New Airport Over the Top?

I got my first look at the new Harvey Weir Cook International Airport when my flight got in late Friday night. It is certainly an impressive new facility for Indy.

I can't help but wonder just how much in tax dollars went into this new showpiece for the Indiana capitol. Was the old airport really that bad? I didn't think so.

I'm pretty happy that they named it after the old WWI Ace H. Weir Cook. It's refreshing that Indiana can actually remember their heroes from that far in the past.

They're certainly saving money on TSA employees, as I observed on Sunday as I flew out of the new airport on Sunday. The new combined security checkpoint has maybe 8 or more (I didn't count) security lines, but only had 2 open Sunday. So instead of my usual 5-10 minute trek through security at the old airport, this time it took almost 30 minutes. And I was in the new "expert traveler" line.

Woo Hoo.

I must also adjust to the fact that walking to the terminal from the parking lot is no longer an option. The new parking lots, which seem to go on for miles, are pretty much inaccessible to or from the terminal on foot. So waiting for the bus, then waiting as it stops at every shelter in the lot, is no longer optional.

Some things that made me chuckle a bit:

After only a few days, the carpet near the gates and on the jetbridges is already stained. Won't be long before it's every bit as disgusting as the carpet at the old airport.

The terminal is somewhat reminiscent of Detroit's on the inside, albeit a bit smaller and without the train. Like Detroit, there are flat-panel televisions on the walls. But unlike Detroit, they're small flat-panel televisions you can't really see unless you get very close. It's pretty clear somebody decided to save money on the TV's but might has well have saved all of it, since nobody can watch them anyway.

The bottom line for me is there's this beautiful new airport that takes longer to drive to, longer to get into from the parking lot, and longer to get through security.

They call that progress?