I recently read a Californian’s inflated takedown of Salt Lake City’s new airport and felt an overwhelming desire to provide a more objective, holistic viewpoint of a new airport that offers a uniquely pleasurable experience for travelers.
Hailing from Harbor City, which means his home airport is LAX, makes it even more comical that he ranks SLC’s new airport as the worst airport for “ease of use.” His assertion that the walk from car rental to B gates taking over an hour makes one wonder if that hour includes stopping at one of the local, gourmet restaurants Salt Lake International offers at street prices in the new terminal. Maybe it includes stopping and enjoying the live music the new airport provides for its travelers passing through? Heck, maybe it involves a pause to appreciate the stunning architecture and unparalleled amount of natural light and artwork ever to be experienced at an airport. Then again, departing from LAX is guaranteed to ruin the perception of travel regardless of what airport is your final destination.
Another number seemingly pulled from the hat of hyperbole is the allegation that it takes a family, or someone in need of assistance, “a minimum of three hours to get on their flight.” Salt Lake International is no stranger to travelers heading back home with ski injuries. Friends heading home in a wheelchair or on crutches from a rowdy ski vacation still only needed the TSA recommended hour and a half to make it to their gate for boarding. This even involved a stop at Delta’s new Sky Club for a pre flight cocktail. While anecdotal, at least these are real experiences that document a realistic timeline for travel.
I could go on, but you get the drift. Salt Lake International, much like the city, is growing and still working out certain pains, but is by no means deserving of such dramatic slander in regards to its ease of use. If our new airport causes you to have the worst day of your life, maybe it is prudent that you head back to your California in order to receive a prompt reminder of why so many of your peers are continuing to move here.
Pierce Spencer, Salt Lake City
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