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Post by petiepanzer on Apr 17, 2008 16:56:10 GMT -5
Flying into and out of Amarillo at least twice a month, I am constantly reminded about what a joke and an embarrassment the Amarillo airport really is to the city of Amarillo. So, I just thought I would create a descriptive narrative to demonstrate what a Mickey Mouse operation it really is out there.
The trip usually starts by heading east on I-40, past the little houses on the east side of town and the various truck stops along the way. Upon arriving at the airport, one is greeted by an armed policeman who insists upon looking into your trunk before proceeding. Huh?? I fly out of much larger, busier airports all of the time and they never need to look into the trunk, but I assume that they have time to do this in Amarillo due to the much smaller volume of people flying out of the airport, so whatever.
After getting dropped off, one generally heads over to the front desks, and it is quite often Southwest, as they are the only airline with jet service to Amarillo (SWA is a horrid organization and deserves much more of my attention, but that is for a different post.). Oh goodie, it is the old blonde hag working there, the one in her mid-50's with all the charm and personality of a chapped a$$. I'm sure she was hot, like 30 years ago, but she seems bitter. Perhaps her husband left her for a younger, prettier woman with a better personality. So, I check my bags and wait for miss Sunshine to call me over. I thought the whole idea of preboarding was to streamline the process a little bit. Well, she asks to see my boarding pass and ID. They generally don't do this at airports in other cities, but I'm getting annoyed now, so I show my ID with the hope of being done with this irritation.
So, I finish up at the check-in and start heading to the gate. I have a little bit of time, so I decide to stop and grab a bite to eat at the little cafe on the corner. I end up paying about $7 dollars for a chilli dog that is about the same quality as something from a convenience store. Now, in other airports, there are a variety of different vendors and food establishments, from fast food joints like Burger King, Cinnabon, and Subway all the way up to places like Chili's and even full service bars. Then, they also often have a variety of other shops and vendors of a various nature. Not the Amarillo International(lmao) Airport, though. They have that sad little cafe and that little shop beyond the security checkpoint. That's it.
So, I begin to head towards the security check point, and I am immediately taken in by the run down nature of the place. I catch glimpse of those stone aggregate floors and I suddenly feel as if I am back roaming the halls of Crockett. In fact, I think these are the same tacky aggregate floors that were in place when I was little and we would go out to the Amarillo airport to pick up my dad some 30 years ago. It makes the place look very dated, but they are not even the worst part of the airport experience. There is a picture/mural up on the wall of a V-22 Osprey that is peeling and developing air bubbles behind it. There is a similar picture in similar condition of a bunch of cowboys herding some cows somewhere in the Palo Duro canyon downstairs near the baggage claim. The picture looks like it was taken about 20 years ago and it would seem these guys just came down from Brokeback mountain. Don't even get me started on that old, pathetic little luggage carousel. Every time my luggage comes out on it, I think the thing is going to break down halfway through the cycle. The whole place seems like it is going to fall apart at any second.
So, I finally get to the security checkpoint and am met by the high school dropouts working for the TSA. Well, the girl who is working the desk stares at my ID and boarding pass for 20 to 30 seconds, gives them back to me, and sends me on through to the metal detector. So, I walk 10 steps, take off my shoes, belt, and wallet, and walk through the metal detector. They ask to see my ID again. RUFKM!!! I just got done showing the girl up front my ID, and there is no way I could have slipped past her to get into line for the metal detector. At other airports, they ask to see your ID one time, at the point of entry to the security checkpoints. Now, in case you weren't keeping track, I was asked 3 times in a space of less than 100 yards to produce ID, along with being met by an armed policeman at the entrance to the airport. What kind of F'ing amateurs are running the airport out there?
