Jun. 21—Breeze Airways could benefit from $300,000 or more in marketing incentives and operations credits approved by the Oklahoma City Airport Trust.
Breeze announced May 21 it would begin nonstop air service this summer from Will Rogers World Airport to Tampa, New Orleans and San Antonio.
The Airport Trust agreed May 27 to the incentives offered as part of the deal to bring the no-frills carrier to Oklahoma City.
The Trust agreed to put $150,000 into marketing the new service.
Landing fee and departure gate credits could make the package worth another $150,000 or more over the next 24 months.
Landing fee credits are calculated based on the weight of the aircraft. They could range from about $100,000 to $170,000.
The departure gate fee is nearly $7,000 per month. Breeze will get a credit for the first six months of operations, totaling about $41,200.
Breeze plans to begin flying July 1 to Tampa, followed by service to San Antonio and New Orleans starting July 15.
Advertised fares when the service was announced were as low as $39 one way. Prices were higher Friday.
Breeze's schedule has departures to Tampa on Sundays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Flights to New Orleans and San Antonio are scheduled Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
San Antonio and Oklahoma City are the western-most destinations on Breeze Airways' route map, which comprises generally smaller markets.
The city attorney's office is drafting an ordinance for a municipal Human Rights Commission. Oklahoma City's Human Rights Task Force voted this spring to recommend creation of the commission. Task force members will consider the draft ordinance and further recommendations, perhaps by late summer, said Rita Douglas-Talley, an assistant city attorney. Action on the final recommendation would be up to the city council.
Of note: The city's previous Human Rights Commission served from 1963 to 1996, when the city council killed it. A council majority said the panel had become a vehicle for advancing LGBTQ rights.
"We are ending up better this year than we expected which gives us a strong base to grow on next year."
— Budget Director Doug Dowler in remarks on the 2021-22 city of Oklahoma City budget, adopted earlier this month. The new budget takes effect July 1.
—Arts Council Oklahoma City received a $10,000 grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to support after-school art classes at the Boys and Girls Club.
—The city council agreed to reject a bid to repair water damage that occurred after pipes froze in the Arts District parking garage during February's cold weather. The $68,800 bid exceeded the estimate.
The average Oklahoma City driver spends 50 hours each year stuck in traffic, according to TRIP, a national advocacy organization for road and bridge maintenance and improvements. TRIP estimates traffic congestion costs those drivers, in time lost and fuel wasted, $842 annually. TRIP's latest report says statewide traffic had rebounded sufficiently by March to exceed pre-pandemic levels by 5%.
Of note: OKC's rush-hour bottlenecks singled out by TRIP are familiar to commuters: Interstate 44 eastbound and I-35 northbound in the morning; I-235 in both directions and I-40 westbound in the afternoon.
The mayor and all eight city council members attended the June 8 regular meeting.
The city council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave.
—The 2021 Festival of the Arts opening ceremony is at 11 a.m. Tuesday on the east steps of City Hall. Festival grounds are open daily starting at 11 a.m. through Sunday.
—The Pride Alliance Parade and Festival is Friday through Sunday at Scissortail Park.
Staff writers William Crum and Jana Hayes cover OKC government. Email [email protected] and [email protected]. For civic news and more, subscribe at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
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