GSP International

[gman430]

GSP Airport moving forward with ATN system: http://mobile.gspairport.com/site/user/files/39/2016_03_21_FINAL-RFP_GSP_Automated-Transit-Network_and-Attachments-reduced.pdf

[gman430]

Article on proposed PRT system: http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/money/business/2016/04/17/proposed-gsp-pod-car-system-would-first/82949112/

[mallguy]

The PRT system looks great.  It would be nice to have some type of public transportation to the airport, and just have it continue around the airport grounds (like the Airtrain to JFK), perhaps as a next phase (although that would be unlikely).

[ausrutherford]

I don't mind it either around the airport. Should be good for those farther out parking areas. Still don't like the idea along the SRT however. 

[gman430]

Wow. This is fantastic: http://bit.ly/1N3E6b6

 

[vicupstate]

Seems like an odd location for the first one in a market this size. 

[apaladin]

Yes it does, sounds like the only way to eat there is you have to be traveling since it is past security. I would hate to rely on travelers only.

[gman430]

"Damn if you do. Damn if you don't." 

That's the Greenville forum members motto on here lately. I'm sure somebody will complain about the architecture once it is done like always. Sad. 

Edited April 29, 2016 by gman430

[vicupstate]

I don't think anyone is criticizing it as much as not being familiar with their strategy/m.o.    

[chuckyvt]

At first I thought this was odd, but giving it some more thought I can see them doing a good business catering to business travelers.  Speaking for myself, once I'm at the airport, the company is paying.  I see myself eating here before a business flight.  

It's unfortunate that it has to be behind security, but that's just the environment we are in.  You can't relax until you are past security, so it makes sense.  

[mallguy]

Everything in the old US Airways terminal at LGA and in CLT is once you go through security, and the security lines at GSP are atrocious, so seems like a good move to me.

Is GSP getting a real TSA pre-check security line back?  Will there be a shorter ID-check line for frequent fliers?  And surely the airport is getting check-in kiosks back? 

It's a great looking airport, and the rental car location is terrific, but the lack of standard things for frequent fliers, such as a real TSA pre-check line, and no kiosks, is an incentive to head to CLT.

 

[Gville2012]

16 hours ago, mallguy said:

And surely the airport is getting check-in kiosks back? 

It's a great looking airport, and the rental car location is terrific, but the lack of standard things for frequent fliers, such as a real TSA pre-check line, and no kiosks, is an incentive to head to CLT.

 

Yes, regarding kiosks - I was flying US Air recently and they said 3-4 weeks if I recall. That was a week ago.

[rssgvegas]

On 5/2/2016 at 9:01 PM, mallguy said:

Everything in the old US Airways terminal at LGA and in CLT is once you go through security, and the security lines at GSP are atrocious, so seems like a good move to me.

Is GSP getting a real TSA pre-check security line back?  Will there be a shorter ID-check line for frequent fliers?  And surely the airport is getting check-in kiosks back? 

It's a great looking airport, and the rental car location is terrific, but the lack of standard things for frequent fliers, such as a real TSA pre-check line, and no kiosks, is an incentive to head to CLT.

 

When the new security area opens it will have a dedicated TSA pre-check line.  Also, not all of the airlines had their kiosks ready when the move was made to the new ticket counters.  United and Delta are fine and have always had them.  American and Southwest should be getting theirs soon!  

[mallguy]

On 5/3/2016 at 2:19 AM, rssgvegas said:

When the new security area opens it will have a dedicated TSA pre-check line.  Also, not all of the airlines had their kiosks ready when the move was made to the new ticket counters.  United and Delta are fine and have always had them.  American and Southwest should be getting theirs soon!  

Thanks.  I understand that the new security area is open; the TSA website, in its efficiency, doesn't show GSP as having TSA Pre-Check but does anyone know if there is actually a TSA Pre-Check line again at GSP?

[rssgvegas]

On 5/28/2016 at 8:08 PM, mallguy said:

Thanks.  I understand that the new security area is open; the TSA website, in its efficiency, doesn't show GSP as having TSA Pre-Check but does anyone know if there is actually a TSA Pre-Check line again at GSP?

Sure does.  I dont have the best pic of it bc it was closed, but as you can see you enter the precheck line to the right.

Edited May 30, 2016 by rssgvegas
misspelling

[mallguy]

Thanks! I'd say that GSP is the nicest airport in the US, in terms of the airport design/appearance.  Granite in the washrooms, not crowded at all, light and airy, sparking clean and new.  Night and day compared to any NYC-area airport.

[gman430]

Yep...

 

[NBNY2GRNVL]

Anything in particular driving such a sharp increase or just the general growth of the area?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

[distortedlogic]

Good info Gman. Been looking at the stat page on the website and they haven't posted anything so far this year. Where do you get this from? 

On a side note, other regional airports like CHS and RDU continue to add new routes. I'm very hopeful we can get in on some of that as well soon. 

[gman430]

On May 31, 2016 at 11:13 PM, distortedlogic said:

Good info Gman. Been looking at the stat page on the website and they haven't posted anything so far this year. Where do you get this from? 

On a side note, other regional airports like CHS and RDU continue to add new routes. I'm very hopeful we can get in on some of that as well soon. 