Here is my point: that airport is an embarassment to the city of Amarillo. I have been in 3rd world countries that have nicer airports than the one in Amarillo. I hear people talk all of the time about bringing new business into Amarillo and the Panhandle area. Well, guess what, people, that airport is a liability when it comes to attracting new business. Most people form opinions based upon their first impression, whether it is about an individual or a city. What kind of message does it send to prospective new businesses when one takes in the atmosphere of the Amarillo airport upon first walking off of an airplane? I will tell you what it says: it says that Amarillo is a 3rd rate city that time forgot some time in the 1970's, not a city that is ready to move forward into the 21st century. That place looks like something crop dusters would use, not a major commercial and transportation hub. If I was the CEO or the president of a company looking to relocate my company to Amarillo, I would have some serious reservations, based upon the initial impression left upon me by the Amarillo airport. If Amarillo really wants to attract new businesses, they need to start by putting forth a better first impression. This would include updating that airport a little bit.
P.S. Why in the hell do they call it the 'Amarillo International Airport'? Do they have any international flights at that airport? I can't remember the last time I flew from Amarillo directly to Cancun, London, Sao Paolo? That seems like a bit of a lie to me.
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Post by west-texan on Apr 17, 2008 17:41:06 GMT -5
I will tell you what it says: it says that Amarillo is a 3rd rate city that time forgot some time in the 1970's, not a city that is ready to move forward into the 21st century. That's exactly what I've been saying for a long time. Half the problem in Amarillo...is the POS newspaper...that only prints Feel-Good news about Amarillo. The other half of the problem...is the public complacency and apathy in Amarillo... Where 1/4 of the people are either too lazy or afraid to speak out about problems... And the other 1/4 of the people will say if you don't like something about Amarillo...then you should leave. Until we fix the attitude in Amarillo...and get a newspaper that will make people aware of problems...it's hard to move this town forward. 3 public institutions in Amarillo need to be expanded and improved...to take us into the 21st century. 1. The AEDC. 2. The airport terminal and facilities. 3. Our local university...WTAMU. I think we can run this topic out a few pages...and I'll be back later with more airport comments. |
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Post by petiepanzer on Apr 17, 2008 19:23:43 GMT -5
I will tell you what it says: it says that Amarillo is a 3rd rate city that time forgot some time in the 1970's, not a city that is ready to move forward into the 21st century. That's exactly what I've been saying for a long time. Half the problem in Amarillo...is the POS newspaper...that only prints Feel-Good news about Amarillo. The other half of the problem...is the public complacency and apathy in Amarillo... Where 1/4 of the people are either too lazy or afraid to speak out about problems... And the other 1/4 of the people will say if you don't like something about Amarillo...then you should leave. Until we fix the attitude in Amarillo...and get a newspaper that will make people aware of problems...it's hard to move this town forward. 3 public institutions in Amarillo need to be expanded and improved...to take us into the 21st century. 1. The AEDC. 2. The airport terminal and facilities. 3. Our local university...WTAMU. I think we can run this topic out a few pages...and I'll be back later with more airport comments. I think you and I are on the same page when it comes to the AEDC. I am not impressed with them at all and it seems to me that they haven't accomplished much since the Bell plant came to town....like 10 years ago. How does one even get on to the AEDC? Isn't it by appointment? It seems to favor the wealthy and politically connected, and it seems to work in their best interests, not necessarily those of Amarillo as a whole. I think the airport definitely needs an upgrade, and make it a major one. You seem to be in the know concerning WT. Let me ask you this: what is the status of a satellite campus in Amarillo? If they had placed WT in Amarillo instead of in Canyon originally, I think their enrollment would probably be somewhere between 12-15K. I think they would also probably be able to establish a Ph.D. program and would be able to better maintain a DI program. I think establishing a campus in Amarillo would be the best thing for both WT and Amarillo at this juncture. It would ultimately increase their enrollment, which would in turn increase their funding. Then, they could look at expanding their curiculum, athletic department, etc. I would add 1 more item to your list. I think Amarillo needs to go in on a beautification project. I think I would start with the major streets in town. If they would break up some of the median lanes and plant some trees flowers, and grass in them, the town would seem much friendlier and liveable. In addition, they really need to do something about that hole at I-40 and Western that used to be Lawrence Lake/Lake Duniven. It has been 25 years since the thing flooded and they have just allowed it to become a festering eyesore during that time. I understand that it may not be able to ever become a lake again, but they could still do something with it. Perhaps they could clean all of the debris out of that hole, plant some grass and trees along the sides and create walking trails. Maybe they could actually even fix the drainage on the thing so that they could have a lake there again. They need to do something, though. Of course, I am sure some people would get pissed about the median changes because it would mean that they couldn't make a left turn wherever they felt like it and might have to make a U-turn upon occasion. And, I'm sure the city of Amarillo doesn't want to invest the money to come up with a solution to the lake problem. After all, they fix the streets in Amarillo by simply putting down tar and gravel because it is cheaper than fixing them properly. |
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Post by karenew on Apr 17, 2008 20:31:01 GMT -5
as a travel and tourism student at AC..
