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Pretty sure I got long-hauled by my plane...

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by BreakEven, Apr 19, 2013.

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  1. BreakEven

    BreakEven High-Roller

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    Got to see the new T3 @ LAS this week, after flying in on AS. The flight was uneventful, but the taxi felt like one of the longest road trips I'd ever been on. In units of time, it was roughly 2 "forevers". I'm hoping I can get AS to credit me some extra miles for this trip. Needless to say, because of the long-haul, I did NOT tip the pilot. :nono:

    My first impressions of the "new" terminal:
    oooh...shiny!
    Cavernous. Empty. Wonder how many tens/hundreds of millions of dollars could've been trimmed from this.
    Limited moving walkways. That's just stupid.
    They still had a smoking area for slots players! Seeing as smoking has been banned indoors in many states, I was surprised to see that this was still here.

    After I got my bags, that's when the next adventure began - waiting for the intra-terminal shuttle. Multiple shuttles (mostly empty) to the rental car facility went by while I waited (15+m), as did 1 completely empty intra-terminal shuttle. Then a much too short shuttle bus arrived. It couldn't hold all of the people that were gathered at the stop by that point, so there was a bit of a scrum to get to the door and get on board. Fortunately I have pointy elbows, and I know right where to pop gray haired old ladies to make them drop like a stone, so I made it on board with little difficulty. Too many people crammed on the bus, so I don't know exactly how long it took to get back to T1, but it seemed like a very long ride (though it was made shorter by the Indy 500-inspired style of the shuttle driver).

    There were other strip shuttle options from T3 (I was looking for a specific company, so I didn't think to make notes on which companies did have shuttles here). So unless you are getting a *really* amazing deal from a company that only serves T1, I'd suggest just heading to the strip directly from T3.

    Overall, huge thumbs down to the new airport experience in Vegas.
     
  2. Max2589

    Max2589 Low-Roller

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    I like it. I'm usually off the plane and into a car within 3 minutes. No more long walks or escalators. Shout out to Jetblue!
     
  3. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    Funny you mention it, but I saw a smoking area indoors at the Atlanta airport yesterday. Not that it has anything to do with vegas, but I had the same reaction you did.
     
  4. jr7110

    jr7110 VIP Whale

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    I feel the same way - the first time I landed in the new terminal (also on my favorite airline, Jet Blue) I was thrilled to see that baggage claim was right near the Gate as we exited. So much better than that Indiana Jones adventure via escalator and tram that I used to have to take.
     
  5. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Whats wrong with the smoking? Does it irritate your lungs or something?
     
  6. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    Just make sure you look around for baggage claim signage.

    You deboard the plane on Level 2 of course, and my gate was at one end of the terminal. The first sign I saw for baggage claim had me basically walk at least 1/2 way or more the length of the terminal, go down an escalator, and then walk all the way back - turns out the baggage claim area was right under the gate I came out.

    There must have been a closer escalator to the gate, but I didn't see it.
     
  7. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    It bothers just about everybody that doesn't do it.
     
  8. Carol1113

    Carol1113 VIP Whale

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    Well my thoughts are you are in Vegas--and what are you going to do in the casinos as they allow smoking?
    The airport had closed the few smoking enclosed areas for awhile but what happens is people that are going to be there for awhile before leaving would just go back outside so then they had to go back through security which made the lines even longer.
    I guess if the smoke bothers you that much maybe Vegas is not the place you should be--plus if you are not near the enclosed smoking areas you would not even know they were there :peace:
     
  9. etm117

    etm117 Low-Roller

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    In theory your statement sounds correct. But then you may remember that not everyone in the airport in Vegas is going to a casino. Some may be visiting the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce or any other beautiful outdoor area in the region. Nevermind people who are just coming into town to visit family who live in the region. So lumping them in as people where "Vegas is not the place you should be" if you don't like smoking is wholly an incorrect statement.

    Don't get me wrong, I hate smoking, but I know what I am getting when I roll into a casino. Yet not everyone is me flying in/out of LAS to roll the bones.
     
  10. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    People are so soft nowadays, the horror of possibly walking through the airport, and sniffing a whiff of smoke from the slot area must be unimaginable.
     
  11. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    I knew... one day I'd agree 100% with Merlin!!!
     
  12. Carol1113

    Carol1113 VIP Whale

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    I think you are so right--and I have walked past the smoking area that was in the other terminal many times and really didn't smell the smoke unless you are very close to the entrance or go in--so in my mind it should not be a problem for anyone
     
  13. Quixote

    Quixote Tourist

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    One could easily turn that statement back around. "People are so soft nowadays, the horror of having to walk to a designated smoking area before lighting up must be unimaginable."
     
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