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SFO Opens Terminal 2 <---> Terminal 3 Airside Connector

SFO Opens Terminal 2 <---> Terminal 3 Airside Connector

Old Dec 1, 2021, 12:16 am
  #16  
 
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Tho access policies varies, now its possible to access Skyteam (via Delta Skyclub), oneworld (via Alaska) and Star Alliance (via United Club) options represented, in addition to independent American Express Centurion Membership lounge. Good to know.

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Old Dec 6, 2021, 2:01 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by jiburi
Tho access policies varies, now its possible to access Skyteam (via Delta Skyclub), oneworld (via Alaska) and Star Alliance (via United Club) options represented, in addition to independent American Express Centurion Membership lounge. Good to know.

Jiburi
I think the SkyClub is NOT accessible via this new connector.
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Old Dec 6, 2021, 2:28 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by stvr
I think the SkyClub is NOT accessible via this new connector.
Not the new connector, but a preexisting connector between T2's D and C gates.
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Old Dec 6, 2021, 7:03 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by stvr
I think the SkyClub is NOT accessible via this new connector.
Originally Posted by mildfrequence
Not the new connector, but a preexisting connector between T2's D and C gates.
Right, you could already go from D to C; the new connector makes it possible to go from E, F, and G all the way to the SkyClub in C.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 7:21 am
  #20  
 
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Excellent for additional places to clear security if G security is crowded or if I am carrying on a suitcase I can be dropped off at T2 or T3.

Why did SFO not make the airside connection back when they opened the new terminal with an airside AirTrain?
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 9:00 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by danielonn
Excellent for additional places to clear security if G security is crowded or if I am carrying on a suitcase I can be dropped off at T2 or T3.

Why did SFO not make the airside connection back when they opened the new terminal with an airside AirTrain?
An airside train @ SFO? Not only is there no real room, would have cost billions of dollars, but airside distances at SFO are amongst the shortest of any major airport on earth. (Assuming no construction) it takes maybe 20 minutes to walk the entire loop of SFO.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 7:42 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
An airside train @ SFO? Not only is there no real room, would have cost billions of dollars, but airside distances at SFO are amongst the shortest of any major airport on earth. (Assuming no construction) it takes maybe 20 minutes to walk the entire loop of SFO.
It's still a pain - especially trying to make connections across terminals.

David
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 8:56 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by DELee
It's still a pain - especially trying to make connections across terminals
Compared to what other major US airport? LAX? JFK? ORD? DFW? ATL? EWR? MIA? I'll take SFO over any of those.

I got a J&J shot in A this afternoon, then took the AirTrain to T2 for an AS flight. From the medical clinic in A to D1 took me less than 10 minutes (including clearing security).
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 9:31 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Kacee
Compared to what other major US airport? LAX? JFK? ORD? DFW? ATL? EWR? MIA? I'll take SFO over any of those.

I got a J&J shot in A this afternoon, then took the AirTrain to T2 for an AS flight. From the medical clinic in A to D1 took me less than 10 minutes (including clearing security).
All I can say is I walked G10 to D13 for my latest connection and it took 20 minutes on the airside. And, at 10 at night, there's almost nothing open over in D.

Look - it is not flat, it is not linear, nor is it straightforward. I'm not saying that transferring between terminals at LAX is simple or that going from one part of ATL to yet another is easy. In all of these and other airports, you really need to know where you're going and, if you're mobility limited and/or time constrained and/or moving luggage and kids, it is a pain in the butt.

Most airports weren't designed for connections. SFO is no different.

David
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 10:04 pm
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They could have done an AIrside AirTrain. Each stop the passengers goes downstairs to a tunnel Post Security with Security Clearance happening at a Central Security and Checkin Center could be somewhere off McDonald Rd where people clear Immigratio and Customs here via a special Shuttle Train / Retrieve Luggage etc. All cars are directed to this central processing area at staggard times. The road could lead from a SFO Shopping Mall a with Restaurants etc located off Anza Blvd where people can also be dropped off here and walk in an enclosed moving walkway to the central processing area . Rental Cars would have their Center in the Mc Donald Garage. Parking would be at various Garages in Center Terminal with a seperate checkin and Security Operations with a Bridge to Airside.

Other option would have been to just connect all terminals airside at time of rebuilding.
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Old Dec 8, 2021, 11:08 pm
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Originally Posted by danielonn
located off Anza Blvd where people can also be dropped off here and walk in an enclosed moving walkway to the central processing area .
World's longest moving walkway?
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Old Dec 9, 2021, 7:45 am
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Originally Posted by DELee
All I can say is I walked G10 to D13 for my latest connection and it took 20 minutes on the airside. And, at 10 at night, there's almost nothing open over in D.
That's an easy AirTrain connection. 10-15 minutes. Of course, if you'd prefer to walk, that's understandable (and I probably would), but there is a much less strenuous option.

And it's not that airports aren't designed for connections (though some are rather poor at it), it's that airplanes take up lots of space, which means you need lots of space between gates and concourses. The alternative to a spread-out terminal is remote stands. Personally I'll take the former.
Originally Posted by danielonn
They could have done an AIrside AirTrain
No, they could not, not without tearing everything down, including the underlying infrastructure, and starting over again. Do you have any conception how much that would cost?
Originally Posted by danielonn
Other option would have been to just connect all terminals airside at time of rebuilding.
That's exactly what they're doing.
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Old Dec 9, 2021, 7:50 am
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Took a casual stroll this early morning from C to G, about 15 minutes. Got to see the new connector and also the Centurion lounge getting ready to open; ran out of time for A and B.
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Old Dec 9, 2021, 8:30 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by DELee
All I can say is I walked G10 to D13 for my latest connection and it took 20 minutes on the airside. And, at 10 at night, there's almost nothing open over in D.

Look - it is not flat, it is not linear, nor is it straightforward. I'm not saying that transferring between terminals at LAX is simple or that going from one part of ATL to yet another is easy. In all of these and other airports, you really need to know where you're going and, if you're mobility limited and/or time constrained and/or moving luggage and kids, it is a pain in the butt.

Most airports weren't designed for connections. SFO is no different.

David
Any sort of inner loop airside transit wouldn't make the walk out the piers any shorter.

The significant remaining issue for AS/OW connections is the gap between C and B. Once that is done, AS transfers to OW partners will be 15 to 20 minutes max if you're walking with a purpose.
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Old Dec 9, 2021, 10:34 am
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
The significant remaining issue for AS/OW connections is the gap between C and B. Once that is done, AS transfers to OW partners will be 15 to 20 minutes max if you're walking with a purpose.
The next step is for AS to move to T1, which might end up leapfrogging completion of the B-C connection. Nothing has been finalized yet, but the plan is to move in late 2023 or into 2024. (This is based on what our SFO station leadership has told us.)
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