Welcome to Mediocre, TX ?

[supernaut112]

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

At ABIA, I can get from my front door to the plane in under an hour - just about any time of day or any time of year. That's with a 30 min drive and parking in the long term lot.

Exactly! Be glad that Austin even has a major airport. There are people who have to drive a couple of hours from other cities just to get to ABIA. Yes, more direct flights would be nice, but I'm not about to move to Houston so I can spend two hours just getting to Intercontinental. I'll take the layover any day over that madness.

[eepstein]

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. If you would like to HYPE Austin's airport for whatever reason, you can do so. If you like the horrible food there, then that is your choice. I am surprised that you fly all over to modern, efficient airports and don't realize how flawed Austin airport is. From the inefficent security lines, to the rude employees, to the country music, to the live music no namers, and the lack of flights overall, it's just not what I would call a "good airport". But to each his own. I did check, and Austin airport ranks just below Hobby and slightly above San Antonio (which is odd based on all the business/tourism conventions in SA) Dallas Love ranked about where Austin is.

I have flown out of ALL the airports you mentioned except Fort Myers. I have not come across ANY of these issues. SFO and SEA really suck for security lines, that is for sure.

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

As a very frequent traveler, I disagree with your assessment here. You obviously have never flown out of:
San Diego (1+ hour baggage lines, security lines and exactly one "restaurant") Albuquerque (Unbelievable lines, with no bypass for frequent fliers, horrible gate areas)
Fort Myers (same as ABQ)
Orlando (lines and brainless people everywhere, checked baggae takes 45 minutes to get off the plane)
Oakland (unreal security lines and totally inefficient setup, no food anywhere)
Orange County (see Oakland, and add the Disney crowd from Orlando in the summer)

That's just the ones I've hit this month that don't compare to Austin. The food alone at AUS wins, plus a large open bar area to sit and people watch without 100 people hanging over your shoulder!



This right here should be used as a rebuttal every time you say anything, ever - this has zero factual basis and is randomly pulled out of your rear, like every other "ranking" or statistic you use. AUS is right there with Hobby as the 3rd busiest, behind DFW and IAH, both pushing right around 4.3 million passengers annually.



San Jose is 2X per day, there's also Oakland as well (2X per day) and Seattle is still serviced NS by Alaska. In the past two months, NS service has been announced for a number of cities, including DC, Cancun and JFK. As for your KC citation, air traffic in/out of KC is down 20% in the past 4 years, likely unprofitable for all airlines - not surprised it got cut.


Go ahead! Pay more for your flight, spend 7 hours driving there and back to avoid *gasp* a connection in Dallas? Aren't you always railing against all the roads and driving in TX? Maybe it's your approach?




One of 14 airports WORLDWIDE to receive the ACI Roll of Excellence, consistently ranked by air travel associations like ACI in the top 10 in the nation (#4 last year)


Bottom line, you need to check your hate and resentment for your own choices that have led you to a place that you're obviously not happy in - facts, real facts, don't agree with what you're seeing.

[jr1038]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. If you would like to HYPE Austin's airport for whatever reason, you can do so. If you like the horrible food there, then that is your choice. I am surprised that you fly all over to modern, efficient airports and don't realize how flawed Austin airport is. From the inefficent security lines, to the rude employees, to the country music, to the live music no namers, and the lack of flights overall, it's just not what I would call a "good airport". But to each his own.

I have traveled a lot and I personally think Austin's airport is above average. It's modern, roomy, and my experience with the security lines has always been good especially compared to other airports. The music, while not my taste, doesn't bother me. I do, however, agree with you about the quality of food and especially the extremely slow service. I appreciate the desire to provide local chains in the airport but I wish it didn't come at the exclusion of some national chains like Starbucks for example.

[supernaut112]

Originally Posted by jr1038

I do, however, agree with you about the quality of food and especially the extremely slow service. I appreciate the desire to provide local chains in the airport but I wish it didn't come at the exclusion of some national chains like Starbucks for example.

