Metro Orlando Airport News

[leondecollao]

On 9/22/2022 at 10:25 PM, codypet said:

Looks to be going great!

British folks complaining about our airports is hilarious. I just flew into and out of Manchester England and that airport makes me never want to travel again. 

[HankStrong]

On 9/26/2022 at 9:16 AM, leondecollao said:

British folks complaining about our airports is hilarious. I just flew into and out of Manchester England and that airport makes me never want to travel again. 

Heathrow and Gatwick are awful, too.  

[orlandocity87]

Had two pick-ups at Terminal C last week. Beautiful facility, but whoever did the signage must have been off their rocker. They somehow didn't follow the clear lane signs from Terminal A/B, where you know exactly which lanes will eventually lead to Arrivals, Departures, and Parking. It's just "Terminal C" until almost the end and you better be in the correct lane.

The internal signage was inconsistent and unclear. Instead of saying "Parking Garage C  →, ← Tram to Terminals A & B" they say things like "Parking A B C →" and "Train Station →" which gives you no indication that you're a few steps from Parking C and a train ride away from A & B. They insist on calling the tram/terminal train "APM" and I heard one family say "What the hell is APM?" Virtually no maps or site plans. And for an international terminal, writing "You Are Here" on elevators (instead of using a symbol) isn't helpful.

Oh, and luggage took 1 h 15 mins to arrive.

/rant

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, orlandocity87 said:

Had two pick-ups at Terminal C last week. Beautiful facility, but whoever did the signage must have been off their rocker. They somehow didn't follow the clear lane signs from Terminal A/B, where you know exactly which lanes will eventually lead to Arrivals, Departures, and Parking. It's just "Terminal C" until almost the end and you better be in the correct lane.

The internal signage was inconsistent and unclear. Instead of saying "Parking Garage C  →, ← Tram to Terminals A & B" they say things like "Parking A B C →" and "Train Station →" which gives you no indication that you're a few steps from Parking C and a train ride away from A & B. They insist on calling the tram/terminal train "APM" and I heard one family say "What the hell is APM?" Virtually no maps or site plans. And for an international terminal, writing "You Are Here" on elevators (instead of using a symbol) isn't helpful.

Oh, and luggage took 1 h 15 mins to arrive.

/rant

I got cut off by someone who was in the correct lane for Terminal C once you veer off of Boggy Creek.  I had no idea where to go until the last second but guy was in that lane.

There is a lot they need to fix.  The signage for the parking- yes, it should say A, B, and C, because of the APM connectivity- but, it is confusing.  

On 10/9/2022 at 6:09 AM, LauraPern said:

Thank you. It is very useful information

welcome to the forum!

[orlandocity87]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

I got cut off by someone who was in the correct lane for Terminal C once you veer off of Boggy Creek.  I had no idea where to go until the last second but guy was in that lane.

There is a lot they need to fix.  The signage for the parking- yes, it should say A, B, and C, because of the APM connectivity- but, it is confusing.  

I'll soften my earlier message by reiterating how great the terminal looks, especially once completely finished. And thankfully the interior signage is mostly digital and easy to tweak. But first impressions matter...

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, orlandocity87 said:

I'll soften my earlier message by reiterating how great the terminal looks, especially once completely finished. And thankfully the interior signage is mostly digital and easy to tweak. But first impressions matter...

a shakedown period, perhaps?  You know this is the first time they have had to build a landside terminal since the 1981 terminal (A/B).  Since then it's been like a plug n play of Airside 4 in 1990 or so, and Airside 2 in 2000 or so, with just an APM attaching to the existing landside.  Now, they have to build both, airside and landside.

Hartsfield technically has two landsides to contend with; their newest Intl Terminal has it's own drive up; maybe that's the only way to get there; I'm not sure- the tram stops at E but there's an underground tunnel to that terminal.  O'Hare, JFK, DFW, LAX, etc all have separate landside buildings.  TPA is like Pre-C OIA; MIA is kind of like one big looping landside; anything new has been a redo of old terminals. 

So, this is new territory for OIA... 

[shardoon]

Still upset that they delayed the Jet Blue move. I really wanted to see the new terminal on Friday........ I think Hurricane Ian was a much needed excuse because they still are having problems with the baggage. Once Jet Blue starts there, thats where the real traffic starts and if they don't streamline it, a disaster it shall become. 

