Jack Brooks Regional Airport

Jack Brooks Regional Airport (IATA: BPT, ICAO: KBPT, FAA LID: BPT), formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor former U.S. Representative Jack Brooks (D - Beaumont). The airport is southwest of the city of Nederland in unincorporated Jefferson County, and is used for general aviation. Southwest Airlines ended scheduled service in 1980; other airlines have started and ended service including American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection and United Express. The latest chapter is the resumption of service by American Eagle for American Airlines to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW).[2]

Jack Brooks Regional Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerJefferson County
ServesBeaumont / Port Arthur, Texas
Locationunincorporated Jefferson County, Texas
Elevation AMSL15 ft / 5 m
Coordinates29°57′03″N 094°01′14″W
Websiteflysetx.com
Map
BPT
BPT
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 6,750 2,057 Concrete
16/34 5,070 1,545 Asphalt/Concrete
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2006)59,010
Based aircraft (2017)89

Facilities

The airport covers 1,799 acres (728 ha) and has two paved runways: 12/30 is 6,750 x 150 ft (2,057 x 46 m) and 16/34 is 5,070 x 150 ft (1,545 x 46 m).[1]

In the year ending January 31, 2007 the airport had 59,010 aircraft operations, average 161 per day: 82% general aviation, 11% air taxi, 7% military and less than 1% airline. In August 2017, 89 aircraft were based at this airport: 60 single-engine, 8 multi-engine, 16 jet aircraft and 5 helicopters.[1]

Airlines and destinations: past & present

United Express (Colgan Air) Saab 340s flew to Houston (IAH) until July 1, 2012, after which the airport had no airlines.[3] United Express ran buses to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

American Airlines announced their American Eagle affiliate would again serve the airport effective February 14, 2013 with flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth. The American Eagle service is operated by Envoy Air Embraer ERJ 145s with 50 coach seats.[4]

Past airline service

Soon after the airport was built, Eastern Air Lines began stopping there on its Houston-New York route; it pulled out in 1966. Chicago and Southern arrived in 1947, and successor Delta Airlines continued at Beaumont until 1979.

Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) and successor Texas International Airlines served the Beaumont/Port Arthur area for over 30 years. In fall 1949 Houston-based TTa flew Douglas DC-3s six times a day Houston Hobby Airport - Galveston - Beaumont/Port Arthur - Lufkin, TX - Palestine, TX - Dallas Love Field.[5] Eastern Air Lines Convair 440s, Lockheed Constellations and Martin 4-0-4s flew to Houston/Hobby Airport and direct to Baton Rouge and New Orleans.[6] Some Eastern flights continued to Atlanta; Newark, Boston, Corpus Christi and Brownsville.[7] Delta Air Lines began Convair 440 service in the 1950s: Houston Hobby Airport, TX - Beaumont/Port Arthur - Shreveport, LA - Little Rock, AR - Memphis, TN - St. Louis, MO - Chicago Midway Airport, IL.[8] Delta inherited the Houston - Chicago route when it merged with Chicago & Southern Airlines, which flew Douglas DC-3s to Beaumont starting in 1947.[9]

Six airlines have flown jets to BPT. Trans-Texas Airways (which changed its name to Texas International Airlines) flew Douglas DC-9-10s and Convair 600s to Houston and Dallas. In the February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide Texas International flew direct DC-9s Los Angeles (LAX) to Beaumont/Port Arthur with five stops.[10] Texas International merged into Continental Airlines which continued jet service from the airport. In 1979 four Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-200s a day flew nonstop to Dallas Love Field.[11] In July 1983 Continental was flying Boeing 727-100s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop to Houston (IAH).[12] Delta Air Lines flew Boeing 727-200s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop to Houston (IAH) and Shreveport and direct to Atlanta.[10] Delta Connection, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), flew Canadair CRJ-200s to Atlanta and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias to Dallas/Ft. Worth, which ended when Delta closed their DFW hub in early 2005. ExpressJet operating as Continental Express flew Embraer ERJ-145s to Houston (IAH). American Eagle also served the airport with Convair 580s followed by Saab 340s nonstop to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) for American Airlines. USAir Express Beechcraft 1900Cs flew nonstop to New Orleans for USAir.[13]

Commuter airlines at Beaumont/Port Arthur included Metro Airlines with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters and Short 330s nonstop to Houston (IAH) and Short 330s nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Royale Airlines Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes nonstop to Houston (IAH) and direct to New Orleans, Air Texana with nonstop Beechcrafts to Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) and Dallas Love Field (DAL) and nonstop Douglas DC-3s to New Orleans, and Conquest Airlines Beechcraft 1900Cs and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners nonstop to Austin and Dallas Love Field. Conquest Airlines was based in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area before moving its headquarters to Austin where it started a hub.

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Dallas/Fort Worth[14]

Hurricane Rita

On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita hit the Beaumont-Port Arthur area. The then-named Southeast Texas Regional Airport passenger terminal had to be shut down with the airport authority then using the old terminal on a temporary basis. The renovated terminal reopened in May 2009[15] after several delays.

References
  1. FAA Airport Master Record for BPT (Form 5010 PDF), effective August 17, 2017.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-17. Retrieved 2013-01-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. Collier, Kiah (September 22, 2012). "Small airports struggle as major carriers pull back". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  4. http://www.aa.com
  5. http://www.timetableimages.com, Nov. 1, 1949 Trans-Texas timetable
  6. http://www.timetableimages.com, Dec. 1, 1958 Eastern timetable
  7. timetableimages.com, Eastern January 7, 1950 timetable
  8. timetableimages.com, Delta August 1, 1958 timetable
  9. http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1950 Chicago Southern timetable
  10. February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide, North American edition
  11. http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 Official Airline Guide
  12. departedflights.com, July 1, 1983 Official Airline Guide
  13. departedflights.com, April 2, 1995 Official Airline Guide
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2012-10-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "Southeast Texas Regional Airport prepares to open refurbished terminal". Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
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