T.F. Green Airport Developments

[Frankie811]

Southwest Airlines Co. today announced fourth-quarter plans that include eliminating two flights per day from T.F. Green Airport.

[runawayjim]

Southwest Airlines Co. today announced fourth-quarter plans that include eliminating two flights per day from T.F. Green Airport.

i can understand them cutting the philly flight, they have a ton of those already and PHL is also served direct by us airways.

in other news, united is an awesome airline. i had 4 very smooth flights to and from san diego. i had some delays on the way back here, but there were serious thunderstorms in chicago. i managed to get on an earlier flight from chicago to providence though.

[Frankie811]

in other news, united is an awesome airline.

Not that I fly that much, but I've made it a point to avoid both American & United Air Lines, simply because they seem to be a favorite target of terrorists.

[runawayjim]

Not that I fly that much, but I've made it a point to avoid both American & United Air Lines, simply because they seem to be a favorite target of terrorists.

(in)security lies in the airport, not the airline. i judge airlines based on the airline itself, the quality of service and the comfort of the flight (and the stupidity of their ground crew). everything else is the airport and the TIA (transportation insecurity agency).

[mental757]

Warwick Beacon: "T.F. Green now easier to use"

http://warwickonline.com/warwickonline/ind...&Itemid=174

[f1rehead]

Pig, meet lipstick.

The airport itself is the least of the long list of indignities and suffering that is airline travel.

Well, it does give us a better first impression amongst the tourists at any rate.

edit: added "that" after noticing it was missing in Garris' quote

[Garris]

The airport itself is the least of the long list of indignities and suffering is airline travel.

I agree.

I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be (I think it was much worse initially following 9/11 than it is now), but if given the option travelling on the East Coast, I always prefer to take Amtrak.

I have to say that airports, though, have been doing a great job at being more pleasant to spend time in. I can remember the bad old days of the miserable old Kennedy, Logan, and various Chicago airport experiences, as well as the tiny, dark, dreary, and ancient terminals at White Plains and Stewart.

Flying in and out of some small to medium sized airports like the modern White Plains, TF Green, Portland (Oregon), and Rochester (MN) are as pleasant and painless compared to those bad old days. Even some large airports like National, Philly, and Minneapolis/St Paul are quite pleasant and easy to navigate, with the bonus of all having simple light rail connections to their downtowns.

- Garris

[f1rehead]

I don't think it's as bad as some people make it out to be (I think it was much worse initially following 9/11 than it is now), but if given the option travelling on the East Coast, I always prefer to take Amtrak.

From today's WashPo: Air Travel Delays: Bad, Getting Worse

I agree with you about the airports themselves, though. I prefer to fly to smaller airports whenever possible. It's almost always less painful than at the larger ones.

[runawayjim]

What about concessions outside of security? There seems to suddenly be this notion that people get dropped off at the airport on someone's way to work, go in unaccompanied, and step out into a taxi cab. There are plenty of people who accompany family and friends into the airport before their flight, and have to wait around for their flight to arrive. When these flights get delayed, it's a long wait. They need to re-establish food and shopping outside the secured area, as not everyone can get into the secured areas to wait. That makes a huge difference to someone deciding where to fly - if their ride expressly prefers not to wait at one airport but will at another, then they have to think about how they are getting to the airport when they choose their flight.

PVD already has at least one restaurant (the big one to the left of security when you go in). i think someone here also said in a few pages back that they're adding more stuff outside security.

[webbage]

What about concessions outside of security? There seems to suddenly be this notion that people get dropped off at the airport on someone's way to work, go in unaccompanied, and step out into a taxi cab. There are plenty of people who accompany family and friends into the airport before their flight, and have to wait around for their flight to arrive. When these flights get delayed, it's a long wait. They need to re-establish food and shopping outside the secured area, as not everyone can get into the secured areas to wait. That makes a huge difference to someone deciding where to fly - if their ride expressly prefers not to wait at one airport but will at another, then they have to think about how they are getting to the airport when they choose their flight.

More food and such is being added to the baggage claim area.

[mental757]

What about concessions outside of security? There seems to suddenly be this notion that people get dropped off at the airport on someone's way to work, go in unaccompanied, and step out into a taxi cab. There are plenty of people who accompany family and friends into the airport before their flight, and have to wait around for their flight to arrive. When these flights get delayed, it's a long wait. They need to re-establish food and shopping outside the secured area, as not everyone can get into the secured areas to wait. That makes a huge difference to someone deciding where to fly - if their ride expressly prefers not to wait at one airport but will at another, then they have to think about how they are getting to the airport when they choose their flight.

