TULSA, OK – July 1, 2020 – Passengers at TUL will notice enhanced safety measures implemented throughout their travel experience as part of the “TUL Here for U” initiative, as the airport begins to prepare for increased passenger numbers.
The safety measures include masks/face coverings worn by airline, concession, parking, and airport employees, safety shields and touchless kiosks at select airline ticketing counters, deep cleanings, social distancing markers in heavy traffic areas, additional installment of hand sanitizer stations, increased frequency of air-filter replacements, removal of tables and chairs in airport restaurants to ensure social distancing, and signage to promote the CDC recommendations for good hygiene and steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
“We have been taking extra steps to prepare for when our passengers begin to travel again, which we are starting to see for the summer months,” said Alexis Higgins, Tulsa Airports CEO. “Our ‘TUL Here for U’ initiative’s main purpose is to restore confidence in our passengers that we are taking every possible step to ensure their safety when they choose to travel with us, and that we will continue to make sure this effort is consistent across all points of the airport.”
With the summer travel season now underway, the airport is seeing an increase in scheduled weekly departures and numbers of screened passengers at the security checkpoint.
May passenger traffic at TUL was up with 34,969 passengers, which was triple than what was seen in April at 10,761 passengers. June TSA throughput indicates that June numbers continue to improve as well, although they are still down 75% year-over-year.
Airline capacity continues to increase, with daily flights up to 28 for the month of July, still down from the typical 50 daily flights but significantly improving. Southwest will be back to their full normal schedule starting in August, with Phoenix and Las Vegas returning.
American, United, and Delta are also adding flights back into the schedule. Allegiant started new nonstop service to Nashville on June 4, 2020, and Frontier Airlines returned to service at TUL with nonstop flights to Denver beginning on June 28, 2020.
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