LAX

[Bir48die]

It has those stupid little pods with 6-8 gates, no bathrooms and little food. San Diego had a bit of that but has upgraded. PDX going through upgrades to it's one crappy concourse.

Trying to remember another airport that is as outdated. I do agree ORD needs work badly. I do know it has the worst HVAC system in all of the U.S.

 

[COcheesehead]

LAX, all the NY area ones, O’Hare needs to come out of the 80’s, Atlanta needs to add a few more trains (not). I mean it takes at least two trains to get to your rental car. Memphis and Kansas City need updates.

 

[W2R]

I haven't been through LAX since mid-September, 2001.

It was exhausting, outdated, inconvenient, and miserable even back then.

You know, there are a lot of huge advantages to this "not traveling" thing.

I honestly can't think of a single airport that I miss.

(Oh, and I also don't miss the joys of sitting out on a tarmac for hours while confined in a cramped coach seat, due to some unanticipated delay. And then let me go into the TSA... well, I'll spare you.)

Different strokes for different folks, and staying home is what I prefer.

 

[COcheesehead]

I haven't been through LAX since mid-September, 2001.

It was exhausting, outdated, inconvenient, and miserable even back then.

You know, there are a lot of huge advantages to this "not traveling" thing.

I honestly can't think of a single airport that I miss.

(Oh, and I also don't miss the joys of sitting out on a tarmac for hours while confined in a cramped coach seat, due to some unanticipated delay. And then let me go into the TSA... well, I'll spare you.)

Different strokes for different folks, and staying home is what I prefer.

An airport is a means to an end. Travel is the cake in my life. I don’t need it, but man it’s good to taste.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

But my current nightmare airport is ORD. The transition from a domestic terminal to the international terminal is unbelievable. You have to find the spot, then get a card you have to hold out in front of you while you stand on line for 20 minutes or so, then walk to a bus that drives you over to the other side of the airport where you hand your card back in. After doing that on the last two trips I'll never connect through there again!

+1. I did that routine about a month ago. Complete Rube Goldberg machine.

I did get to fly on one of those A380 beast airplanes though, so that was cool. Simply amazing that it can get into the air. Too bad its not economically feasible for them to continuing making them.

 

[Car-Guy]

When I worked I flew a lot and LAX was on the top of my list to avoid.

 

[Freedom56]

Okay -

Anyhoo, what the hell is that sh!+ h0le called LAX? My gosh, we thought we were transported to some 3rd world hell hole! It's been about 20 years since I was at LAX. It was worthy of bulldozing back then. During numerous follow on business trips, I just used John Wayne. As a "seasoned citizen," I forget to remember some stuff. I forgot to avoid LAX.

We fly out of LAX all the time. I really don't know what you are talking about. It's going through a major transformation now and will be completed by 2023 including the new terminal. The only third world terminal I'm aware of is Terminal One which is Southwest (fitting for a sh!th0le airline). Terminal 2 was completely renovated and is gorgeous. Virgin Atlantic fly's out of this terminal. Bradley international was the first to go through the transformation and is now world class. The airline lounges are incredible. Terminal 6 updates have been completed are are nice.

 

[Avalon]

LAX was the last airport I ever departed from. I'd taken a bus from Long beach Naval shipyard. That was May of 1969. I was done with a chapter in my life and ready to be home. LAX didn't seem so bad at the time. No better or worse that other airports.
So that was my last flight on an airplane. I'm not afraid of flying at all. Just haven't needed a plane as a means of transportation since then.

I've been back to California on Amtrak vacations. Very enjoyable. It's changed a lot out there. It seems prettier, the air is much cleaner. The people are more friendly now.

 

[Brat]

... PDX going through upgrades to it's one crappy concourse.

..

?? I guess I must be using the nice concourses. The problematic concourse is the one used by Horizon where you walk out on the tarmac. What I like is that you can hand your luggage off at the airplane and pick it up as you disembark at your destination. No waiting for baggage handlers.

For those who don't want to fight traffic to the city light rail stops where cars stop for arriving travelers. This extension to the MAX was reportedly funded by major employers in Beaverton years ago. What a great gift!

