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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 2:13 pm
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D wing at CLE

I changed planes here twice in the last few days and was amazed at the number of announcements that are required to get everyone on board. I wasnt counting but there were repeated calls for specific pax to make a B line for the gate - now!

The layout is weird with multiple aircraft leaving from the same gate in a short amt of time. There are not enough seats for everyone to remain close and the announcements overlap each other and are not terminal wide

To boot some of the GA were visible upset with some pax since they had to be chased down. Someone at CO should look at this since it only adds to everyone stress at a major hub
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 2:23 pm
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Originally Posted by tfred
I changed planes here twice in the last few days and was amazed at the number of announcements that are required to get everyone on board. I wasnt counting but there were repeated calls for specific pax to make a B line for the gate - now!

The layout is weird with multiple aircraft leaving from the same gate in a short amt of time. There are not enough seats for everyone to remain close and the announcements overlap each other and are not terminal wide

To boot some of the GA were visible upset with some pax since they had to be chased down. Someone at CO should look at this since it only adds to everyone stress at a major hub
The normal gates in D are not bad, despite the small seating areas. The multi-aircraft gates (D17, D21, D25, and D28) that are the worst. There really is not much that can be done about it other than adding jetways (which will not work with many of the regional aircraft) or staggering flight times a bit more.
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 2:41 pm
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I didn't notice any large amount of announcements my last time thru CLE. I'll think about that next time, which is in a few weeks. And the seating areas in D are terribly small, but it's essentially an RJ terminal.
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 3:19 pm
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The worst part of the multi-aircraft gates is the lack of an Elite-access line.

I can't stand that!
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 4:33 pm
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No the worst part of the multi-gate is during the arrival. They seem to have this rule that they must unload every gate checked bag and have the cart by the planes exit door before anyone can disembark the plane. Its ludicrous that a person who has checked baggage cannot exit the plane.

I thought this might be an FAA rule but in Atlanta last week my CO RJ parked next to a gate where the people stood on the tarmack awaiting their gate checked bags.

Suggestion to CLE: Let all of the pax disembark, the ones with gate checked bags can stand inside the doorway until the cart is brought up to the doorway entrance.

I have also seen this wreak havoc on connecting pax, I have waited as long as 15 minutes before we could deplane in CLE.

Last edited by CLEHillbilly; Aug 27, 2008 at 5:25 pm Reason: Added Suggestion
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 5:02 pm
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Hapless pax herding

Originally Posted by CLEHillbilly
I thought this might be an FAA rule but in Atlanta last week my CO RJ parked next to a gate where the people stood on the tarmack awaiting their gate checked bags.
At other stations (PIT and GRR come to mind), I have sometimes been allowed to deplane once the chocks are in place, the engines are turned off and, in the case of the turboprops, the prop is secured. I think that at CLE, they have no one dedicated to making sure that some hapless pax doesn't wander off. It always seems to me that the folks that handle the gate checked bags are the ones who are also responsible for herding the hapless.

Maybe I'm all wet on this.
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 5:09 pm
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I was there this morning (CLE-IAD) and we left out of gate 28 I believe.
(side note: why is gate 28 next to gates 1 and 2).

What I noticed most was the cheerfulness of the employees. I guess I'm
too used to EWR.

But going from the gate to the aircraft seemed like a longer journey than
other commuter aircraft gates have in other airports.

I do like the "Radio CLE" or whatever it's called. Better than elevator music,
or the constant CNN continuous track on overhead TVs.

But since SAN-CLE is seasonal, I usually don't use the airport. In fact, I think
this was the first time in 2 or 3 years I've been there.
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 8:35 pm
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CLE is a nice airport, but that D Concourse sucks.
  • The underground walkway from C to D is long
  • The D concourse is not connected to baggage (which I believe that they planned on doing at one time).
  • The D concourse is lacking in good seating, outlets, etc. (This is a new concourse. Couldn't they have built it for the "modern" traveler?)
  • It caters to RJ's (which are the worst planes ever - especially for 2-3 hour flights)
  • Finally, when will they fix the broken moving sidewalk (on the way back from D to C).
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 8:39 pm
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I've always liked Concourse D at CLE. It certainly looks a lot nicer than C does.

I can see how the lack of a direct connection to baggage claim would be an issue for passengers whose destination is Cleveland. I've not had to deal with that yet, since every time I've been to CLE I was just a connecting passenger.
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 8:51 pm
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Originally Posted by rtiggi
  • Finally, when will they fix the broken moving sidewalk (on the way back from D to C).
I was in CLE on Sunday & it was working then. Has it broken since?
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 8:52 pm
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Pax not connected, either

Originally Posted by rtiggi
CLE is a nice airport, but that D Concourse sucks.
  • The D concourse is not connected to baggage (which I believe that they planned on doing at one time).
The pax have to go through C to get out, as well, and their bags are waiting for them at the exit. At least they don't have to schlep their bags with them.

I'm not sure I get this one (which would be nothing new ).
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 9:18 pm
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Originally Posted by jwlowry
The pax have to go through C to get out, as well, and their bags are waiting for them at the exit.
What's worse, having to go from D->C to get your bag & get out in CLE, or going from the bowels of E->C to get your bags & get out of IAH? I know there's the shortcut at IAH, but it seems like it's a much longer walk for me. Maybe it's because IAH is "home" and I've been on the road for usually a week before I get there. When I get to CLE, I'm just starting out a trip & looking forward to a Rita's Water Ice as soon as I get out, so that might make the walk seem shorter.

Last edited by Xyzzy; Aug 27, 2008 at 11:34 pm Reason: Fixed UBB code
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Old Aug 28, 2008 | 7:32 am
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Originally Posted by IAHtraveler
I was in CLE on Sunday & it was working then. Has it broken since?
The walkways in the C-to-D Tunnel of Love are, IMHO, broken/off approximately 33% of the time.
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Old Aug 28, 2008 | 8:18 am
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Originally Posted by CLEHillbilly
No the worst part of the multi-gate is during the arrival. They seem to have this rule that they must unload every gate checked bag and have the cart by the planes exit door before anyone can disembark the plane. Its ludicrous that a person who has checked baggage cannot exit the plane.

I thought this might be an FAA rule but in Atlanta last week my CO RJ parked next to a gate where the people stood on the tarmack awaiting their gate checked bags.

Suggestion to CLE: Let all of the pax disembark, the ones with gate checked bags can stand inside the doorway until the cart is brought up to the doorway entrance.

I have also seen this wreak havoc on connecting pax, I have waited as long as 15 minutes before we could deplane in CLE.
Yes, I had forgotten about that. That aspect is slightly more annoying than the boarding chaos.
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Old Aug 28, 2008 | 8:21 am
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Originally Posted by Billiken
The walkways in the C-to-D Tunnel of Love are, IMHO, broken/off approximately 33% of the time.
Wow, I must have good luck. In the past 3 years, I'd say I average the Tunnel of Love once per month (gotta love going to FWA). I can remember it being broken one time. When I needed it most, ~2 weeks ago (due to a delayed inbound flight) it was working
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