I thought they just redesigned the LOOK of the carousel, not actually redesigned the baggage system. This renovation should have no effect on the time it takes for us to get our bags.
Right?....
Right?....
zink wrote:I thought they just redesigned the LOOK of the carousel, not actually redesigned the baggage system. This renovation should have no effect on the time it takes for us to get our bags.
Right?....
Since Lambert slowed down I've never had any problems getting my bags. (Knock on wood.)
I thought I had read in the Post quite some time ago that they were rebuilding the entire system. The article has long since rolled off the Post website, but I was able to find this, which suggests the same:zink wrote:I thought they just redesigned the LOOK of the carousel, not actually redesigned the baggage system. This renovation should have no effect on the time it takes for us to get our bags.
Right?....
http://northstlouiscounty.com/news/2009 ... bert.shtml
Lambert is replacing all six of its Main Terminal baggage carousels and two large-claim units. The project also includes the installation of a new conveyer system that travels between airline baggage tugs and the carousels.
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KMOX mentioned something this morning about Jet Blue possibly flying into Lambert. I just caught the tease. Did anyone hear the full discussion?
David Neeleman, JetBlue CEO, was on Total Information AM - he is in STL speaking at SLU today - it mainly was an interview with the last question about service to Lambert International... and pretty much - they are interested, but, at this time they don't have the fleet to service new routes - they are expanding - but right now only adding about 6 planes this year and staying put on routes at least during the economic downturn.
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I came back from San Jose last week. The San Jose airport has totally free Wifi. SSID = sjcfreewifi. Connecting flights in Dallas did not, you had to sign up and pay for either T-Mobile, or Boingo.
If St. Louis really wanted to be business friendly and airline passenger friendly, they should establish totally free WiFi -- like San Jose does in their airport. That would be about the cheapest thing they could do to show they meant business.
If St. Louis really wanted to be business friendly and airline passenger friendly, they should establish totally free WiFi -- like San Jose does in their airport. That would be about the cheapest thing they could do to show they meant business.
Waiting on my Delta connection flight in Atlanta paying Boingo Wireless (should say my company). While Free Wifi is nice, I had it in Halifax on my last trip, its not really a business necessity or a plus in my mind. Most travellers have a blackberry, etc. A few holdouts like me just pass the business cost on in a different fashion. Just having the access to Wifi was important.
I'm still a big fan of the fact that STL has a nice mix of legacy and discount air carriers. Ideally, it would be nice if AA would bring back more direct flights. However, they were charging a premium on a direct flight as far as I could tell and the company I work for is more concerned about price. I think that is a big reason why AA is losing share out of STL.
I'm still a big fan of the fact that STL has a nice mix of legacy and discount air carriers. Ideally, it would be nice if AA would bring back more direct flights. However, they were charging a premium on a direct flight as far as I could tell and the company I work for is more concerned about price. I think that is a big reason why AA is losing share out of STL.
Gary Kreie wrote:I came back from San Jose last week. The San Jose airport has totally free Wifi. SSID = sjcfreewifi. Connecting flights in Dallas did not, you had to sign up and pay for either T-Mobile, or Boingo.
If St. Louis really wanted to be business friendly and airline passenger friendly, they should establish totally free WiFi -- like San Jose does in their airport. That would be about the cheapest thing they could do to show they meant business.
Lots of other airports have free wifi. Off the top of my head, MCO, PHX, LAS, TPA, and DEN are all completely free.
There's a big list on flyertalk that I'm too lazy to hunt down.
I'd also like to see free wifi at STL, but it's not a dealbreaker, as Boingo does work, and it's only $10 a month.
AA won't ever bring more flights to STL, sadly - with their large hubs both under 600 miles away from us, they've got no reason to do so. I am grateful for the few directs we do have, LAX (4x-5x a day), SFO, NYC, etc. SW also offers a lot of direct flights. The rest of the airlines kind of skate by.
