LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22255 posts, RR: 51 Posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 7611 times:
On Thursday John Wayne Airport (SNA) celebrated the opening of a new permanent commuter facility.
Known as the North Commuter Terminal, or more aptly a large hold room area featuring three gates with direct ramp access is part of the airports larger $543 million modernization program.
The commuter facility connected to Terminal-A will initially have two tenants - United Express and Delta Connection. The first flight out of the North Commuter Terminal was a Delta flight to Salt Lake City (ironically operated on an A319, however come 2012 Delta plans to utilize RJs)
san747 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 4936 posts, RR: 13 Reply 1, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 7309 times:
Wow, very nice! Things are a lot different compared to when I worked there from '07-08.
chrisair From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 1797 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 6914 times:
Quoting san747 (Reply 1): Things are a lot different compared to when I worked there from '07-08
Hell, things are a lot different than they were back in 1987 when I started flying out of SNA! Still a great airport.
gmcc From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6811 times:
Now if QX can get slots those gate that could really be fun. SAN-SNA-STS or SJC -SEA anyone? Please. Good to see the new stuff starting to open. I think they are planning to have a tour of the new terminal c on November 13, the day before it open.
usflyer msp From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1810 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6787 times:
I really don't see the point of this building. The era of RJ's is coming to a close, especially in slot- restricted airports like SNA. I think SNA would have been better served by building three additional mainline gates (that could be used by RJ's if needed).
airbazar From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 6955 posts, RR: 7 Reply 5, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6776 times:
Quoting usflyer msp (Reply 4): I really don't see the point of this building. The era of RJ's is coming to a close, especially in slot- restricted airports like SNA. I think SNA would have been better served by building three additional mainline gates (that could be used by RJ's if needed).
So why can;t mainline jets use these gates? As stated by the OP, the first flight out of these gates was an A319. Is that not mainline?
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22255 posts, RR: 51 Reply 6, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 6719 times:
Quoting gmcc (Reply 3): Now if QX can get slots those gate that could really be fun. SAN-SNA-STS or SJC -SEA anyone?
The 2012 slot award is around the corner, and Horizon which was on the waiting list passed again this year.
There should be a new entrant - a regional carrier flying in behalf of Delta if the documents get signed.
Quoting usflyer msp (Reply 4): I really don't see the point of this building. The era of RJ's is coming to a close, especially in slot- restricted airports like SNA. I think SNA would have been better served by building three additional mainline gates
Well they are getting 6 air-carrier gates also when the new Terminal C opens in November.
The commuter gates are actually quite worthwhile, as they will also provide the critical parking space for overnight aircraft. Besides slots, SNA has a parking restriction with overnight demand exceeding parking spots available.
Lastly keep in mind, potential commuter activity is not the same as larger jet service for slots, so one could operate a dozen commuter flights potentially without impacting mainline slots much if at all.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
FedExFlyerPHL From United States of America, joined May 2008, 159 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 6219 times:
I missed it!!! I flew in on Thursday and had no idea. If I would have know, I would have headed down the other end to check it out.
Jeff
ABE ATL AUA AUS BHM BOS BUR BWI CLT DFW EWR HOU IAD JAN JAX LAX LGB MEM MCI MCO MDW MGW MSP MSY ORD PHL PIT SJU SNA STL
7673mech From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 634 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 5937 times:
Quoting airbazar (Reply 5): So why can;t mainline jets use these gates? As stated by the OP, the first flight out of these gates was an A319. Is that not mainline?
They can, there are not Jetway's attached. The passengers walk through a door and up loading stairs.
wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5566 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 4995 times:
Quoting gmcc (Reply 3): Now if QX can get slots those gate that could really be fun. SAN-SNA-STS or SJC -SEA anyone? Please. Good to see the new stuff starting to open. I think they are planning to have a tour of the new terminal c on November 13, the day before it open.
Any QX service to SNA would be cool! Maybe even some QX service on the SJC-SNA run.
usflyer msp From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1810 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 4539 times:
Quoting airbazar (Reply 5): So why can;t mainline jets use these gates? As stated by the OP, the first flight out of these gates was an A319. Is that not mainline?
I suppose they can but that causes certain inefficiencies. Ground loading requires extra staff to marshall passengers and special equipment in order for disabled pax to enplane/deplane. Passengers hate it during inclement weather. (admittedly, not a huge problem in SoCal) They should have built three jetway gates with RJ compatible jetways. That would have been a more efficient of their funds IMHO.
gmcc From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 4529 times:
wedgetail737 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5566 posts, RR: 5 Reply 12, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 4478 times:
Quoting gmcc (Reply 11): It would be especially fun to watch the Newport/Costa Mesa NIMBY's heads go pop at the thought of a "old" prop plane disturbing them.
The Q400 is no ordinary prop. But I think it's well-suited for intrastate service.
ghifty From United States of America, joined Jul 2010, 783 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 4196 times:
andyinpit From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 318 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 2707 times:
Quoting ghifty (Reply 13): I kid... after all it's such people that are to "blame" for the exhilarating take-offs from SNA, gotta love those charged t/o's.
I'll be taking a flight from there next month from the jumpseat. I'm quite excited...
as739x From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5834 posts, RR: 23 Reply 15, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 2491 times:
FedExFlyerPHL From United States of America, joined May 2008, 159 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2400 times:
Quoting ghifty (Reply 13): I kid... after all it's such people that are to "blame" for the exhilarating take-offs from SNA, gotta love those charged t/o's.
Those takeoffs must not neccessarily be mandatory anymore because my flight from SNA-MSP was pretty normal. No steep climb and no power cut back. I was kind of looking forward to the famous SNA takeoff.
Jeff
ABE ATL AUA AUS BHM BOS BUR BWI CLT DFW EWR HOU IAD JAN JAX LAX LGB MEM MCI MCO MDW MGW MSP MSY ORD PHL PIT SJU SNA STL
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8774 posts, RR: 12 Reply 18, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2014 times:
Quoting FedExFlyerPHL (Reply 16): Those takeoffs must not neccessarily be mandatory anymore because my flight from SNA-MSP was pretty normal. No steep climb and no power cut back. I was kind of looking forward to the famous SNA takeoff.
I had the steep takeoff then the cutback on throttle on my US Airways 737 flight from SNA to PHX this evening...
gmcc From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (1 year 9 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 1868 times:
Quoting wnflyguy (Reply 17): Terminal c will be 5 gates for WN and 1 gate for F9
Technically all gate in the new terminal with be CUTE, however, I am sure that WN will use 5 gates and F9 will use one