O'Hare sucks

astanley

astanley

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Andrew Stanley
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K???
Plain and simple. It's like the people who built this place also built that other commercial aviation cesspool, PHL.

Cheers,

-Andrew
4 hour layover and prospecting for something that resembles food, no Flagship Lounge for Andrew tonight
 
Oh, you're at ORD? Do what I do: Drink. Heavily.

Of course, that's what I do whenever I'm anywhere in the entire city of Chicago, so... And I live here, so... Uh...

Nevermind.
 
astanley said:
Plain and simple. It's like the people who built this place also built that other commercial aviation cesspool, PHL.

Cheers,

-Andrew
4 hour layover and prospecting for something that resembles food, no Flagship Lounge for Andrew tonight
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Whassa matta? You don't like da food vendors dat knew zumbody? They won minority set-aside contracts. Da guy hadda make da company be hiz wifes.

Try the Hilton. Else hop on the Blue Line train to downtown or Damen Avenue....
 
mikea said:
Whassa matta? You don't like da food vendors dat knew zumbody? They won minority set-aside contracts. Da guy hadda make da company be hiz wifes.

Try the Hilton. Else hop on the Blue Line train to downtown or Damen Avenue....
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He's only got 4 hours. The way the Blue Line runs, that barely gets him to Jefferson Park before he's gotta turn back.
 
ReverendSlappy said:
He's only got 4 hours. The way the Blue Line runs, that barely gets him to Jefferson Park before he's gotta turn back.
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:rofl::rofl::rofl: I seriously made the calculation that it takes an hour each way.

Does the CTA still have those signs at the stations, "Rapid Transit" "25 minutes to O'Hare"
 
mikea said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl: I seriously made the calculation that it takes an hour each way.

Does the CTA still have those signs at the stations, "Rapid Transit" "25 minutes to O'Hare"
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I think so, but I haven't looked lately. Regardless, I know they were created by the same humor writers who brought us these bits of comedy gold.
 
The food at ORD sucks. Thankfully I am never doing a layover where I need to buy food. My experience is get into terminal 1, go to red carpet lounge wait for flight. I pity anyone that comes through ORD and has to layover or change terminals! YUCK!
 
smigaldi said:
The food at ORD sucks. Thankfully I am never doing a layover where I need to buy food. My experience is get into terminal 1, go to red carpet lounge wait for flight. I pity anyone that comes through ORD and has to layover or change terminals! YUCK!
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I have to. I've been screwed by ground stops 6 trips in a row out of CVG on the last flight out, and missed my flight 2x. I gave up on the 1hr connection and moved to an earlier flight, which gives me a 4 hour layover. C'est la vie. The Flagship in K is nice but since this is domestic, just Admirals for me. It's either "Amora" or downstairs to Manchu Wok or Gold Mile Dogs or some crap with a poppy seed bun and a pickle spear.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
ReverendSlappy said:
Oh, you're at ORD? Do what I do: Drink. Heavily.

Of course, that's what I do whenever I'm anywhere in the entire city of Chicago, so... And I live here, so... Uh...

Nevermind.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. Great bars and restos downtown. This place? It's all one big cruel trick on hapless travelers. I bet Daley sits in his office cackling "They are paying me fees for SECURITY and taxes for CRAPPY FOOD!"

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
mikea said:
:rofl::rofl::rofl: I seriously made the calculation that it takes an hour each way.

Does the CTA still have those signs at the stations, "Rapid Transit" "25 minutes to O'Hare"
Click to expand...

I actually debated it at first but opted against it. Figured I would miss my flight, because either a) I'd be drinking with the PoA crowd or b) stuffing my face with Wiviott and Goldwyn, which is never good for a schedule (or my stomach).

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
astanley said:
I'm with you. Great bars and restos downtown. This place? It's all one big cruel trick on hapless travelers. I bet Daley sits in his office cackling "They are paying me fees for SECURITY and taxes for CRAPPY FOOD!"

Cheers,

-Andrew
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"Cruel" is a good way to describe it. Fortunately (banging wood bat on wood desk) I've never had any real major delays at ORD.
 
astanley said:
I have to. I've been screwed by ground stops 6 trips in a row out of CVG on the last flight out, and missed my flight 2x. I gave up on the 1hr connection and moved to an earlier flight, which gives me a 4 hour layover. C'est la vie. The Flagship in K is nice but since this is domestic, just Admirals for me. It's either "Amora" or downstairs to Manchu Wok or Gold Mile Dogs or some crap with a poppy seed bun and a pickle spear.
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Edit Wait! THAT IS Gold Coast Dogs. Go there. They should be OK.
 
