Nashville International Airport Development thread

[Nathan_in_DC]

So, looking through Lexy's wonderful photos, I saw this one: http://www.pbase.com/lexyky/image/159977827

 

And it made something painfully obvious. I hate saying this, but the airport needs more parking ASAP. Even the far overflow lots look like they're over 3/4 full.

[BnaBreaker]

Any chance of other 'value' airlines like Spirit or Jet Blue setting up shop in BNA or does Southwest more or less have a stranglehold on what happens in that regard?

[NashRugger]

JetBlue used to be here, they just couldn't gain a market share that made it justifiable to be here. They pulled out in 2008 or so.

[MetroTN]

I'm flying Southwest for the first time in July. The seating thing should be interesting. 

[Vrtigo]

I'm flying Southwest for the first time in July. The seating thing should be interesting. 

 

Be sure to check in 24 hours ahead! Those good seats go quick and if you don't check in within 2-3 minutes, you'll end up in the C group and sitting in the middle seat next to a screaming kid with the flu.

[MLBrumby]

That always seems to happen to me on Delta...then again I don't have much status with them anymore.  I remember when I could upgrade to biz class with a 80-90% chance of success just checking in at the curb.  Wow!  Those were the days.  

[AUNash]

A bit off topic ... Does anyone have a sense for whether Delta or American has better service from BNA?

[dxfret]

Southwest Airlines has designated Nashville a focus city and currently controls roughly 54% of the passenger market at BNA. Southwest has the map well covered with nonstop flights to almost all key cities across the U.S. They compete with the legacy carriers on many key routes and also move a large number of passengers though connections at BNA as a result of having so many flights. Southwest flies only Boeing 737 aircraft which is major advantage over the small regional jets used by many of the other airlines.

American Airlines has now merged with USAirways and offers slightly more flights at BNA than Delta Air Lines. Both carriers offer good connections to international destinations via their respective hub cities. The weakest legacy carrier at BNA continues to be United Airlines, which recently announced plans to add larger mainline aircraft on some routes.

The recent addition of a year-round nonstop flight on Southwest Airlines to Oakland is very welcome news and fills an important need for nonstop service to the San Francisco Bay Area. Hopefully United will add a nonstop to SFO to connect to its Asia-Pacific flights.

Alaska Airlines will soon begin year-round nonstop flights to Seattle, competing against Southwest's seasonal nonstops to Seattle which have operated about 5 months per year for many years.

[samsonh]

Lol I like how stats based that post was, but it reads like an advertisement!

[RonCamp]

A bit off topic ... Does anyone have a sense for whether Delta or American has better service from BNA?

 

To piggyback on dxfret's comments, the combined USAirways-American currently has slightly better service from BNA.  It really depends on where you're trying to go, though, because almost all of their (and Delta's) flights go through each airline's respective hubs.  I do find that with the ATL hub being so close - and because Delta has essentially hourly service there - you can usually do a little better schedule-wise with Delta.  YMMV.  

Edited May 11, 2015 by RonCamp

[MetroTN]

Be sure to check in 24 hours ahead! Those good seats go quick and if you don't check in within 2-3 minutes, you'll end up in the C group and sitting in the middle seat next to a screaming kid with the flu.

 

I didnt get the early bird seating thing. Should I still check in early? I am new to this airline and this all is new. I usually dont check in til I get to the airport. 

[rookzie]

I didnt get the early bird seating thing. Should I still check in early? I am new to this airline and this all is new. I usually dont check in til I get to the airport. 

 

It's going to take some "training" on several next flights before you can catch on,  Without Earlybird, you have to have the Web site up and running and be "on your mark, to get set" to check in exactly at the 24-hr-advance time mark.  Even if you're quick, you might be only fast enough to get within the15th or 25th highest number in the 'A' group (of loading groups A, B, and C)

-==-

[Vrtigo]

I didnt get the early bird seating thing. Should I still check in early? I am new to this airline and this all is new. I usually dont check in til I get to the airport. 

It's going to take some "training" on several next flights before you can catch on,  Without Earlybird, you have to have the Web site up and running and be "on your mark, to get set" to check in exactly at the 24-hr-advance time mark.  Even if you're quick, you might be only fast enough to get within the15th or 25th highest number in the 'A' group (of loading groups A, B, and C)

-==-

 

Right. If you don't check in until you arrive at the airport, then you will definitely be one of the last in line. Seats are "first-come, first served".

 

FYI, the "check-in" on Southwest is basically meaningless--all it really means is that you get a boarding pass and reserve your place in line at the cattle-call. Doing so at the airport on any other airline would be perfectly adequate, but I think this is one of the ways that SWA can get away with having fewer check-in staff to keep their costs down.

