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William P. Hobby Airport


ricco67

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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/f...hoffman/2836077

Oct. 9, 2004, 11:33PM

It's time to lobby for a shuttle stop at Hobby, as well

By KEN HOFFMAN

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Q: Thanks for pushing for sensible public transportation from Bush Intercontinental Airport to downtown. Maybe you could convince Metro to extend an express route all the way to Hobby Airport, too. It would be convenient for travelers needing to change airports in Houston.

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Jay Badugu, Houston

A: Metro is thinking about starting a true, nonstop express bus between Bush Intercontinental Airport and downtown, which is so overdue it's ridiculous. The bus will run from the airport to the Downtown Transit Center on St. Joseph and Travis, which is really several blocks south of the touristy part of downtown. Reader Bob Martin sent an e-mail criticizing (correctly, in my opinion) this plan. He said tourists aren't going to shlep their luggage several blocks just to hop a bus to the airport. He said the bus should make three stops downtown (two at centrally located big hotels and one at the convention center) and then go directly to the airport. That's how they do it in other big cities. Metro needs to think smarter.

Q: When does three strikes mean you are not out? Answer: when you are Ken Caminiti. Apparently this rule does not apply to baseball players since his agent said he has a great future ahead of him. Maybe he should have added if he keeps his nose clean. Just wondering.

Mary Booker

A: Caminiti was found guilty for violating his parole agreement on a drug charge and sentenced to 180 days in jail. Since he already served that many days (and more) in jail he was released. The conviction stays on his record. However, the Atlanta Braves shortstop recently was sentenced to jail ... as soon as the Braves are eliminated from the playoffs. And it looks like a Baltimore Ravens running back will have to go to jail ... during the offseason. It's unfair and ridiculous. No wonder some pro athletes think they're above the law.

Last weekend I completed the MS150 bike ride from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. I did it very slowly. I was perfectly paced to get rained on the entire first day. Did you see the lady riding with two dogs in baskets? She passed me with ease. Repeatedly. Wave when you pass me next spring on the MS150 to Austin. Or join me on the Sun and Ski team and we can ride, slowly, together.

Jim Tidwell, Houston

From now on, I'm riding with an umbrella

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One thing that has not been mentioned in Ken Hoffman's recent criticism of Metro's lack of a nonstop route to IAH (or maybe it has and I missed it) is the history of such a route. In 1999 Metro started the 112 IAH Direct route, with nonstop service between downtown and Terminal C at the airport. In about a year's time, the route was cancelled because of extremely low ridership. The 112 was started in response to the public voicing its concern that such a route needed to exist, and Continental Airlines stepping up and saying that its employees would greatly benefit from a route connecting their airport terminal with their downtown headquarters. Yet, despite the public demanding that the be started, people did not step up and ride the bus. So it was cancelled. I think nonstop service to both airports from downtown is a great idea, and personally, I'd be interested in riding it. But convincing the masses of Houstonians that never set foot on a Metro vehicle (some of whom are probably the ones complaining about the lack of such a route to Hoffman) that they need to ride the bus to the airport too is a different story. Maybe this time it will be more successful, with more people living downtown and in Midtown than there were five years ago, and MetroRail providing a link to other areas. But unless people actually ride it, don't expect Metro to keep such a route in operation very long, especially in a time when the agency is doing whatever it can to control escalating fuel costs and avoid an increase in fares.

As for Hoffman and reader Bob Martin's comments that tourists won't want to drag their luggage several blocks through downtown to catch the bus at the Downtown Transit Center, I have several criticisms. I agree that the bus should maybe stop a couple of other places downtown, like the George R. Brown, also. But Hoffman and Martin are ignoring the fact that the Downtown Transit Center provides connectivity via MetroRail to the northern part of downtown, and several hotels (Courtyard, Residence Inn, Icon) are located next to MetroRail boarding platforms. Additionally, these guys must have never taken public transportation to and from the airport in other cities. Not once have I ever taken a bus or train from the airport to a downtown hotel that I didn't have to pull my luggage at least a couple of blocks. You can't expect Metro to have door-to-door service to every downtown hotel. No matter where the bus stops, many people will have to carry their luggage a few blocks. That's why most of us have rolling bags these days. And the majority of people who are used to taking public transportation when they travel are going to expect and be prepared to have to carry their luggage a short distance. Those who want door-to-door service are going to take an airport shuttle or cab or rent a car and probably won't be on Metro anyway.

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Would this route be designed for visitors or residents? Lonely Planet says don't visit Houston without a car. I guess this would work if you only were going to/from downtown.

For visitors:

1. How do we promote it?

2. Do we have the infrastructure for people to get around without a car once they get here?

For residents:

1. Where do I park my car?

2. Do I take a bus to the DTTC?

3. How much time do I want to spend getting to the airport?

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You make some good points in regards to that. As far as telling visitors, I'm sure something at the airport would suffice. Business travelers will catch on quickly. The occasional traveler isn't really all that well informed on movements around unless they're visiting someone here.

As far as the locals that are going to the airport, I would imagine just hopping onto a bus would be interesting unless you have a serious load of luggage. In regards to parking your car...I couldn't tell you.

It will be interesting to know the logitistics behind it. Perhaps a megagarage for only people that have airline tickets?

Ricco

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You'd think.

But also consider people that have a tendency to only have their tickets issued at the airport.

I know with my Eticket, I had a delicate flower of a time getting to the terminal (of course, this was right after 9/11...)

Ricco

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You'd think. 

But also consider people that have a tendency to only have their tickets issued at the airport. 

I know with my Eticket, I had a bitch of a time getting to the terminal (of course, this was right after 9/11...)

Ricco

Why would anyone want to get their airline ticket issued at the airport? What a hassle! Anyway, most airlines are charging fees for tickets issued at the airport and tickets issued on paper (which soon will be a complete thing of the past).