The Federal Tavern is located pre-security near the Southwest ticket counters.

To be added sometime near the end of the year (all pre-security):

1) "mini" Dunkin Donuts in front of the US Airways ticket counters

2) "mini" CNBC News Store (should carry "grab and go" type snacks - chips, candy, etc.) in front of the Delta ticket counters

3) the "centerpiece" for meeter and greeters: A Starbucks Cafe on the lower leve right across from the new location of all arriving passengers on the lower level. This will be a Starbucks with a few extra quick or grab and go type food options and limited retaily type stuff.

Vending machines are also present on the lower level now. Not to mention that Wendy's Bertucci's, and the D&D in the Mobil Mart is a 5 minute walk across the street...

[runawayjim]

Great - I can now get a cup of coffee and one kind of donut. What about the food court that used to be there? No, we don't want stuff like that pre-security. Why put it post security? If you are boarding a flight, you don't want to go in and grab something to eat - you want to grab something with your wife/husband/mother/father/boyfriend/girlfriend. And when you get off the plane, you have to immediaely go and get your luggage - you don't stop for dinner. I never understood this concept - it only really works for hub airports.

wow... you're completely forgetting a whole subset of the traveling population... those who go to the airport alone and end up sitting for 3 hours because the flight was delayed or canceled and you need to sit and wait for a new flight. i can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. even if my flight wasn't delayed, and my flight was around or just after a normal meal time, i'd just get food there, yes, by myself.

[webbage]

Great - I can now get a cup of coffee and one kind of donut. What about the food court that used to be there? No, we don't want stuff like that pre-security. Why put it post security? If you are boarding a flight, you don't want to go in and grab something to eat - you want to grab something with your wife/husband/mother/father/boyfriend/girlfriend. And when you get off the plane, you have to immediaely go and get your luggage - you don't stop for dinner. I never understood this concept - it only really works for hub airports.

It's pretty common practice to buy food and bring it on the plane since so many airlines don't feed you much anymore.

[mental757]

you'll have to trust me when I tell you that pre-security concessions sales since 9-11 at all US airports is WAAAYYY down. The meeters and greeters don't spend money on much more than what PVD will soon be providing (not to mention that your point about getting dinner is still easily accomplished at the federal tavern). If the flight they are waiting for is 2 hours late - they get back in their car and go to Legal Seafoods, Daves Bar and Grille, etc. People don't come (or stay after their flight) to the airport to dine or get food court food. Its their for those who captive enough to want it when they have time.

Besides, last time I checked, Starbucks has more than one kind of donut (and I already explained, it will offer more than just Starbucks fare). Not to mention the mini-dunkin donuts on the ticketing level...

The old food court is now home to security lanes 7 and 8.

[runawayjim]

I myself usually find that if my flight is delayed, I will often times not go through security right away. I agree that you need some service inside the gate as well, but you need to balance that out. Not everyone wants to sit down for a full meal, or go into a tavern, particularly if you have kids in tow. In my case, I often pick people up at Providence and find they are late. I am not going to go hunting down a restaurant at 7 at night in some part of the city I don't know to sit by mylself - I want a place I can grab a burger or pizza and soda and hang out for a while. I too spend less time in the airport now - it has become so inhospitable that you try to avoid it - if you end up waiting they start watching you and following you around. it's not my fault the flight is late!

Sorry, little rant about airports in the modern world. They seemed to be so much more friendly a place at one point.

most airports are not designed for people to wait outside security to begin with, especially now that you can easily get flight status on the internet. i won't go pick someone up unless i've checked the flight status right before i leave. and if i am not at a computer, i'll call the airport. i also refuse to pay for parking to stand in the airport waiting for someone. i'd rather drive the loop (which i've done on a few occasions). figure this... plan on getting to the airport to pick someone up about 5-10 min after the flight is supposed to land. if you know they have checked baggage, add another 5-10 min. in most cases, you do the loop once or twice (or at PVD 3 or 4 times because it's so short) and they're outside waiting for you.

when flying and i know my flight is delayed, i don't go to the airport right away. if i find out too late, i'll go and sit at the bar at one of the places inside security. why hang around outside security? the stuff inside is there because the majority of people who find out their flights are delayed will either go through it to get it over with and get food/drink inside the terminal. PVD is so small that there's really no reason to have a ton of food outside security. even the bigger airports i've been to don't have a ton of food outside security. i had to wait about 2 hours in detroit because the shuttle i was taking to the conference i was headed to was waiting on a couple other people whose flights were delayed. i had already claimed my bags, but the only food in the airport was a couple coffee shops that had muffins and some small sandwiches, but nothing sit down. the reason being that most people don't go to the airport and sit down and have dinner there. you're the first person i've heard of that has a meal at the airport before leaving. everytime i've been, i've just been dropped off at the curb or i have dinner/lunch elsewhere first and then get dropped off at the curb. the reason for that is the people who take me don't want to pay to park and then pay inflated food costs.

in regards to the security looking at you funny, it's because you're milling around the airport outside security. they have no way of knowing what you're up to. if you've already gone through it, they know you're clean. there's no reason to worry about you at that point.

