Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by cybele

In a word:

HAWT!

[1lifealex]

I got to see it for myself but not from a good spot, the cop made me leave the the parking deck, you need a permit or something to stay up there, I have been up there so many times and this was the first time I was asked to leave, thats ok I'll be back.

[OCA REP]

Originally Posted by 1lifealex

I got to see it for myself but not from a good spot, the cop made me leave the the parking deck, you need a permit or something to stay up there, I have been up there so many times and this was the first time I was asked to leave, thats ok I'll be back.

I have spotted from there as well and have never encountered problems. Cops around airports can be jerks. I guess the packing strap from your stinger missile was hanging out of the trunk or something.

[rythym]

I hope this is the appropriate place to ask. I am flying to Europe via buddy pass on Delta on Friday, July 10th. We have a pretty intense schedule that I would love to maintain. I am afraid I won't make it out that evening and then the whole trip will be a bit of a train wreck due to my over planning. What is the safest time of day to fly, and where would be the best to fly into regarding the buddy pass? My options are Manchester and Dublin. Also, if I get bumped can I let the airline know of my flexbility as far as destinations go? i.e. " If you can't get me on a Dublin flight tonight, can I be put on the first available Manchester flight?" This is my first buddy pass experience and I am slightly panicky. Thank you for any response. I know you guys are the pros.

[joecool]

Originally Posted by rythym

I hope this is the appropriate place to ask. I am flying to Europe via buddy pass on Delta on Friday, July 10th. We have a pretty intense schedule that I would love to maintain. I am afraid I won't make it out that evening and then the whole trip will be a bit of a train wreck due to my over planning. What is the safest time of day to fly, and where would be the best to fly into regarding the buddy pass? My options are Manchester and Dublin. Also, if I get bumped can I let the airline know of my flexbility as far as destinations go? i.e. " If you can't get me on a Dublin flight tonight, can I be put on the first available Manchester flight?" This is my first buddy pass experience and I am slightly panicky. Thank you for any response. I know you guys are the pros.

I use Delta buddy pass before and it is best to take REALLY early flight or a late one. But I have only used them to go to New York so...

[Harry Cane]

I'm not sure that's an option as I'm pretty sure there is only one daily flight to Dublin and to Manchester. And I believe there's an additional charge for a routing change--about $50. Anyway, they both leave within about 30 min of each other, so you wouldn't be able to get on DUB (the later one) if you don't get on MAN.

I suggest as the time gets closer you get your friend that got you the buddy pass to check on their system and see how many seats are left and go from there. You can also go to delta.com and try a dummy booking (i.e. key in the dates and city like you're making a booking) and it'll let you pull up the seat map of what's available. That's not exact availability, but it should be an indication. Right now, MAN shows more availability than DUB.

btw, Friday is not the best day to travel on a buddy pass.

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by rythym

I hope this is the appropriate place to ask. I am flying to Europe via buddy pass on Delta on Friday, July 10th. We have a pretty intense schedule that I would love to maintain. I am afraid I won't make it out that evening and then the whole trip will be a bit of a train wreck due to my over planning. What is the safest time of day to fly, and where would be the best to fly into regarding the buddy pass? My options are Manchester and Dublin. Also, if I get bumped can I let the airline know of my flexbility as far as destinations go? i.e. " If you can't get me on a Dublin flight tonight, can I be put on the first available Manchester flight?" This is my first buddy pass experience and I am slightly panicky. Thank you for any response. I know you guys are the pros.

Let me just say that I hope your friend has great seniority at Delta. Buddy passes are the last standby passengers to be processed and they are processed in seniority order.

Here is some food for thought.

Go a day early. It may mean that you have to get a hotel room for one night but isn’t it worth your sanity. Leaving a day early really increases your options. There are a lot of super low fare carriers in Europe. If you have to fly into another city you have some options and some time to get to the city you really want to be in.

Beggars can’t be choosers. Closer to July 10th sit down with your friend and consider all your options. If there is weather in ATL on that day you may need to adjust your plans to a city where there is none. Maybe you will need to fly to New York and connect to a flight to Europe. Have an open mind about flying into EDI, LGW, or LHR. Also don’t panic if you have to fly into another country to get to Ireland. Europe is covered by a network of low cost carriers so do your homework and consider all your options.

Gate agents are NOT travel agents. You are on a buddy pass and they are at work. It is their job to see that each flight they work gets off on time while catering to the request of the paying passengers. If they can help you they usually do but if they have to go don’t get frustrated because they have to go. Deputize your friend as your personal travel agent to help you navigate the world of non-revenue flying.