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At least it's not the C terminal at Newark. Or worse yet, the A terminal. I've only been to ORD once and it actually worked out pretty smooth for me (early AM flight on a clear-and-a-million morning). I'm convinced Newark is where all things decent and right go to die; or at least sit for all eternity in the Ballpark.
 
astanley said:
Plain and simple. It's like the people who built this place also built that other commercial aviation cesspool, PHL.

Cheers,

-Andrew
4 hour layover and prospecting for something that resembles food, no Flagship Lounge for Andrew tonight
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You're just figuring that out? :rofl:

Shoulda taken the Barbie Jet non-stop.... (I'll be doing that on OH to BOS in a couple of weeks, 'cause AA's first outbound leaves at 9:40 AM and gets in too late for an 11:30 meeting. And I refuse to fly US.)
 
wsuffa said:
You're just figuring that out? :rofl:

Shoulda taken the Barbie Jet non-stop.... (I'll be doing that on OH to BOS in a couple of weeks, 'cause AA's first outbound leaves at 9:40 AM and gets in too late for an 11:30 meeting. And I refuse to fly US.)
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I Am Not Giving My Business To Delta :nono:

The have such a strangle-hold on CVG... which I know you are intimately familiar with. There is a 0600 or so bird out of CMH, if you are a masochist.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
astanley said:
I Am Not Giving My Business To Delta :nono:

The have such a strangle-hold on CVG... which I know you are intimately familiar with. There is a 0600 or so bird out of CMH, if you are a masochist.

Cheers,

-Andrew
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It's DCA-BOS. 0700 OH/DL or 0700 US. 0940 on AA. My meeting is 1130 out on 128 near the Turnpike. No way to do that with the 9:40 and Boston traffic.

I'd consider driving to BWI and taking WN to MHT, but that adds 2 hours and I have to use the corporate deal. AA and DL. They may have the US shuttle, too, but I don't know because my reaction to US is visceral.

Amtrak takes too long, or I'd do Acela.

I hear you about CVG. Didn't they lower the fares recently?
 
wsuffa said:
It's DCA-BOS. 0700 OH/DL or 0700 US. 0940 on AA. My meeting is 1130 out on 128 near the Turnpike. No way to do that with the 9:40 and Boston traffic.

I'd consider driving to BWI and taking WN to MHT, but that adds 2 hours and I have to use the corporate deal. AA and DL. They may have the US shuttle, too, but I don't know because my reaction to US is visceral.

Amtrak takes too long, or I'd do Acela.

I hear you about CVG. Didn't they lower the fares recently?
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The 940 would cut it close, but if you are in the rental car by 1100, it's only 15 minutes to 128 from the Ted Williams Tunnel.

But, given that is waaaay too close, the DL seg is probably the right one.

The did, but it's still as expensive as AA with the connection. I'll take the segs and the miles...

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
Food-wise, I think just about every airline hub is the same. Same franchises, same slop, same prices. Blecch.

The standout for me in recent years was at the... uh... couldn't have been Atlanta, but it was down south somewhere...Gulfport? Hm, can't remember offhand. Also forget the name. It may have been a chain, but it was almost like a real restaurant, with real staff who really cared, and pretty good home-style southern fare.

The waitress called me "hon", which automatically gains any dining establishment an extra star in my reviews. :D

That's also a huge difference-maker: service. A friendly and efficient bartender is a treasure, considering how many pricks they deal with on a daily basis.
 
I seem to recall that O'Hare has a Chili's somewhere around, which is my favorite chain for flying. Reason? Good margaritas. Margaritas are an essential if you're flying.

I agree. ORD sucks. End of story. I've had to do layovers there a few times for various reasons. There are few big airports I actually do like, though. Much better to fly yourself places! :yes:
 
smigaldi said:
The only airport I hate more than ORD is DFW!!!
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I love DFW. Terminal D is beautiful. Easy to get around, nice people, great Admirals Club. The Terminal A club is pretty nice, too, with beautiful showers.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
I have no issues with DFW, and haven't really figured out the problems other people have. ORD and PHL have consistently given me problems. On days when I have to fly through both (yes, it happens), I really don't like it. Fortunately, it's been a while since I've had to do that.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I seem to recall that O'Hare has a Chili's somewhere around, which is my favorite chain for flying. Reason? Good margaritas. Margaritas are an essential if you're flying.
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Yes they do. In fact, ate there with Sharon Bockelman one time when Leslie encountered her there! (No margaritas, though). ORD has about the worst restaurant selection imaginable.
 
