OT: LaGuardia Airport

Yeah I’ve thought the same thing. It really went from worst to first. They are actually redoing all the NYC area airports, Newark and JFK too, should be a way better experience in the next few years.

Of course that doesn't deal with the greatest problem--it's in Queens.

^^ And... if the pilot overshoots the runway by 8 or 10 feet, you end up in Flushing Bay. Lol

I don’t ever remember a plane crash near La Guardia, but when I was a kid I remember a place crashing on Rockaway Blvd by Idlewild( Now JFK International Airport)

I don’t want to turn this into a political discussion - but I think it was Joe Biden who said one of the NY area airports looked like a third world country.

It’s about time they are finally fixing things up. I was at the new terminal A at Newark Liberty a few days ago, and it was very nice! It is clean, with windows, and decent looking food options too. It was also easy to drive in and out.

The airspace over NYC is notoriously crowded. I know there is little that can be done to expand the footprint of the airports, but it is nice they have improved the terminals.

^ I remember these two that wound up in the bay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAir_Flig…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAir_Flig…

I think there were two different crashes the one I distinctly remember was about 1961, my parents had a summer cottage in Far Rockaway and I was 8 or 9, and my dad couldn’t come after work so we stayed there for a week or two untill they started letting traffic through again.

I so rarely fly commercial that I have not been to that airport in 10 years at least.

Newark is very nice now. The old areas of LaGuardia are the worst in the US

I spent 4 years in the USAF and 42 years working for a major air line. I haven't been to an air port since I retired in 2009. I don't miss it.

^ I wish I had the luxury of avoiding commercial airports, but it is what it is. But IMO and IME the quality of an airport makes a tremendous difference in how much of a burden it is to fly commercially. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for being stuck for hours in a shitty airport. Fortunately JAX, which is my home airport, is not bad, but I always hated having to fly to crappy airports, especially LGA or LAX. Now at least I can cross LGA off my list of crappy airports to fly to.

What also used to help make flying a little more tolerable is that I had status on my regular airline, which meant that I could use faster security lanes and had boarding priority so that my carry-on never got checked. I lost that during the extended holdout of workers refusing to return to their offices. So I was forced to get an airline credit card in order to get the boarding priority perk. It doesn't help with security, but at least I can still always get my carry-on into the plane.

Hopefully LAX will get the same upgrade sometime. It’s difficult to comprehend how a country like the USA can have an airport that’s a load of bollocks.

I usually fly out of McCollum airport here is Atlanta, occasionally PDK. I enjoy being able to walk up and through the airport straight to your plane. In Jacksonville I usually fly into Craig Airport. The small airports that I go through don't have all the food choices, news stands, and other bullshit but it is nice to have no lines just walk straight to your plane. Several years ago a buddy of mine was going through a divorce, he owned a plane that he placed in a timeshare type deal with Delta (he owned the plane, they service it and use it for charters, the more they use it the more credit it builds him so he actually never had an expense other than the initial purchase, he flew about once a month for free) In the divorce he needed to sell it and offered me a great price. So now I own a plane that Delta uses for charters and I can use anytime I want, it's quite handy

Pre-Covid I used to fly to ATL 1x or 2x per year to club - that ATL airport was always a monsoon-of-people - I would usually get to the gate with an hour+ to spare and would often hang in the International (flights) concourse since it was pretty-new and nice and more spacious (although my flight did not depart from that concourse).

I’ve always avoided LaGuardia when flying east. JFK at least had some restaurants during layovers. Now maybe this will add another option.

Rick forgot to mention the most important thing about Terminal B, there’s a Shake Shack. No Olive Garden though.

^ I got breakfast before my flight hone at a Junior's. A slice of cheesecake and a cup of coffee. Very nice.

^ cheesecake for breakfast? I think you just sent a shiver down my doctor's spine.

^ There were plenty of traditional breakfast options as well. I just had a hankering for Junior's cheesecake. I drank my coffee black though. 😁

^ There's a Junior's on the ground floor of the Fox Tower (formerly MGM Tower) at Foxwoods. We had a suite there for a bachelor's party a few years back and I had breakfast at Junior's both mornings that weekend. Didn't have any cheesecake though, at least not for breakfast.

Junior’s cheesecake is a treat. I’m sure it was an enjoyable breakfast before your flight.

Good to hear. EWR/JFK/LGA are my home base options. I have flown out of all three countless times, but LGA the least. As the first impression to many international travelers visiting our country, LGA has been an embarrassment for a long time.

I'm assuming Rick flies SW, maybe DL or AA. The crash that 25 refers to involved a midair collision between a United DC8 jet, and a TWA L1049 prop plane. United overshot it's holding pattern ramming TWA.

One can sign up for TSA trusted traveler program which once screened and accepted is good for 5 yrs of expedited lines.

DL worked good for me in many cases, but their terminal in TPA and LAX kinda suck because it lacked a quick grap Quiznos or Subway kind of place. ATL is crowded, but plenty of good quick eatery places. I'm not a fan of buying and waiting for an overpriced hamburger at the so prevalent bar and grill type.

I was well acquainted with LGA but that was 30+ years ago. It was cramped and dungeon like then. What I could swing it I preferred the longer drive to EWR. I have been hearing good things about the new terminal.

TSA Pre is worth the money, about $20 per year, if you fly more than once or twice a year. I have status on a couple of airlines but the TSA Pre line is always a better option as you don't have to take stuff off or out of your bag. In large airports with many TSA check areas, I'll make sure I walk to the area for Precheck.

I can't find any article mentioning Trump's involvement. It was a public-private partnership approved by the Port Authority before he became President. In fact it looks like Cuomo and VP Biden got the ball rolling in 2014.

Cuomo, With Biden, Announces Contests to Upgrade Airports in New York City
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/21/nyreg…