Moderators: nebugeater, Omaha Cowboy, Brad, BRoss
Waiting for a flight gives you the chance to e-mail a co-worker or catch up with a friend on Facebook.
Starting in April, Eppley Airfield will make that even easier to do.
The airport will begin offering free wireless Internet service in the upper-level terminal, lounge and shopping areas. Right now visitors have to pay $3.95 for access to the wireless system.
Yes, it runs light most of the time.justnick wrote:Is there even a single bus that goes to Eppley?
You're preaching to the choir on that one!Our bus system is so random and stupid.
A prediction: I predict that no one knows what the airline industry will look like in 2010, much less 2020. That said, your prediction is not out of the realm of possibility.nativeomahan wrote:A prediction:
In the year 2020 none of this terminal expansion will be in place.
I love this vision, and hope it becomes a reality. HOWEVER (and that's a big HOWEVER), I would be more than fine if this NEVER HAPPENED if that meant expanded passenger rail in Omaha and in the rest of the country. The same effort that would have rebuilt Eppley could be applied to bringing our rail infrastructure into the 21st century, with a new intermodul hub. There could even be the creation of a "port authority"-type organization which would oversee the airport, and the intermodul hub.nativeomahan wrote:A prediction:
In the year 2020 none of this terminal expansion will be in place.
Well I'd say Chicago but you're right about Omaha not becoming a major hub. Kansas City failed miserably multiple times over the years. The preliminary plan proposed recently about expanding the current terminal seems to be a good idea.guitarguy wrote:that might be the best for the airport though since i doubt omaha will ever become a major enough hub to justify building a huge expansion onto the airport. Denvers airport will always be the center of the countrys airport hub.
-adam
I though they were just trying to spin a positive out of a bad economy.Bob from Omaha wrote:I listened to the show and the thing that struck me was a sense of mediocrity. "Well we're excited about Airtran flying to Milwaukee".
Sarah Reinecke WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Some passengers going through security in Eppley's south terminal were to start using the body scanner Tuesday morning, and a second scanner was scheduled to be installed in the north terminal in a few weeks. The Transportation Security Administration began using body scanners in 2007 as part of its efforts to identify security threats. Eppley Airfield will become the 29th U.S. airport to use the scanners.
ppley's scanner uses backscatter imaging, which projects low-level X-ray beams over the body to create a reflection of the body on a monitor. Fotenos said the image is blurred, resembling a chalk etching, but metal, plastic and liquids show up on the image. The face on the image is also blurred, and from the chalklike etching, officers cannot determine who the person is. The image allows the viewer to see many items out of the ordinary, such as a cell phone case attached to a belt loop. The officer viewing the image will be in a remote, locked room and won't see the people in line.
Didn't Airtran merge with Southwest a while back?OmahaJaysCU wrote:Does Airtran not operate via Skywest from Epply anymore?
I hope so. After having been to 7 different airports in the past three weeks, Eppley could really use some work. I'd start with replacing the poop brown jet walks and converting the two small terminals into one large one. Those two things have always bothered me the most.OmahaJaysCU wrote:Article in the MBJ friday about Eppley Airfield. They said that a terminal expansion/overhaul is "several years off." I don;t think they put their articles online either...
I must agree that Eppley is one of the most convenient and enjoyable airports there is.S33 wrote:Yeah, it would be nice to have some big, fancy schmancy airport with shops and restaurants, but the timeliness and convenience of Eppley is unrivaled from any airport I've ever been through, and I'm not complaining.
What is it? shag??The other day I was cursing and imagining what slow torture I would inflict on the MORON who put carpeting in the ticket counter area of LAS, as I was pulling the bag on rollers from one end to the other!
Silver Lining. Back in the day you actually drove to the airport to eat. You parked for free & watched a few planes take off & land while you ate your steak, potatoes, salad & pasta for $4.95.Omababe wrote:I must agree that Eppley is one of the most convenient and enjoyable airports there is.S33 wrote:Yeah, it would be nice to have some big, fancy schmancy airport with shops and restaurants, but the timeliness and convenience of Eppley is unrivaled from any airport I've ever been through, and I'm not complaining.
Compared to the three (actually 4, but DEN does not count) other airports I've been in over the past month (MDW, LAX, LAS), OMA is the least stress-inducing.