[nashvillwill]

It's really not as dramatic as these guys are making it out to be. It's very simple. Although, they are absolutely right that you should check in exactly 24 hours before the scheduled departure. It's simple.

-set a reminder on your phone 3-4 minutes before the 24 hr prior mark.

-log into the app or website and check in

-get to the gate a few minutes earlier than you normally would and line up when your boarding group is called.

Even if you get "C" group, just head straight for the back and you can find an aisle seat.

If that's all to confusing, they have the $10 "early bird" check-in.

It's probably the biggest annoyance of SW, but it's not a big deal. Otherwise, it is typically smooth sailing.

[rookzie]

It's really not as dramatic as these guys are making it out to be. It's very simple. Although, they are absolutely right that you should check in exactly 24 hours before the scheduled departure. It's simple.

-set a reminder on your phone 3-4 minutes before the 24 hr prior mark.

-log into the app or website and check in

-get to the gate a few minutes earlier than you normally would and line up when your boarding group is called.

Even if you get "C" group, just head straight for the back and you can find an aisle seat.

If that's all to confusing, they have the $10 "early bird" check-in.

It's probably the biggest annoyance of SW, but it's not a big deal. Otherwise, it is typically smooth sailing.

 

We're just trying to scare him into doing it right the first time ─ the same thing my 2nd-grade teacher used to do back in the '50s by reminding me of that electric paddle in the principal's office.

-==-

[UTgrad09]

Even if you get "C" group, just head straight for the back and you can find an aisle seat.

 

No way, man. Force somebody out of a window seat. I have to be able to stare out the window and figure out where I am by city development patterns.

[volsfanwill]

No way, man. Force somebody out of a window seat. I have to be able to stare out the window and figure out where I am by city development patterns.

i do the same thing, and I watch geographical patterns as well. then, when I get home I figure out my flight route based on what I saw. it can even be done at night based on the shape of city and highway lights.

 

seriously though, SWA now has these pylons that separate the groups in to halves and computer screens at the front of the line that tell you when to line up on what side. and the pylons have numbers on them. it is very simple.

[titanhog]

I thought I was the only one who would look out at night and figure out where we are by the shape of lights of each city.

[UTgrad09]

I thought I was the only one who would look out at night and figure out where we are by the shape of lights of each city.

 

I've gone as far as taking an atlas in my carry-on. Most of the time, if the sky is mostly clear, I don't even need that.

[titanhog]

I've actually been able to look out and follow the interstates and pretty much know where I am at night.  It's fun to do.

 

During the day, it's really easy to look out and know where I am because I've kinda studied maps all my life, just as a hobby.  There's nothing like looking at our country from up above.

[UTgrad09]

I've actually been able to look out and follow the interstates and pretty much know where I am at night.  It's fun to do.

 

During the day, it's really easy to look out and know where I am because I've kinda studied maps all my life, just as a hobby.  There's nothing like looking at our country from up above.

 

I'm a map geek, too. I've looked at them for so long (really started getting interested when I was 8-9 years old) that I can do the same! At the height of my map obsession (which went hand-in-hand with my SimCity obsession), I would sit and draw maps of fictional cities in class, sometimes using characteristics of cities I was familiar with (Downtown Nashville and Downtown Murfreesboro were common templates).

[nashvillwill]

I thought I was the only one who would look out at night and figure out where we are by the shape of lights of each city.

I think everyone on this board probably does the same thing. Also, I'm sure we all think ahead of time about which side of the plane to sit on based iPod probability of the best city views.

Edited May 12, 2015 by nashvillwill

[Hey_Hey]

I do the exact same thing. My high point can when I was able to locate my childhood home in Kentucky on a flight from Detroit to Memphis.

[rookzie]

I do the exact same thing. My high point can when I was able to locate my childhood home in Kentucky on a flight from Detroit to Memphis.

 

Where is (was) that, out of curiosity?  I've only been able to notice my house about 3 times (Ma, Va, and Nashville), and my job site once (Va.) since I first started flying, some 60 years ago.  I've not been as lucky as you guys, especially since some of my childhood homes were torn down.  Seems that I've only managed to peer at weird, off-the-wall things like Mt. Mitchell, NC and Cincinnati Union Terminal, on days when it's not been too hazy.

-==-

[MidTenn1]

On my trip back from LA a few weeks ago....the north end of the Grand Canyon...

 

 

Obviously the picture is googlized...meaning I did take the picture, but used Google+ to enhance it.

Edited May 12, 2015 by PHofKS