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.” 😉
In this post:
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?
I actually saw one of their planes! N640CS, going to Oklahoma city! So, I was smarter than Ben for once for a while.... :)
I see there's a Starbucks nearby ...
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.
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...
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
Probably still better than flying through Cairo’s airport. ;)
If that was the choice Ben had to make today, he'd be choosing Oklahoma!
I honestly have to wonder whether the food is better than a Priority Pass lounge...
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 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 ;-)
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”
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.
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.
Is this the one trip report that Lucky will never write?
Never say never!
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
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 doubt it's any cheaper than commercial flying.
Is there a Priority Pass Lounge?
Many years ago, I saw a Spirit DC-9 transport convicts. They walked from a ramp, not through the passenger terminal.
"I suspect there are no Priority Pass lounges here"
I lol'd. Good post, Ben. Very interesting indeed!
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...
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.
@ 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!
Fun fact: OKC's prisoner terminal is modeled off of United's terminal D at Washington-Dulles.
Oh! Then it's permanently temporary, just like IAD's C/D.
A new one is coming any day now...
I wonder what the frequent flyer lounge is like at the prisoner terminal.