United isn't Continental. That's the big thing. If this was Continental versus Southwest, Continental would get what it wants. A lot of the Continental connections to government and social activism in Houston aren't there anymore. United didn't inherit all of that. A lot of the leadership was outsourced to Chicago and it's why this has gotten as far as it has. Southwest has thought about this for a long time but the United merger has opened a door for it. United is at its weakest right now in terms of its influence. Their ties to the city have been weakened substantially and Southwest has a chance to get what it wants. United is going to have to open up the checkbook and pay up bigtime, certainly way more than anything Continental would have had to pay. On a side note/tangent, I think this really exposes how the Greater Houston business community is in tatters. There used to be a core set of Houston area companies that were very invested in the city. They're all gone now. Continental was probably the last one and even they couldn't hold a candle to some of the older companies. The real last Houston based company that really cared about Houston was Enron. (sadly) Now we have a bunch of transplants running our business and the end result is they dont give a damn about the city anymore.
Enron and Continental were the obvious ones, I imagine a few oil companies are still around. What are some of the other charitable that have been lost?
Southwest Airlines showed off its new Boeing 737-800 at BWI Marshall Airport Wednesday morning right before its maiden commercial flight from Baltimore to Fort Myers, Fla. The jet, the largest in Southwest's fleet, is 19 feet longer and holds 175 passengers, 38 more than the current largest jet, the 737-700. That's an increase in capacity of about 30%. Southwest ordered 33 of the new planes this year, which were delivered last month. They feature larger overhead bins, higher ceilings, warmer and more energy-efficient lighting, and satellite-based Wi-Fi. Southwest is rolling out Wi-Fi across its entire fleet. There are three lavatories instead of two and two over-wing exits on each side of the aircraft instead of one.
Hobby isn't going away, no way that will happen. I use both airports, and I really don't have any major problems with either one. All the people that live on the south side of town would hate to lose Hobby, so it will stay. A city as large as Houston needs more than one airport.
Its not the company itself. The problem with oil companies and finance is that their leadership rotates. You dont have CEOs and leaders of companies that are Houstonians that invest in the city. Go to the Houston museum of Natural Science or any other Museum and look at the names along the wall. Those are Houstonians that invested in their city by donating to it. Places like Hermann Park, the George R. Brown Convention Center, etc.. Those bare the names of Houstonians that invested back in their city. We no longer have leaders like that and subsequently no longer have companies that invest in the city. Remember when Enron used to pay for those laser shows in Downtown during New Years. What company would fund that today? I think BP did one year but they quit right after that. Continental was a transplant company that was lured by the city. They're not a company that was built up in Houston but they did invest in our city and built up a reputation here. United doesn't get to inherit that. We'll get what we now get from oil and finance. We'll get some people from Chicago that will live here for some time and then move on. Bottom line, our business community blows now. Houston has ceased to produce its own talent anymore
As someone who has also probably been to every major airport in this country, quite a few minor ones, and multiple dozens of International ones, I'm glad to see that other world travelers agree. IAH may not be the worst (I never said it was; I said it was one of the worst....in the world), but it makes some worst airport lists. Spend some time in nice airports like SIN, YVR, or AMS, and terminal E will lose it's luster pretty quick. http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/america-s-worst-airports.html?page=2
However, one thing I was very, VERY wrong about is that I did not think that Continental could get any worse than it already was.
I believe a busy airport correlates to it possibly being one of the "worst" airports. People b**** too much.
To be fair, I really dont think any airport in the US compares to places like Singapore and Hong Kong. Those airports are in a completely different category.
What? this is like bizarro world in this thread. IAH is awesome and Denver International is fantastic. Those two are head and shoulders above Ohare imo. When people say "they have been to all the airports" do they mean "I haven't been to these airports"
so united has released it's own impact study on this issue... and i call BS. while i share the skepticism that flights to colombia will be as low as $133, and that 10,000 jobs will be created, how it will actually end up costing 3,700 jobs seems flat out wrong. http://www.aviationpros.com/news/10709766/united-says-expanding-hobby-would-cost-jobs-hurt-economy
What's wrong with Continental? One of the few airlines I fly. Never have one problem. Tends to be the cheapest too.
continental was probably the best american based airline. United on the other hand is the absolute worst. My entire family and myself were at minimum silver frequent flyers with Continental, we will not not fly United.
Austin has the best...looking women of any airport I've been to. Denver is nice. Minneapolis is OK. Atlanta sucks. Tulsa sucks.
