The longest flight-drive time
May 7, 2001 | 8:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: SQ, LH, AMEX, Citi, Cap1
Posts: 4,113
The longest flight-drive time
Sometimes, because of weather conditions and scheduling, my flights have landed quite early, only to be disappointed with a long flight-drive back to the gate. Not counting waits on the taxi-way due to weather (that eliminates you guys who got stranded in DTW inside planes last Jan '99 
), de-icing, etc.. What was your longest flight-drive?
DTW: Consistently. The NW aircraft from SYR lands on a runway (21L), and the path to the terminal is just very long. Lot of stopping because the path crosses active runways. Longest time: 20 minutes.
CDG: Last March. I don't know why. The CO aircraft landed, and then it seemed to circle around the airport, until we parked in a bus gate. Time: 25 minutes
), de-icing, etc.. What was your longest flight-drive?DTW: Consistently. The NW aircraft from SYR lands on a runway (21L), and the path to the terminal is just very long. Lot of stopping because the path crosses active runways. Longest time: 20 minutes.
CDG: Last March. I don't know why. The CO aircraft landed, and then it seemed to circle around the airport, until we parked in a bus gate. Time: 25 minutes
May 7, 2001 | 10:09 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: Vanishing
Posts: 1,681
Coming to SNA on Delta can be a gamble on taxi time. If we land toward the east, it's about 24 seconds flat to get to the gate. But if the plane is early (Delta has just one gate) the wait can be considerable. 30 minutes is my longest in SNA.
JFK is another troublesome airport. If you land at peak traffic time, it can take a while to get across the runways. I had to wait 32 minutes one, and that was all that was needed to miss my connection.
/Pete
JFK is another troublesome airport. If you land at peak traffic time, it can take a while to get across the runways. I had to wait 32 minutes one, and that was all that was needed to miss my connection.
/Pete
May 7, 2001 | 10:25 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posts: 432
DFW for sure! Usually, it's ok, but if the wind is just right, you'll end up in the boonies. Has happened to me a few times -- I don't know where the heck we landed, but it was in the middle of nowhere and the taxi to the terminal was interminable.
JFK can also be irritating. We had been taxiing for 30 minutes to the runway once, and I heard some kid behind me ask "are we there yet?"
[This message has been edited by robinhood (edited 05-07-2001).]
JFK can also be irritating. We had been taxiing for 30 minutes to the runway once, and I heard some kid behind me ask "are we there yet?"
[This message has been edited by robinhood (edited 05-07-2001).]
May 7, 2001 | 12:56 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: MCI. AA Plat, UA PrmEx., Mrrtt Gold, Hz Pres.Circle, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,070
I've missed connections at both DFW and ORD thanks to long taxi times (25-30 minutes). It was a combination of distance traveled and having to wait to cross other runways.
May 7, 2001 | 5:01 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold
Posts: 3,640
ORD (AA) is quite notorious for this if the flight arrives early or very late. All the gates seem utilized to the max at certain times of day. After landing 2 hours late from SYR, we sat 25 minutes waiting for a gate to open up, and almost everyone missed connections in the process.
I once sat on DL at COS for 30 minutes, because my flight from SLC was late, the flight from DFW just landed, and there was only one gate. Was quite annoying to see other vacant gates that we couldn't use.
I also have had this problem with DL at SYR, since they have three gates, but only two jetways. But now that they have cut several flights, they have very ample gate space.
I once sat on DL at COS for 30 minutes, because my flight from SLC was late, the flight from DFW just landed, and there was only one gate. Was quite annoying to see other vacant gates that we couldn't use.
I also have had this problem with DL at SYR, since they have three gates, but only two jetways. But now that they have cut several flights, they have very ample gate space.
May 7, 2001 | 10:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA EXP/5MM; DL DM; HHonors DIAM; Marriott GLD
Posts: 4,132
I fly from OKC to DFW sometimes, and if the wind is from the south, this flight is virtually certain to land towards the southeast (I believe it is 13R). When we complete our roll-out, it appears that we are in excess of 2 miles from the gate, and then need to cross 2 active runways to get from the west side of the airport to the east.
I've done this flight enough to mentally assume that the short trip is only half way over upon landing in DFW.
I've done this flight enough to mentally assume that the short trip is only half way over upon landing in DFW.
May 7, 2001 | 10:54 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kfar Saba, Israel
Posts: 4,172
January 2000 - EWR - Landed on CO flight from TLV (12 hours !) into a snow storm. The airport was closed for domestic travel and only international travel was allowed. When we landed there was no gate open and we waited more than 90 minutes (!!!) for the defreezing of a LH plane.
flight arrived at 6:15PM , we got off the aircraft at 8PM - to find that there are no connections and to find a hotel room around (impossible).
flight arrived at 6:15PM , we got off the aircraft at 8PM - to find that there are no connections and to find a hotel room around (impossible).
May 8, 2001 | 7:54 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Washington DC
Programs: UA GS, SAS Gold, EK Gold, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 801
nov 1999 we arrived back from FRA at EWR and there was a bomb scare in the intl arrivals area so they evacuated the terminal. however b/c our flight had to clear customs/immigration we (along with all other intl flights) had to spend @ 3.5 hours parked in a corner of the airport near some warehouses. crew was really good about it and the captain had flight deck tours once we were parked.