlines in 2012 United Airlines (via its United Express regional affiliate operated by Express Jet) resumed flights to its hub in Houston (IAH), seven weekday flights. United Express resumed service to the hub in Chicago (ORD) on April 9, 2013.

Presidential visit

It was at the Mobile Regional Airport that President George W. Bush, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on September 2, 2005, praised Michael D. Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Bush lauded Brown with the phrase "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"[10] in front of Brown, the media, and assembled politicians and cabinet officials (including Mississippi Senator Trent Lott; Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran; Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour; Alabama Governor Bob Riley; Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development). Only ten days later, on September 12, 2005, Brown announced his resignation after intense criticism of FEMA's perceived shortcomings in its response to Katrina. The phrase "heck of a job" then became synonymous with an utter mess.

Facilities

NWS Forecast Office just off Airport Road

Mobile Regional Airport covers 1,717 acres (695 ha) at an elevation of 219 feet (67 m). It has two asphalt runways: 14/32 is 8,502 by 150 feet (2,591 x 46 m) and 18/36 is 4,376 by 150 feet (1,334 x 46 m). It has three helipads, each 100 by 100 feet (30 x 30 m), made of asphalt.[1] The National Weather Service Forecast Office for Southern Alabama, situated near Airport Road and the runway, has a full complement of meteorological instruments, including à NEXRAD weather radar.

The terminal at Mobile Regional Airport has newly renovated shops and restaurants, such as local favorite Carpe Diem Coffee and Tea, car rental agencies, and handicap accessible elevators.

In 2011 the airport had 102,427 aircraft operations, average 280 per day: 66% military, 18% general aviation, 15% air taxi, and 1% airline. 78 aircraft were then based at this airport: 46% military, 41% single-engine, 12% jet, and 1% multi-engine.[1]

Airlines and destinations

The major carriers out of Mobile are United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, based on the number of flights. Additional weekday departures were as follows: Charlotte (4 flights via American Eagle) and Dallas/Fort Worth (3 flights via American Eagle). Schedules were slightly reduced on the weekends.

Various carriers represent all three major airline alliances--SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld—at Mobile.

Regional airlines flying for the major network airlines, as listed, primarily serve Mobile. Delta Air Lines alone operates mainline passenger service from the airport and uses such jet types as the Boeing 717, Airbus A319 and McDonnell Douglas MD-88. Delta also operated the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 into Mobile prior to the retirement of this aircraft type from their fleet. All other scheduled passenger services are currently operated with either Canadair or Embraer regional jet aircraft.

The following are flown nonstop or direct from Mobile:

AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Delta Connection Atlanta
United Express Chicago-O'Hare, Houston-Intercontinental

Statistics

Carrier shares: (Nov 2015 - Oct 2016)[11]
Carrier Passengers (arriving and departing)
ExpressJet
337,000(59.03%)
PSA Airlines
94,790(16.60%)
Delta
78,780(13.80%)
Envoy Air
52,280(9.16%)
SkyWest
8,130(1.42%)
Top domestic non-stop destinations: (Nov 2015 - Oct 2016)[11]
Rank Airport Passengers Airlines
1 Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International (ATL) 128,000 Delta
2 Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) 59,000 United
3 Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) 47,000 American
4 Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) 39,000 American
5 Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) 11,000 United

Airfares

The airport has a reputation for high domestic fares, and they are usually attributed to the lack of a true low-cost carrier (LCC) serving the airport, such as JetBlue or Southwest Airlines. Low-cost carrier AirTran Airways served the airport for a time, but Delta Air Lines and other airlines matched fares on the routes that AirTran served, and passengers continued to fly the traditional network carriers. AirTran ultimately discontinued all service, and fares increased once again. AirTran later entered the Pensacola market, and fares dropped significantly from Pensacola International Airport. Because of this, many people drove about an hour in either direction to Pensacola International Airport in Florida or the Gulfport Airport in Mississippi. Fares from Pensacola were lower primarily on routes that AirTran served, while on other routes, including international services, Mobile and Pensacola offered similar fares. AirTran, however, was acquired by Southwest beginning in 2011 and ending in 2014.

In order to attract and maintain frequent flyers, Mobile Regional Airport offered the first airport-based frequent flyer program, called Passport. Passport was launched with a media blitz and new slogan: "Fly Smarter, Fly Mobile."

The Mobile Airport Authority encourages passengers to use multiple airlines to stimulate more competition and lower fares, and it continues to work to attract a low-cost carrier. The Authority also believes that both Mobile and Pensacola would be better served if a single airport was built to serve both cities in Baldwin County, Alabama—midway between both cities. However, the Authority claims that Pensacola officials do not want their airport in Alabama and have withdrawn from exploratory discussions.[12]

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 FAA Airport Master Record for MOB (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2008" (PDF, 1.0 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. December 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ North American Official Airline Guide (OAG), April 1, 1981 edition
  6. ↑ North American Official Airline Guide (OAG), February 1, 1985 edition
  7. ↑ North American Official Airline Guide (OAG), February 1, 1995 edition
  8. ↑ North American Official Airline Guide (OAG), October 1, 1999 edition
  9. ↑ Mobile Airport History
  10. ↑ President Arrives in Alabama, Briefed on Hurricane Katrina
  11. 1 2 "Mobile, AL: Mobile Regional (MOB)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. July 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  12. ↑ Aero Spring 2006
  13. ↑ Victims of fatal Mobile plane crash identified as Civil Air Patrol members
  •  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  • Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  • Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC


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