urbanSTL

Black02AltimaSE wrote:

gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2018

Black02AltimaSE wrote:
Why not just tell them when you are making the arrangements, "Call me when you have picked up your bag and head to the far end of the pickup area. I will be there in a couple of minutes." That's what the cell phone lot is for. Why would you even try to meet them inside the airport?

That’s a pretty cold welcome for, say, your new in-laws on their first trip to St Louis. So you would say get rid of all short term parking since it is not needed for pickup or drop off, and it certainly is not intended for overnight parking. How about this — tow cars away that have been there over 3 hours. They are not there for arriving or departing passenger rendezvous. So why are they there?

Whoa, relax a bit. Your first example was "your friend flies in from another city" and now it's "your new in-laws on their first trip to St. Louis." All I was saying was, your scenario could be dealt with very simply. One phone call and about 5 minutes spent waiting by your friend from out of town. There are situations where short term parking is preferable and/or necessary. Picking up my old college roommate would not be one of them and, if I were to use a spot for that purpose, I would be contributing to the problem.

I use the cell phone lot half the time, but when my kid comes home from college for Christmas, I want to meet her at security exit. I’ve never heard of an airport that routinely, on a normal day like today, cannot provide short term parking. No more excuses or workarounds.


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Good suggestions. I just flew from Fort Lauderdale. They are a similar sized airport challenged with Southwest Airlines growth too and slowly improving. But it was nice that I could walk to my rental car rather than ride a bus.


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gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2018

Good suggestions. I just flew from Fort Lauderdale. They are a similar sized airport challenged with Southwest Airlines growth too and slowly improving. But it was nice that I could walk to my rental car rather than ride a bus.


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I don't mind a bus (although walking is better) but I wish we at least had one central rental car facility (like Vegas/Oakland/etc) instead of each one having their own.

Returned on Monday from Cancun on a packed Frontier flight. We spend about 35-40 minutes on tarmac waiting apparently on a previous flight to go trough customs. I ended up leaving plane last, consequently spending additional 45 minutes to go through customs. Fairly slow process I guess but than again they had only 2 agents working on the arrivals. Other than that no other issues noted. This time around no one touched my kinder surprise eggs , or for that matter even asked me to open up my carry on.

Also, just heard that they changed cleaning company at the airport.

^jshank,

I'm a bit mystified with the whole unified rental car facility fascination. What's the advantage? Not needing to pick the right bus? I suppose there might be slightly more frequent bus service, but even at LaGuardia, which not only seems to have non-centralized rental facilities but also a complex series of inter-terminal shuttles I didn't find getting to my rental car noteworthy. Leave airport. Decipher terminal shuttle map. (Easily the hardest part.) Ride shuttle 1. Get on appropriately colored shuttle 2 at Marine Air. (Love that terminal.) Deal with rental. No big.

Is there something I'm missing?

Looking at the map, I'm wondering where you would put a new rental car facility. And there's some off of Fee Fee and more off Springdale. And there's obviously plenty of space over towards O'Connor Park on the west side of 270 or up on the north side of the field. But all of that is getting further and further away and costing the rental car companies more in driver time and even fuel.

Over by the Terminal 1 cell phone lot (in what used to be TWA parking, I believe) would probably work. Possibly space could be had from the 131st boon, I mean bomb wing. And obviously major demolition and rearranging would change a lot, but I hope against that, personally. As you know. (Though you're concetion at B idea isn't a bad one.)

Anyway . . . on a more nostalgic and positive note:

These aren't my pictures, but my word I love them:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjshnPyq

A hint: lots of TWA. Big birds. Little birds. And just from one brief day at the airport. One quite average day in 1995. (Not even a day, really. Just long enough to make a connection . . . on Southwest.)

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑

Apr 07, 2018

^jshank,

I'm a bit mystified with the whole unified rental car facility fascination. What's the advantage? Not needing to pick the right bus? I suppose there might be slightly more frequent bus service, but even at LaGuardia, which not only seems to have non-centralized rental facilities but also a complex series of inter-terminal shuttles I didn't find getting to my rental car noteworthy. Leave airport. Decipher terminal shuttle map. (Easily the hardest part.) Ride shuttle 1. Get on appropriately colored shuttle 2 at Marine Air. (Love that terminal.) Deal with rental. No big.

