Airport changes make traveling a nightmare
Saturday, October 31, 2009 |
I remember my first flight into North Bend quite a number of years ago. On our approach, it looked as if we were heading toward a house, but it really was an airport terminal.
When it was time to claim our luggage, a large metal garage door was lifted to reveal a number of suitcases that were then placed on a platform. As time went on, the airport modernized. Things were just fine back then. We were being serviced by Horizon Airlines, a friendly airline, with a choice of four to five flights a day heading up to Portland.
Now we have this new modern terminal with parking spaces so small you need a shoehorn to get out of your vehicle. Bathroom stalls were also planned with no consideration for travelers and their baggage. If you look around, you’ll notice the lot is nowhere near as full as the old parking lot. Could that be because of the $6 a day non-sheltered parking fee?
The “friendly skies of United” are not so friendly if you live in a small town. They all but eliminated flights to Portland. It’s impossible to head anywhere without spending the night in Portland.
Oh, but they are our saviors because they provide direct flights to San Francisco. Just don’t plan on doing so in a timely fashion, because the flights to San Francisco get delayed more often than not because of weather and fog.
Just last week I was looking at flights for the holidays. They offer a round trip flight to San Francisco for $426. However, a round trip to Los Angeles (on the same flight numbers you would be taking to and from San Francisco) came up with a $274 fare. Instead of encouraging locals to fly out of our airport, the airline makes it economically unfeasible. Sometimes your schedule will allow for a spur of moment getaway, but last-minute fares on United are even more of a price nightmare.
Since the time United has been servicing our area, they have changed our reserved itinerary a number of times. They just leave a message on your phone or notify you on the Internet and you’re left scrambling to change your connections and flight plans.
Progress has turned travel in and out of our little corner of the world into a discouraging nightmare. Will it ever be fixed?
Andi DiMaggio
Bandon
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