Metro Orlando Airport News

[HankStrong]

It just feels so crowded every time I fly.  So, so crowded.  That's not a compliment to the airport.

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, HankStrong said:

It just feels so crowded every time I fly.  So, so crowded.  That's not a compliment to the airport.

I went through the TSA section on the old side where Airsides 1 & 3 are, in December, and noticed that maybe 10% of the TSA security stations were manned.  It reminded me of a typical Wal-Mart or Target day where you have 20+ registers and only 3 of them operating.

Does the Fed pay for that or does GOAA have to pay TSA for more employees?

[HankStrong]

Technically you pay for the TSA with the 9/11 fee on every airline ticket.  However, the question of who allots that money is something I don't know.  I did a quick Google search and didn't see the answer.  If you need more TSA agents does the airport, the airlines, or the gov't say they are needed and release the money?

When Pre-Check & Clear were less popular at least you had those options.  I find myself waiting in those lines more and more these days.  Although, that sweet, sweet feeling of landing from abroad and using Global Entry to scoot through customs with almost no line whatsoever is still a perk worth its weight in gold.

[codypet]

1 hour ago, HankStrong said:

Technically you pay for the TSA with the 9/11 fee on every airline ticket.  However, the question of who allots that money is something I don't know.  I did a quick Google search and didn't see the answer.  If you need more TSA agents does the airport, the airlines, or the gov't say they are needed and release the money?

When Pre-Check & Clear were less popular at least you had those options.  I find myself waiting in those lines more and more these days.  Although, that sweet, sweet feeling of landing from abroad and using Global Entry to scoot through customs with almost no line whatsoever is still a perk worth its weight in gold.

Even TSA Pre alone from me.  I do find myself get annoyed at Raleigh and Vegas when they opt to shut down the Pre-check lines but in Orlando, I've never experienced a wait at TSA pre.  To get in the door and to my gate in 10 mins alone is worth its weight in gold.  When I do eventually use Global Entry, that'll be worth its weight in Platinum.

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, codypet said:

Even TSA Pre alone from me.  I do find myself get annoyed at Raleigh and Vegas when they opt to shut down the Pre-check lines but in Orlando, I've never experienced a wait at TSA pre.  To get in the door and to my gate in 10 mins alone is worth its weight in gold.  When I do eventually use Global Entry, that'll be worth its weight in Platinum.

 

[HankStrong]

22 hours ago, codypet said:

Even TSA Pre alone from me.  I do find myself get annoyed at Raleigh and Vegas when they opt to shut down the Pre-check lines but in Orlando, I've never experienced a wait at TSA pre.  To get in the door and to my gate in 10 mins alone is worth its weight in gold.  When I do eventually use Global Entry, that'll be worth its weight in Platinum.

I have Global Entry (which includes Pre-Check by default) and my sister had a trial period of Clear.  Clear was interesting because it's only advantage over Pre-Check was that you get to the actual security part faster.  You do the biometric part and walk straight to a scanner.  With Pre-Check you get checked by a TSA agent and then walk straight to a scanner.  My sister didn't see the value as her home airport out West isn't as busy.  However, when we flew out together she beat me by a long shot through security.  So much time she had time to take the Buddy Train over and order coffee before my wife & I got through.

I have only flown about a half dozen times in the last year, but all but one occasion I had to actually wait in a line at Pre-Check.  Prior to COVID I had never waited more than 2 or 3 people.  A few weeks ago I waited for 20+ minutes to get to the agent and another 10+ minutes to be scanned.  Oddly, at MCO I haven't done any scanning except the metal detector since COVID.  I haven't been in the giant x-ray spininator2000XL since.  Are they closed?

I can't emphasize enough how nice it is to come home to America after an exhausting overseas flight and see Global Entry kiosks.  You just walk up, press some buttons, answer a couple of questions, walk up and hand the receipt to the agent, and you are done in a couple of minutes.  The rest of the people are in lines hundreds of people deep forever.  It doesn't make your bags come faster, but it certainly does make it so much nicer.

