Linux72

Looks like parking at TTN is going to be an issue again. I was there over the weekend, and every spot in both lots were taken, along with people parking curbside inside the lots. People were long-term parked in all the cell phone lot spots, as well. I don't know if it had to do with the double MCO flights (5 flights total in one day to Florida), but even so, the new cities will make it even worse.

davywavy

They're on to it, but I don't know if they have the solution yet, at least in time for summer:

http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2...rovements.html

"County could use part of $19 million capital bond for Trenton-Mercer airport improvements

With three new destinations from Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing being added this week, accommodating the increased number of passengers is a work in progress, Mercer County Chief Financial Officer David Miller said.

“We might be able to accommodate additional capacity with the terminal improvements, but we have to start worrying about parking,” Miller said.

One option the county has considered is building just one level of parking on top of the current parking lots, which would add additional space without incurring the expense of building a new parking garage, Miller said. He anticipated the county will repay the money already spent on only the parking lot renovations by May 2015."

There's also been some talk of opening (or re-opening?) remote parking lots.

LarryJ

I have never flown an Airbus. I've been qualified on the DC8, DC9, and B757/767 aircraft only so I don't know what its capabilities are.

davywavy

This linked article is an address to the Mercer County Freeholders about the situation at TTN, especially with regard to the present issues of the parking lot, and terminal, etc, and their financing.

It also gives an overview of what is happening there. Given that Frontier began service there fifteen months ago with just two flights a week, there are some fairly mind-boggling numbers, now, and projected for the future. There is also a reference to "marginally larger planes" - I assume the A320:

http://www.trentonian.com/general-ne...airport-growth

"Mercer County pleased with airport growth

Frontier currently shuffles 375,000 passengers annually to and from the regional airport. The low-cost airline is projecting an increase in flights and destinations, bringing an anticipated 875,000 passengers every year through the airport by 2017, according to Watson."

Jerseyguy

Article in the Star Ledger says that they are actively working on temporary solutions to the parking problem such as a eco-friendly mat for the grass so that cars can park on it and not damage it. Estimates are 650 more spaces and 1700 needed for June's 73 weekly departures.

Official outlines $13M in Trenton-Mercer airport improvements, expects traffic to double by 2017
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2...than_doub.html

EricR111

Why don't they just open the remote lots for now? I know that they have to spend $30K/month for shuttle buses, but if you discount the parking to even $5/day for the remote areas, at 500 cars/day, you can easily recoup the cost, as it would come out to $75,000/month in parking revenue. The key is not really to make money in the short term off remote parking, it is to avoid people getting discouraged because they cannot find parking. If that happens, they may not come back to TTN.

vq35dett

Ah parking sounds like a potentially stressful/frustrating experience at TTN.

Jerseyguy

Your right, parking problems are definitely going to be a big factor in satisfaction and loyalty. Being run by the county they typically have lots more red tape to get thru. Hopefully they can get this temporary solution taken care of soon. They MUST get this done by April 29th when 10 more weekly departures begin. TTN is weird when it comes to parking, yesterday parking is overflowing. Today Lot 2 ( furthest lot) is half full

rtalk25

Even cabs. The queue of cabs is very minimal actually (sometimes up to 4-5) but there are periods of the day when all are taken. It's not like the abundance of cabs that frequent MDW or ORD.

All these new routes (MKE, MSP, CLE) that are non leisure might be targeting some pax from those markets, where those pax thinking they'll fly to TTN as a way to save money to Philly or NYC. They better use book with Enterprise or have family here willing to pick them up. I've been on a couple flights already where there are pax flying to TTN for the first time and asking if cabs are there, and what's the cost to the Trenton Transit Center.

I like the ACY airport experience much better, esp. on return, but I like F9 over NK. And the general area of Mercer Co. is more convenient than Atlantic County, although TTN is somewhat in an obscure area in that county and not close enough to the Trenton Transit Center or I-295 or the NJ Turnpike.

Jerseyguy

TTN is very much a work in progress, I think the pace at which Frontier is expanding is a little too quick for the airport and the county. The county has very little experience in commercial service especially of this size. Unfortunately even "fast-tracking" of projects is still a bit slower a pace then what it needs to be.

The target audience (or at least what should be the target audience based on the airport) is travelers FROM the TTN area to a group of overpriced cities to which the competition is lacking. It is also definately a suburban crowd who have cars to whom TTN is also closer to then their normal airport such as EWR, PHL and even some parts of the ABE catchment.

Unfortunately I don't think we will see this ultimately improve to what it should be until a new terminal is built in 3-5 years near the moved West Trenton SEPTA station in the proposed Ewing Transit Village.

Yes, ACY has a much better terminal and because of the rapid expansion the arrivals are from a even more remedial modular building not connected to the terminal because of the lack of room. ACY is a more mature terminal but is way overbuilt for what it is (Do they really need 9 gates I think they have). However even back in the early days ACY had the room necessary to function in a meaningful way.

