OAK Ready for the Holidays

More Nonstop Destinations Than Ever Before; Unique “Free Parking” Offers Begins Thanksgiving Day

Oakland, Calif. – 2012-11-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — Oakland International Airport expects a busy holiday travel season and is focused on providing a safe, on-time and positive airport experience for customers. 2012 has been a busy year for OAK, with passenger traffic up compared to 2011. OAK now offers nonstop service to more destinations than ever before in the airport’s 85-year history. The airport will be bustling with travelers over the Thanksgiving holiday with an estimated 250,000 customers passing through the airport in the five day period.

Currently all flights are running on-time despite a weather system causing delays at other Bay Area airports. Also, Port of Oakland officials today said that a labor action today by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021 will have no effect on flight operations. SEIU Local 1021 represents Port employees primarily in the airport’s custodial and maintenance fields. Airport staff has implemented plans to maintain service levels during the job action.

“While we are doing everything in our power to avert labor actions, we want to assure all of our partners – business, community, government, and labor – that the Port is focused on maintaining the continuity of our business operations,” said Port of Oakland Acting Executive Director Deborah Ale Flint.

“Ensuring an excellent customer experience is important to us and we look forward to greeting our customers during the busy holiday travel season,” said Kristi McKenney, Acting Director of Aviation for the Port of Oakland. She commented, “We are adding some holiday cheer again this year by offering our popular “Park Free” program beginning Thanksgiving Day.”

PARK CLOSE, FLY ON-TIME
Known for on-time departures, OAK offers additional value in the form of FREE parking in the Daily Lot for those passengers departing midweek between Thanksgiving Day, November 22 and December 20, 2012. As the only on-site parking lot, OAK offers the most convenient parking options that are easy walking distance to and from the terminals.

Upon registering to print a coupon, passengers departing Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday starting on November 22 through December 20 will receive up to three days of free parking, a $66 value. The coupon is valid for parking in OAK’s Daily Lot, located directly across from the terminals, and is available for immediate download at oaklandairport.com/parkfree. Customers interested in downloading the coupon can follow these steps:

– Register at oaklandairport.com/parkfree and print the parking coupon.
– Print the e-ticket receipt that shows a departure from OAK on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between November 22 and December 20.
– Park in OAK’s Daily Lot and pull a parking lot ticket when entering
– Present parking coupon, airline e-ticket receipt, driver license, and parking lot ticket to the attendant when exiting.

Passenger airlines offer more than 300 daily flights to destinations across the United States and Mexico, including four Hawaiian Islands. The “Park Free” offer provides another great reason to “Park Close and Fly On-time” at Oakland International Airport.

If traveling outside the Park Free offer dates, customers can check other discounted online parking offers. OAK offers $4 off each day in the Economy lot (long-term) and $8 off per day in the Premium, Hourly or Daily lots (short-term) over the holiday. Visit oaklandairport.com/parking for details.

RECHARGE AT OAK
In Terminal 1, a number of charging stations are available to top off your electronic device before take-off. In Terminal 2, Southwest Airlines offers charging stations at each gate. OAK offers a number of convenient concession options in Terminal 1 such as Chili, Silver Dragon, and Starbucks. For those waiting for friends and family to arrive, Heinold’s First and Last Chance is available in the Terminal 1 pre-security passenger waiting area. A food court that features Jamba Juice, Otaez Mexican, and Burger King is available in Terminal 2 near gate 25. Local offerings from Max’s, Gordon Biersch, and Fenton’s Ice Cream are delicious options located near gate 28.

GETTING TO THE AIRPORT
Thanksgiving travelers have many ground transportation choices at OAK. The airport and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) jointly operate a dedicated shuttle between OAK and BART’s Coliseum station that will operate every 10 minutes during the Nov.19-27 period.

Easy-to-use AirBART ticket vending machines, which accept all major debit and credit cards, at the shuttle stop on OAK’s third curbside. One-way fares are $3.00 for adults, and $1.00 for children (ages 11 and under) and seniors and disabled with I.D. For BART/AirBART information, call            510-569-8310      .

HOLIDAY TRAVEL TIPS
To ease the holiday travel process, OAK recommends the following travel tips:

– Check flight status before heading to the airport, either on your airline’s website or at oaklandairport.com. Also, visit tsa.gov or download the MyTSA app for your smartphone for updates on security procedures and checkpoint wait times for the holiday travel season.
– Arrive early. Plan to arrive at least 90 minutes prior for domestic departures and two hours prior for Hawaii and international departures to allow for increased passenger volume at airline check-in and security screening.
– ALL passengers must have a boarding pass or airline-approved document. Travelers age 18 and older must show government-issued photo identification before going through the passenger security checkpoint.
– Updated TSA screening procedures. Passengers 12 and under are able to leave their shoes on to ease the screening process.
– Please be patient. Increased passenger traffic will increase the amount of time that it takes to move through the ticket counter, security checkpoint, and terminal. Please plan ahead and arrive early.

About the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport
The Port of Oakland includes the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport, and 20 miles of waterfront. 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 generates more than 73,000 jobs in the region and is connected to 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. Connect with the Port of Oakland at www.portofoakland.com and Oakland International Airport through Facebook.com/iflyoak and Twitter.com/iflyoakland.

Contact: bkidd@portoakland.com

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