Austin Airport: Why do we have to sacrifise covenience for LOCAL? (Houston: kosher, food)

[Paulmmm]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

What the heck is a "Cell Phone Lot" shown on the map?

I've seen cell phone lots at a few other airports, and I think the way it works is that the person driving to the airport to pick you up parks in that lot to wait for you. As soon as you get your luggage, you call them on their cell phone and tell them you're ready to be picked up. Then they drive to the regular pickup area and get you. It's supposed to cut down on cars just circling past the pickup areas over and over until they see their passenger. Reduces pollution and also traffic congestion at the pickup areas. The cell phone lots are usually free and have a limit of like 30 or 60 minutes. And you have to stay with your car the whole time, so there's no cheating of leaving your car and walking over to meet someone on foot.

[Dr.Mom]

I have to admit that my family and I have flown in and out of ATX a number of times and I never really noticed that all of the businesses were local (oops). The restaurants were only open once when we were there, which was a disappointment. We ordered breakfast to take on the plane (sorry, don't remember the name of the establishment). I expected it to be pricey but it was mediocre at best and took FOREVER for them to make. I second Twange's idea for a cool diner. A 24 hour place would be perfect.

[ladylonghorn2]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Sure a four dollar breakfast taco and $2.95 cup of coffee is good if you are an occasional airport visitor-- but once or twice a week it gets old.

I travel a lot and those prices seem pretty in line with airport food prices around the country.

If you want mcdonalds maybe you can grab it on the way to the airport? Sure you can't bring your coffee through security but a mcmuffin would do just fine.

[AustinSpartan]

A 24-hour restaurant makes absolutely no sense at ABIA. If you've ever arrived on a flight after 9pm, the entire airport is occupied by the cleaning crew and that's about it. Austin is not a hub city and does not have a lot of late arrivals that would require a 24-hour restaurant.

It's a telling sign when the airport lounges close at 6pm.

[latikeriii]

I would like a Duncan Donuts before a McDonalds. They serve hot breakfast sandwiches and coffee drinks too. If they want to stick with a local business, they should open up a Chuy's express, that serves only breakfast tacos, regular tacos, burritos, quesadillas, chimchangas, and chips w/queso and salsa. I'm just dreaming though.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Cardiff Giant

The Salt Lick in the airport is my 'go to' breakfast when I travel. I suppose you can get a side of beef if that's what you're after but I always have an egg and cheese breakfast taco. That, an OJ and maybe a valium I'm good to fly.

The last thing any town (or airport) needs is another Starbucks and McD's.

Salt lick breakfast is an awesome deal. Scrambled eggs, sausage and biscuits and gravy for like 4.99.

For lunch/dinner, I get the stuffed baked potato which has a ton of bbq brisket in a giant potato for 6.99. - this is one of my favorite meals in all of austin.

I love the local restaurants and hope they never have all chains. Auntie annies is a chain and is in the airport..

Similar sized airport is john wayne in orange county and the food selection there is awful and generic.

[doctorjef]

Isn't Auntie Annies a pretzel stand essentially? That's not a restaurant. The places at Austin-Bergstrom are just local fast-food. Frankly, I prefer the airport at Harlingen.

[mlassoff]

doctorjef hit it on the head. No sit down restaurant. That's what's missing and what I'd love to see. Sometimes I arrive quite early at meal time and would love a regular sit down restaurant. The traffic at AIBA would definitely support it.

TSA regulations prohibit bringing any type of liquids through besides the 3.4 oz toiletries. That makes taking outside food on the plane difficult.

Some airports-- like BWI-- have negotiated with their vendors to provide the same types of prices they would outside the airport. Perhaps that's a possibility. From what I see the vendors at AIBA are quite busy... when they're open.

[calel]

Toss a Kerbey Lane or a Magnolia Cafe in there and we'd be golden. I agree that it's terrible that the restaurants aren't open later. Nothing like trudging off a plane late at night in need of a cup of coffee or something to wake you up long enough to drive to your destination, and it's a total ghost town.

[mark311]

As others have stated, since it's not a hub, you don't have a lot of people with layovers or connecting flights. My guess is THAT is when you get a lot of people hanging out and eating meals. Plus the fact that everything is behind security makes it so people picking up someone can't buy anything. They would probably do better putting a Starbucks downstairs in baggage claim since that's where you have to wait for people. I spend more time waiting in the baggage claim area when guests are in town than actually behind security in the terminal.

I don't travel much, but when I do, I don't eat before getting on the plane anyway. The last thing I need is to have a full stomach before takeoff. I bring a couple Clif or Nutri-grain bars for the plane to go along with the snacks they give out. When I get back into Austin, it's straight to baggage claim or just straight to my car.