[jrs2]

44 minutes ago, shardoon said:

Still upset that they delayed the Jet Blue move. I really wanted to see the new terminal on Friday........ I think Hurricane Ian was a much needed excuse because they still are having problems with the baggage. Once Jet Blue starts there, thats where the real traffic starts and if they don't streamline it, a disaster it shall become. 

...maybe their plan is to work out all the kinks first before JetBlue arrives...because I think JetBlue wants to expand operations there.

the baggage system with the sensors on individual bags/ bag carts...headache city...

[jrs2]

18 hours ago, shardoon said:

Still upset that they delayed the Jet Blue move. I really wanted to see the new terminal on Friday........ I think Hurricane Ian was a much needed excuse because they still are having problems with the baggage. Once Jet Blue starts there, thats where the real traffic starts and if they don't streamline it, a disaster it shall become. 

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/10/10/jetblue-delays-terminal-c-move-in-again-largely-over-high-tech-luggage-handling-system/

For all of the fashionistas out there:

https://vocm.com/2022/10/09/westjet-resumes-operation-of-direct-flight-from-st-johns-to-orlando/

[jrs2]

"We had to walk seven miles" to get to our rental car and customs, says a family that flew into Terminal C.  First of all that is an impossibility and improbability.  But check out the article for yourselves below:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/10/12/frustration-grows-over-lack-of-rental-cars-at-new-oia-terminal/

JetBlue International arrivals October 11, 2022...all others October 25, 2022:

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by jrs2

[spenser1058]

New Theme Song for MCO:

https://youtu.be/tbNlMtqrYS0

Best of all, they’re from the UK!
 

[codypet]

15 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

"We had to walk seven miles" to get to our rental car and customs, says a family that flew into Terminal C.  First of all that is an impossibility and improbability.  But check out the article for yourselves below:

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/10/12/frustration-grows-over-lack-of-rental-cars-at-new-oia-terminal/

JetBlue International arrivals October 11, 2022...all others October 25, 2022:

 

I'm confused.  Are they implying that customs wasn't inside Terminal C?  There's no way that's possible.  The rental car issue is an issue with the rental car companies themselves.

[jrs2]

43 minutes ago, codypet said:

I'm confused.  Are they implying that customs wasn't inside Terminal C?  There's no way that's possible.  The rental car issue is an issue with the rental car companies themselves.

exactly. that is just irresponsible reporting about stuff that is logistically impossible.  I just couldn't bring myself to ignore it.  

[jrs2]

More on this article:

"Thibault inherited the situation when he took over as CEO."- uh, duh... the "situation" being that Terminal C was still u/c?  What other "situation" can they be talking about?

Also, why run a shuttle bus for rent-a-car customers when there's an APM?  Are they too lazy to walk across the garage to the Intermodal?  Are you kidding me?  That walk is short compared to some of the BS I've had to go through at like DFW, Boston Logan, ST.L, Heathrow, etc.  I had to take an APM from O'Hare's main terminal hub all the way to Mannheim Road where the rent-a-car garages are located in Rosemont.   Are people that travel to Chicago smarter than the ones that travel to Orlando?

The comments on that article are ridiculous too.  Yes there's no internal walkway hallway to the APM, but there's signs and airport employees directing you to it.  In fact, the rent-a-car counters are already halfway to the APM, adjacent to the garage, not in the terminal building.  So, by the time you get to them, on the far side of the drive up, all you gotta do from there is walk a short bit on the same level thru the garage and then into the intermodal, take the escalator down, and board the flippin' APM.  How can you mess that up?

BTW, Clickorlando is News6.  I'd like to know why they didn't ask "isn't customs inside Terminal C?" before printing that article.  I already know the hack job answer why.

total lies.  first of all, there is no seven miles of walking PERIOD at MCO.  And you can't walk to A/B from C either; the roadway structure doesn't allow it; motor vehicles only.   And cops would have noticed a fairly large group of foreign Jamaican vagabonds with twelse pieces of luggage walking in a travel lane or partial grass embankment from C to A/B and stopped them, or, they would have gotten run over trying.   The only seven miles would be from C to A/B to Jetport to Tradeport to the USPS, and that may be five to six miles max.  

I'm sorry, I'm just not happy with that hack job of flat out lies, and neither should anyone.

