Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport - Page 22

RobMidtowner · #**421** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 2:35 PM**

I agree, why would we want to give away any potential benefits of another airport to Chattanooga when we have plenty of other potential locations that are closer within our own state. Let's keep it in house.

Tombstoner · #**422** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 3:00 PM**

I can't believe the Chattanooga idea will have a shelf-life of more than a week--no major US metropolitan area I can think of has an airport more than 50 (no less than 100) miles away from it's catchment area. Yes, Chattanooga is well positioned to syphon off some N. Georgia traffic, but that's not necessarily metropolitan Atlanta traffic. So even if it helps a bit (and if it did, we'd see it's impact even now) it's not a plausible solution. A high-speed rail-line? Please. We can't even get a trolley going up Peachtree without massive studies to study studies that may or may not result in a project.

At some point (and soon) Atlanta is going to need a second airport--it's burned through its capacity much more quickly than anyone predicted and expansion plans are finite and already factored into future growth. It's not easy to see where that second airport could possibly be where it isn't going to piss a lot of people off, but given the option of upsetting people or strangling Atlanta growth, politicians are going to have to bite the bullet.

STrek777 · #**423** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 3:42 PM**

In the part arguing for the new airport in Chattanooga they wrote this:

"Paulding County resident Gary Badertscher flies out of Hartsfield-Jackson several times a week for his window coverings business. It takes him about an hour and 15 minutes to get to Hartsfield-Jackson. It's a 90-minute drive to Chattanooga, he said."

Maybe I'm a little loopy but wouldn't that time frame break down to 75 minutes to ATL and 90 minutes to CHA. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like they tried to get clever with the way they wrote that section.

Personally I think this is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard.

Tombstoner · #**424** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 4:06 PM**

Good catch! But another question I would have liked them to bring up is, if CHA works for some people better than ATL and is going to relieve pressure on ATL, why isn't it relieving it now??? I just don't see how officially designating it an "Atlanta Metro" airport changes anything unless you do have dedicated high-speed rail--a multi-billion dollar project that ain't gonna happen...

akiatl261 · #**425** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 4:19 PM**

I think the idea of Chattanooga as a reliver is somewhat flawed. If you look at most cities with reliever airports they tend to be somewhat close to the population base. Chattanooga is quite removed from Atlanta. I think the focus should be to expand Hartsfield a bit more to allow for more growth. Then begin looking for alternatives close to the city. I.E Dobbins or some undeveloped land. To act as a reliver Chattanooga would have to invest in a far larger facility and most definanetly a direct airport rail link would be needed. High Speed or Express rail could be debated.

LouisianaCharm · #**426** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 6:41 PM**

i think its a horrible idea, and that Delta somehow has something to do with it. they know that if a second airport is built in the metro area that would, some airline would directly compete with them i.e. southwest, airtran, jet blue, for space in the market, and they and hartsfield would take a huge blow.

STrek777 · #**427** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 8:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisianaCharm

i think its a horrible idea, and that Delta somehow has something to do with it. they know that if a second airport is built in the metro area that would, some airline would directly compete with them i.e. southwest, airtran, jet blue, for space in the market, and they and hartsfield would take a huge blow.

fyi AirTran already directly competes with us in ATL. The ATL airport in its current state still isn’t at capacity and after the new South Terminal and new International Terminal is built the airport will be able to handle even more passengers.

Sure in 30 – 40 years the ATL is predicted to be maxed out but that is a long way to go. In the interim why wouldn’t Delta fight to protect its asset? Any company worth its money is going to fight to protect what it has especially if what it has is a commanding share of the Atlanta market.

I can assure you that AirTran isn’t too thrilled about the idea of a second airport either. Take a moment and read through the AJC articles online regarding the subject. It is about the only thing that AirTran and Delta can agree on. Especially since Southwest would do more to hurt AirTran’s operation than Delta’s.

lindros2 · #**428** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 9:12 PM**

Has anyone tried to bring back duty-free into Hartsfield (with Atlanta being the final destination) ?