Is there something I'm missing?

Looking at the map, I'm wondering where you would put a new rental car facility. And there's some off of Fee Fee and more off Springdale. And there's obviously plenty of space over towards O'Connor Park on the west side of 270 or up on the north side of the field. But all of that is getting further and further away and costing the rental car companies more in driver time and even fuel.

They aren't needed, I just think they are nice. One bus takes everyone to the same place with more frequencies and there should be less waiting. When you get to your rental counter if your company has the dreaded (oh we are out of cars) line then you can just walk to another counter for another company instead of getting on another bus and going back to the terminal then to a different facility. I just think it makes things easier and when they are all together they (in my limited experience) are usually in a pretty nice big building that is more inviting than some small usually not in the greatest shape building. Does that all really matter in the end? No, but I think it would be nice to have. I am never going to rent a car here anyway. Building a big garage someplace that houses everyone would be nice though.

Also, if you only have one place then you can cut down on all the different rental car company busses each taking up reserved spaces and have one or two there at a time instead which would give more room for people to pick up passengers in their cars. This would be helpful in T2.

^Yes, that would certainly help in T2. And I suppose I hadn't thought about the "we're out of cars" line as I don't rent often, and usually make a reservation when I do. Not that this would necessarily prevent a screwup, but . . . I haven't had a problem so far. (Small sample statistics and all. Your mileage may vary.) I guess I can see the sense in it. I obviously don't fly domestic enough. (I 'm far too fond of the driving trip. And car rentals, even at the friendly rates, are expensive.) Anyway . . . yes, that makes sense. Might be something worth pursuing. And the space is probably there for that more easily than a lot of other things. Might be a cheaper fix that would do a lot to improve out of towner impressions. (Of course so would doing something to alleviate overcrowding at T2. Bonus.)

^I have a couple friends who travel a fair amount and they will have a reservation but show up and no cars are available. I don't really who how that is possible (maybe they overbook or some people don't return cars on time?)

I haven't had it happen to me but maybe people in here have.

But anyways. It isn't a must to redo the whole process, I just think it would be nice. I think if it gets streamlined and more organized it could make for a better experience and help out T2.

If I were one of the companies I would see what it would take to have my rental center in the T1 garage. They seem to have plenty of room and being able to say you can pick up you car without a shuttle (for T1 arrivals) would be a good selling point. Not sure if it would be doable logistically though.

BLV-MYR has been upgraded to 3x weekly. Not the route I would have expected.

Punta Gorda has also been upgraded to 4x and 5x in the summer

^jshank,

Yeah, that makes good sense. Folks not returning stuff on time or not in quite fully usable condition would explain a lot. (In need of extra cleaning or with minor damage.) And as you say, it would be a nice selling point. And the space is probably there. Enterprise could really stand something a little closer for that special home team advantage. And at least get them consolidated with National and Alamo out that way.

Like I said, I don't rent often, so I've probably just gotten lucky. And even then, when I do it's usually a van or truck here and not a car somewhere else. (Actually, that car in New York is the only time I've personally rented a car at the other end of a flight. What with usually flying overseas I just use public transportation of one sort or another at the other end. So I'm truly not well equipped to judge there. Been through a fair few airports, but only half of them were here, and only two of those were places where I actually left the airport, with one of those two being Lambert, of course. I've been to literally every one of those other cities and a couple many times, but . . . by car. Or train. Oddly.) Your friends are doubtless better sources on car rentals than I. Probably not quite as good as the brother in law that gets me into friends and family, but probably better than I. I will admit there were just some things I hadn't thought of here. You're right. Not make it or break it necessarily, but that scene in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles has to resonate for a reason.

