kaller

As regular San Diego travelers know, the Southwest gates have long been split between two security areas, gates 1, 1A and 2 in a small concourse separate from gates 3-10. On Sunday 11/19 and Monday 11/20, they were also using gate 11 in the Alaska/Frontier concourse for several domestic flights.. I don't know if this a long-term expansion, or management of the holiday peak load. On Sunday, there were numerous passengers showing-up at the gate 10 podium puzzled there was no gate 11 to be found.

kennycrudup

I've been in SAN probably 50 times over the years and have never ventured further than the T-1 escalator to ground transportation in all that time. How far a walk is Gate 11 from say, the T-1 baggage-claim area?

NextTrip

https://travelwidget.com/San-Diego-I...t-terminal-map

fiuchris

This is an additional gate that will be used long-term as service increases. It is a hassle since it is in yet another security area, but unfortunately it's the only way to grow at the moment since capacity is basically maxed out among the other 11 gates. By the summer, SAN will see around 115 daily weekday departures.

tmiw

Could an airside shuttle bus help? Not ideal by any means but better than having to re-clear security when transiting.

On that note, I can't wait until T1's rebuilt. T2 is definitely a much better travel experience ever since it was expanded.

sevcheckers28

I hope they can eventually connect all terminals after security. I've gotten standby to an earlier flight and had to clear security again for the same airline, and that doesn't make much sense. There's also no way to get to the airspace lounge without clearing security multiple times right now, but it would be a reasonable walk if terminals were connected.

kennycrudup

Thanks (... but I wonder about the accuracy of that map WRT amenities/locations, as it doesn't have an icon for security for the 3-10 gate area.)

NextTrip

Maybe you will like this map better! It is directly from the SAN website: https://sanmap.san.org/Html5Viewer/I...?viewer=sanmap
Enlarge it to see the checkpoints (purple stars).

danielonn

Can they offer a special Security Pass or a shuttle bus to avoid re-clearing security? I think its poor service if you had to connect to Gate 11 and re-clear TSA security. This means you cannot purchase liquids in your connecting airport. What happens if I purchased liquids at PHX and did not know about this Gate 11 business can I ask TSA to make an exception because its not my fault that Gate 11 is located in another secured area. Who would reimburse me for my Salsa I purchased at PHX? Under normal circumstances I could purchase that bottle of Salsa and be fine as I have already cleared security at ABQ and lets say I was connecting at SAN to another flight to SEA which can happen.

At LAX I can go between Terminals 8-TBIT landside. At SJC I can go from Terminal A to B landside, same at PHX and other major airports.

Now I can understand using Gate 11 for International departures and arrivals but not for connecting from Gate 3 and then out from Gate 11 for the 2nd flight.

Southwest needs to work on a connection behind security where you show your Boarding Pass and ID and then would be allowed to stay landside and do this vice versa.

NextTrip

Wow, you are getting pretty worked up with made up scenarios!

And, I think you may have landside and airside confused.

tmiw

Come to think of it, I wouldn't be surprised if WN does some gate management to minimize the number of people who have to re-clear security on a particular day.

WN is at T1 at LAX (with their international flights leaving from TBIT), so this problem exists there too. Granted, it's not nearly as much of an issue.

ryw

It's not that made up! Couple years ago was my first time making a connection on Southwest in San Diego, going AAA-SAN-BBB. Arrived at Gate 1, the connecting flight was out of the other pier, and I was a bit confused at first, not realizing I had to exit and re-enter the secure area. I only had gotten a water bottle airside at AAA which I obviously had to empty out at SAN, but I could imagine being more annoyed if I had purchased other liquid products airside at AAA. (Also, the connection was tight - made it to the gate within 10 minutes of boarding using the A-list security line; connecting without that would've been cutting it close).

Is there any Southwest signage in T1 directing people to Gate 11, even if it's just a temporary sign? Or are passengers stuck trying to figure it out?

sanFF

Southwest has used gate 11 in the past. I think about 10 years ago after TWA gave up that gate. Looks like they need the gate again. The plan from the airport authority is to
demolish T-1 terminals and build a new large terminal that will connect with Terminal 2. We need this remodel desperately.

danielonn

They needed this remodel 10 years ago!

tusphotog

If your flight is running late and you have to reclear security, it never hurts to ask for an escort across the ramp. Usually the ops agent at the gate can get it set up, or that's how it worked when I did it a few years ago.

Not sure it's faster, but it certainly beats reclearing security.

That'll happen about 15 years from now. Probably more. Blows my mind how WN (and now AS) get stuck over in T1. It's an awful experience over there.