Paying to drop people off at the airport?

[Rob Base 2.0]

Apparently they are considering adding a "toll" at da airport if you drop someone off / drive your car up to the terminal.... whatcha think?

www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/08/27/dropping-off-friend-logan-could-cost-you/hMr9xTwmlyeXsMp3Rd1uVK/story.html

[dee27]

Since Logan is one of the worst airports, I would book my flight through a different airport.

[busymom]

I'm already more inclined to drive somewhere rather than fly.  If they add a "drop-off" charge to all of the other costs of flying, I think people will look more closely at other transportation options.  Might not affect business travel much, but who knows?  

[Regis]

Aug 29, 2017 12:40:04 GMT -5 dee27 said:

Since Logan is one of the worst airports, I would book my flight through a different airport.

My FIL in on the Cape. We fly into Providence. Much easier.

[alabamagal]

Are they going to charge Uber drivers? cabs?  My DH drives for Uber and he makes most of him money off Uber fairs.  In suburb we live in you can Uber to the airport and get dropped off at the terminal for $30.  If I drive and park at airport, cheapest lot is $9 per day then you get a bus to terminal, or $12 to walk a long way or $20 for short walk.  If you are going for more than a couple days, save the hassle and take Uber.

If they don't want dropoffs are they going to build more parking spaces?  That might add to global warming.

I have been to places with good public transit, but if you have a lot of bags a lot of people don't care to drag their luggage on bus or rail.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 29, 2017 15:10:57 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

Are they going to charge Uber drivers? cabs?  My DH drives for Uber and he makes most of him money off Uber fairs.  In suburb we live in you can Uber to the airport and get dropped off at the terminal for $30.  If I drive and park at airport, cheapest lot is $9 per day then you get a bus to terminal, or $12 to walk a long way or $20 for short walk.  If you are going for more than a couple days, save the hassle and take Uber.

If they don't want dropoffs are they going to build more parking spaces?  That might add to global warming.

I have been to places with good public transit, but if you have a lot of bags a lot of people don't care to drag their luggage on bus or rail.

AG-the article states Uber, Lyft and taxis already pay the drop off fee which they pass along to their customer.

Not a big fan of the idea as the article notes many drivers bringing family and friends to Logan have already paid a harbor tunnel fee to get to and from Logan. So the person driving family and/or friends to the airport gets hit with multiple fees and charges.

Also if I remember correctly, there is a Logan Airport subway stop. Areas around metro Boston with access to their rapid transit/subway system take the subway to Logan and then a bus transfers them to the terminal. There may or may not be a bus fare for that service.

[dannylion]

There are a few people I would gladly pay to drop off at the airport if I could be assured that they would go somewhere else and stay there.

[Anne_in_VA]

[thyme4change]

Sheesh.

Air travel sucks ads, and the keep finding new ways to make it worse.

I wish they would just raise prices and bring back some dignity to the process.

[simser]

DFW airport already has this toll charge and no public transportation to the airport. There's no charge if you can get in and out in 15 minutes, or else it's $1.

[Deleted]

Aug 30, 2017 15:20:33 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Sheesh.

Air travel sucks ads, and the keep finding new ways to make it worse.

I wish they would just raise prices and bring back some dignity to the process.

They have.  It's called Business Class.

Seriously- I make the choice to travel less often so I can fly Business Class, use lounges, use a shorter TSA line and have a car service take me to/from the airport if I'll be gone for awhile.  I still have to put up with the same BS everyone else does when flights are late or we sit on the tarmac, but freely-flowing wine makes up for a lot.

[buystoys]

Aug 30, 2017 15:35:29 GMT -5 simser said:

DFW airport already has this toll charge and no public transportation to the airport. There's no charge if you can get in and out in 15 minutes, or else it's $1.

I've NEVER been able to get in and out in 15 minutes! 

I'm certain that's why the terminals are so far from the toll gate and you have to drive around for ages just to get on and off the main thoroughfare.  I console myself with the fact that it's only $1.

[thyme4change]

Aug 30, 2017 17:55:35 GMT -5 @athena53 said:

Aug 30, 2017 15:20:33 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Sheesh.