[citygirl]

most airports are not designed for people to wait outside security to begin with, especially now that you can easily get flight status on the internet. i won't go pick someone up unless i've checked the flight status right before i leave. and if i am not at a computer, i'll call the airport. i also refuse to pay for parking to stand in the airport waiting for someone. i'd rather drive the loop (which i've done on a few occasions). figure this... plan on getting to the airport to pick someone up about 5-10 min after the flight is supposed to land. if you know they have checked baggage, add another 5-10 min. in most cases, you do the loop once or twice (or at PVD 3 or 4 times because it's so short) and they're outside waiting for you.

when flying and i know my flight is delayed, i don't go to the airport right away. if i find out too late, i'll go and sit at the bar at one of the places inside security. why hang around outside security? the stuff inside is there because the majority of people who find out their flights are delayed will either go through it to get it over with and get food/drink inside the terminal. PVD is so small that there's really no reason to have a ton of food outside security. even the bigger airports i've been to don't have a ton of food outside security. i had to wait about 2 hours in detroit because the shuttle i was taking to the conference i was headed to was waiting on a couple other people whose flights were delayed. i had already claimed my bags, but the only food in the airport was a couple coffee shops that had muffins and some small sandwiches, but nothing sit down. the reason being that most people don't go to the airport and sit down and have dinner there. you're the first person i've heard of that has a meal at the airport before leaving. everytime i've been, i've just been dropped off at the curb or i have dinner/lunch elsewhere first and then get dropped off at the curb. the reason for that is the people who take me don't want to pay to park and then pay inflated food costs.

in regards to the security looking at you funny, it's because you're milling around the airport outside security. they have no way of knowing what you're up to. if you've already gone through it, they know you're clean. there's no reason to worry about you at that point.

You have a lot more faith in the honesty of flight information that I have experienced! The airlines will just not admit that they are cancelling flights right and left. If you have to be there an hour before the flight, that means they have at least an hour to change their story --- more because you have to leave to GET to the airport to be there an hour early!

But even beyond that, there is absolutely no attempt to make the experience bearable for travelers, especially travelers with kids. Until you've tried going through the line by yourself with an infant and a toddler, you have not experienced the innermost circle of hell ! They make the toddler go through the metal detector by herself, so that she is free to run off while you are struggling to move the stroller, the backpack, the baby and baby seat with no help from the TSP staff. You have to collect all this junk at the end of the line with no place to put anything down or put your and the kids' shoes on. It's horrible -- clearly a system designed by a sadist!

Two simple suggestions: have airport strollers (like luggage carts) that you can use while you're in the secured part of the airport. You need that thing if you have to change planes or otherwise spend time there. With rent-a-stroller, you can check your own and not have to drag it through the security line.

Second, have lockers inside the secure area so we don't all have to be loaded down like sherpas. If you're by yourself, you can't even go to the bathroom without having to bring all your stuff with you. If you've gone through security, why not let people stow their bags while they hang around waiting for the inevitably delayed flight?

How hard is to institute some simple improvements like this? Not so hard. The airlines and airports don't do it because we're all hostages to the system. They have no incentive to make anything better. We don't have a functioning rail system anywhere except the east coast (and even here it's iffy), so there are no alternatives to being brutalized by the companies!

[webbage]

You really have an axe to grind with aviation, huh?

If the airports were being so mean Green wouldn't even be making these improvements!

You have a lot more faith in the honesty of flight information that I have experienced! The airlines will just not admit that they are cancelling flights right and left. If you have to be there an hour before the flight, that means they have at least an hour to change their story --- more because you have to leave to GET to the airport to be there an hour early!

But even beyond that, there is absolutely no attempt to make the experience bearable for travelers, especially travelers with kids. Until you've tried going through the line by yourself with an infant and a toddler, you have not experienced the innermost circle of hell ! They make the toddler go through the metal detector by herself, so that she is free to run off while you are struggling to move the stroller, the backpack, the baby and baby seat with no help from the TSP staff. You have to collect all this junk at the end of the line with no place to put anything down or put your and the kids' shoes on. It's horrible -- clearly a system designed by a sadist!

