What is Digg?59 Comments
- ahhell, on 10/12/2007, -5/+33Huh? That summary made no sense.
- superheroboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14I picked up my sister-in-law at Salt Lake International on Sunday and they have three lots with big screens telling you about all the arriving flights. It tells you if they're en route, delayed or, 20 minutes after arrival it says 'ready for pickup'. It was really nice not to have to drive the loop for an hour.
- jeremyczu, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Why didn't this happen earlier? Making people drive in circles is pointless. Like George Carlin said, Airport security is just to give people the illusion of safety.
- superkendall, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Most airports do have shuttles out to a parking lot, the deal is that no-one wants to wait for a shuttle. I know I don't.
- djAnakin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Dugg. That's a great idea. I hate getting to the airport and having to pay parking when i'm only there to pick someone up!
- Slayback, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I've used this at O'Hare and it's nice. MUCH better than driving in circles for 30 minutes. Unfortunately, they don't have screens or anything there, so you just have to wait for the call. It worked perfectly for everyone involved though.
- phil.busch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3But holy crap is it far away... its near Economy Parking Lot F!!! Thats practically off of airport grounds.
- Bokista, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The first time I drove past all of those cars sitting on the side of the road a couple years back I had assumed there was some kind of bomb scare or something at the airport. It freaked me out. Little did I know it was just people chillin'.
- just_chris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Because everybody doesn't live 5 min from a major airport. New York airports for example, can be anywhere from a 30 minute drive to a 2 HOUR drive from the nearby suburbs in NJ and CT. There is always unpredictable traffic delays thanks to construction that has been ongoing for over 10 years, tolls on the major bridges, merges & lane closures, accidents, etc.
- KamikazeH20mln, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3No. The lots have max times you can be there. Look at the list of the lots listed to find out the ones you use.
Funny part is that I was just at the airport last week at night time and they still were loaded with people in the departure area waiting for 1/2 hour plus as I waited for my ride I called from home. - enry, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Never tried to drive to Logan, have you?
- zizzybaloobah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3At BWI, the first 30 minutes are free (garage nearest the terminal), plus they have a fancy-schmancy electronic system that display how many opens spaces are on each level, and can even direct you to an open space.
- tbye, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I'm also in Salt Lake City... their lot gets a 7 out of ten.
8 if they install restrooms out there...
9 if they get vending machines...
10 if they install a Sonic drive-in!
But seriously, if you're a traveler, this is definitely news. If you're the office monkey that has to pick folks up... these lots are lifesavers. - EtherGnat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4El Paso still doesn't offer this feature but who cares? You don't need a dedicated lot to park and wait for a call--just park anywhere near the airport. I realized a few years ago it makes more sense to park at the airport hotel and wait for a call than to circle endlessly. No fancy signs but as long as you arrange it ahead of time with the person you're picking up it works great.
- johnkoer, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Unfortunately, the summary is the first three paragraphs from the article.
- zizzybaloobah, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4dugg because it's a great idea - but at BWI here in Baltimore/DC, the cellphone lot has never been open whenever I've attempted to use it.
I'll admit that lingering drivers are a traffic nuisance for the airports, and an abandoned vehicle can be quite disconcerting, but do these drivers really compromise security? Why would a malicious driver have to loiter in their car at the terminal to make something happen -- why not just drive up and press a button to complete their dastardly act? Besides, if you really needed to loiter, you can easily get stuck behind any number of shuttle buses or other incompetent/inconsiderate drivers and sit for as long as you can before inching along a few feet at a time. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I love how the Texas lot has 1,000 parking spots compared to the 150 max of the others. It's true every place has a couple of acres for parking..
- LacY, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Logan is by fair the priciest parking lot I've been in. It's like $2 for the first 30 min.
Then there's the small, nearly unavoidable, toll you hit right after the parking lot if you need 93N... God I hate Logan airport. - phil.busch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Have you been to Chicago O'Hare. That airport is a fortune.
- griz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I understood it, but it is confusing and not well written. The editor should have chosen his words more carefully rather than just grabbing a paragraph from the article. The first paragraph in the article sets up for the second, so just posting the second is not clear enough.
- Alex.w, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"In less than two years, cellphone lots have gone from nearly non-existent to commonplace."
-- Where has this guy been living? Non-existent in 2004? - crashingechelon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I just saw this in my local news paper and they showed that they added this to our airport. It really is a good idea so you're not sitting there driving around in circles using all that gas.
- cprincipe, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Boy you people are cheap. Even at Logan I don't think I've paid more than $4 at the short-term lot to pick someone up.
- ptbarnett, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3If you are close to the airport and know exactly how long it will take to get there, it's pretty easy to time your arrival. But, I live 40 minutes away and have to go through areas that may be smooth sailing or all jammed up, depending on the amount of traffic.
However, it's difficult to predict the actual arrival time of the plane. Even if you use the flight status notification (to your cell phone), a plane can be delayed up to 15 minutes without generating a message. And unless the delay is on the departure side, you won't know about arrival delays unless they are really bad or have already happened. - endgames, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The common thing now in Philadelphia is to sit on the side of I-95 just before the airport exit with your hood up. I've never seen so many Tonwcars/taxis break down in one spot.