I still maintain they should demolish the A terminal, consolidate everything into B, C, and east terminal, and keep the D terminal closed until the day we need more space. I'm pretty sure B is completely underutilized.
the airport could AT LEAST provide more outlets all over the place. i always see people either on laptops or charging their phones on the few available. 
^^You're right, terminal B is very underutilized. Currently, Airtran operates one gate out of B. However, consolidation into B and C is unlikely to happen. Terminal B has ten gates of which six without a jet bridge. Terminal A has sixteen gates, all with jet bridges. They completely renovated the TSA area a while ago and will soon be starting on the build-out of the new Mosaic restaurant in A. Also, Delta, taking over Northwest, will likely update their gate area in A. American of course, consolidated all their operations into terminal C. There are few gates available, most of them without operating jet bridges.
If I can't find a non-stop the difference for me between using AA and someone else is taking a 7:25 am flight to DFW and onwards, or having to catch a 6 am to MSP/DEN/ORD/ATL (and worse, likely being on a regional jet). While AA's offerings here aren't stellar, I'll gladly take the extra 90 minutes of sleep.JMStokes wrote:AA won't ever bring more flights to STL, sadly - with their large hubs both under 600 miles away from us, they've got no reason to do so. I am grateful for the few directs we do have, LAX (4x-5x a day), SFO, NYC, etc. SW also offers a lot of direct flights. The rest of the airlines kind of skate by.
I think they would be much better off to consolidate Airtran and Frontier into Concourse A. That maximizes the use of TSA and improves foot traffic in Concourse A. Especially when they are advertising a new Starbucks at one of the old Northwest Gates.
By moving Airtran, Lambert has the opportunity to rebuild some premium gates for wide body jets in Concourse B without a major hindrance to ops and within a budget that is realistic for Lambert. This could be a realistic opportunity if the cargo hub goes through. Lets get a design firm put some renderings out there. It certainly can't hurt
As far as Concourse D - the reality is that it will be a very very long time before their is ever a need for those gates. Lets make a clean break with the East Terminal by tearing D down, rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station and start removing the perception that Lambert is a ghost town. As a frequent business travel, some consolidation would seem appropriate.
By moving Airtran, Lambert has the opportunity to rebuild some premium gates for wide body jets in Concourse B without a major hindrance to ops and within a budget that is realistic for Lambert. This could be a realistic opportunity if the cargo hub goes through. Lets get a design firm put some renderings out there. It certainly can't hurt
As far as Concourse D - the reality is that it will be a very very long time before their is ever a need for those gates. Lets make a clean break with the East Terminal by tearing D down, rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station and start removing the perception that Lambert is a ghost town. As a frequent business travel, some consolidation would seem appropriate.
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Dredger wrote:rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station
I'm all in favor of that. It would be a lot nicer if you didn't have to go down an escalator with luggage coming out of the Metro stop. Maybe a nice enclosed area already on the Ticketing counter and perhaps a direct link with the Baggage level (with a wider escalator to bring you up). That would seem a bit more "modern" to me than having to wait outside listening to jets take off and inhale their vapors. And if we are dreaming this much, why not reroute the entire track after it passes over I-70 to actually come close to the East Terminal building? Two underground stations would be ideal...
Dredger wrote: ...rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station and start removing the perception that Lambert is a ghost town.
Wait, why rebuild the main terminal metro station? That one leads you right into the terminal.
The EAST terminal metro link station dumps you outside. It is horrible waiting for metro link in the cold. At least at the Main terminal there is almost ALWAYS a train waiting, and if not, you can wait inside that area right there.
EDIT: Actually if I am not mistaken, Chicago Midway's Orange line makes you walk a mile, down escalators, and makes you wait outside....
My Lambert wish list would route Metrolink underground between the Main Terminal and the parking garage with a classic vaulted station. Have elevators/escalators go directly to baggage and ticketing. To get it underground I would tear down D, reroute and then incorporate it into the experience project (Glass ceiling covering the drop off and a vaulted station underground).
Dreaming. But the idea would let Metro extend further west, with stops at Lindbergh, Earth City or Riverport and terminate at Harrah's Casino/pavillion as well incorporate a good north/south bus connection on Lindbergh.
Dreaming. But the idea would let Metro extend further west, with stops at Lindbergh, Earth City or Riverport and terminate at Harrah's Casino/pavillion as well incorporate a good north/south bus connection on Lindbergh.
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St. Louis World Trade Center featured event:
http://www.worldtradecenter-stl.com/index.asp
Featured Event
THE NEWLY FORMED MIDWEST/CHINA HUB COMMISSION HELPS THE BIG IDEA TAKE A STEP FORWARD
A delegation from the Midwest China Hub Commission and London Export Group stand in front of the Commission's new Beijing office.
The Big Idea, as authored by Missouri Senators Bond and McCaskill, proposes that the St. Louis region become China's primary gateway into the American Heartland through dedicated cargo flights connecting St. Louis with China; and through development of a strong Economic Hub of Chinese businesses and Chinese-American business partnerships located in St. Louis.
On January 26, 2009, the formation of the new Midwest-China Hub Commission was announced. The Hub Commission is the official organization designated to lead efforts to make the Big Idea a reality. Current members include:
Missouri Department of Economic Development
City of St. Louis/Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
St. Louis County
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
World Trade Center Saint Louis
Missouri Partnership
NorthPark Partners
Partners for Progress
St. Louis County Economic Council
For more information on the Midwest-China Hub Commission
and its efforts, please contact Ana Romero-Lizana,
Director of International Business Development,
World Trade Center Saint Louis at 314.615.8141.
For a copy of the most recent news release regarding the
Midwest-China Hub Commission, please follow this link.
[/b]
http://www.worldtradecenter-stl.com/index.asp
Featured Event
THE NEWLY FORMED MIDWEST/CHINA HUB COMMISSION HELPS THE BIG IDEA TAKE A STEP FORWARD
A delegation from the Midwest China Hub Commission and London Export Group stand in front of the Commission's new Beijing office.
The Big Idea, as authored by Missouri Senators Bond and McCaskill, proposes that the St. Louis region become China's primary gateway into the American Heartland through dedicated cargo flights connecting St. Louis with China; and through development of a strong Economic Hub of Chinese businesses and Chinese-American business partnerships located in St. Louis.
On January 26, 2009, the formation of the new Midwest-China Hub Commission was announced. The Hub Commission is the official organization designated to lead efforts to make the Big Idea a reality. Current members include:
Missouri Department of Economic Development
City of St. Louis/Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
St. Louis County
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association
World Trade Center Saint Louis
Missouri Partnership
NorthPark Partners
Partners for Progress
St. Louis County Economic Council
For more information on the Midwest-China Hub Commission
and its efforts, please contact Ana Romero-Lizana,
Director of International Business Development,
World Trade Center Saint Louis at 314.615.8141.
For a copy of the most recent news release regarding the
Midwest-China Hub Commission, please follow this link.
[/b]
Obviously, my ideas for Lambert have gotten a little more fanciful...ricke002 wrote:And if we are dreaming this much, why not reroute the entire track after it passes over I-70 to actually come close to the East Terminal building?Dredger wrote:rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station
Red - Terminal and Concourses
Yellow - Parking
Purple - Other Buildings (Hotel? Office? Airport support?)
Blue - MetroLink and airport people movers
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I really like your plan. I am in Detroit tonight and just went through their new AA / SW Airlines terminal.
Detroit already had a giant new terminal for their Northwest hub. Now they have built another new terminal and gates for the other airlines like AA and Southwest.
In both buildings, they have a plan kind of like yours with very long gate concourses parallel to the runway. In the Northwest terminal they have a light rail-like people mover going back and forth indoors on the 2nd floor of the long gate concourse. In the new terminal, the concourse isn't as long so they just have flat escalator-type people movers. In both buildings they have a 3rd level for a people bridge over the arriving and departing drive-throughs over to the giant parking garage and rental car van pickup.
I flew Southwest out of the East Terminal today. It is one of the simplest, most efficient terminals. If they could do your plan, the main terminal would open to a long East-West gate concourse kind of like the East Terminal.
Detroit already had a giant new terminal for their Northwest hub. Now they have built another new terminal and gates for the other airlines like AA and Southwest.
In both buildings, they have a plan kind of like yours with very long gate concourses parallel to the runway. In the Northwest terminal they have a light rail-like people mover going back and forth indoors on the 2nd floor of the long gate concourse. In the new terminal, the concourse isn't as long so they just have flat escalator-type people movers. In both buildings they have a 3rd level for a people bridge over the arriving and departing drive-throughs over to the giant parking garage and rental car van pickup.
I flew Southwest out of the East Terminal today. It is one of the simplest, most efficient terminals. If they could do your plan, the main terminal would open to a long East-West gate concourse kind of like the East Terminal.
Got back from a trip today. Seems like they are going full steam ahead on the new Starbuck's in Concourse A. Anybody know what they are doing with the California Pizza Kitchen?
I wonder why Frontier has a gate in D (their ticket counter is as close to Concourse A as you will get). Then think about Airtrain being the only airline in B. By the time I board a flight out of Concourse A I forget to count gates to see if their is any empties. Would it be doable to have both airlines in Concourse A also?
Getting back to the new Starbucks. I would assume that HMS host would prefer to have foot traffic consolidated. A few more departing and arriving flights in Concourse A might help.
I wonder why Frontier has a gate in D (their ticket counter is as close to Concourse A as you will get). Then think about Airtrain being the only airline in B. By the time I board a flight out of Concourse A I forget to count gates to see if their is any empties. Would it be doable to have both airlines in Concourse A also?
Getting back to the new Starbucks. I would assume that HMS host would prefer to have foot traffic consolidated. A few more departing and arriving flights in Concourse A might help.
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Mill204 wrote:Obviously, my ideas for Lambert have gotten a little more fanciful...ricke002 wrote:And if we are dreaming this much, why not reroute the entire track after it passes over I-70 to actually come close to the East Terminal building?Dredger wrote:rebuild the Main Terminal metrolink station
Red - Terminal and Concourses
Yellow - Parking
Purple - Other Buildings (Hotel? Office? Airport support?)
Blue - MetroLink and airport people movers
That purple section can be the consolidated rental car facility! I wish Lambert has this. I went to FLL (Ft. Lauderdale) a couple months ago and found this to be convenient when returning the car. Building a giant garage or using that existing parking lot for one of these would be great IMO!
Also, noticed Edmundson put up some redlight cameras on Pear Tree Ln! Nice way to show people STL...
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10-intuition wrote:
Also, noticed Edmundson put up some redlight cameras on Pear Tree Ln! Nice way to show people STL...
Better than seeing a bunch of people pulled over for running red lights & car accidents, no?
I took the metro link to the airport. Is it just me, or does it seem that when building the metrolink, they never took into consideration what happens AFTER you get off???
There's no path that leads to the actual train. Most airports the train actually goes to the terminal, vs. trying to find your way through a parking lot to get to the terminal. There's no path!!!
St. Louis Idiocracy.
There's no path that leads to the actual train. Most airports the train actually goes to the terminal, vs. trying to find your way through a parking lot to get to the terminal. There's no path!!!
St. Louis Idiocracy.
^yes. it's hateful! Flew in January. Cold, dark, sleeting, miserable. No thought given at all.
To which I would assign zero blame to Metro. MetroLink opened to the airport in 1994; the east terminal opened in 1998.shadrach wrote:yes. it's hateful! Flew in January. Cold, dark, sleeting, miserable. No thought given at all.phoaddict wrote:I took the metro link to the airport. Is it just me, or does it seem that when building the metrolink, they never took into consideration what happens AFTER you get off???
There's no path that leads to the actual train. Most airports the train actually goes to the terminal, vs. trying to find your way through a parking lot to get to the terminal. There's no path!!!
St. Louis Idiocracy.