[spenser1058]

Maybe they’re just cranky they didn’t get to hang out with the giant pink flamingo at TPA!

[HankStrong]

Did they walk to Hertz up on 436?

[codypet]

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Did they walk to Hertz up on 436?

Its long gone.

[codypet]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

BTW, Clickorlando is News6.  I'd like to know why they didn't ask "isn't customs inside Terminal C?" before printing that article.  I already know the hack job answer why.

total lies.  first of all, there is no seven miles of walking PERIOD at MCO.  And you can't walk to A/B from C either; the roadway structure doesn't allow it; motor vehicles only.   And cops would have noticed a fairly large group of foreign Jamaican vagabonds with twelse pieces of luggage walking in a travel lane or partial grass embankment from C to A/B and stopped them, or, they would have gotten run over trying.   The only seven miles would be from C to A/B to Jetport to Tradeport to the USPS, and that may be five to six miles max.  

I'm sorry, I'm just not happy with that hack job of flat out lies, and neither should anyone.

I agree, they'd have to be walking circles for a day to get 7 miles in the airport.  I've seen people bike between the terminals.   I can't even fathom how you'd be able to walk into and out of the buildings and down the roadways without setting someone off at TSA too.

When I worked at Home Depot I would constantly hear complaints of people looking for employees from anywhere from 45mins to 2 hours.  Usually these people would have been in the store for less than 20 mins, because I'd have seen them when they walked in.  If you're looking for someone in Home Depot for more than 5 mins and you don't walk up to the registers to ask someone to call the person at that dept, I don't know what to tell you.   Local 6 seems to just taken that account and made a story about people lost for 2 hours in a Home Depot.

 

[spenser1058]

Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks! (that’s huge if you’re as unhandy as I am…)

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Did they walk to Hertz up on 436?

I don't think the sidewalk apparatus is even in there to allow to walk along the central airport roadway spine, whatever it's called- Boggy Creek or 436...

[Jerry95]

13 hours ago, jrs2 said:

I don't think the sidewalk apparatus is even in there to allow to walk along the central airport roadway spine, whatever it's called- Boggy Creek or 436...

There’s definitely no sidewalk connections from Semoran/436 and Goldenrod to the north, Boggy Creek Rd to the south, or alongside the airport’s main road, Jeff Fuqua Blvd. Doesn’t stop people from risking traffic to complete their journey. Ideally busses into the airport would offer a free connection from the last stop on 436 into the airport to avoid people walking across a dangerous intersection. 

[HankStrong]

15 hours ago, codypet said:

Its long gone.

Many years ago I used to live over here and would've been more up on that.  Thanks!

[codypet]

1 hour ago, Jerry95 said:

There’s definitely no sidewalk connections from Semoran/436 and Goldenrod to the north, Boggy Creek Rd to the south, or alongside the airport’s main road, Jeff Fuqua Blvd. Doesn’t stop people from risking traffic to complete their journey. Ideally busses into the airport would offer a free connection from the last stop on 436 into the airport to avoid people walking across a dangerous intersection. 

They put a bike trail from Terminal C south but that was more because GOAA Was not happy cyclists kept riding down JFB.   I remember being stuck behind a cyclist on JFB coming in from the north in a FastPark & Relax van and that driver was having a fit over it.

[aent]

20 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Also, why run a shuttle bus for rent-a-car customers when there's an APM?  Are they too lazy to walk across the garage to the Intermodal?  Are you kidding me?  That walk is short compared to some of the BS I've had to go through at like DFW, Boston Logan, ST.L, Heathrow, etc.  I had to take an APM from O'Hare's main terminal hub all the way to Mannheim Road where the rent-a-car garages are located in Rosemont.   Are people that travel to Chicago smarter than the ones that travel to Orlando?

I haven't been the south complex yet, but is terminal C really not connected directly to the intermodal center without going through the garage??? I was already annoyed they put a traffic light in for the dropoff area for the intermodal center after so much effort to remove every other one...

[codypet]

4 minutes ago, aent said:

I haven't been the south complex yet, but is terminal C really not connected directly to the intermodal center without going through the garage??? I was already annoyed they put a traffic light in for the dropoff area for the intermodal center after so much effort to remove every other one...

Here's a pic.   My understanding is it got halted during COVID due to uncertainty of air travel.  Its hard to blame them.  All the airports still have post 9/11 post recession anxiety.