Interesting: Oklahoma City Airport's Prisoner "Terminal"

Fun fact: OKC's prisoner terminal is modeled off of United's terminal D at Washington-Dulles.

Hello Lucky,
Interesting article. I was trying to wrap my head around the numbers, and they just don't make much sense. If the facility has a capacity of 1,300 inmates, and the average length of stay is 3 months (90 days), that would equate to 117,000 inmate days; you wouldn't be able to accommodate 100,000 inmates for average stays of 90 days. According to ChatGPT, the FTC processes 50,000 to 60,000 inmates yearly, and the average length of stay is between 7-21 days. ChatGPT is not giving me a link to the source, so I can't verify it, but I think it's more in line with the numbers.

Oh! Then it's permanently temporary, just like IAD's C/D.

A new one is coming any day now...

@ David -- D'oh, you're absolutely right, I stand corrected, thank you! The 100K number was how many people are transported by air on JPATS, rather than the number of inmates. Fixed now, thanks!

"I suspect there are no Priority Pass lounges here"

I lol'd. Good post, Ben. Very interesting indeed!

Many years ago, I saw a Spirit DC-9 transport convicts. They walked from a ramp, not through the passenger terminal.

Is there a Priority Pass Lounge?

Its absolutely horrific that prison populations in the US are high enough to make this a worthwhile investment but it sure is morbidly fascinating.

I love seeing JPATS articles. I helped with the sale of N279AD from its former carrier, Xtra, to the US Marshals. It was a great plane for us unlike some other hanger queens in the fleet at the time

Is this the one trip report that Lucky will never write?

I wonder what the frequent flyer lounge is like at the prisoner terminal.

Really sad and a shame to all of us Americans that a facility like this exists.

We shouldn't be locking up our fellow human beings.

Actually, we should be protecting our fellow human beings from criminals. Either you lock up the criminals or you lock up the non criminals. In case you are asking, my beliefs also extend to non violent criminals that commit financial crimes.

This article makes me want to watch Con Air and get some Nic Cage in; an incredibly cerebral movie that got jipped for Best Picture at the 1998 Oscars

“Put the bunny back in the box”

I myself spent 3 months on the west side of the OKC airport.

A couple years later I returned for another 2 month stint.

Not for the reasons you'd think, though 😉

It would be fun to be a flight attendant for this airline. You actually get paid, and probably nicely, to perform no service at all. LOL

I honestly have to wonder whether the food is better than a Priority Pass lounge...

Probably still better than flying through Cairo’s airport. 😉

If that was the choice Ben had to make today, he'd be choosing Oklahoma!

Never say never!

Ben, you might also want to check out JANET. It's probably the most secretive airline in the world, transporting personnel "allegedly" to Area 51 as well the Tonopah Test Range and Edwards Air Force Base, but their planes are frequently visible clear as day at Las Vegas Airport operating out of their own special terminal. The same channel you linked to, Half As Interesting (who by the way, along with its sister channel Wendover Productions has all kinds of amazing aviation videos) also made a video about them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWNGAUvSyOc

Famously, worse than a nightmare. Not much better for BOP security staff. Inmates never know what time it is, as people are moved without warning. Violent and 'crazies' are mixed into 'general population.' Personal hygeine, legal papers, and family contact are the last concern. The 3month 'average' stay is a mix of two week and two year stays 'in transit' and every number in between. The first edition Orange is the New Black" gives a fair accounting.

I see there's a Starbucks nearby ...

god, what a naive and stupid opinion to have, that there are no people who have done bad things who should be incarcerated. Hopefully you're never put in charge of anything in real life.

I actually saw one of their planes! N640CS, going to Oklahoma city! So, I was smarter than Ben for once for a while.... 🙂

I doubt it's any cheaper than commercial flying.