the only thing that an airport needs to be an international airport is ....
a customs department
the airport doesn't have to fly to any international cities to declare themselves international..
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Post by karenew on Apr 17, 2008 20:39:35 GMT -5
my first impression of the airport mirrors that of the previous posters when I first moved here almost 5 years ago. what a joke. We had friends visit us for the first time since we have been here and they laughed and laughed at our airport. We agreed. construction on the airport to update it is supposed to have started? Correct? WT and petie... I totally agree with the quotes below.. I will tell you what it says: it says that Amarillo is a 3rd rate city that time forgot some time in the 1970's, not a city that is ready to move forward into the 21st century. That's exactly what I've been saying for a long time. Half the problem in Amarillo...is the POS newspaper...that only prints Feel-Good news about Amarillo. The other half of the problem...is the public complacency and apathy in Amarillo... Where 1/4 of the people are either too lazy or afraid to speak out about problems... And the other 1/4 of the people will say if you don't like something about Amarillo...then you should leave. Until we fix the attitude in Amarillo...and get a newspaper that will make people aware of problems...it's hard to move this town forward. 3 public institutions in Amarillo need to be expanded and improved...to take us into the 21st century. |
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Post by west-texan on Apr 17, 2008 22:11:40 GMT -5
About petie's points...
1.) I think the AEDC issue is that Amarillo National Bank...and the old-rich Ware family keep control of the AEDC.
Amarillo National Bank is really one of the handful of local family-owned businesses left in Amarillo...since most others have been bought up by outside corporations.
You're right that the AEDC has really done almost nothing since the Bell Helicopter deal...years ago.
The current head of the AEDC...a guy named Buzz David...that the Globe News tries to promote as some economic mastermind...has really done nothing except bring call centers to Amarillo.
The call centers have very few salaried employees...so they just provide hourly wage jobs...to keep the apartment complexes full.
2.) About the airport...the terminal needs a hell of a lot of work...
But we have the huge advantage of a 300x15,000 foot long concrete runway.
We can thank air force B-52's for Amarillo having a runway that is exactly the same size as the one space shuttles land on at Cape Canaveral.
Not sure if they have the volume to handle a better gift shop or restaurant...but the appearance of our airport terminal holds Amarillo back...and is an embarrassment.
The only thing I like about our terminal is...that I can remember the dark days before we had a parking garage there.
3.) About the drainage lake pit...it's got to be that deep to hold the water from all the other playa lakes that got filled in for new construction.
Also...the lake pit sides are really too steep to have anything much done to them.
4.) The issues concerning a need for growth and a long-term lack of growth at WTAMU...begs for an entire post or topic by itself.
I will address what I have seen over the years...and know about WT issues later...because you will never hear about most of it in the Globe News.
5.) The HUGE problem with the Amarillo Globe News...is that there are some sacred cows that the AGN is protecting in Amarillo...