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gprellwitz said:
Yes they do. In fact, ate there with Sharon Brockelman one time when Leslie encountered her there! (No margaritas, though). ORD has about the worst restaurant selection imaginable.
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Yeah, I recall that when I found the Chili's it was after spending a good 20 minutes walking around, trying to find something better, failing, and deciding that it was a good time for a margarita. :)
 
I was pleasantly surprised at DFW a few years ago then I had to change planes there coming home from Sao Paolo and saw the train for the first time. You can get between terminals in a snap now. Far better than it used to be.

Now, ORD? I hate that place. EWR isn't any better. Oh, heck, I'm not fond of virtually any airport serving the airlines. Perhaps TSA has something to do with that? Oh well, this summer will be SEA, IAD, LHR, FCO, TLV, PDX, SFO and LIH. And those trips have NOTHING to do with work. :D :D :D
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Yeah, I recall that when I found the Chili's it was after spending a good 20 minutes walking around, trying to find something better, failing, and deciding that it was a good time for a margarita. :)
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Why didn't you visit the Prellwitz's. I'm sure the margaritas there would be be superior (a.k.a. rocketfuel) to anything available at ORD :D
 
vontresc said:
Why didn't you visit the Prellwitz's. I'm sure the margaritas there would be be superior (a.k.a. rocketfuel) to anything available at ORD :D
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Not a long enough layover. :(
 
astanley said:
Plain and simple. It's like the people who built this place also built that other commercial aviation cesspool, PHL.

Cheers,

-Andrew
4 hour layover and prospecting for something that resembles food, no Flagship Lounge for Andrew tonight
Click to expand...

Yup. Agreed 100%

Although if you think PHL is bad now, you should have flown through there 10 yrs ago. It's like a passenger paradise now -- but only in comparison to itself. To the rest of the world, it still blows.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Yup. Agreed 100%

Although if you think PHL is bad now, you should have flown through there 10 yrs ago. It's like a passenger paradise now -- but only in comparison to itself. To the rest of the world, it still blows.
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PHL ain't so bad at least not in comparison to lots of others Like ORD, EWR which really stinks, JFK grrrrrr, KBOS is a freaking nightmare, MIA is just as bad, DFW is ok but long walks, I liked SEA and Tampa they were easy. CLT is very pretty but my lord long walks and escaltors make it a pain in the arse on international flights.
 
AdamZ said:
PHL ain't so bad at least not in comparison to lots of others Like ORD, EWR which really stinks, JFK grrrrrr, KBOS is a freaking nightmare, MIA is just as bad, DFW is ok but long walks, I liked SEA and Tampa they were easy. CLT is very pretty but my lord long walks and escaltors make it a pain in the arse on international flights.
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I fly in and out of Tampa a lot and it is relatively pain free. I do feel sorry for anyone transistioning through that has to change terminals. The only way to do that is to leave security and then stand in line to re neter at the new terminal. Most other airports, even MIA, has ways for you to move between terminals inside of the secure zone.
 
AdamZ said:
PHL ain't so bad at least not in comparison to lots of others Like ORD, EWR which really stinks, JFK grrrrrr, KBOS is a freaking nightmare, MIA is just as bad, DFW is ok but long walks, I liked SEA and Tampa they were easy. CLT is very pretty but my lord long walks and escaltors make it a pain in the arse on international flights.
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A couple of the terminals at JFK are pretty decent - like AA's new terminal(the Delta terminals, however, are ****holes that should have been torn down years ago, historic or not). BOS and MIA are bad (BOS as much for the overbearing and unfriendly "security").
 
BOS is bad, but LAX is even worse.
 
wsuffa said:
A couple of the terminals at JFK are pretty decent - like AA's new terminal(the Delta terminals, however, are ****holes that should have been torn down years ago, historic or not). BOS and MIA are bad (BOS as much for the overbearing and unfriendly "security").
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BOS is not that bad. CVG is a security s-hole. As is BDL. And getting SSSS at ORD is the third circle of hell.

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
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