The other day I was cursing and imagining what slow torture I would inflict on the MORON who put carpeting in the ticket counter area of LAS, as I was pulling the bag on rollers from one end to the other!
I swear the vendors at MDW have a contest to see who can actually sell the WARMEST soda!
Yes, Eppley could use more dining options, particularly on the far side of security. A real sit-down breakfast place would be nice.
Hey, whatever happened to that real restaurant (Silver Cloud?) they had at Eppley many years (decades?) ago?
Maybe it was a fluke because it was the middle of the afternoon on Thanksgiving, but I flew out of MDW for the first time (not on a layover) and found it quite convenient. The L has a heated station and covered walkway to the terminal, there were no lines at the check-in counter and there were express check ins for those who weren't checking baggage (which were absent at Eppley), no lines at security (although there were when I came back on Saturday), the food court was pleasant and had a wide variety (although I don't think it was passed security), and it just looked up to date.Omababe wrote:I must agree that Eppley is one of the most convenient and enjoyable airports there is.S33 wrote:Yeah, it would be nice to have some big, fancy schmancy airport with shops and restaurants, but the timeliness and convenience of Eppley is unrivaled from any airport I've ever been through, and I'm not complaining.
Compared to the three (actually 4, but DEN does not count) other airports I've been in over the past month (MDW, LAX, LAS), OMA is the least stress-inducing.
The other day I was cursing and imagining what slow torture I would inflict on the MORON who put carpeting in the ticket counter area of LAS, as I was pulling the bag on rollers from one end to the other!
I swear the vendors at MDW have a contest to see who can actually sell the WARMEST soda!
Yes, Eppley could use more dining options, particularly on the far side of security. A real sit-down breakfast place would be nice.
Hey, whatever happened to that real restaurant (Silver Cloud?) they had at Eppley many years (decades?) ago?
No, but it's thick enough so dragging a heavy suitcase over it becomes a chore when the shuttle lets you off at the far and and Southwest is waaaayyyyy up there at the other end!What is it? shag??
Midway is really not bad at all. It's a bit larger and usually more crowded than Eppley but it's never as zooey as O'Hare can be.TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Maybe it was a fluke because it was the middle of the afternoon on Thanksgiving, but I flew out of MDW for the first time (not on a layover) and found it quite convenient. The L has a heated station and covered walkway to the terminal, there were no lines at the check-in counter ...
Not much additional info, but here's confirmation of the above:OMATOL wrote:Some new service for Eppley:
Starting at the end of March, US Airways will begin flying to Charlotte (CLT) and Washington National (DCA). CLT service will be 2x a day while DCA will be 1x. Flights are loaded on US Airways' website, though I haven't seen any press releases yet.
Thanks for the explanation. I've always noticed the lights on the taller buildings, but for some reason they felt more abundant. Definitely not one of my finer moments on eomahaforums. :lol:Mr.Nuke wrote:The simple rule is anything at or over 200 feet above ground level (AGL) requires the red beacon regardless of proximity to an airport. There are other varying rules for specific situations like structures within 1500 feet of a runway, etc that may dictate lighting for smaller structures specifically very near airports (way closer than downtown is to Eppley).
You almost exploded my head.mrsticka wrote:Anyone familiar with Cleveland Hopkins International's design? I've seen it, and if that airport wasn't built the way it was, I could see that being Omaha's design for its airport, except reversed, of course.
We're not a hub. Simple as that. It's cheaper (although not convenient for passengers) to fly everyone to a hub for connecting flights. We're just too close to Chicago and Denver to get many of our own direct flights. I hope airlines move away from the hub concept eventually. Until then, we'll be treated like overnight FedEx packages, which all go through Memphis.Bob from Omaha wrote:I am still amazed that Eppley hasn't added much new service.
Where is Southwest to LAX, BWI, MCO, etc.?
Where is United to IAD (Dulles), LAX, SFO?
Where is AA to MIA?
Once and for all the Airport Authority needs to get agressive and assertive with regard to expanded service. The airport could be a huge economic engine. I know it is but it could be so much more. And with regard to a new terminal I think that you could easily add gates to the current concourses, 5 each, and have plenty of gates.