Just got back from Charlotte and there was a consolidated facility across from terminal. Also they explicitly have the parking at that area as an hourly lot so there isn't the issue as there is here. One observation i did notice leaving the airport was there is the space next to lot A where the fuel storage tanks are now that will be available in the future when the new refueling facility opens so maybe that could along with existing lot A be used to turn into a garage/rental facility. Would note that likely have to do environmental cleanup in that area since considering how long underground storage tanks have been there, there is likely contaminated soil and groundwater there.

Interesting note while landing, was seeing on the north side of the airport grounds was seeing an Alaska Airlines plane there. I'm guessing its there for cargo purposes? Could see flights to and from Seattle to here having a good amount of cargo demand with both cargo going between Boeing facilities and seafood coming in from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.

matguy70 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

I fly MKE (Milwaukee) to STL on Sunday evenings and sometimes I see this United nonstop flight from MKE to STL. Anyone know what this flight is. United doesn't normally fly nonstop MKE to

This one is the Brewers flying in to play the Cardinals. If it happens other times it might be one of Trans States (or subs) flying in for a swap or maintenance.

matguy70 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

But I see this same united 737 800. Strange huh. Must be something with Brewers or corporate.

Interesting. I didn't realized it was a 737 the other times also. Seeing United isn't flying any from here at the moment it wouldn't be re-positioning. If you see it again post it again. I found a site that listed this one as a charter (reason I figure it is the Brewers), I would be curious what it says next time.

Is this airport any good? I am moving to St Louis in July and want to know if they have any flights to some nice places. Like Vegas? I looked at some pictures but it looks kind of old.

Betsy wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

Is this airport any good? I am moving to St Louis in July and want to know if they have any flights to some nice places. Like Vegas? I looked at some pictures but it looks kind of old.

Do you also have a daughter that may/may not have moved to Arnold a few months back?

Betsy wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

Is this airport any good? I am moving to St Louis in July and want to know if they have any flights to some nice places. Like Vegas? I looked at some pictures but it looks kind of old.

Places with nonstop flights from St. Louis. Belleville's airport also has flights to Jacksonville, FL and Myrtle Beach.

jshank83 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

Betsy wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

Is this airport any good? I am moving to St Louis in July and want to know if they have any flights to some nice places. Like Vegas? I looked at some pictures but it looks kind of old.

Places with nonstop flights from St. Louis. Belleville's airport also has flights to Jacksonville, FL and Myrtle Beach.

100% not a real person.

ricke002 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

100% not a real person.

Umm... anyone who uses Vegas as their one example of when they say nice places, has to be real. The woman just wants to be closer to her daughter and take her to nice places. I would recommend taking the flight to Jackson, TN. Very Nice. haha.

I figured a destination map hadn't been posted in awhile so I would throw up one anyways. Thanks to whoever works on that wikipedia page so much. I think you are on here.

jshank83 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

ricke002 wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

100% not a real person.

Umm... anyone who uses Vegas as their one example of when they say nice places, has to be real. The woman just wants to be closer to her daughter and take her to nice places. I would recommend taking the flight to Jackson, TN. Very Nice. haha.

I figured a destination map hadn't been posted in awhile so I would throw up one anyways. Thanks to whoever works on that wikipedia page so much. I think you are on here.

And the fact that "someone" would be able to register and post on this forum AND view photos of the airport, yet not know how to access either flystl.com or Wikipedia to view the route map seems 100% legit and not some rando who tries to neg STL.


GTFO, "Betsy"

What? I can not ask a question on here? I want to know about the airport I did a search and found this site. And no I do not have children. I like to go to Vegas sometimes. I also like to go to Miami and my sister is in Houston. Thank yoiu for the map I see there is flights to both of them too.

Betsy wrote: ↑

Apr 09, 2018

What? I can not ask a question on here? I want to know about the airport I did a search and found this site. And no I do not have children. I like to go to Vegas sometimes. I also like to go to Miami and my sister is in Houston. Thank yoiu for the map I see there is flights to both of them too.

You did a search for the airport and this site came up before the airport site? :Jennifer Lawrence Okay.gif: