Your Least Favorite Airport (Spinoff Of Favorite Airport)

[Grumpy_Dad]

I'm with Julie on NY LaGuardia, so many problems with that airport: delays, overcrowding, short runways to name a few. I don't think I have ever had a good experience there

 

[AquamarineSteph]

I thought that Sonoma County Airport was pretty small, with this for the baggage carousel:

Then I saw a photo of what Trenton has:

LOVE the pics! I don't have one, but when I last flew through the New Haven airport, there was a similar (if smaller) baggage claim area. A window opened. Somebody threw the luggage through it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Kansas City

Then you don't know what you're missing. It's one of the easiest to navigate airports I've ever been in.

 

[DopeyDame]

I'm with you on the hate for Dulles. The commute is bad but I also despise having the take the "moving lounge" every time I arrive (I've only use IAD when traveling internationally, I don't think that happens with domestic flights).

Oh you have to take that ridiculous thing for domestic flights too.
They're building a train to connect the terminals, but given the way things around here get build, I'm assuming that will be finished some time in 2073.

I'm suprised at all the hate for O'Hare. I love that airport. I always feel so energized - it has a lot of natural light, and the cool trippy walkway music and lighting between terminal B and C. Plus the cool dinosaur.

And I also agree with a PP that Philly has DRASTICALLY improved in the last several years. (At least most of the terminals)

 

[Minnesota!]

I have never had a flight go through ATL without problems. Delays, rude agents, etc.

However, the dumpiest airport I have ever been in was SAN. Apparently there is "old section" and a "new section". We were in old. Everyone for our flight was CRAMMED into this little tiny area. There was 1 bathroom, and the lines were horribly long, and wound into the seating area. It was a miserable way to end our vacation.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I wasn't even aware Trenton had a commercial airport.

It has had service on and off over the years, mainly by small 30 seat or lower planes.

Currently Frontier and Allegiant serve it with standard sized 100+ seat planes. There are about 6 to 10 daily flights. Some are seasonal only, and none of the Allegiant flights are daily.

Stepdaughter's Allegiant flight was at 5:06 pm to Orlando/Sanford. There was a Frontier flight to Orlando MCO at 5:20. She texted that the tiny terminal was stuffed to the gills for just these two flights.

This coming Sunday I'll see if I can check out that awesome baggage claim trailer.

 

[bcla]

LOVE the pics! I don't have one, but when I last flew through the New Haven airport, there was a similar (if smaller) baggage claim area. A window opened. Somebody threw the luggage through it.

It looks like it's one step removed from just getting stuff out of the baggage hold of a bus. And at least with a bus it's possible to get everything out quickly.

I've taken the train a few times where I've checked in baggage. The bigger stations only do it via a baggage counter or carousel, but many of the smaller stations just put everything on a motorized baggage cart and have passengers claim their baggage right from the cart.

 

[Sparkly]

London Gatwick used to be pretty awful 10 or so years ago. Very outdated and shabby, especially in passport control when you landed. It's much nicer now after a long refurb though!

 

[RedAngie]

I thought that Sonoma County Airport was pretty small, with this for the baggage carousel:

Then I saw a photo of what Trenton has:

It looks like it's one step removed from just getting stuff out of the baggage hold of a bus. And at least with a bus it's possible to get everything out quickly.
.

About 20 years ago we flew into Naples, FL airport. It was a small plane with maybe a dozen seats. The pilot and/or co-pilot loaded and unloaded the luggage, just like from a bus. No separation between the pilots and passengers in the plane; we were seated right behind them. The co-pilot gave the necessary safety announcements.

I don't think Naples has commercial service anymore.

 

[dclpluto]

Ohare defintely the worst I been to.

 

[bcla]

About 20 years ago we flew into Naples, FL airport. It was a small plane with maybe a dozen seats. The pilot and/or co-pilot loaded and unloaded the luggage, just like from a bus. No separation between the pilots and passengers in the plane; we were seated right behind them. The co-pilot gave the necessary safety announcements.

I don't think Naples has commercial service anymore.

Sounds like a charter.

 

[RedAngie]

Sounds like a charter.

No, it was an actual scheduled flight by a small airline operating on behalf of American Airlines. Something like "Suncoast Airlines doing business as American Eagle." Flight was from Tampa to Naples, and it continued to Key West. We got off at Naples.

 

[maxaroni]

About 20 years ago we flew into Naples, FL airport. It was a small plane with maybe a dozen seats. The pilot and/or co-pilot loaded and unloaded the luggage, just like from a bus. No separation between the pilots and passengers in the plane; we were seated right behind them. The co-pilot gave the necessary safety announcements.

I don't think Naples has commercial service anymore.

Yup. We did that trip as well. PHL to Tampa to Naples. Loved it. Did you stay in Naples? Where did you stay?

 

[bcla]

No, it was an actual scheduled flight by a small airline operating on behalf of American Airlines. Something like "Suncoast Airlines doing business as American Eagle." Flight was from Tampa to Naples, and it continued to Key West. We got off at Naples.

Well - they don't seem to have any baggage facilities there, and no TSA there either. Right now all they list are charter carriers. I looked up "Suncoast" and it's described as a charter airline that went out of business in 1988.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunCoast_Airlines

A lot of charter airlines operate where they almost seem like they're a scheduled airline. I've heard that some will use jetways, while others save cost by using cheaper general aviation facilities. There's a private shuttle that uses North Field in Oakland because it's cheaper than paying to use the commercial facilities. There used to be a lot of chartered flights to Hawaii, but those could get interesting if they had to cancel. Since they weren't scheduled flights, they had serious issues if there was an equipment problem. They couldn't just put someone on the next flight out.

 

[maxaroni]

Well - they don't seem to have any baggage facilities there, and no TSA there either. Right now all they list are charter carriers. I looked up "Suncoast" and it's described as a charter airline that went out of business in 1988.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunCoast_Airlines

A lot of charter airlines operate where they almost seem like they're a scheduled airline. I've heard that some will use jetways, while others save cost by using cheaper general aviation facilities. There's a private shuttle that uses North Field in Oakland because it's cheaper than paying to use the commercial facilities. There used to be a lot of chartered flights to Hawaii, but those could get interesting if they had to cancel. Since they weren't scheduled flights, they had serious issues if there was an equipment problem. They couldn't just put someone on the next flight out.

I concur with RedAngie. When she posted, she said about 20 years ago or so. We did the same flights as she did, not charter. Our trip was in 1992, 25 years ago. What is happening now, may be different than how it was then.

 

[RedAngie]

Yup. We did that trip as well. PHL to Tampa to Naples. Loved it. Did you stay in Naples? Where did you stay?

I think we flew USAir from PHL to Tampa. After a few days in the area, we flew on that small plane to Naples, and stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in Naples for several days. Upon returning, it was the small plane back to TPA, then connect to the plane back to PHL.

We go back to Naples every few years. The closest airport now is Fort Myers (RSW). Or we fly to another airport like Fort Lauderdale, spend some time there first, and then go to Naples. We still might stay with my uncle a day or two, but mostly we actually stay on Marco Island now. The last two trips there we stayed at the Marriott.

I pretty much made up the name Suncoast Airlines because I don't remember the actual small operator. And the flight possibly may have been flown on behalf of USAir instead of American. But Naples did indeed have service back in the late 80's thru at least the late 90's. My aunt and uncle would often fly from there to either Tampa or Miami and then connect to PHL. Sometimes they had to drive to Ft.Myers instead. I remember them lamenting when Naples lost service, perhaps after 9/11.

The airport was very small and it did have TSA at the time, but I don't think there were baggage facilities. Like I said, the pilot or co-pilot loaded and unloaded any bags right at the plane and we had to carry them from the tarmac. I don't think the runway could accommodate anything larger than those small planes with fewer than 30 seats.

 

[maxaroni]

I think we flew USAir from PHL to Tampa. After a few days in the area, we flew on that small plane to Naples, and stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in Naples for several days. Upon returning, it was the small plane back to TPA, then connect to the plane back to PHL.

We go back to Naples every few years. The closest airport now is Fort Myers (RSW). Or we fly to another airport like Fort Lauderdale, spend some time there first, and then go to Naples. We still might stay with my uncle a day or two, but mostly we actually stay on Marco Island now. The last two trips there we stayed at the Marriott.

I pretty much made up the name Suncoast Airlines because I don't remember the actual small operator. And the flight possibly may have been flown on behalf of USAir instead of American. But Naples did indeed have service back in the late 80's thru at least the late 90's. My aunt and uncle would often fly from there to either Tampa or Miami and then connect to PHL. Sometimes they had to drive to Ft.Myers instead. I remember them lamenting when Naples lost service, perhaps after 9/11.

The airport was very small and it did have TSA at the time, but I don't think there were baggage facilities. Like I said, the pilot or co-pilot loaded and unloaded any bags right at the plane and we had to carry them from the tarmac. I don't think the runway could accommodate anything larger than those small planes with fewer than 30 seats.

It probably was USAir as PHL was a hub....it's our home airport. Now, it's American due to the merger. When we went we stayed at a place called The Registry Resort, right in Naples. Not sure what it is now, though. It was not directly on the beach but had a wooden walkway through mangrove trees to get to the beach. I remember the airport as you do.

A couple of years ago, we looked into going back to Naples, or either Marco Island or Sanibel. I noticed the flights weren't as we remembered and reminisced that there were either 12 or 24 seats, if I recall. We haven't been back to the area but hope to.

When we went to Naples we were in the midst of fertility treatments and were contemplating adoption. We had been TTC for 10 years and not getting any younger. I had a massage at The Registry and the masseuse said that she had several clients that got pregnant after one of her massages. Sure enough, that was the cycle I conceived DS.

 

[bcla]

The airport was very small and it did have TSA at the time, but I don't think there were baggage facilities. Like I said, the pilot or co-pilot loaded and unloaded any bags right at the plane and we had to carry them from the tarmac. I don't think the runway could accommodate anything larger than those small planes with fewer than 30 seats.

I looked it up, and runway 5/23 is 6600 ft, although they have shorter runways that smaller planes can use. That's long enough for pretty much any narrow-body jet at sea level if the weight is kept reasonable. SNA has 5700 ft and is one of the busiest airports anywhere with a runway that short. There's an airport on Kauai that flies 757s to/from the West Coast on less than 6600 ft.

There are a lot of general aviation airports that could handle a 737 in an emergency, although they might want to keep the weight down and reposition to an airport with a longer runway. The airport that Boeing uses to deliver 737s is less than 5400 ft long.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

o'Hare but only because I had a bad experience there

Maybe it's ok otherwise

 

[OhMari]

LaGuardia is like a third world country-always under constuction and never fixed. If you fly out in the evening-it is like the traffic in NYC-backed up 30 planes deep before take off.
LaGuardia-2 stall bathroom in each wing? really? I learned when we land to go to the Food Court area and go to the bathroom-many more stalls in the ladies bathroom and much cleaner.