I didn't go into the smoking lounge on E, but when I passed through Thursday afternoon at about 12:30 I saw a few passengers inside. The clerk from the snack bar made a little announcement to everyone sitting inside that the lounge was open.

MKE scores well in Conde Nast Traveler Poll
 

Condé Nast Traveler Recognizes MKE as One of Nation’s Top Airports
Readers of Condé Nast Traveler, the magazine designed for the discerning frequent traveler, recently ranked MKE as best in the nation in Ease of Connections, Customs/Baggage and Safety/Security. Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport (MKE) garnered the most first-place rankings in individual categories, and finished fifth overall among U.S. airports. The 9th Readers’ Choice Travel Awards appear in the magazine’s October 2006 issue.

MKE is currently undergoing a $50 million expansion and renovation of all three airport concourses. In addition, new food, beverage and retail options have been added to the airport’s concession mall and concourses.

Question to you guys -- would appreciate your help. I got a flight out of Milwaukee at 7 am on Friday, so I have to get there by 6. I'm coming in from Sun Prairie (by Madison) and the only public transport I can get will not get me there in time on Friday. I am toying with getting there Thurs night and hanging out at the airport all night. From your experiences, would that be OK? Would I get kicked out? Thanks for any help!

Try calling Airport Connection. (800) 236-5450 is their number. www.mkelimo.com is the website. I use them all the time... then you can have a few cocktails on the plane if you wish and not worry about the ride home!

Just FYI - getting there at 6am is pushing it unless you check in online, have no bags to check, and are an MME so you can skip the long security line. This is the busiest time of day, especially on a Friday.

Try http://www.sleepinginairports.net/usa/milwaukee.htm for stories from others who have spent the night in the MKE airport. The main termial is open 24 hours. Good luck.

zmikem, welcome to Flyertalk!

While flying out of D today I saw that US Airways has vacated gates D51 & 53 and moved to C18 and 19 leaving Midwest Airlines the only airline now operating out of the D concourse.

Does anyone know what the big tents are for that are being erected next to the Skyway gates (behind the bag make-up areas, near the front of D concourse)?

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch.../2007&id=27476

Just about all of Mitchell International Airport is without electricity after a power outage that struck about 3:30 this afternoon, an airport spokeswoman said.

The exact cause of the outage has not been determined but it appears to have stemmed from work being done by an electrical contractor in an underground utility tunnel at the airport, spokeswoman Pat Rowe said.

"Something went wrong," Rowe said. "Just about everything that that runs on electricity has been affected."

Planes are still arriving and departing from the airport, though the process for each has been slowed because of the outage, Rowe said.

"Everything that is normally powered by electricity is now being done by hand," she said.

Travelers who normally use jet bridges to board and disembark from planes must now use the steps of the aircraft on the tarmac, Rowe said.

Security screening has also been slowed as security personnel must screen passengers and luggage by hand, she said.

Shops and restaurants in the airport are dark, escalators and elevators are not working and there is no air-conditioning, Rowe said.

According to the National Weather Service in Sullivan the temperature outside at the airport is currently 87 degrees.

There are some emergency lights working and the lights that illuminate airport corridors are also working, Rowe said.

There have been no reports of people stranded in elevators, though the airport fire department is standing by in case of any emergencies, Rowe said.

Television monitors announcing arrivals and departure times were blank and long lines at the security screening station appear to be getting longer, according to a Journal Sentinel reporter now at the airport.

Skybus, Ryan International, Funjet and Apple vacations have moved to occupy the gates in E that were formerly used by AirTran.

How many gates are open after this recent shuffle? I still think Southwest should take a gate and start 8 daily flights from MKE.

It appears this is going to happen.

Anyway, does any one know if united has a premier line (check in and/or security) in milwaukee?

I never make it to that part of the airport.

Yes to premier checkin, but not at Security. The C concourse security has become a zoo depending on how many AirTran flights may be departing. United Express is all 50 seat CRJs now from MKE, so its rarely very busy at check in. I typically just checkin online and bypass the trip downstairs if at all possible.

AirTran's increased volume and schedule has definitely increased the activity at the C Concourse Security Checkpoint. There is no expert traveler lane; they have a casual traveler and family traveler lane, but these combine prior to screening. On the plus side, TSA seems to move pax through efficiently; when I arrive between 6:00am and 7:00am on a Monday morning, I can still make it from the parking garage to the gate in less than 15 minutes, often with a stop at the recently opened Alterra.

For those flying out of C a new Chili's will be opening by the end of August.