[codypet]

1 hour ago, HankStrong said:

I have Global Entry (which includes Pre-Check by default) and my sister had a trial period of Clear.  Clear was interesting because it's only advantage over Pre-Check was that you get to the actual security part faster.  You do the biometric part and walk straight to a scanner.  With Pre-Check you get checked by a TSA agent and then walk straight to a scanner.  My sister didn't see the value as her home airport out West isn't as busy.  However, when we flew out together she beat me by a long shot through security.  So much time she had time to take the Buddy Train over and order coffee before my wife & I got through.

I have only flown about a half dozen times in the last year, but all but one occasion I had to actually wait in a line at Pre-Check.  Prior to COVID I had never waited more than 2 or 3 people.  A few weeks ago I waited for 20+ minutes to get to the agent and another 10+ minutes to be scanned.  Oddly, at MCO I haven't done any scanning except the metal detector since COVID.  I haven't been in the giant x-ray spininator2000XL since.  Are they closed?

I can't emphasize enough how nice it is to come home to America after an exhausting overseas flight and see Global Entry kiosks.  You just walk up, press some buttons, answer a couple of questions, walk up and hand the receipt to the agent, and you are done in a couple of minutes.  The rest of the people are in lines hundreds of people deep forever.  It doesn't make your bags come faster, but it certainly does make it so much nicer.

I've waited in those customs lines in the mid 00's and just the promise of not waiting in those seemed amazing.   

I personally don't want anything to do with those x-ray 2000XL's (I call naked body scanners, because you could actually see peoples naughty bits in the early versions)  I'll try to get into a TSA pre line that doesn't have them.  I much prefer the pre-9/11 metal detector.  

[HankStrong]

I should add that the one occasion when I waited about 30 minutes in the Pre-Check & scanning line, the main lines were well over an hour or more.  I still came out way ahead.

[uncreativeusername]

On 1/31/2023 at 8:24 AM, codypet said:

I've waited in those customs lines in the mid 00's and just the promise of not waiting in those seemed amazing.   

I personally don't want anything to do with those x-ray 2000XL's (I call naked body scanners, because you could actually see peoples naughty bits in the early versions)  I'll try to get into a TSA pre line that doesn't have them.  I much prefer the pre-9/11 metal detector.  

You know, it's funny; I'm usually annoyed that the PreCheck lines mostly use the old school metal detectors, because I always have to end up taking off my belt and/or shoes even though I'm not supposed to have to.

[codypet]

2 minutes ago, uncreativeusername said:

You know, it's funny; I'm usually annoyed that the PreCheck lines mostly use the old school metal detectors, because I always have to end up taking off my belt and/or shoes even though I'm not supposed to have to.

I would love to know if that new technology that Busch Gardens and Sea World use could reliably be used at airports for TSA Pre because that never seems to be an issue there.  You're not walking through a metal detector but some kind of sensormatic style tower, and I have much less of an issue with my phone or belt setting it off.

[shardoon]

46 minutes ago, codypet said:

I would love to know if that new technology that Busch Gardens and Sea World use could reliably be used at airports for TSA Pre because that never seems to be an issue there.  You're not walking through a metal detector but some kind of sensormatic style tower, and I have much less of an issue with my phone or belt setting it off.

I always wondered how those work. They have them as Disney as well. There will still be a delay with the carry on xrays.... so although everyone would be moving through fast, a crowd would develop at the other end waiting for their carry on bags. 

[jrs2]

On 1/13/2023 at 2:51 PM, shardoon said:

Wow. Tons of complaints like mine. So now after they tried to save a penny back in 2017 by eliminating the moving walkways and narrowing down the terminals corridors by 10 feet due to the elimination, they are gonna try to figure out a way to squeeze the walkways back in. How? You narrowed the corridors and you are now stuck. Dumb dumb dumb. And how will you do the contruction while the terminal is open, when you already narrowed the path to save money. Just as dumb as them halting the construction on the raimaining 4 gates during the pandemic when contruction was in full force now only to restart, which will cost way more now since they have to restart and revamp construction. 