 

[Red Badger]

We fly out of LAX all the time. I really don't know what you are talking about. It's going through a major transformation now and will be completed by 2023 including the new terminal. The only third world terminal I'm aware of is Terminal One which is Southwest (fitting for a sh!th0le airline). Terminal 2 was completely renovated and is gorgeous. Virgin Atlantic fly's out of this terminal. Bradley international was the first to go through the transformation and is now world class. The airline lounges are incredible. Terminal 6 updates have been completed are are nice.

Respectfully disagree. We were in whatever terminal house gates 30-39. All gate seats full and folks standing everywhere. Only a few packed eateries. Mostly just kiosks. Long lines tor the ladies - slightly better (but still a wait) for men. Had to take a bus (with significant wait times) to the terminal where we could use a lounge. So, if I missed "the good parts," I'll choose to refrain from any future opportunity. As I said in my OP, CA has numerous fine airports and we do have choices. For the LA area, it's John Wayne. I just forgot I knew that.

 

[stepford]

I'll say this: I've never had to spend the night on a terminal bench due to bad weather in LAX (as I have in Chicago, Atlanta and NYC). That goes a long way toward making my impression of LAX a lot less negative than any eastern airports.

 

[Freedom56]

We fly out of LAX all the time. I really don't know what you are talking about. It's going through a major transformation now and will be completed by 2023 including the new terminal. The only third world terminal I'm aware of is Terminal One which is Southwest (fitting for a sh!th0le airline). Terminal 2 was completely renovated and is gorgeous. Virgin Atlantic fly's out of this terminal. Bradley international was the first to go through the transformation and is now world class. The airline lounges are incredible. Terminal 6 updates have been completed are are nice.



Respectfully disagree. We were in whatever terminal house gates 30-39. All gate seats full and folks standing everywhere. Only a few packed eateries. Mostly just kiosks. Long lines tor the ladies - slightly better (but still a wait) for men. Had to take a bus (with significant wait times) to the terminal where we could use a lounge. So, if I missed "the good parts," I'll choose to refrain from any future opportunity. As I said in my OP, CA has numerous fine airports and we do have choices. For the LA area, it's John Wayne. I just forgot I knew that.

Well I would not trash an entire airport that is so massive and is undergoing a transformation without all the facts or even visiting one of the updated terminals. We fly out of LAX about 4 to 6 times per year. Our experience has been nothing but positive. Fast check in and zip right through security to the airline lounge that is not too far from the gates (no bus needed). We can relax in the airline lounge and munch on snacks and enjoy the open bar and wait for our flight to be called. There are many airlines we avoid such as Southwest and Delta as their planes are old and filthy and they fly out of old terminals for one reason (they save money). We also avoid discount carriers. Flying through one of the updated terminals on premium carrier in first or business class may change your opinion of LAX.

 

[zinger1457]

Flying through one of the updated terminals on premium carrier in first or business class may change your opinion of LAX.

That's a pretty limited view of a very large airport.

 

[meierlde]

once upon a time in the 1970s LAX had arriving and departing was on the same level. In the old continental terminal you used to go down escalators to get to the lower level. The escalators still run but downstairs is no where. (exit and entrance to the gates is on the upper level (at least in the 1990s). The upper level was put in for the 1984 olympics in LA. Except for the International terminal all the basic terminals date from the 1950s, although remodeled several times since.

 

[Dtail]

Coming from the Northeast down to Florida, I must say that I love the Tampa airport. Great signs and logically laid out vs. the NY/NJ airports.
Just needs to have more direct flights.

 

[scrabbler1]

I remember back in the 1980s having to change planes at Dallas-Fort Worth (American Airlines). I came in at a gate at one end and had to walk the entire length of a long semi-circle plus part of another in order to get to my connecting flight. The walkway was narrow and crowded, as I was struggling not only against the crowd but also those little golf-cart trams beeping at everyone as they fought with all the people for the limited floor space. It made O'Hare, another airport I often changed planes at, and LAX, another airport I once changed planes at in the 1980s, look like a dream.

 

[LRDave]

Of the smaller airports, I like JAX a lot. Easy parking, Easy drop-off, reasonably well-served, easy on-site rental car pick-up. If one is traveling to Georgia's Golden Isles by air, JAX is the place to do it.

