Worst & Best Airports

[Ted Striker]

so why can the SLC airport successfully have flights direct to Europe and Asia and be so close to mountains east and west of it? It’s lower elevation than DIA but is that the only reason why it works fine here in SLC? Maybe DIA was located where it is to accommodate more runway directions and therefore moreflights?

Yeah, you answered your own question. DEN was built as a clean sheet idea in the 90s with the knowledge that it would become a major hub due to geography and population. SLC is where aviation pioneers held airshows. It would only get built in its current location today if there weren't any other options. And only with the knowledge that it could never grow beyond a certain capacity. I think DEN is always in the top ten (worldwide) for aircraft movements, whereas SLC has +/- half the traffic. Plus, a lot more NIMBYs in the 90s.

The departure out of SLC is somewhat complicated, and some flights are probably load limited. DEN is just like any other major US airport (only higher).

[Ted Striker]

Used to take our obese C5s there. They can take long-range heavies just fine. We also used to land those fuckers on 6500' runways tho. We were always up for a challenge so what's super doable by my standards DEFINITELY aren't good for commercial purposes. Haha

C5 and B777/3 are +/- the same weight: ~800k lbs, with give/take 200k pounds of thrust, but the C5's advantage is moar engines! A jet needs to be able to lose one engine on the runway, take-off, and climb to a safe altitude. That's a quarter of the C5's power, but half the 777's. So the C5 is far more versatile. As it should be.

[muted reborn]

Thanks Ted!

[Kevo]

I recently had a 5 hour layover in Denver turn into a 7+ hour layover because of a delay.

Holy fuck that airport is so shitty. I used to fly into and out of there 40 times a year. It's gone so downhill. There isn't enough security capacity. Any food option has a 20+ minute wait. There isn't enough train capacity. There isn't enough bathroom capacity. The United lounge there is probably the worst carrier owned lounge in North America. Long haul flights out of there on any airline have probably the worst catering of any airport I've flown out of in a first world country.

The airport design is so terrible. You basically have to go through one of two security lines that often have 40+ minute waits. There is bridge security to terminal A, which used to be a good option, but now it basically never has a precheck lane open.

I tried to use the restroom in the lounge after getting off an 11 hour flight only to find a line out the door of the restroom. After waiting 10 minutes in line, I gave up and left to find a bathroom somewhere else in terminal, only to find the other restrooms with equally terrible lines. I finally found one without as many people, but with fucking water all over the floor from one of the toilets continually spilling over. Any time someone walked past the stall with said toilet it would auto flush and more water would flood the restroom. What. the. fuck.

DEN and United have gotten so shitty I've given up on connecting through DEN unless it's the only option. SLC is marginally better- I'd rather fly Delta without status through SLC than fly United as a platinum or 1k member through DEN.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Got a trip back east coming up with a flight to EWR and then return out of PIT...not exactly the nicest airports. PIT is interesting in that it's a ghost town and the old US Air shit is sort of morbidly cool to think about how busy it once was. EWR just sucks...well, at least where Alaska flies into. Last time I was there they had temporary bathrooms in the middle of the walkways with lines 40 people deep and dirty as fuck. It's the only time I elected to take a dump on the plane.

[The AD]

The airport design is so terrible. You basically have to go through one of two security lines that often have 40+ minute waits.

It does seem like an awfully limited number of security lines for such a big airport. I believe Sea-Tac, for example, has six and it has about 50% less passenger throughout than DEN.

[skaredshtles]

It does seem like an awfully limited number of security lines for such a big airport. I believe Sea-Tac, for example, has six and it has about 50% less passenger throughout than DEN.

I belive that they are remodeling the security process as we speak... I don't remember the details on how they're going to change it, but I believe that they are increasing the security capacity.

[nickwm21]

The new fancy motorized bin return system at SEATAC security is such a swing-and-a-miss…. What a fucking unbelievable waste of money that actually somehow seems to slow down security.

Many airports in Europe have a simple roller track at the end of the security check with a slight decline to the front, where you just plop your bin on when you’re done and it just cruises downhill on the roller track to the next passenger waiting for a bid before the check… Such a simple solution.


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[alpinevibes]

^^^ Juneau is a piece of cake compared to Sitka, esp before they lengthened the runways.

Heh. This. Had some fun, zero-vis flights into there. Similar setup to Svolvær in Lofoten.

We flew from Lima to Cusco and our 737/a320 did a pretty crazy steep banked turn through the mountains above the city as part of its approach.

Flights into Musandam, Oman, Pemba, Mozambique, and then Taipei on the tail end of Typhoon Soudelor have been some of the more interesting spots and departures/approaches.

[Ted Striker]

IIRC, Juneau AK has a sketch approach and departure. Lots of rocks in the clouds there.

^^^ Juneau is a piece of cake compared to Sitka, esp before they lengthened the runways.