Only solution is to fast track and I mean FAST track contruction of thr airtrain. Do it now while you are ramping up construction on phase 1A. 

 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-orlando-airport-walking-complaints-20230113-drir65etijayhcuu2greu3jvqu-story.html

I hate that they have that blank wall opposite the gates.

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/01/16/orlando-international-airports-new-terminal-c-has-everything-except-moving-walkways/

old news now, but that's what made the original terminal layout so great.  They complain about the APM and costs, but, isn't an Air Train the same thing and costly?  And here, the Airside physically connects to the Landside so an Air Train is redundant versus being essential.

[shardoon]

15 hours ago, jrs2 said:

I hate that they have that blank wall opposite the gates.

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/01/16/orlando-international-airports-new-terminal-c-has-everything-except-moving-walkways/

old news now, but that's what made the original terminal layout so great.  They complain about the APM and costs, but, isn't an Air Train the same thing and costly?  And here, the Airside physically connects to the Landside so an Air Train is redundant versus being essential.

The airtrain is essential with any terminal design that is very long, despite connecting to a landslide. See Dallas, Detroit, Miami. Sure you can walk it....... but it's very long...... and this is only the first phase. Jetblue along with any future carrier that will try to turn orlando into a hub needs passengers to be able to get from gate to gate quickly. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by shardoon

[jrs2]

Breeze Airways adds 4 new routes from Orlando International Airport (msn.com)

Akron/Canton route- I wonder if Spirit will dump this route when JetBlue takes over...  $54/one way.  great deal.

[codypet]

I wonder if they're one of the airlines grabbing some of the vacated gates from the airlines that went to Terminal C.

[HankStrong]

Low cost airlines are funny.  It really depends on who you are to determine what you think of them.  My niece flies everywhere and only flies low-cost airlines.  She doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that she flies highly inconvenient places at inconvenient times in bad seats.  She'll fly with 3 stops.  She'll fly in a seat outside the toilet in the middle of the row.  Of course she lives at home, she's 21, she's "bohemian" (that's her quote, which is in response to me calling her a little, dirty hippie), and she works for her dad making time less important.  Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze, Frontier, Spirit, RyanAir, easyjet, it doesn't matter.  She does them all.  

Scratch that for me.  Give me nonstop, major airlines all day and I'm picking my seat.

[codypet]

Yep. I'm flying Southwest and that flight better not have a layover unless I'm going clear across the country.  That's cheap enough for me and my bags are included.

My last flight to RDU fell victim to the FAA's radar mishap over New Years and basically got all my money back from them just because the royally messed up over Christmas.

Edited March 7, 2023 by codypet

[aent]

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Low cost airlines are funny.  It really depends on who you are to determine what you think of them.  My niece flies everywhere and only flies low-cost airlines.  She doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that she flies highly inconvenient places at inconvenient times in bad seats.  She'll fly with 3 stops.  She'll fly in a seat outside the toilet in the middle of the row.  Of course she lives at home, she's 21, she's "bohemian" (that's her quote, which is in response to me calling her a little, dirty hippie), and she works for her dad making time less important.  Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze, Frontier, Spirit, RyanAir, easyjet, it doesn't matter.  She does them all.  

Scratch that for me.  Give me nonstop, major airlines all day and I'm picking my seat.

I mostly fly the low cost airlines. The main thing I care about is good destinations, and shortest amount of time from arrival at airport to destination. My experience is there seems to be more direct flights with the low cost airlines. I also do prefer the red eye flights personally, none of the major airlines offer "enjoyable" flights, so I'd like to sleep on the plane. Also, I tend not to have delays with that strategy.

