re: Airport to open 7-8 years before roads to it finished.

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f you're going to built a new airport, why remodel the existing one? (Ravens-49ers Super Bowl. What year was that?)

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That remodel was part of the bid to get the Super Bowl. But I can promise, it was the proverbial lipstick on a pig. Id did nothing to fix the internal airport problems, the mass inefficencies, the security line problems, and the crappy employees and concessions. Also, that deal was agreed to before Mitchy took office =)

I firmly believe we need a new terminal... and the one we are getting will serve us well for decades to go. Having one large checkpoint will be nice... and having all options available to travelers once through security (not options dependent upon concourse) will be good. This is what most modern airports our size look like.

Having said that... this project has been a disaster from the go. We this shotgun marriage of companies doing the construction. Our aviation director (who, surprisingly, was REALLY good, left right after construction kicked off). The concession contracts, while better than the old terminal, are still less than impressive.

But the lack of a direct ramp is absolutely, positively insane.

Put a damn toll on it. A buck, whatever. Make it all electronic - people can pay their toll online before they go, or they can do a pay by plate system. Or put a toll booth or airport property near the end of the ramp.

Offer a combo toll/parking deal.

There are so many ways to handle this... but they all require a slight amount of progessive, out of the box thinking. Expecting DOTD and/or Kenner to do that is way out of the question.

Also... the tunnel isn't used now because it's a security nightmare. Not sure what changes that.

The lack of plans for parking, rental cars, etc, is absolutely infuriating. A shuttle? Really? That's the great idea? They should have built all that on the north side as well.

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I mean, as soon as they started site clearing for this terminal, I thought to myself, surely they are going to soon start the roadway infrastructure that's going to be necessary to actually get people there. I kept wondering and wondering, when that was going to start, knowing there was no way those little streets and existing interstate exit configurations would be able to handle it.

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State has no money to pay for it (and if they did... every other fricking part of the state would want the same amount of money for their "pet projects". Airlines won't pay for it. FAA money can't be used for it. City of NOLA surely has no money to pay for it. Kenner just get laughed at.

Everyone pointed the finger at everyone else.

This is what happens when governments don't work together and alternative financing solutions aren't considered.

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LGA is like a third world bus terminal, yet it's always packed with travelers. MSY didn't need a new terminal, Mitch wanted one.

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We ain't New York. Also... LGA is being completely rebuilt.

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That remodel was part of the bid to get the Super Bowl. But I can promise, it was the proverbial lipstick on a pig. Id did nothing to fix the internal airport problems, the mass inefficencies, the security line problems, and the crappy employees and concessions. Also, that deal was agreed to before Mitchy took office =)

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I know the Super Bowl was awarded while Nagin was mayor, my point was that an extensive - even if only cosmetic - renovation took place before the Ravens/49ers Super Bowl. That'll be five years ago in February.

As to your point about security line problems, crappy employees and concessions; do you actually think any of that will change? Moving the terminal a mile north is going to suddenly improve the work ethic and personalities of the surly frickers who work at the airport? I doubt it.

Mitch

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We ain't New York. Also... LGA is being completely rebuilt.

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Of course we're not New York. Yet with all the money New York and the Port Authority (isnt LGA run by PANYNJ? I know JFK, EWR and Teterboro are) have, they've put off rebuilding a place from the '40s until now. I know they're faced with more complicated logistical challenges than we are, but that place has been a dump for at least 20 years.

This sounds like Baton Rouge planning.

LAX and many others do this, you bus to the rental cars.
I think LAS did too

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I mean I guess I just don't get the benefit of a shiny new terminal that nobody will be able to get to.

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Totally agree. However, that doesn't mean the terminal should not have been built... instead it means that the roads plan should have been part of it. Not addressed years after the fact.

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There's no way construction should have commenced without plans for that in place.

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Again, totally agree.

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You can keep cheerleading for Mitch all you want, it still won't make it make any sense at all.

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It makes lots of sense for all the reasons myself and others have posted. Having said that... the lack of roads and off-terminal infrastructure is a HUGE HUGE problem for which Mitch deserves a bunch of blame. The idea of a new terminal for MSY was surprisingly forward-thinking for a place like here... however... the way this has happened is pathetic.

Why is everyone calling this a new airport? It’s a new terminal.