| rev:text
| - I generally dislike airports. But they're a needed nuisance. McCarran is super hectic on weekends and holidays, and no different in that regard than most big airports. After years of flying here several times a year, I've come to the conclusion they're a 3-star airport, They generally aren't awful, and overall not great:
The good:
1. There are places to hang out before you check in. It lets parents linger a while before sending off their kids to college, grandma, or camp.
2. Picking up someone isn't too bad except at busiest holidays. They really seem very obsessed with keeping the traffic flowing. These traffic cops are don't put up with BS and will ticket those who make it tougher on everyone else driving in.
3, There are usually enough chairs for people to sit in except when there is a weather delay and flights get backed up.
4. There are decent food options no matter what gate, The slot machines give bored passengers something to do. They have some places for people to recharge their computers and cell phones.
5. There is a good variety of discount airlines including Jet Blue, Southwest, and Virgin America for CALI people.
6. Security lines for the number of people they put through are faster than you'd expect.
7. Free Wi-Fi.
8. Nice amount of flight info boards and passengers to get answers to questions
9. Decent short term parking that uses quarters with change machines.
9. This is one of the best people watching airports ever.
The bad:
1, Dropping someone off can be a nightmare. Taxis, buses, cars, and foot passengers all jam along the drop off curb with an occasional darting of passengers between vehicles. John Wayne, Long Beach, and even LAX are easier and safer in this regard.
2. Several poorly connected terminals - the International terminal where my uncle landed from Montreal was a bit inconvenient. Airlines do change gates, but mine went from a C to B gate once and it was esp. bad for the seniors to make that change.
3. Renting a car is sometimes difficult because taking a shuttle from the airport to the rental place and back again can take a long while. And the rental companies do an awful job explaining their so called insurance options - they are a no fault state.
4. It's Las Vegas, and is a terrorist target in the same way LAX, O'Hare, and other high profile airports are.
5. During the summer, it can be hell if you're waiting for someone when it's 110 degrees outside, meaning the pavement is probably about 130 deg.
6. Food costs too much, like any airport. I also hate the instant coffee that Sbarro and Burger Kink sells at Southwest gates. I know there's Starbucks, but a lot of people don't know and don't like Starbucks.
9. The TSA people vary widely in their skill level and training. Today, one woman at the C gate gave my laptop back with my several alpha numeric keys unattached after inspecint it. Once a TSA guy told me he had to get my fruit salad checked out because it was a liquid.His supervisor red face said "Hey it's obviously food it's fine". And the last time, someone double checked/scanned my New Balance shoes - did it stink that bad? Maybe Mr, TSA actually likes the smell of a 3-4 times a week tennis player?
10. The sometimes very windy weather, not their fault, but I've been in three flight delays in the last year because of winds and rain or ice though it's rare. It backs all the flights up. and screws up connections for a lot of people.
So all in all, it's not a terrible experience, but it's needed if you have to go to Sin City. They've talked some about creating another terminal near the State line, but that won't happen for awhile, if at all.
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