Pack a days worth of clothes and toiletries in your carryon. Let’s face it stuff happens and no airline is immune to missing bags. Also consider this… if you are checked in for the Dublin flight, it fills up at the last moment, and you have to race to catch the Paris flight just to get across the pond, your clothes will most likely end up in Dublin while you are arriving in Paris.

Dress for success. The dress code for Delta has become much more relaxed. However, do not assume that you will be allowed to sit in Business Elite wearing shorts and flip-flops. To be quite honest, since you are traveling during the height of the travel season, you will most likely get coach. But you will want to dress business casual at the off chance that the only seat left on the plane is in Business Elite.

I hope this helps. If you have any further questions feel free to ask.

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by STrek777

Let me just say that I hope your friend has great seniority at Delta. Buddy passes are the last standby passengers to be processed and they are processed in seniority order.

Here is some food for thought.

Go a day early. It may mean that you have to get a hotel room for one night but isn’t it worth your sanity. Leaving a day early really increases your options. There are a lot of super low fare carriers in Europe. If you have to fly into another city you have some options and some time to get to the city you really want to be in.

Beggars can’t be choosers. Closer to July 10th sit down with your friend and consider all your options. If there is weather in ATL on that day you may need to adjust your plans to a city where there is none. Maybe you will need to fly to New York and connect to a flight to Europe. Have an open mind about flying into EDI, LGW, or LHR. Also don’t panic if you have to fly into another country to get to Ireland. Europe is covered by a network of low cost carriers so do your homework and consider all your options.

Gate agents are NOT travel agents. You are on a buddy pass and they are at work. It is their job to see that each flight they work gets off on time while catering to the request of the paying passengers. If they can help you they usually do but if they have to go don’t get frustrated because they have to go. Deputize your friend as your personal travel agent to help you navigate the world of non-revenue flying.

Pack a days worth of clothes and toiletries in your carryon. Let’s face it stuff happens and no airline is immune to missing bags. Also consider this… if you are checked in for the Dublin flight, it fills up at the last moment, and you have to race to catch the Paris flight just to get across the pond, your clothes will most likely end up in Dublin while you are arriving in Paris.

Dress for success. The dress code for Delta has become much more relaxed. However, do not assume that you will be allowed to sit in Business Elite wearing shorts and flip-flops. To be quite honest, since you are traveling during the height of the travel season, you will most likely get coach. But you will want to dress business casual at the off chance that the only seat left on the plane is in Business Elite.

I hope this helps. If you have any further questions feel free to ask.

Excellent Strek777! Couldn't have said it better myself. :-)

[rythym]

Thank you everyone so much for your time and expertise! I knew I came to the right place and now understand fully everything I can do personally to ensure getting off the ground. You guy are awesome. Also it is nice to see this thread still functions properly and professionally.

[cybele]

Officials Open Airport BlackBerry Store

[smArTaLlone]

Friday, May 1, 2009
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by J. Scott Trubey Staff Writer


The turbulence may be easing between the city and Delta Air Lines Inc.

The new international terminal at the Atlanta airport is rising out of the ground without delay, and closed-door talks between the city and Delta on an airport lease agreement are said to be constructive.

Neither airport nor Delta officials would comment about ongoing negotiations for a new 30-year master lease at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport that has threatened the project. But work isn’t slowing on the new international terminal; it’s actually ramping up.

About $460 million has been spent thus far, Williams said, and the project is on schedule for its substantial completion date of April 30, 2012.

Airport officials identified $400 million in cost savings in a concession to Delta, which balked at the terminal’s price tag after agreeing to it for more than a year. The airport has also taken advantage of reduced construction costs associated with the recession, including the drop in demand for labor and materials.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates international travel through Atlanta will grow from 9 million passengers in 2007 to 13 million by 2013.

The terminal would bring to 40 the number of international gates at Hartsfield-Jackson, and would include a 1,100-space parking structure and a direct linkage to interstates 75 and 285. The terminal would also solve the cumbersome bag re-check problem for connecting international travelers.



full article

[Free]

I've never seen this video of the new Automated People Mover posted before, but it's so cool!

[cybele]

The lead article in this week's Atlanta Business Chronicle is about Hartsfield Jackson being on track to obtain $800 million in funding to complete the International Terminal. Sounds like Delta is now on board. The article says Delta was pushing hard for a sixth runway, but it doesn't say whether that's in the plan.