We have a cell phone lot too. - john1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Yay - just gave a digg because I finally know what the area labled 'cell phone waiting' outside Portland airport is for. The way it is sign posted, it was far from obvious what the point of it was. This actually makes sense, and I may well use it.
- sstidman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I suspect these cell lots will inevitably evolve. Adding message boards that list flight status is a very good start, but putting in free WiFi spots is even better. Now start selling food, at least out of vending machines, or even have a food stand/cart. Those stands could sell more than just food; they could sell flowers or other gifts for those who forgot or didn't have time to pickup a gift before picking up their relative who they haven't seen in a long time. The airports could actually make money off these cell lots if they are smart.
Bathrooms would be nice, too. Especially if the airport selsl food at the cell lot. - hodyoaten, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3The curbside thing is really outdated. Airports should be running a tram or shuttle from baggage out to an illuminated, monitored parking lot, then no one would have to bother driving into the terminal area at all. There could be a waiting room there with vending machines and rental car counters, too.
- just_chris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2For the airports that don't have cell phone lots, people have made their own. Take JFK airport in NYC for example- just before one of the terminals the road opens a large shoulder on the right side. There are always about 20 cars and limos squeezed in there with people on their cell phones. It is convenient, but who knows how long it will last.
These lots are a must. Making people drive around in circles causing jams in front of the terminals is just ridiculous. - Bensch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Dude, most airports are on a metro network.
- cubbieco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1When airports are only accessible by Freeway or Highway (like Salt Lake City among others) the nearest place can be 5-10 minutes away with unpredictable traffic around the airport.
Salt Lake City has had this type of lot for years, even with flight info boards, although the new info boards are very slick.
Remember the larger airports take up many square miles. SLC airport is located north of a highway interchange so anything off airport property is literally 2-3 miles away having to navigate a freeway. The parking makes a lot of sense. - KayMan2k, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2No, they do not cause traffic issues. The shoulder is plenty big for cars to stop until the police arrive, which is a certainty. I have used the "Cell Phone Lot" at Phila Intl. and it is a joke. The signs directing you to the lot are very small and hard to follow. When you finally find the lof you have just three rows of parking, a bit away from the airport, without any security or lights. It is a very unsafe area. Good idea, horrible implementation. I rather wait in the circle and move every time a cop comes around than wait in the cell phone lot to be murdered or robbed.
- bkool, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@phil.busch
Don't know about you but I've never paid more than $3 at O'Hare when picking up someone. - reddyman, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3SEA-TAC has one of these. I have used it a time or two, not a bad idea. However, the thing is so damn small that you often end of waiting to wait.
- succubuskiller, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Huh is right. The parking lots are not functional. The last couple times I want to LAX recently, I magically went and parked inside the structure? Then went inside the terminal to meet the person arriving....
- lauramariel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0LOL... I somehow actually understood what was going on from that random summary.
- Bokista, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I use the driveway of my house as a "cell phone lot" since I live all of five minutes from the airport.
- Dolomite, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1The summary makes no sense!?!?!?!?
- Bensch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1With sea-tac, it won't be an issue in, what, two and a half years? Then you'll be able to come straight from the city on the metro.
- vypergts, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I always wondered what that sign at Dulles meant about the "Cell Phone lot." People still pull over on the shoulder around the loop until the cops come and make them move along. I guess now, I can use this thing instead of the Marriott parking lot.
Stupid airports, most of them in this country should be redesigned since 9/11 and the assinine security rules that followed essentially rendered the designs of most airports obsolete. - cliffzdude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Discovered? It sounds like each and every airport has a cellphone lot hiddem under dem trees over yonder. Just a waitin' ta be discovered.
- adolph, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I wish Austin's airport had this. They have a free for < 30 min lot for picking up people, but I never use it because (a.) passing up 30 min on a flight delay is too easy, (b.) I'm not convinced it is reasonably close, (c.) driving 20mph on the airport loop listening to podcasts or whatever is far more interesting than hanging out in an airport luggage bay.
- waznryu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hey i think Ive see signs for these at Washington Dulles int
- dwiest, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I suppose I'm fortunate for living in Chicago where I can just hop on the El or take a cab home when my flight lands.
At the smaller airports, I've found that there's usually plenty of space in the parking lot right in front of the terminals. Then again, I've only flown into Sarasota, Florida and St. Paul, Minnesota recently. Pretty small towns. - Tucan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0denver has been doing this ever since DIA opened. Very usfull if you dont want to pay to pay for 10 minutes!
- sstidman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Does that matter? You're in a car. You can just drive to the terminal when your passenger is ready.
- SusiS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0What a great idea! No more cirlcing the terminal like buzzards. I hope my Airport (hint hint Sacramento) gets one of these soon.
- dustedbunny, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1At phildelphia international. People park on the sides of I95 and the exit ramps to the airport and cause traffic issues. This is a great idea.
- noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3So basically.... free parking at airports?
- basegreen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Some bizarre english up there!
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