California - All About FAT

I used to live in Fresno so know this airport well.

I've never seen anything renovated so many times -- or renovated with any improvement whatsoever.

Years ago, back in the days when you had to take the escalator up and down to the gates, the airport was just as servicable as it is now. There were even some nicer things about it... I always loved that you could pull up to the curb right in front of the airport where there were parking meters (the only thing better is APF where the lot right in front of the terminal is FREE!).

Now they've got the whole darn thing torn up. They're adding separate access roads for arrivals and departures, and putting in jetports. I guess they figure "if you build it, they will come" since for years the total jet service has been 1 daily FAT-DFW r/t on AA (via MD80), a few FAT-PHX r/ts on AWA, a Horizon Air flight to Seattle, and one charter after another that goes under flying 737s to LAS.. plus Skywest CRJs to SLC for DL and now DEN for UA.

Baggage takes awhile to come out on each of the only two SMALL baggage claim conveyers.

There is still only one restaurant (Kittyhawk Lounge or something) and a snack bar near the gates.

I used to love it when WestAir served as UAX, and even the early days of Skywest -- none of the employees ever knew to collect upgrade certificates. I used to upgrade with 500-milers from SFO-IAD or LAX-IAD all the time and never have to give up certs.

Now Skywest is just so darn professional out there (and FAT was named Station of the Year according to a big banner by the checkin counters).

I still make it back there 5-6 times/yr -- so if there are any FT'ers heading out to FAT lemme know ... I can give you the lowdown on the area. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

Oh yeah.. the airport authority insists on calling itself "FRESNO YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL" -- though the closest thing they have to international would be flights to LA that then connect to Mexico...

They'll always remain FAT to me (and I guess to the FAA), though. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

Thank you for the overview gleff. That was interesting. I've always preferred smaller airports during my travels for a number of reasons. Easier parking, less traffic congestion and now faster security checks, to name a few.

In my area I always prefer LGB, instead of LAX, ONT or SNA. Even BUR isn't what it used to be, although it is my second choice.

Happy Travels.

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The wealthiest person is a poor man at times, compared to the man with a satisfied mind.

Jetways and terminal extension are finished. Quite nice, actually, with a great view of the snow-capped Sierra's on a clear day. Also kinda fun to watch the military metal depart.

Although this is a FT backwater, I do have lots of stories about FAT....

Playing on farm equipment between the runways back when they still grew crops out there. Playing in the old bunkers across from the Tower on Anderson. Playing in the tower; espeically loved the antique payphone and watching the weather guys at the FSS do the forecasts.

I grew up right at the end of the old FAT runway before they extended it. Anderson was a dirt road with our swimming hole by an irrigation pump. The tarmac was unfenced and we could walk right out to the GA planes.

I remember when Hughes, United and American flew 737's and 727's and when most of the gates were outdoors under a roof. We use to stand there and get blasted by the jet engines when the planes would power up and rotate to taxi. It was so loud we had to plug our ears with our fingers.

There was a go-kart track where the observation area, now mostly gone, was down by the ANG at Clovis and McKinley. Had lots of fun there as a kid. They used to drag race out by the ANG too, but that was before my time....

Neighbor's dad worked at the ANG as a mechanic for 20 years so we got to peer inside the old F86's and F102's when they were in for maintenance. I remember, after they fenced the airport, the ANG security patrols chasing us down at night when we would dig under the fences to get out to our old hangouts between the runways. We built underground forts in the fields by the airport, much to the chagrin of the farmer and his bulldozer.

I remember FAT when Fresno was a sleepy country town of 150,000 and the airport wasn't far removed from the Army air base (Hammer Field) it grew from.

Best childhood an aviation fancier could ever wish for http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

Pat

It has been several months since any activity here, so it is probably silly to reply to the thread. I did, however, want to correct the misapprehension about the improvements to FAT. The terminal remodel is done and is quite nice, with huge viewing windows in the gate area. The services airside are 100% better, with a decent restaurant near the gates, bar, book/snack shop and so on. Fares are still disproportionately high and mileage runs are difficult or expensive (have to start at LAX or SFO), but convenience is pretty good. I actually prefer VIS, where parking is right outside the front door and free! Love getting 500 EQMs for a 15 minute, 35 mile flight segment. There is never more than a 5 minute security line and your choice of seats on every flight. I'm not sure, but I may be one of a very few, or even the only, elites who use VIS. They know me by name and almost automatically assign me the exit row seat I prefer. Unfortunately, the 2, count 'em 2, PM departures per day don't permit most connections, so I wind up at FAT more often than not.

If you haven't been to FAT in the last 6 months, you haven't been to FAT.

abmj-jr

Good news is flights are up and fares are down...I payed 220 RT to Chicago on america west. Not quite as good as LAX or OAK, but its cheeper when you factor driving. There is even talk of flights to Mexico City in the next few monnths. Also hoping for a low-fare carrier (Frontier, jetBlue, or Virgin America) to come in and help keep fares low.

I actually prefer VIS, where parking is right outside the front door and free!
Parking USED to be right outside the front door at FAT, too. I mean RIGHT outside. The new FAT terminal may be more aesthetically pleasing, but I prefer the old... oh, and the rental cars used to be RIGHT outside the terminal. And I mean RIGHT outside. Like I said, the old way was better.

So Gleff, where is parking now if it isn't in front of the terminal?

Actually the parking IS right in front of the terminal. The short term parking area that had been repaved and renovated right before 9/11/2001 was closed for a long time but it is now open again.

The rental lot used to be outside the north door. But it is now around the block.

The major rental agency lots are about 200-300 ft from the side baggage claim exit doors. I rent from Hertz a lot at FAT and my wife generally drops me of on the side road by the rental lots.

There is a meter parking lot at the east end of the terminal building, for people waiting to pick up pax. The short-term lot is immediately across the drop-off/pick-up lanes in front of the terminal, with the long-term lot behind that. To the middle of the long-term lot from the terminal is about 600-800 ft. max.

FWIW, I just did a MR on UA FAT-JFK-FAT, with PS through LAX, for 291.70. The price from FAT was only 20.00 more RT than from LAX. Typical pricing is now in the high 200.00's to mid 300.00's for most continental US destinations. Likely will be a bit higher in summer.

Pat

Really late posting this, but you are right that the fares are occasionally down from FAT. I did a MR in May, FAT-NRT-FAT (via SFO) for $467.00+, using a UAL e-fare, so we get the low ones once in awhile. Just have to look real hard. That one was actually lower than SFO-NRT or LAX-NRT.

JR

Check out what has happened to fares from FAT to some east coast cities. Since Frontier started selling their new flights, I've seen some good drops in fares to the cities they serve. Prices at FAT on those routes are down to LAX and SFO levels.