New Atlanta airport master plan eyes new gates, sixth runway (Jackson: neighborhood, restaurant)

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i have a question: is it possible to go through security and visit the concourses without taking a flight? i would like to go and see all these improvements but i have nowhere to fly to.

Nope, not since 9/11. It was possible back in the 90's, when you could go all the way to the gate without a ticket in hand. Used to be more fun greeting relatives as they got off the plane.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i have a question: is it possible to go through security and visit the concourses without taking a flight? i would like to go and see all these improvements but i have nowhere to fly to.

Unfortunately no, bryantm3. The only way I know of actually is if you're assisting someone impaired that is traveling, but you have to get some type of screening and Pass from the TSA.

The Atrium is pretty cool though, and all of the retail and restaurants there and pre-security have also changed around.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Nope, not since 9/11. It was possible back in the 90's, when you could go all the way to the gate without a ticket in hand. Used to be more fun greeting relatives as they got off the plane.

It used to be wonderful pre 9/11! I was out there all the time visiting friends during their connections.

[flyonpa]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i have a question: is it possible to go through security and visit the concourses without taking a flight? i would like to go and see all these improvements but i have nowhere to fly to.

You could buy a full fare REFUNDABLE ticket, Check-In, get the boarding pass, You would need ID Etc to get thru TSA.

Once thru TSA you cancel the ticket and get a Full Refund back to your credit card. Just make sure there are hours before the flight takes off, Some airline even on Refundable tickets have cut off times you have to cancel the ticket by or it becomes non-refundable.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Exactly. The number and quality of the restaurants, bars & shops has become pretty impressive as well.

The raising of the roof and the new walls of glass coming to A & B are going to transform the entire feeling of these amazingly busy concourses.

The orange panels are coming off of the exterior of the concourses as well, being replaced with a smoky-grey reflective glass. You can see small finished sections on the north end of C and the south end of T so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytnQt99VE5A

[Jandrew5]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

I think the Atlanta Airport is under a mandate to be under some sort of major construction at all times, under penalty of death to its owners. I cannot remember a time in my life when there hasn't been major construction there. I don't think there's ever been a time when lanes were not blocked, every terminal had a ceiling, or there weren't boarded-off sections.

If it never ends, is it really making it better?

You never really answered my question.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Jandrew5

You never really answered my question.

I didn't try to. I added to your observations that ATL is under perpetual construction and never feels like a finished place.

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i have a question: is it possible to go through security and visit the concourses without taking a flight? i would like to go and see all these improvements but i have nowhere to fly to.

Sure, if you buy a refundable ticket. Buy, go through security, and cancel.

[cwkimbro]

Bryant,

If you're not really in the airport very much... it doesn't matter too much really. Many of these improvements we are so excited about is they are trying to make areas of the airport that were so dark, drab, annoyingly boring, overcrowded, and unpleasant a bit brighter, more airy, and a bit more pleasant. They aren't modern marvels, as much as something really needed to have been done. That and the scale of just how many spaces they had to do, since the airport is rather large.


In any case, they still have a ways to go with the transit corridors and have only finished a few segments of the concourse walls with new glass windows. They have a ways to go before it is all done. So if you don't fly anywhere for a year or two, it won't hurt to wait. You will just see it as those parts of the project are closer to complete.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by JMatl

It used to be wonderful pre 9/11! I was out there all the time visiting friends during their connections.

It was so much better before security theater. As bored teenagers, we used to get on MARTA and go hang out at the international concourse and ride the plane train for a few hours. Best people watching in Atlanta. It was good, innocent fun.