I have to agree with you about the food. I too give the airport head pats for using local vendors. That's truly admirable. But the problem is, I think that these local places are very hard to translate into an airport setting, where ease and timeliness of service is more important than sampling the local fare. A lot of the food doesn't particularly taste fresh to me, either. I'm not a rabid fan of chain restaurants, but you can be assured that the food tastes the same no matter where you go.

Ditto on the music too. It blows.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently.

Truer words were never spoken.

Originally Posted by eepstein

If you like the horrible food there, then that is your choice.

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. Many of us enjoy the food there, so maybe "horrible" is just your interpretation? Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that the food there seems fine, owing to its obvious popularity, but it's not to your taste?

Originally Posted by eepstein

I am surprised that you fly all over to modern, efficient airports and don't realize how flawed Austin airport is.

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. As others have noted, ABIA has won many awards and keeps getting ranked highly by various travel organizations. And a lot of people here like it. I wonder what they see that you don't?

Originally Posted by eepstein

From the inefficent security lines,

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. I'm still astonishing friends with my story about oversleeping one morning due to [Fifth Amendment] reasons, and rolling out the door with only 45 minutes to make a flight, and MAKING IT! Not that I count on that, but given my normal discipline to get to the airport early, wherever the airport might be, and given how fast ABIA lines normally move, I consistently wind up with more free time on my hands in the Austin airport than anyplace else on my usual circuit. I mean "normal departure" free time, not "flight delayed" free time. Kailua-Kona runs a close second, but I hate climbing those stairs at the end.

Originally Posted by eepstein

to the rude employees,

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. I've never been treated rudely at ABIA by anyone. Of course, I'm friendly to others and open and polite, and I do find that people often get back what they project, so YMMV.

Originally Posted by eepstein

to the country music,

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. Why wouldn't somebody like the Austin music track that's playing in the Austin airport? I mean, good grief, if you can't stand country music you're really in the wrong state. And besides, you can go to 100 other airports and hear exactly the same soundtrack, so why not listen to something different, like Alejandro Escovedo, while you're enjoying your breakfast tacos in Austin?

Originally Posted by eepstein

to the live music no namers,

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. I can't tell you the number of times I've stopped for a quick bite from Salt Lick and a Shiner while the bags get unloaded, and have gotten totally sucked in to the live music act on the little stage next to the egress. I mean, come on! How many airports even HAVE live music? Other than that old guy playing saxophone for tips in the echoing hallways at SFO, I mean.

Originally Posted by eepstein

and the lack of flights overall,

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. I never have any problem getting into Austin, and I never have any problem getting out.

Originally Posted by eepstein

it's just not what I would call a "good airport".

Just goes to show you that people can interpret things differently. As in so many other things here, the majority opinion seems to be leaning a different way.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by eepstein

Internationally recognized? Yes, I believe that. I dont think Austin is internationally recognzied for anything except being the capitol of Texas (maybe not even that)

Go argue with these guys. I've decided to follow one of of my father's favorites - don't argue with a fool- people might not be able to tell you apart.

[Moonlady]

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

I know this thread has totally taken a left turn....

Yeah, it turned around and got totally lost.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

Yeah, it turned around and got totally lost.

How so? It started off with about cranky guy's rant about how mediocre Austin is, and morphed into another cranky guy's rant about how mediocre Austin is, and the main difference I see is that Corcoran is a much better writer.

[cBach]

This author seems to think that Austin is full of the rejects of other cities (NYC, LA, SF) that couldn't make it there and seem to do well here. I always thought of it as people that got fed up with the rat race in those cities and came here to really enjoy life.

[Adamson865]

Originally Posted by cBach

This author seems to think that Austin is full of the rejects of other cities (NYC, LA, SF) that couldn't make it there and seem to do well here. I always thought of it as people that got fed up with the rat race in those cities and came here to really enjoy life.

...and buy a pickup truck.