From a pilot's perspective, Meadow Skipper is correct. PAJN has an angled IFR approach that points into a narrow channel with mountains on both sides. The missed approach is an "immediate" climbing turn - initially toward the rocks - through 130° of compass change. If you get the field visual, fly past the missed approach point, and subsequently have to do a go-around (i.e. bear on the runway) you're now flying VFR surrounded by hills.

PASI is a straight-in approach to a flat island surrounded by water.

[AK47bp]

Got a trip back east coming up with a flight to EWR and then return out of PIT...not exactly the nicest airports. PIT is interesting in that it's a ghost town and the old US Air shit is sort of morbidly cool to think about how busy it once was. EWR just sucks...well, at least where Alaska flies into. Last time I was there they had temporary bathrooms in the middle of the walkways with lines 40 people deep and dirty as fuck. It's the only time I elected to take a dump on the plane.

Um, you do realize that PIT has a statue of Franco Harris AND a replica T-Rex statue right? Not to mention a TGI Fridays.





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[alpinevibes]

From a pilot's perspective, Meadow Skipper is correct. PAJN has an angled IFR approach that points into a narrow channel with mountains on both sides. The missed approach is an "immediate" climbing turn - initially toward the rocks - through 130° of compass change. If you get the field visual, fly past the missed approach point, and subsequently have to do a go-around (i.e. bear on the runway) you're now flying VFR surrounded by hills.

PASI is a straight-in approach to a flat island surrounded by water.

True, 100%.

I'm not a pilot, but Sitka always woke me up because of the lack of wiggle room once you touch down

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Um, you do realize that PIT has a statue of Franco Harris AND a replica T-Rex statue right? Not to mention a TGI Fridays.





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Wash down an Ambien with some TGI Fridays well drinks and you're a solid lock to make the evening news.

[AK47bp]

Wash down an Ambien with some TGI Fridays well drinks and you're a solid lock to make the evening news.

Do people really take Ambien for domestic flights?

Seems troublesome.

I used to eat a Xanax bar with double gin and tonics back before I had a kid. Called it time travel because I’d just wake up in a different state.




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[BmillsSkier]

Wash down an Ambien with some TGI Fridays well drinks and you're a solid lock to make the evening news.

Don’t forget the flair.

[phatty]

The new fancy motorized bin return system at SEATAC security is such a swing-and-a-miss….

TSA Pre and you don't have to worry about it.

[Boosh]

I used to eat a Xanax bar with double gin and tonics back before I had a kid. Called it time travel because I’d just wake up in a different state.

on a 6 hour cross country flight a few years ago my buddy was seated in the middle between a very large woman and a lady with a crying baby on her lap. before takeoff he asked our other friend for a melatonin to help him sleep, but that guy was a true friend and slipped him a xanny instead. dude woke up in Seattle and was like "WOW that melatonin really worked", we revealed to him that it was something much stronger, he appreciated it and we all had a good laugh

[EWG]

I can’t let another 5 pages go by without mentioning that as airports go, Philadelphia International makes for a crappy bus terminal.

God that airport sucks.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Do people really take Ambien for domestic flights?

Seems troublesome.

I used to eat a Xanax bar with double gin and tonics back before I had a kid. Called it time travel because I’d just wake up in a different state.




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I think Ambien is the blame for a lot of the out of control psychos on planes nowadays but then again I could be wrong and we're just in hell.

[Danno]

Philadelphia

Nuff said.

[alpinevibes]

on a 6 hour cross country flight a few years ago my buddy was seated in the middle between a very large woman and a lady with a crying baby on her lap. before takeoff he asked our other friend for a melatonin to help him sleep, but that guy was a true friend and slipped him a xanny instead. dude woke up in Seattle and was like "WOW that melatonin really worked", we revealed to him that it was something much stronger, he appreciated it and we all had a good laugh

Friend of mine, 5' 95lbs female, took a full ambien for a 10+ hr international flight. Mid-flight they got diverted, landed and everyone had to disembark. She was still pretty fully drugged and managed to fall while exiting the plane. Broke her nose and had to have it set the next day at a Peruvian hospital. Unideal, but made for a good laugh.

[The AD]

I think it's funny how most Americans can totally veg out on their La-Z-Boy at home for a few hours while watching TV, but they need some kind of knockout pill to make it through a few hours on an airplane.

[skaredshtles]

I think it's funny how most Americans can totally veg out on their La-Z-Boy at home for a few hours while watching TV, but they need some kind of knockout pill to make it through a few hours on an airplane.

Uhhh... airplane seats and the general public.

I can understand the desire to be completely out of it for such travel.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

I think it's funny how most Americans can totally veg out on their La-Z-Boy at home for a few hours while watching TV, but they need some kind of knockout pill to make it through a few hours on an airplane.

A lazy boy that's not getting pitched sideways for hours while some kid kicks the shit out of the back of it and jabba the hut oozing out of his seat next to you

[AK47bp]

I think it's funny how most Americans can totally veg out on their La-Z-Boy at home for a few hours while watching TV, but they need some kind of knockout pill to make it through a few hours on an airplane.

Dang, what airline you flying?


Lazy boy class would be amazing


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