Have you ever wondered how prisoners are transported around the country (or world), in situations where they need to fly somewhere? Well, I just learned something new on that front, so thanks to AirlineGeeks for flagging this. I’m actually surprised I didn’t know about this, given what a devoted fan I am of the show “Love After Lockup.” 😉
Federal Transfer Center at Oklahoma City Airport (OKC)
Did you know that Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) has a special facility for prisoners, and it’s one of the primary ways that prisoners are transported by air in the United States? I had no clue, but I always love learning about new airport facilities.
The Federal Transfer Center (FTC) is run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and it’s located on the west side of Oklahoma City’s airport, detached from the rest of the terminal space.
The facility opened in 1995, and houses roughly 1,300 inmates. The average length of stay at the prison is around three months.
As much as we like to complain about the condition of some airport terminals in the United States, I imagine even the worst compares favorably to this one. For that matter, I suspect there are no Priority Pass lounges here. 😉
Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System flights
How are prisoners transported to and from Oklahoma City’s Federal Transfer Center? Well, there’s actually a special airline for that. The Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS) is a United States Marshals Service airline that transports prisoners to and from this facility.
The airline is nicknamed “Con Air,” and uses the callsign “Justice.” It operates the largest prison transport network in the world, with a fleet of four Boeing 737s. The fleet is comprised of two 737-400s, one 737-700, and one 737-800.
If you’re curious what kind of routes these planes fly, it’s easy enough to track their tail numbers. For example, there’s a 24-year-old 737-700 with the registration code N738A, and a 32-year-old 737-400 with the registration code N279AD.
Below is a cool video about the “airline.”
Then here’s a video about the first female pilot to work for “Con Air.” That has to be one of the more interesting pilot jobs out there, no?
Lastly, while this goes back a long time, here’s a fascinating video about the logistics of transporting prisoners on “Con Air.”
Bottom line
There’s a Federal Transfer Center at Oklahoma City Airport, which sees roughly 100,000 inmates per year. The idea is that prisoners stay in this facility until they’re ready to be transported to their permanent prison. All of this transport by air happens on Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System, a United States Marshals Service airline that transports prisoners on a fleet of Boeing 737s.
For OMAAT readers, hopefully this is something you’re reading just because you’re curious and find it interesting, rather than looking for a trip report of what to expect. 😉
Am I the only one who had no clue about the Federal Transfer Center at Oklahoma Airport?
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