Free, that video of the Automated People Mover is awesome!

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by Free

I've never seen this video of the new Automated People Mover posted before, but it's so cool!

Wow! it looks close to being completed.

[ATLBlaxican]

There probably is a lot of politics behind it, but why didn't they just extend MARTA instead of building an entire new People Mover? If I missed it sorry for asking again, but I just don't see why they would need to build an entire new system. Doesn't the State own(ish) the Airport and MARTA? It just seems like to me, the best/ most optimal solution for MARTA/Airport and State would be to use what you already have...more $$$ for all. Just thought I'd put that out there, but I genuinely would like to know why they would build a new system aside from the MARTA brand?

However, I must say that the stations look a lot nicer and more inviting than many MARTA stations!

[sabino86]

Originally Posted by ATLBlaxican

There probably is a lot of politics behind it, but why didn't they just extend MARTA instead of building an entire new People Mover? If I missed it sorry for asking again, but I just don't see why they would need to build an entire new system. Doesn't the State own(ish) the Airport and MARTA? It just seems like to me, the best/ most optimal solution for MARTA/Airport and State would be to use what you already have...more $$$ for all. Just thought I'd put that out there, but I genuinely would like to know why they would build a new system aside from the MARTA brand?

However, I must say that the stations look a lot nicer and more inviting than many MARTA stations!

Because the new People Mover acts as a connector to the new rental car facilities on the other side of I-85, and a MARTA extension to that would be impractical. However, MARTA could dust off its plans for the old Hapeville Branch and build it to the new International Terminal...

[OCA REP]

From the AJC...

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/...s_council.html

800M Bond Deal OK’d for Airport Terminal
By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, July 06, 2009

The Atlanta City Council approved an $800 million bond deal Monday that will be used to complete the international terminal at the city-run Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Questions about the terminal’s future surfaced last year when Delta Air Lines, the world’s largest airline and the airport’s most influential customer, objected to a $168 million contingency fund for the project, expected to cost about $1.35 billion. The airline argued the contingency fund was more than $100 million higher than what it agreed to and suggested it could lead to wasteful spending. The city, however, approved the larger contingency fund in March 2008.

The new terminal, to be named after the late Mayor Maynard Jackson, is seen by city and business leaders as critical to the region’s growth. Airport officials expect the number of international passengers using the airport to jump from the current annual estimate of 9 million to 13 million in a decade.

“Anytime we can reinvest in that engine, then we should make that investment because [the airport] is an important economic tool for us,” said Councilman H. Lamar Willis, a member of the council’s transportation committee.

The terminal is scheduled to be completed by 2012.

The council also voted Monday to refinance $590 million in airport bonds from a variable to a fixed rate.

In other matters Monday, the council approved a contract with the Standard Parking Corp. to manage airport parking. Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta said parking is the airport’s largest revenue source, at about $105 million a year.

[Atlwest281]

Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 11:06am EDT
Hartsfield-Jackson praised for efficiency
Atlanta Business Chronicle

The world’s busiest airport is once again the most efficient in North America.

For the seventh year in a row, the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS) gave Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport its Award of Excellence for efficiency, this year as the most efficient airport in North America. Hartsfield-Jackson serves about 250,000 passengers every day.

ATRS said the award is a reflection of the Atlanta airport’s “productivity, efficiency and low costs, including the lowest passenger costs for the airlines.”

The award is based on research by the ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking Task Force. The study compared 142 airports and 14 airport groups worldwide.

Hartsfield-Jackson earned the ATRS Global Excellence Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The Airport won ATRS’ North American award in 2005. The Global Excellence Award category was discontinued this year.

Interesting for a place which is so terribly mis managed, awful to go to and grossly inefficent as some around these parts have stated.

[alleystreetindustry]

Originally Posted by ATLBlaxican

There probably is a lot of politics behind it, but why didn't they just extend MARTA instead of building an entire new People Mover? If I missed it sorry for asking again, but I just don't see why they would need to build an entire new system. Doesn't the State own(ish) the Airport and MARTA? It just seems like to me, the best/ most optimal solution for MARTA/Airport and State would be to use what you already have...more $$$ for all. Just thought I'd put that out there, but I genuinely would like to know why they would build a new system aside from the MARTA brand?

However, I must say that the stations look a lot nicer and more inviting than many MARTA stations!

im not a pro, but wouldnt a marta extension be a butt-load more money than the people mover?

[smArTaLlone]

AJC article