[jack]

7 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Low cost airlines are funny.  It really depends on who you are to determine what you think of them.  My niece flies everywhere and only flies low-cost airlines.  She doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that she flies highly inconvenient places at inconvenient times in bad seats.  She'll fly with 3 stops.  She'll fly in a seat outside the toilet in the middle of the row.  Of course she lives at home, she's 21, she's "bohemian" (that's her quote, which is in response to me calling her a little, dirty hippie), and she works for her dad making time less important.  Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze, Frontier, Spirit, RyanAir, easyjet, it doesn't matter.  She does them all.  

Scratch that for me.  Give me nonstop, major airlines all day and I'm picking my seat.

If I cannot get a direct flight, it ruins the whole trip. International is expected but okay. Anywhere on the east coast, it better be direct. 

[shardoon]

Rolling 12 months, when January added in, we added a million to 2022 Calendar year. MCO rolling 12 months 51,284,657 passengers.  I know Miami overtook Orlando last year, but rolling 12 months, MCO blew by Miami again. spring break is expected to be the busiest in airport history. They better start dusting off those terminal C expansion plans. They already have the allocation to start the bridge (terminal train station connector) and remaining 4 gates construction this year. I think it is time to look beyond those 4 gates........ build the damn moving walkways. Being cheap only costs more money in the long run. Maybe consider the airtrain? 

[codypet]

4 hours ago, shardoon said:

Rolling 12 months, when January added in, we added a million to 2022 Calendar year. MCO rolling 12 months 51,284,657 passengers.  I know Miami overtook Orlando last year, but rolling 12 months, MCO blew by Miami again. spring break is expected to be the busiest in airport history. They better start dusting off those terminal C expansion plans. They already have the allocation to start the bridge (terminal train station connector) and remaining 4 gates construction this year. I think it is time to look beyond those 4 gates........ build the damn moving walkways. Being cheap only costs more money in the long run. Maybe consider the airtrain? 

They're gonna need to build that Sunrail connection.  Jeff Fuquay Blvd isn't going to handle that load.

[jrs2]

4 hours ago, shardoon said:

Rolling 12 months, when January added in, we added a million to 2022 Calendar year. MCO rolling 12 months 51,284,657 passengers.  I know Miami overtook Orlando last year, but rolling 12 months, MCO blew by Miami again. spring break is expected to be the busiest in airport history. They better start dusting off those terminal C expansion plans. They already have the allocation to start the bridge (terminal train station connector) and remaining 4 gates construction this year. I think it is time to look beyond those 4 gates........ build the damn moving walkways. Being cheap only costs more money in the long run. Maybe consider the airtrain? 

interesting.  Port Canaveral surpassed PortMiami and the world's busiest cruise port in 2022.  Miami and Orlando will continue to flip flop spots in these two fronts...  

Are there numbers just for Terminal C and the air traffic that it is currently handling versus when it hits current capacity?

[jrs2]

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/orlando-international-airport-breaks-spring-break-travel-record-logging-close-to-100000-travelers

[jrs2]

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2023/03/27/florida-international-airport-traffic-passengers.html

...an excerpt...

Six airline operators helped the region's airport see a 19.6% increase in passenger traffic for the 12-month period — more than 52.06 million passengers, up from 43.5 million for the same period last year.

Monthly traffic was 4.41 million, up 21.4% from 3.63 million in February 2022, said airport data.

The passenger traffic growth was helped by six new or resuming flights:

• Air Transat flights to Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Moncton, New Brunswick
• Avelo Airlines flights to Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; and Wilmington, Delaware
• Breeze Airways flights to Orange County, California
• Frontier Airlines (Nasdaq: ULCC) flights to El Paso, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Ontario, Canada; and San Diego
• JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) flights to Los Angeles
• SunWing Airlines flights to Toronto

[jrs2]

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/breeze-airways-adds-new-non-stop-destination-orlando-international-airport/OXDX2CKUZ5E2FGKV6C6BLUKMRI/

wow, Breeze flies into Akron-Canton.  For a while it was American and Spirit...