<p>Just heard on The Today Show that several cities have really taken the cellphone parking lot to new levels, complete with free wifi, seating with picnic tables (air quality might be a bit challenging though, if too close to the runways), food service, and even plan for some shopping to come! I love this!! What a great idea. They said some come to the area even if they don’t have anyone to pick up!! </p>
<p>Does your city have a cellphone lot? What does it offer?</p>
<p>Our airport just got a cell phone lot. I’m going to forward this to someone. I think even a Dunkin Donuts would do an awesome business.</p>
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<p>That’s a brilliant idea! Only, make it a drive-thru Krispy Kreme</p>
<p>This would sure be an upgrade from the current “Park and Call” lot at OAK (Oakland, CA).</p>
<p>Detroit has 2 cell phone lots - they may have wireless, can’t remember for sure. But they make picking up SO much more convenient and time efficient, I don’t even need the perks- I’m happy to save the time, $$$, and aggrevation of parking!!!</p>
<p>Philly has one. The only “amenity” is a big screen with the arrivals listed (maybe departures too) , but it is very convenient and just takes a few minutes to get to the passenger pick up area from there. A coffee shop would be an EXCELLENT idea. We drive an hour to get to the airport and I would love to get a beverage and use the restroom.</p>
<p>Agree on the coffee-bathroom idea. The arrivals board at the Philadelphia lot isn’t even complete – I think the airlines have to pay to put their flights on it, and not all do.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the lot is a fabulous idea, and is still under-used. People coming to pick up arriving travellers still pull over an park illegally on the airport access roads, although there’s absolutely no reason to do that since the cell lot is big and convenient.</p>
<p>A little OT…but ANYTHING to improve service at the Philly Airport would be an improvement:)</p>
<p>^^^LOL, thumper. S1 went to college in the Philly area and we’ve had to change planes there on several trips. It is one of the worst airports we’ve ever flown out of.</p>
<p>Cell phone lots are a great idea. Our local airport just put one in, but we haven’t had any need to use it yet. We did use the one at Reagan (DC) when S1 was flying in for
S2’s graduation. No special amenities that I was aware of, but it was easy to circle around and pick up S1 when his plalne arrived.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh doesn’t have a separate cell phone lot but provides one hour of free parking in their extended parking lot. I don’t know of any amenities.</p>
<p>For those of us who live in Philly, the airport (other than the cell phone lot) is an incentive to behave in life. That’s because it’s a little taste of what hell will be like if you don’t…</p>
<p>^^^Oh my! I just took a trip out of terminal F. I had to walk so far, I’m pretty sure the gate was in Delaware.</p>
<p>Seattle has a cell phone lot. I used it last year when D flew back from her dad’s and her flight was delayed-no amenities but it saved me plenty of parking hassle. S just used it yesterday when picking up his boss and HIS flight got delayed. I love the concept.</p>
<p>JFK airport in NYC has a cellphone lot. It is poorly marked and not explained anywhere that I know of; I figured out the sign for it when I was waiting for someone at the airport and driving around aimlessly since I wasn’t permitted to wait at the curb by the terminal. I don’t think it has wifi and certainly it doesn’t have bathrooms. Unfortunately the guards that prevent drivers from waiting at the curb are not aware of this cellphone lot. Duh! They tell drivers to keep circling until their passengers arrive. You’d think that the airport would give the guards flyers explaining the concept. </p>
<p>From what I saw, most of the users of the cellphone lot are car service drivers.</p>
<p>Terminal F in the Philly terminal is bad, but that’s the only thing I don’t like about it. Off site parking is less then $10 a day and is close to the airport and there are lots of lots. Signage is good and it’s served by Southwest! Newark airport is another story. I’ll take Philly any day over that one. I took my son to the Amtrak station there and there was absolutely NO signage to explain that there was a shuttle service to the actual station. Oh, and no cell phone lot, so you get to circle around lots of confusing roads, including big ones that make you think you will have to go to NYC.</p>
<p>We folks from our area call the Philly Airport “the USAir Black Hole”.</p>
<p>Now flying SW would be better for sure but I always get routed through BWI.</p>
<p>Logan Airport in Boston has a cell-phone waiting lot. I have used it. Police at Logan move you along once you’re in the terminal–it’s nearly impossible to park at curbside and wait more than 5 minutes for someone coming out of the terminal. This lot just has parking spaces, but there’s a gas station with a bathroom not too far from the lot.</p>
<p>There is a Dunkin Donuts near our airport coming from one direction, and a McDonalds near the other. I wonder if they have lost business since the cell lot was opened? That’s where we used to wait until the person arriving called.</p>
<p>The problem with all these “great ideas” for amenities around the cell phone lot is that they cost money to build and maintain. Then, guess what happens? They start charging for parking there, and bye bye convenience.</p>
<p>I’d prefer that they stay bare bones and free.</p>
<p>Yeah, but if you have to use the bathroom, that means you have to go to short term parking which costs money. When I get off the exit for the airport, the last thing I want to do is search around for a convenience store, gas station, etc. I really think that a simple coffee shop would pay for itself. </p>
<p>Hey, thumper our Philly airport must be pretty special if you New Englanders have a special name for it! Does CT. have an airport? (JK)</p>