You can get the info from the airport commission meeting document page: http://gspairport.com/pages/AboutGSP/commission.aspx (bottom of page and click on agendas)

Here is is the latest one from May: http://gspairport.com/site/user/files/39/20160509-Commission-Meeting-Documents.pdf

Edited June 2, 2016 by gman430

[distortedlogic]

What do you guys think of the upgrades? I have not flown out of GSP since they have been done. I am flying this upcoming week but am having to go through ATL as all the flights from GSP (to SFO) were overnight flights and am traveling with little kids (plus it would have been $500 more and from ATL it is non-stop). I was looking at some pictures online of the upgrades and it looks nice but it still looks like a tiny and outdated airport. Just for comparison to another small airport, I saw some pictures of CAE. Wow! Though also very small, it looks like a modern, very clean, and opening airport. GSP just seems, well, like a renovated dated facility; with the very low ceilings, closed in hallways, and institutional look. Yes, I know, at the end of the day, it is not the look that really matters, but I can't help but wonder if the $100,000,000 plus would not have been better going to a new, modern, facility.  If you look at some of the other regional airports that we compete with, CAE, CHS, TYS, etc, they have a much more modern 21st century look and feel. Of course, 100mm would not have built an entire new airport, but this facility is 55 years old. IDK, thoughts?

[mallguy]

I haven't been to those other airports, but by comparison to large airports (around NY, etc.) and even CLT, GSP is a dream airport: beautiful, not crowded and easy to use.  I like it.

[gman430]

On June 12, 2016 at 10:47 PM, distortedlogic said:

What do you guys think of the upgrades? I have not flown out of GSP since they have been done. I am flying this upcoming week but am having to go through ATL as all the flights from GSP (to SFO) were overnight flights and am traveling with little kids (plus it would have been $500 more and from ATL it is non-stop). I was looking at some pictures online of the upgrades and it looks nice but it still looks like a tiny and outdated airport. Just for comparison to another small airport, I saw some pictures of CAE. Wow! Though also very small, it looks like a modern, very clean, and opening airport. GSP just seems, well, like a renovated dated facility; with the very low ceilings, closed in hallways, and institutional look. Yes, I know, at the end of the day, it is not the look that really matters, but I can't help but wonder if the $100,000,000 plus would not have been better going to a new, modern, facility.  If you look at some of the other regional airports that we compete with, CAE, CHS, TYS, etc, they have a much more modern 21st century look and feel. Of course, 100mm would not have built an entire new airport, but this facility is 55 years old. IDK, thoughts?

So far I really like the upgrades. Gives GSP that warm lodge feeling sort of similar to the interior of Haywood Mall. Also, love the new food choices that are open and will be coming in the near future. I know we all want a larger airport but due to the population base here it will be a long time (few decades) before we ever see anything like Raleigh, Nashville, or Louisville. I was in the exact same boat you are when I flew to San Francisco a few years ago. However, I am flying to Seattle via Southwest in two weeks and flying out of GSP was $50 cheaper than Charlotte and only $50 more than Atlanta. Couldn't believe it. I checked all of the major carriers and Southwest was the cheapest by far. 

Edited June 19, 2016 by gman430

[mallguy]

GSP has got to get it together for business travelers and other frequent travelers if it really wants to capture the business that is lost to Charlotte and Atlanta.  GSP is made for Lula Mae and Billy Bob from Pelzer who are flying to Orlando for their first flight in five years.  It is not made for people who fly multiple times a month on business.

Examples:

* The ticket agents often seem to be outsourced agents who can't or won't handle any kind of ticketing issue with any kind of complexity. 

* There is no consistent security line for frequent travelers; there is finally a TSA Pre-Check line back, but it's open only sometimes, and there is no first class/elite ID check line before the regular security line.

* Once you get through security, there are no kiosks (for upgrades, re-printing boarding passes, etc.).

* At the gate, there are no monitors showing detailed flight info, standby lists, upgrade lists, etc.

* The rental car agencies pay no attention at all to elite status and don't have any kind of "express" services for frequent renters, even though they have signs all over the place for "express" lines/service for elite members (which are disregarded).

Come on, GSP!

Edited June 19, 2016 by mallguy

[distortedlogic]

You both have some good points. I will have to a least drive by the airport soon to see the outside improvements if nothing else. I am very disappointed (end even a little surprised) that Allegiant did not add something from GSP with their expansion the other day. We have always heard that they do well at GSP and that the dropping of the Vegas flight a few years ago was due to the long range and not the lack of interest. But I have to wonder about both of those points, as they have not added any routes at GSP since that Vegas route. And, They still go to Vegas from Knoxville, and now from FLA, so the range notion for GSP to Vegas seems incorrect to me. Am I correct in thinking that GSP has not added any new service or routes since SW came?  And of course, SW has severely trimmed back to just 3 ATL flights. That does not speak well for GSP in my mind, especially as other airports around us continue to add service (even Asheville). 

On the other hand, GSP is on pace to surpass the 2M mark this year for the first time, so numbers continue to go up, so I don't know if some routes are using bigger planes or if the load factors are just higher, but it seems counter intuitive with the cuts made over the past couple of years. 

As we have all said, CLT and ATL will aways take away a significant portion of our traffic no matter what. Still, there is a bit of a chicken and egg situation here. Most people go elsewhere because there aren't enough direct flights from GSP. There aren't enough direct flights from GSP because the passenger numbers are too low, largely because people go elsewhere.