‘Tis The Season For Easy Travel at Oakland International Airport

New BART station, checkpoint redesign and more flights increase convenience at OAK

Oakland, CA – Dec. 22, 2014 – Oakland International Airport (OAK) expects nearly 600,000 travelers to transit its two terminals on their way to or from the Hawaiian Islands, Europe, Mexico and elsewhere in North America for the holidays this year – up to 40,000 a day for the next two weeks.

With more flights available to more destinations from OAK, the number of airline seats for sale is up 5 percent over the same period last year. Total passenger traffic is up more than 8 percent year over year during the last half of 2014. New destinations include Stockholm, Sweden; Morelia and Leon, Mexico; as well as Chicago/O’Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth in the U.S. In addition, Southwest Airlines has added more flight frequencies in many of its key markets from OAK, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Seattle.

This year, OAK has two new features that make the travel experience easier and more convenient. “BART to OAK” service, now one month old, offers a schedule of trains to planes every 5 minutes during peak periods from the Coliseum Station.

Also, a new SpringHill Suites “Experience Zone” security checkpoint queue design in Terminal Two, home of Southwest Airlines at OAK, is offering travelers a new, relaxing atmosphere before and after the checkpoint with modern furniture, wall art, calming lighting, soothing music, custom video content and displays showing current queue wait times. A post-screening recompose area outfitted with comfortable, soft seating welcomes travelers to gather their belongings in a more relaxed setting.

Oakland International is the fourth airport in the country to adopt the new concept, and the only one in California. Debuting at OAK’s Experience Zone are three integrated projection screens, each 15 feet wide, displaying a continuous, stylized video designed to bring a calming effect over the entire zone.

The project represents the initial stage of a public/private partnership between Oakland International Airport, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), SecurityPoint Media and Clear Channel Airports to enhance the customer experience while fully preserving safety and security measures at OAK.

“We’re committed to providing our customers with a travel environment that’s as safe, smooth and relaxing as possible,” said Deborah Ale Flint, Port of Oakland Director of Aviation. “With this innovative approach to the checkpoint queue and the new BART service direct to our front door, OAK is better positioned than ever to deliver the most customer-friendly airport experience in the Bay Area.”

Craig Fowler, senior director of brand marketing for Experience Zone launch sponsor SpringHill Suites, said, “We have received tremendous feedback from travelers who have experienced the transformed security zones in some of the country’s busiest airports. We are excited to be able to continue to extend the hospitality of SpringHill Suites by providing enhanced surroundings and unexpected moments of relief to busy travelers.”

“This latest conversion in Oakland is the most dramatic to date,” said Joe Ambrefe, CEO, SecurityPoint Media. “Balancing the unique culture of each airport with the science of queue theory has proven to redefine the screening area as a point of service excellence,”

Holiday Travel Reminders:

Park Close at OAK
Ample parking within short walking distance of passenger terminals is always available at OAK. And over the holidays, travelers can even save $8 off per day in the airport’s Premier, Hourly, and Daily lots or $4 off per day in the Economy lot through December 25 by using a discount coupon available online at www.iparkoak.oaklandairport.com. (If the Economy lot is full, travelers receive a free upgrade to the Daily lot.)

Public Transportation
The new Oakland International Airport BART Station is open and providing a direct connection to the entire BART system from the front of the OAK passenger terminal. Fare and real time departure information are available at www.bart.gov. AC Transit bus service, taxi and area shuttle options are also available.

Other Travel Tips
For packing tips that will save time at security checkpoints, travelers can visit the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov.

OAK recommends that travelers check departure time with their airline before going to the airport, as well as arriving at the airport 90 minutes prior to domestic departures and three hours for international departures to allow for increased passenger volume at airline check-in and security screening areas. All passengers must have a boarding pass or airline approved documentation, and travelers 18 and older must show government issued identification at security checkpoints. Visit www.iflyoak.com for more information.

Members of the news media needing information or assistance in reporting news about Oakland International Airport may call the airport’s 24-hour Media Hotline at (510) 563-6500.

About the Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport and Oakland International Airport. The Port’s jurisdiction includes 20 miles of waterfront from the Bay Bridge through Oakland International Airport. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport offering over 300 daily passenger and cargo flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. Together, through Port operations and those of its tenants and users, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland.
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