 

[Red Badger]

That's a pretty limited view of a very large airport.

Yeah, and FWIW, we were first class passengers. But alas, we were slumming it by flying Delta (our carrier of choice). Please excuse us, we need to go wash ourselves.

 

[Freedom56]

That's a pretty limited view of a very large airport.

Not really... Most of the terminals have been upgraded inside. The only one's that have not been update are home to airlines where passengers get sucked out of the window and the other where the average age of their fleet is about 16 years. We flew Delta once from LAX to PBI with a connection in ATL. The flight from LAX was on an old 757 where the seats were torn and there were stains all over and this was first class. The flight from ATL to PBI was on an ancient MD80 that was literally falling apart (the handle on my seat fell off). Another time it was Delta from LAX to MIA which was on another 757 and absolutely filthy. So my first class experience on Delta was not that great. We flew Southwest once and only once from FLL to BWI and what a horrible airline. I thought the aircraft was going to fall apart. My wife absolutely will not fly Southwest and for that matter neither will I. So my my experience at LAX was soley flying on domestic carriers that are worse than many third world airlines, I guess I would have a negative view of flying and their airports. We won't fly Southwest or Delta.

 

[ElizabethT]

Oh noooooo............ We are going to fly out of LAX next month...

I didn't know...

Flying out of it isn't that bad, just arrive early because sometimes it takes longer to wind your way around to the correct terminal, than it does to get to the airport.

We are an easy 20 minutes from the wonderful John Wayne Airport (SNA), however, it offers virtually no direct flights to anywhere along the east coast where our family lives, nor internationally, so we suck it up and do the slog to LAX to avoid having to take connecting flights.

 

[Freedom56]

Some reasons why you shouldn't fly Delta - So it's just not my opinion that Delta planes are filthy. This poor guy was subjected to much worse than a torn seat and stains.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...ter-michigan-customer-sits-in-feces-on-flight

These people risked their lives stepping into a 32 year old Delta plane:

https://people.com/travel/delta-plane-engine-failed-glowed-orange-midflight/


I'm happy we have premium carriers like JetBlue with their wonderful Mint service and the Virgin America (now Alaska) premium jets to shuttle us to Florida.

 

[Bir48die]

?? I guess I must be using the nice concourses. The problematic concourse is the one used by Horizon where you walk out on the tarmac. What I like is that you can hand your luggage off at the airplane and pick it up as you disembark at your destination. No waiting for baggage handlers.



For those who don't want to fight traffic to the city light rail stops where cars stop for arriving travelers. This extension to the MAX was reportedly funded by major employers in Beaverton years ago. What a great gift!

If you turn right and go to "E" concourse that flies United you'd know what I'm talking about. You're speaking about "A" which flies prop planes to Seattle every half hour. I don't have any expectations for commuter gates

 

[Scuba]

I choose to fly out of LAX because of the massively better selection of carriers and flights vs any other So CA airport. I’d rather get places non-stop and have plenty of choices if my flight is cancelled or seriously delayed. SNA, LGB, BUR, and ONT may all be great if you happen to be going somewhere they service directly, but your options are very limited at these other airports.

 

[Freedom56]

I choose to fly out of LAX because of the massively better selection of carriers and flights vs any other So CA airport. I’d rather get places non-stop and have plenty of choices if my flight is cancelled or seriously delayed. SNA, LGB, BUR, and ONT may all be great if you happen to be going somewhere they service directly, but your options are very limited at these other airports.

Agree... We live about 20 minutes from Burbank airport but there are very few flight options for us out of Burbank. Lax is much better.

 

[Ger0n1mo]

Have you seen LaGuardia Airport in the last few years. Absolutely the worst airport I've ever been in. Downright embarrassing place--as is the city surrounding that airport.

Only redeeming factor was that my wife was in a wheelchair last year, and they whizzed us through the security line. It was the line from Hell for the rest of the travelers going through security.

I worked for a German company for many years. Several of my coworkers told me how Germans would dream of coming to America from seeing all of the beautiful landscape pictures. Then, they land in LaGuardia or Kennedy and think they landed in a third world country.