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Boofer

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 10:32:46 pm

Boofer
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

This week's trip was:

CO 2894 IND-CLE
CO 2084 CLE-ABE
CO 2594 ABE-CLE
CO 2036 CLE-IND,

all on 9/14. I needed to go to a meeting in NJ, and it's gotten so bloody expensive flying IND-EWR. It's around $1100 midweek without an advance purchase. So I've been using PHL lately, which is around $350. But this time, I couldn't get the flight times I needed and the price was up around $550. So for about $500, I flew into ABE instead, and I'm glad I did. Even though I had to connect, using ABE worked out great. There were heavy delays at both EWR and PHL that day, due mostly to the east coast rain. Since I was exclusively on COEX RJ's, I didn't care - CLE was basically delay-free. The airport is small - 12 gates. So I got my checked bag by the time I walked down to the bag claim. The rental cars are a short walk from the terminal. It's a quick drive east on US 22 to PA 33 south to I-78 into NJ. Coming back, the CO staff were very pleasant to deal with. I was the only one going through security, and the plane loaded and departed EARLY - when was the last time that happened in PHL or EWR? The one drawback is the fact that you have to connect to get there from IND. On the way out, I had a fairly quick connection in CLE - right at an hour. But you can easily get by with just 25-30 minutes connecting in CLE. On the way back, I had 2.5 hours in CLE. So if there were better connections - other than through PHL, because I'd just drive from PHL if that were the case - than it would be a no-brainer to fly into ABE. I'd like to see an early-morning combination that would leave IND around 6 am, stop in CVG, DTW, or CLE for about 30-40 minutes, and then get to ABE around 9:30 am. In the afternoon, I'd like to see a 6pm flight through those same hubs that stops again for about 30-40 minutes, and gets back to IND by around 9:30 pm. That would be great...

Can I get a peanut crumb with that thimble of Coke?

ATAIndy

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:06:32 pm

ATAIndy
Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

Pardon me asking, but which airport is ABE?

Why do my favorite airlines end up going defunct??

http://web01.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=16657
http://myaviation.net/search/search.php?uid=8779
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ataindy/

Boofer

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 04:16:26 pm

Boofer
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

It's called Lehigh Valley International, but the code refers to Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton. It's in east-central Pennsylvania, just west of the NJ-PA line off of interstate 78.

Can I get a peanut crumb with that thimble of Coke?

ATAIndy

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 05:02:09 pm

ATAIndy
Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

Ok I understand now, I was thinking of a city around PHL that had ABE in it, not a group of cities.

Why do my favorite airlines end up going defunct??

http://web01.jetphotos.net/showphotos.php?userid=16657
http://myaviation.net/search/search.php?uid=8779
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ataindy/

wanderer

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:23:39 pm


Member

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 142
Location: IND

ABE is an interesting airport (and I am being nice by saying "interesting"Wink.

The airport is not run very well. They only have one security line that does not work well for the early morning rush. Having to go down stairs to go through security, and then back upstairs to access the gates is a real poor design. LVIA has tried to fix the situation, but the airport management is a bunch of door knobs who can't find the funding.

They have blown airport money trying to attract third-rate carriers for direct service to Florida destinations for YEARS. Every mainline airline who started service to Florida has lost money. Every third-rate carrier has lost its shirt and went out of business. The airport even started their own airline - and it failed.

All the while, they have neglected the mainline carriers at the airport. They have raised landing fees (ABE has some of the highest landing fees in the country). Little by little, all of the mainline carriers have pulled out larger aircraft (I think USAirways is down to one Airbus or 737 a day).

ABE is a good study of an airport trying to service the wrong passengers. They have a GREAT corporate base in the Lehigh Valley area and beyond (NJ is so close). If they focused on the business clientele instead of the occasional vacation traveler, they would be in better shape today. Instead, they have done a disservice to BOTH of those passenger types!

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