Due to the completely ASS-BACKWARDS design of Terminal E (and the TSA thinking everyone is plotting against the USA), I just had to re-check a bottle of liquor - and ONLY a bottle of liquor - in order to re-clear security (stupid idea #2).

You're basically "held hostage" since there is no direct exit from international arrivals (yet).

This is stupid, frustrating, and ultimately results in wheels down to final exit of over 1 hour, 30 minutes.

jcathens · #**429** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 9:26 PM**

If they would build a new Chattanooga airport on the Georgia side maybe 15-20 miles south of the state line, that would make perfect sense. Put it near 75, have a highspeed rail and the northern arc. It would be just as short of commute for everybody in the northern suburbs as the commute to Hartsfield.

jcathens · #**430** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 9:32 PM**

I still think the airport needs to be build between Athens and Atlanta near 316. Right now thats the farthest commute for folks who use the airport regularly. Athens could at that point become the next Columbus Ohio if it wanted to. That area is going to grow regardless. You already have 316 in place, with expansion of the I-85 interchange already in process and overpasses and HOV in the future, and gwinnett approachin 1 million people alone, I just don't see a better idea. A paulding resident can get to the airport in around an hour, traffic on the west and southwest sides is nothing compared to north and northeastern routes. To drive from Gainesville/Athens/Lawrenceville to Hartsfield takes every bit of an hour plus more traffic.

Stratosphere 2020 · #**431** Posted **Jul 30, 2007, 10:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trae

Well, Macon is 85 miles south of the city, and it is happening... Development in Macon is increasing north towards Atlanta, and though Atlanta's southern side is not growing as fast as the north, it still is growing to the south. Monroe County still a bit rural in parts, but Macon and Atlanta will grow together eventually.

I think your right, that Macon and Atlanta are increasingly growing towards each other. I wonder if they will merge to become a single CSA with trains (to decrease commute time) and such in the future. But that is another topic.

It would seem logical to expand existing Atlanta airports in the northern burbs to handle some traffic. Taking into account that little over half of Atlanta's population lives north. But I also believe that the idea of a second major airport will be looked at much seriously in the 2030's.

Lexy · #**432** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 12:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcathens

If they would build a new Chattanooga airport on the Georgia side maybe 15-20 miles south of the state line, that would make perfect sense. Put it near 75, have a highspeed rail and the northern arc. It would be just as short of commute for everybody in the northern suburbs as the commute to Hartsfield.

The powers that be at Nashville International Airport would certainly have something to say about that along with state leaders. That is BNA catchment area and encroaching onto it would be considered a bad idea by many state leaders here in Tennessee.

PremierAtlanta · #**433** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 1:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexy

The powers that be at Nashville International Airport would certainly have something to say about that along with state leaders. That is BNA catchment area and encroaching onto it would be considered a bad idea by many state leaders here in Tennessee.

Correct me if Im wrong but I thought that Tennessee officials were already on board with having an Atlanta reliever airport in Tennessee (Chattanooga). Wasn't that maglev study commission by both Tenn and GA governments for the sole purpose of linking an enhanced Chattanooga airport and the venerable Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport? Besides, isn't Chattanooga some 2 hours from Nashville? I can get from some of Atlanta's northern suburbs to Chattanooga in 45 minutes.

Of course I'm breaking a few laws here and there.

jmcgoblue · #**434** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcathens

If they would build a new Chattanooga airport on the Georgia side maybe 15-20 miles south of the state line, that would make perfect sense. Put it near 75, have a highspeed rail and the northern arc. It would be just as short of commute for everybody in the northern suburbs as the commute to Hartsfield.

Considering that it would cost $1 Billion to extend MARTA trains an additional 10 miles up to Windward Parkway, I think the cost to build a 100+ mile high speed rail link would be insane...and it will never happen. It's about as inefficient a waste of resoursces as you could get.