Air travel sucks ads, and the keep finding new ways to make it worse.

I wish they would just raise prices and bring back some dignity to the process.

They have.  It's called Business Class.

Seriously- I make the choice to travel less often so I can fly Business Class, use lounges, use a shorter TSA line and have a car service take me to/from the airport if I'll be gone for awhile.  I still have to put up with the same BS everyone else does when flights are late or we sit on the tarmac, but freely-flowing wine makes up for a lot.

When I'm paying myself I fly first class. When my company pays, I'm cattle class all the way.

[billisonboard]

Aug 29, 2017 15:10:57 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

... Uber fairs. ...

This looks like an uber fair to me!


sorry, couldn't resist.

[Tiny]

Sounds like the Airport needs to be updated to accommodate arrivals and departures better. At the Little Airport there's 2 lanes of "Kiss and Fly" where cars stop, disgorge passengers/bags, and immediately head back out to the local feeder 'roads' for the airport. At busy times there's 'traffic cops' keeping the cars moving. There's also a large free "cell phone parking lot" so you can wait for a call/text when your passengers are at the "pick up" area - so you can drive up, have everyone jump into your car, and head out of the airport.    OK, sometimes the Kiss and Fly drop off gets pretty congested - but it still is pretty quick... 

I think the Big Airport has a 'kiss and fly' drop off area where the travelers then queue up for a tram/bus.  It's free.  I haven't had to pick up anyone at the Big Airport - so I'm not sure how that works.  

[8 Bit WWBG]

Didn't Boston just (within the last 5 years or so) finish the "big dig" which was supposed to improve flow to the airport?  If they had to have a booth to collect the toll, traffic would back up even further.

I'm going to make the guess though that this will just be another thing most people will have to suck up and pay.  They will price it at just the right point where paying the toll is preferable vs. the hassle of other options.  Indeed if you are being dropped off by friends, what are you going to do... go to a subway stop just before, and deal with that?  Rideshares and taxis will just add it into the fare, so no avoiding it there.

[zibazinski]

Sept 5, 2017 9:44:04 GMT -5 8 Bit WWBG said:

Didn't Boston just (within the last 5 years or so) finish the "big dig" which was supposed to improve flow to the airport?  If they had to have a booth to collect the toll, traffic would back up even further.

I'm going to make the guess though that this will just be another thing most people will have to suck up and pay.  They will price it at just the right point where paying the toll is preferable vs. the hassle of other options.  Indeed if you are being dropped off by friends, what are you going to do... go to a subway stop just before, and deal with that?  Rideshares and taxis will just add it into the fare, so no avoiding it there.

Welcome back

[tskeeter]

Aug 30, 2017 22:50:18 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Sounds like the Airport needs to be updated to accommodate arrivals and departures better. At the Little Airport there's 2 lanes of "Kiss and Fly" where cars stop, disgorge passengers/bags, and immediately head back out to the local feeder 'roads' for the airport. At busy times there's 'traffic cops' keeping the cars moving. There's also a large free "cell phone parking lot" so you can wait for a call/text when your passengers are at the "pick up" area - so you can drive up, have everyone jump into your car, and head out of the airport.    OK, sometimes the Kiss and Fly drop off gets pretty congested - but it still is pretty quick... 

I think the Big Airport has a 'kiss and fly' drop off area where the travelers then queue up for a tram/bus.  It's free.  I haven't had to pick up anyone at the Big Airport - so I'm not sure how that works.  

The agenda of the parties involved isn't to improve access to Logan.  The agenda is to encourage people to use public transportation in order to reduce air pollution around the airport.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Things definitely look clearer when one considers other agendas.  What makes zero sense in one light is brilliant in another.

I suppose the secondary benefit is that if many people are like me and just suck it up for the few times they go, someone is raking in an additional revenue stream.  Perhaps that fee should go to fund other environmental efforts.  Hell... it is an airport with planes going in and out so you can only cut emissions so much.  Not sure if there are other efforts to, perhaps use renewable energy, or harness the anger of travelers to power the lights.