I get to experience Eppley for the first time

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:20 pm

Just thought you guys would be interested. We had a chance to go to Cabo San Lucas with a free condo but weren't going to go unless we could get flights via our NWA miles. Well we upset away our chance to fly out of KC due to indecision, the next day the flights were gone so we started looking regionally. We saw nothing this weekend at any regional airport but today flights opened up in Omaha so we booked them.

Don't know why I thought you guys would even care just thought I'd share. This will be the first time I've ever drove to another city to fly out...I'm glad Eppley is expanding, gives the region another option...I hope their prices continue to fall although I doubt I would ever buy a flight out of Omaha instead of KC due to the 3 hour drive...I doubt price would ever get that much different...in this situation, free (plus the fees) is worth the trip.

So next month I get a bonus trip to Omaha thanks to frequent flier miles....kind of a scary little plane I have to fly from OMA to Houston but can't beat it for the price.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:48 pm

Make sure you go to Sammy Hagar's bar, Cabo Wabo, while down there! Also, try to do a tour with rented four wheelers (most resorts offer this and I don't think you have to be a guest). They take you to some remote desert spots and beaches!

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:48 pm

Don't expect to be wowed. I used to work there at what is now called Hudson News. (It was WHSMith) If you're on a small plane will you be using the main building or the one behind the main building. Omaha people: Isn't that called TACair?

Ingersoll1978 · Post by **Ingersoll1978** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:27 pm

Eppley is a well kept airport. Its always been easy to get in and out. When we flew back to Chicago after Xmas...I felt sorry for the Northwest passengers waiting in line (thank god my bf is a platinum member...no lines!)...

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:04 pm

Yeah, Powercat, don't expect anything glamourous. But anyway, you should try to spend some time in Omaha if you can. heck, you're going to be here anyway.

GaryFL · Post by **GaryFL** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:38 am

I just want to add that whoever decided to put the Omaha Steaks kiosk there is a genius. I've dropped quite a few dollars there each time I've been to town.

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 3:04 pm

I like Epply. I flew out of there a couple of weeks ago when AirForce One was sitting there. I use to fly out of KC a lot but the three hour drive is hardly worth the few bucks you save.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:39 pm

Well the 3 hour drive was well worth us saving $1400....but I agree I wouldn't make the drive (either way) to save $100.

Impressions of a first time Epply user:

- The route to the airport didn't seem very straight forward. Odd getting to an airport on what seemed a normal 4 lane road vs. many airports that have their own exits off freeways.

- We both commented that having the main airport close to downtown is good for business.

- The economy lots are tiny, dirty, but being picked up at your car is nice.

- The shuttle driver cracked us up as he stops at each airline for passengers but would only drive 10 feet before stopping again at another airline....we just decided to jump off early...seriously can't they just drop you off at one or two points?

- Airport inside is nice and well kept. I could see the need for an upgrade or at least some public art pieces to catch people's eye. Size doesn't really bother me...whatever works for the city....all it is is a place to catch planes....and it does just that. I was impressed when we got back at like 9pm and all the food vendors were still open...by then I would have expected most to be shutdown.

- I had never been on such a small plane flying out...1 seat on one side and 2 on the other. That's not really a reflection on OMA though because we had the same type of plane from HOU to Cabo. On the way back we were on normal sized planes.

- We almost experienced one disadvantage of Omaha....we almost missed our connection out of Houston on the way back due to a late first leg....and if we would have missed that 4:30pm flight we would have been rerouted to Memphis for the night and flown to OMA the next morning....something to be said for having a few more flights per carrier.

On the trip we did hit cabo wabo along with about every other bar in Cabo....great place. Thanks Epply, you saved us a ton of cash.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:31 pm

Yeah that airport SUX! It’s quite embarrassing. I always wondered how they could build a freeway style connector/collector to Eppley. The best way I can tell would be to build it off of the 29 and over the Missouri. Of course by then the current gates would be decrepit and maybe they would build the airport on the east south or north side of the property and integrate it into the new freeway. And keep Abbott Dr. accessible.

jsheets · Post by **jsheets** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:59 pm

You could have went the city recommended route by looping up around on the North Freeway, but I don't usually go that way either.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 9:24 pm

pkiphd wrote:Yeah that airport SUX!