Two simple suggestions: have airport strollers (like luggage carts) that you can use while you're in the secured part of the airport. You need that thing if you have to change planes or otherwise spend time there. With rent-a-stroller, you can check your own and not have to drag it through the security line.

Second, have lockers inside the secure area so we don't all have to be loaded down like sherpas. If you're by yourself, you can't even go to the bathroom without having to bring all your stuff with you. If you've gone through security, why not let people stow their bags while they hang around waiting for the inevitably delayed flight?

How hard is to institute some simple improvements like this? Not so hard. The airlines and airports don't do it because we're all hostages to the system. They have no incentive to make anything better. We don't have a functioning rail system anywhere except the east coast (and even here it's iffy), so there are no alternatives to being brutalized by the companies!

[runawayjim]

You have a lot more faith in the honesty of flight information that I have experienced! The airlines will just not admit that they are cancelling flights right and left. If you have to be there an hour before the flight, that means they have at least an hour to change their story --- more because you have to leave to GET to the airport to be there an hour early!

But even beyond that, there is absolutely no attempt to make the experience bearable for travelers, especially travelers with kids. Until you've tried going through the line by yourself with an infant and a toddler, you have not experienced the innermost circle of hell ! They make the toddler go through the metal detector by herself, so that she is free to run off while you are struggling to move the stroller, the backpack, the baby and baby seat with no help from the TSP staff. You have to collect all this junk at the end of the line with no place to put anything down or put your and the kids' shoes on. It's horrible -- clearly a system designed by a sadist!

Two simple suggestions: have airport strollers (like luggage carts) that you can use while you're in the secured part of the airport. You need that thing if you have to change planes or otherwise spend time there. With rent-a-stroller, you can check your own and not have to drag it through the security line.

Second, have lockers inside the secure area so we don't all have to be loaded down like sherpas. If you're by yourself, you can't even go to the bathroom without having to bring all your stuff with you. If you've gone through security, why not let people stow their bags while they hang around waiting for the inevitably delayed flight?

How hard is to institute some simple improvements like this? Not so hard. The airlines and airports don't do it because we're all hostages to the system. They have no incentive to make anything better. We don't have a functioning rail system anywhere except the east coast (and even here it's iffy), so there are no alternatives to being brutalized by the companies!

i can't tell you why they make the flights delayed (and in most cases, it's not weather or anything we'd think it might be or even what they tell you at the airport). the security issues you should take up with your congressman and senator. that's all the TSA and kip hawley, the guy in charge, has gone on the record saying that the increased security measures don't make us anymore secure.

[mental757]

just as an FYI, don't let the name of the airport restaurant fool you. The Federal Tavern is a full service, sit-down restaurant designed for all travelers (familes to business people). There is a bar, but the majority of the design is tables with chairs and booths.

PVD has 3 sets (2 in the north concourse and 1 in the south concourse) of "Smart Carts" inside security for passengers to use if needed.

Lockers are a no-no in todays TSA in charge of security world, sorry.

I'm hoping the airport will be adding some small things to make family and business travel better - I've personally emailed the airport administration folks some ideas; like:

small "kids" area with some chairs, tables, and books.

a non-airline sponsored business lounge

rocking chairs

they seemed open to the ideas and said they would look into them. I highly recommend you send them an email and/or a letter doing the same. The more they hear from the traveling public on "simple/easy" things they can add, the more likely they'll do it!

[mental757]

the new Starbucks Cafe will be a nice spot for your example of picking someone up. As long as you order a glass of soda, you can sit in the Federal Tavern when you are departing. They have everything from salads, to bugers, to meals, or just a cup of coffee for you place to sit when you are departing. Not a food court worth's of variety, but ample to what you are decribing are your needs.

I also just found out that as part of the new food set0up the Tavern will be expanding & changing it's menu.

[Frankie811]

FAA plans seen reviving proposal by Carpionato.

[quente]

FAA plans seen reviving proposal by Carpionato.

oh wow . . .

Yet another retail development with Home Depot as the anchor . . .

In the words of the Church Lady, "Well isn't that special?"

[webbage]

Why does Warwick need 2 Home Depots?

[Lone Ranger]

Why does Warwick need 2 Home Depots?

And 2 Lowes stores as well, all within about a 2 mile radius of the airport. Hmm.

[runawayjim]

Why does Warwick need 2 Home Depots?

why do they need 2 walmarts? people there are apparently too lazy to go to bald hill rd.