Fiorenza · #**435** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 1:58 AM**

No kidding.

jcathens · #**436** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 2:09 AM**

Yea I guess this country is still pretty backwards to think that highspeed rail is innificient. Prolly not a good idea.

Lexy · #**437** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 2:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PremierAtlanta

Correct me if Im wrong but I thought that Tennessee officials were already on board with having an Atlanta reliever airport in Tennessee (Chattanooga). Wasn't that maglev study commission by both Tenn and GA governments for the sole purpose of linking an enhanced Chattanooga airport and the venerable Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport? Besides, isn't Chattanooga some 2 hours from Nashville? I can get from some of Atlanta's northern suburbs to Chattanooga in 45 minutes.

Of course I'm breaking a few laws here and there.

Just one from Tennessee I believe (from the Chattanooga area, a Sen. Jeff Mullis [R-Chickamauga]). Nashville (BNA) would have something to say about it without a doubt. And in this case, I think they would win. Chattanooga doesn't have the infrastructure in place, nor would it be feasible to put it in there, for a large airport that would serve (or in this case) double the service already in place for that market. Chattanooga would have to have good O&D and they just dont' have it to begin with. Currently BNA (Nashville International) pulls from the Chattanooga market with Southwest Airlines' low fares from BNA. Chatt. is a big feather in their cap that they will defend with everything they have.

Chattanooga is only an hour and a half from BNA. They currently run shuttles between the airport in Nashville and Chattanooga several times a day, seven days a week. Believe me, BNA officals would put a great deal of pressure onto local political powers to stop this from happening before it becomes anything more than a newspaper article. They (Nashville Metroplitan Airport Authority) can't afford to let Chattanooga have a larger airport. Especially one that will cater to low cost airlines, that just cannot happen at any expense. The bread and butter behind the success of Nashville International Airport has been the low fares, easy connections, and the large number of non-stop cities. Southwest Airlines, in having a Focus City here with close to 90 flights a day, is a big driving force behind the growth. The airport can't afford to let that slip away to a city in their back yard.

I should mention, this Senator from Tennessee is a Rupblican in a Democratically controlled Senate. He will have a hard time with this if it ever makes it out of the valley anyways.

Fiorenza · #**438** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 3:44 AM**

Sen. Mullis is Georgia, not Tennessee.

smurf · #**439** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexy

Just one from Tennessee I believe (from the Chattanooga area, a Sen. Jeff Mullis [R-Chickamauga]). Nashville (BNA) would have something to say about it without a doubt. And in this case, I think they would win. Chattanooga doesn't have the infrastructure in place, nor would it be feasible to put it in there, for a large airport that would serve (or in this case) double the service already in place for that market. Chattanooga would have to have good O&D and they just dont' have it to begin with. Currently BNA (Nashville International) pulls from the Chattanooga market with Southwest Airlines' low fares from BNA. Chatt. is a big feather in their cap that they will defend with everything they have.

I think you may be overestimating the importantance of BNA to most of us in the CHA area. Since you can't even fly to BNA from CHA, you wouldn't be losing too many people. Everyone here knows if you want to go somewhere and you don't want to drive, you connect to ATL, hence why the flights are booked usually. I've also been connected through Cincinnati (CVG), but that is less common. I recently went to Kansas City, it was: CHA -> ATL -> MCI -> ATL -> CHA. You can see where I would stand to lose a lot if BNA got all mad and took the ball and went home.

jmcgoblue · #**440** Posted **Jul 31, 2007, 1:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcathens

Yea I guess this country is still pretty backwards to think that highspeed rail is innificient. Prolly not a good idea.

Well there are opportunity costs involved. I'd guess that for the cost of a high-speed rail link between Hartsfield & Chattanooga you could build out the MARTA system to become one of the best and most extensive subway systems in the world. Which alternative do you think would provide the most benefit to Atlanta?