No, the Sioux City airport sucks. Literally. Their airport code is "SUX." Haha...

There was an article in the paper a couple years ago about how they wanted that changed but the FAA won't let them.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:23 pm

sheets...we followed the signs and the airport website directions that took us right by Qwest center????....which was cool to see up close

In no way did I say the airport sucked....I'm not one that needs a carinval in an airport....as long as I can catch a plane there I couldn't care less if it has a mall, etc. give me back functionality....it's a transportation hub...that's it.

CountOfMC · Post by **CountOfMC** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:34 pm

Powercat was prob coming from I-29 so most likely he just took 29 North to I-480 West and got off at the Old Market exit. If he came from the west side of the city, he most likely would've followed the north freeway, which is usually the way I take. Less stops. PC, was this the first time you saw the Qwest up close and personal? Were you foaming?

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:54 am

jsheets wrote:You could have went the city recommended route by looping up around on the North Freeway, but I don't usually go that way either.

I think that way takes longer.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:16 am

Thanks for the comments KC... I think we can take from this... an overall thumbs up on Eppley Airfield.

I have yet to hear anyone give a legitimate reason why Eppley 'SUX' (aside from the usual "It doesn't look big enough!" "It has that stupid 'airfield' name!" "The interior colors are out of date!" "blah" "blah" ).

Eppley is an excellent facility, clean, efficient, conveniently located, easy to get in and out of... we're spoiled.

As for getting there... give me a break... most big city airports have access roads which are as long or longer than the stretch of Abbott that separates Eppley from downtown. And when is the last time you encountered a traffic jam getting to/from the airport??? A 680 connector across the Missouri to Storz Expressway would be nice... but only insofar as improving access to those people coming from the north... it will come eventually.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:36 am

I do think it is good that Eppley is so close to downtown. Though I am curious about how much that will restrict highrise growth in Old Market North and areas even further north.

I had an experience in the Pheonix Airport last week (I had 20 minutes to make my transfer and the departure gate could litterally have not been farther away and still been in the airport from my arrival gate...it seemed like two miles at least, but I'm sure that's an exaggeration. I ran on around 12 different moving sidewawlks to get there) that really made me appreciate Eppley's size. While I do think it would be good for Omaha if Eppley becomes an airline hub, I wouldn't ever want it to be more than twice the size it is now.

I do think that the cielings could use some work, as well as more public art and better shops. I also think the outside could be much more flattering than it is. But I like the marble floors and the way that the pickup/drop-off road goes through that canyon of the airport on one side and the parking garage on the other.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:55 am

Thanks for the comments KC... I think we can take from this... an overall thumbs up on Eppley Airfield.

Yup. I caught my flight and landed fine. I care nothing more about airports.

the route-in comment was just us getting confused because we are used to KCI driving off i29 and jumping right into the airport road....the route we took included stoplights, turns, etc...seemed more like driving through a small town (not OMA itself, the stuff after we got past Qwest) on the way to the airport opposed to just an airport access road....no biggie at all.

Count....Qwest does look good up close. Even the wife commented on it's features and she cares not about buildings.

swift...I wonder if the airport being close does give the OMA CVB a lot of selling points. I never thought so but the wife did and she's in the tourist industry so I defer to her on things like that....I figured either way companies have to pay car services to pick up people. For KC specifically you can always fly your big wigs into our downtown airport which can handle about anything smaller than a 747.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:04 pm

I kow Gallup moved from Lincoln to Omaha because of having the Qwest Center and the Airport so close to each other. I have seen on lots of differant Chamber and convention sites saying how close the airport is to DT and everything down there.

Asten · Post by **Asten** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 6:04 pm

Swift wrote:I do think it is good that Eppley is so close to downtown. Though I am curious about how much that will restrict highrise growth in Old Market North and areas even further north.

The way the runways are set up at Eppley, this isn't an issue (well, except for Counciltuckey... sorry, no 400 foot buildings across the river!). I do love sitting on the left side of the plane coming in from the south, especially at night. You get a great view of downtown on approach!

Eppley is a great airport for the population it serves. If anything, it is almost too big for its own good. It always looks empty!