The location yes is a bit out of the way, it currently takes me 35 minutes to get there if it was in more of the heart of Mercer county you could probably take off 7-10 minutes off my travel time. It would have been in a better location if the NIMBYs of Princeton hadn't kabashed the Somerset Freeway project of 20 years ago that would have linked I-95 to the turnpike up in the Edison area.

I am a bit frustrated by TTNs lack of a decent website (though I do acknoledge that they do have their hands full) and will be launching an unoffical but realitively basic website (but 100X better then the county website) with detailed information regarding the airport and its facilities. Your talk about the lack of cabs has reminded me I need to make the lack of transportation a bit more apparent on my site. I'm estimating I will launch this mid March. I'm hoping that my providers claims of google search optimization come to fruition but even if I don't get alot of traffic atleast I can say I tried (though I will be heavily pushing that I get a link on the TTN Wikipedia page)

Anyway, I've gone on way too much in my response but I'm hoping TTN gets better in the future

rtalk25

Is there any chance TTN can be a state owned/operated airport?

Such can accelerate improvements to these:
Runway
Terminal
Parking
Transportation to NJ Transit

ACY is owned by SJTA which gets funds from the AC Expressway tolls. It's essentially a state agency airport and now the Port Authority (bi-state agency of NY and NJ that operates EWR also) is operating it.

I know it's political. NJ officials want pax to support EWR in the North/Central parts of NJ and ACY or Atlantic City, and it's struggling casino industry. If only the casinos were up in Trenton.

However, if pax are flying into TTN as a gateway, it trickles down to revenue that NJ hotels and businesses from Princeton area up to Northern NJ can receive that will help the state prosper. However NJ, from a state level, isn't supportive of TTN and economic growth from it.

As far as other small states:
BWI is a state owned airport in Maryland and PVD is state owned in Rhode Island. Imagine what BWI would be like if it was just a Baltimore-Anne Arundel County operation.

Jerseyguy

Don't know I want the Port Authority running TTN especially since it conflicts with the interests of EWR and United a major ally for the PA. I think the state is supportive of TTN. The state DOT does provide grant money when at all possible, recently provding a grant of 2.5 million for taxiway refurbishments and the recent proposal for 14 million in improvement to the airport (including 6 million to terminal and parking improvements) has $8 million in grants in it, though I'm not sure what percentage is State vs Federal.

Would being operated by the state DOT be better, probably but I don't think that the county wants to let go of its new found possible revenue stream.

danspartan

Legacy prices from PHL-MSP are horrible (600+), thinking about Frontier. (I'm Delta GM, on slow slide from DM reduced work travel).

Concerns--wedding to go in September, booking only through Aug 10 available.

Reviews on web are horrible, though most of those seem to be those booking thru 3rd parties like Orbitz.

Trenton airport parking?

Is it worth the risk? Its my son's wedding, delays are not acceptable. What is the actual flying experience?

Jerseyguy

Thats why they picked the route because fares are through the nose. Being that your a Delta DM, contact Early Returns customer service and ask to be status matched to Summit. You'll get some perks (2 free bags, free drinks, change fees waived, priority check-in and security at MSP) and get a priorty phone number to call for reservations incase of IRROPs. I am only Ascent but it has shortened the duration of hold times during bad weather.

That shouldn't be a concern, they should be extending the schedule in the next 2-3 weeks.


Yep, that is the probably the #1 problem is the fees associated with 3rd party booking. Not sure if these policies are the best idea but you will be traveling as a Summit member and booking on Flyfrontier.com so these shouldn't apply. I've flown Frontier out of Trenton, several times since they started service and have had no major service issues.

Yes they are having some issues now with expansion problems but definately at the very least on a temporary basis they will have this taken care of by September if not the permanent fixes will be completed. They have the ability to create the temporary 650 space lot they mention in the article and ability for an additional 450 spaces in a remote lot with a shuttle to the terminal. September is their slowest time of the year as well, even more of a possibility that parking won't be an issue.

The first question is how much buffer time are you going to be leaving yourself. If you need to travel the night before (not recommended even if flying a major carrier from Philly), then no your sons wedding is too important to risk. Even traveling PHL-MSP it could get messy if any issues arise with the load factors the major carriers have but yes would be better. If you have a 2-3 day leeway then you can entertain the possibility. Frontier is flying 4X week to MSP so even if a flight is canceled due to weather, you being a Summit member will have priorty getting a seat and getting protected on a flight the next day.

danspartan

Many thanks for the detailed info.

I'm now Gold (as of 3/1) on Delta-what does that correlate to in Frontier speak?

Don't know the wedding schedule yet. Assuming Fri/Sat/Sun events had been planning on flying Thu and Monday.

Highly likely we will wimp out and pay Delta or similar to maintain maximum likelihood of minimum hassle. I guess more likely to try Frontier by myself or book one of my kids on it when they come out here to visit.