I've never had a problem with an e-ticket, including right after 9/11, and I've been using them exclusively for as long as they've been in existence.

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Well, after 9/11 it was no big deal at all.

Before that, I always had the tickets issued to me by the secretary or whomever told me to go wherever I need to go. They'd give me the ticket and I MIGHT know where I'm going the next day.

Ricco

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  • 1 year later...

It seems to be another masterplan. I could see Broadway getting a makeover, but a large part of the visuals is the old apartment complexes. The street isn't that bad and the canopy from the trees is quite nice.

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  • 8 months later...
(Intercontinental-Houston based Continental airlines was ranked #1 for legacy carriers in customer satisfaction also)

HAS press release

Hobby Airport rated number one in customer satisfaction

Houston's second-largest airport a favorite among North American travelers

June 29, 2006

The verdict is in.

Passengers across the country have selected William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) as the number one airport in the country for customer satisfaction.

Houston's second-largest airport was selected, this year, as the top-pick among travelers in the United States who were surveyed by J.D. Power and Associates for an Aviation Week traveler satisfaction report.

J.D. Power and Associates is an internationally-recognized global marketing firm that annually measures quality and customer satisfaction in various industries based upon the responses of millions of consumers.

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This does not suprise me since Soutwest dominates both Hobby and Love. Southwest may be Greyhound in the air but for short jaunts there is nobody who gets you there faster and with a smile. I fly SWA at will for work and am always amazed at how quickly I get through the airport. IAH is another story.

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The only good thing about Love Field is that it's close to downtown Dallas. Even with some of the recent renovations (which are very cheap) the place is still a major dump.

At least Hobby has been improved with the nice, new Southwest concourse. However, construction on the rest of the terminal seems to have stalled.

I was surprised by some of the airports on the list. DFW ranks as one of the worst airports in the country for making connections, although it has been improved by the new train system. Yet it was still up there on the list at number 4. Philadelphia is one of the worst airports I've ever dealt with -- plagued by major delays due to its design and lack of runways, ugly worn-out terminals, and ridiculously slow security lines due to most terminals not having adequate space for security secreening. And it's number three on the list, supposedly for its speed at processing inbound international passengers through immigration and customs, and its retailers. While I've never arrived internationally at PHL, I would rank it well below IAH in all other areas.

I did find it interesting that Continental's two biggest hubs, IAH and EWR, tied in the large airport category, and the other domestic hub, CLE, was number 4 in the medium category. The same survey also ranked Continental as number 1 in the traditional airline category. Southwest was number 2 in the discount carrier category, behind JetBlue.

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  • 9 months later...
Guest Plastic

There was supposed to be a multimilllion dollar rennovation of Hobby. I wnet there and didn't see much different accept the Southwest Airlines gates. That and the cover ober the top of the garage.

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There was supposed to be a multimilllion dollar rennovation of Hobby. I wnet there and didn't see much different accept the Southwest Airlines gates. That and the cover ober the top of the garage.

the gates weren't in existance before. that area used to be outside the airport. ;)

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Any photos?

there's one here. The portion on the right (you see william in red letters) was actually the outside wall of the orginal terminal at hobby. And the round area was an observation deck to watch the planes on the tarmac. according to my mom you could also walk out on top of the concourses. the covered area shown is the ticketing area for the new central concourse.

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The original terminal is being renovated into a museum. It's worth a trip.

Really? What kind of museuem? I mean, I figure it has something to do w/ aviation... but just general aviation, Houston aviation?

Edited by HtownWxBoy
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BTW.. why are so many museums closed on Mondays? :unsure:

With the smaller ones, I'd imagine that it is because they only have one or two staff members, and most folks won't work 6-day weeks without good pay...but we're talking about museums, and most are cash-poor.

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With the smaller ones, I'd imagine that it is because they only have one or two staff members, and most folks won't work 6-day weeks without good pay...but we're talking about museums, and most are cash-poor.

Yea I can understand why they would be closed one or two days a week... it just seems that a lot are closed on Mondays. Maybe that's the day of the week they would get the least amount of visitors. :unsure:

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The original terminal is being renovated into a museum. It's worth a trip.

for plastic's benefit, the terminal woolie mentioned is the terminal for houston muncipal airport which is the terminal prior to hobby airport, which is the terminal you were inquiring about. the museum, while unfinished on the interior is just a marvel of art deco architecture. They are slowly raising funds to continue the renovation on the interior. here are a couple of pic during one of the museum's functions.

DSCF0433.jpg

DSCF0432.jpg

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Yea I can understand why they would be closed one or two days a week... it just seems that a lot are closed on Mondays. Maybe that's the day of the week they would get the least amount of visitors. :unsure:

Bingo.

It's like with BBQ. Sunday & Monday are the proprietor's weekend.

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Here's an interior shot I took.

269906980_994e9f3712.jpg

One side of the first floor is currently operational and contains exhibits and a meeting space. The other 3/4ths of the building are still being renovated. You can explore them if you ask nicely and sign a liability waiver. You can go up to the conning tower, which is awesome. Stand on the outside of it and watch the jets land and take off. The day I went, a Southwest pilot was retiring, and buzzed the tower at 100ft before his final landing.

Edited by woolie
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I don't really see how they can expand because it's landlocked on all sides.

Any expansion (additional and/or lengthening runways) would require closure of at least one major street or acquisition of land that might be quite expensive.

Additionally, while there are a number of industrial businesses in the area, a good portion of the area is residential and there would be considerable opposition to this.

if THAT wasn't enough, downtown is part of the flight path and that would have to be taken into consideration as well. While I don't know operations of airports in THAT detail, I would imagine that a reconfiguration of the runways isn't really an option to prevent that in the future.

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