....A. They protect the AEDC...which they can't criticize for fear of offending Amarillo National Bank...which is a big AGN advertiser.
Also...I think the AGN may have gotten some economic development money for a new printing press...or if not...they still want to keep the AEDC looking good...so they are in line for future funds from the AEDC.
....B. They protect Boys Ranch from news coverage of BIG faculty unrest problems...because some of the big Boys Ranch donors are local business owners...who would quit advertising in the AGN.
....C. The AGN used to report and look into WTAMU problems and issues...but now they protect WT from any negative news coverage...because the big WT donors are also local business owners.
....D. The AGN also will no longer report or look into Amarillo problems or issues...and will now only report things that will make Amarillo leaders look good.
*** The Globe News helps cover up as many problems around town...as they report on.***
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Post by petiepanzer on Apr 18, 2008 10:21:28 GMT -5
my first impression of the airport mirrors that of the previous posters when I first moved here almost 5 years ago. what a joke. We had friends visit us for the first time since we have been here and they laughed and laughed at our airport. We agreed. construction on the airport to update it is supposed to have started? Correct? WT and petie... I totally agree with the quotes below.. That's exactly what I've been saying for a long time. Half the problem in Amarillo...is the POS newspaper...that only prints Feel-Good news about Amarillo. The other half of the problem...is the public complacency and apathy in Amarillo... Where 1/4 of the people are either too lazy or afraid to speak out about problems... And the other 1/4 of the people will say if you don't like something about Amarillo...then you should leave. Until we fix the attitude in Amarillo...and get a newspaper that will make people aware of problems...it's hard to move this town forward. 3 public institutions in Amarillo need to be expanded and improved...to take us into the 21st century. On the south end of the terminal where United used to be, there was a backhoe sitting next to a pile of rubble. Could that be the construction that has begun to update the airport? I didn't see a whole lot of constructing going on out there at the time. We have heard that song and dance before concerning the Airport. About 2 years ago, I made a similar comment about how dated the Amarillo airport was and I was told that they had just spent a bunch of money remodelling the airport. Upon hearing this, I threw back my head and laughed. If that thing was remodelled a few years ago, the city of Amarillo got swindled. I don't see how anybody could assume that they had done anything out there. I know for a fact the tacky aggregate stone floors have been in that place at least 30 years. The cheesy mural pictures that are peeling and bubbling have been there at least 10 years, and the sad little luggage carousel downstairs seems to be on its last legs. |
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Post by petiepanzer on Apr 18, 2008 11:02:53 GMT -5
About petie's points... 1.) I think the AEDC issue is that Amarillo National Bank...and the old-rich Ware family keep control of the AEDC. Amarillo National Bank is really one of the handful of local family-owned businesses left in Amarillo...since most others have been bought up by outside corporations. You're right that the AEDC has really done almost nothing since the Bell Helicopter deal...years ago. The current head of the AEDC...a guy named Buzz David...that the Globe News tries to promote as some economic mastermind...has really done nothing except bring call centers to Amarillo. The call centers have very few salaried employees...so they just provide hourly wage jobs...to keep the apartment complexes full. 2.) About the airport...the terminal needs a hell of a lot of work... But we have the huge advantage of a 300x15,000 foot long concrete runway. We can thank air force B-52's for Amarillo having a runway that is exactly the same size as the one space shuttles land on at Cape Canaveral. Not sure if they have the volume to handle a better gift shop or restaurant...but the appearance of our airport terminal holds Amarillo back...and is an embarrassment. The only thing I like about our terminal is...that I can remember the dark days before we had a parking garage there. 3.) About the drainage lake pit...it's got to be that deep to hold the water from all the other playa lakes that got filled in for new construction. Also...the lake pit sides are really too steep to have anything much done to them. 4.) The issues concerning a need for growth and a long-term lack of growth at WTAMU...begs for an entire post or topic by itself. I will address what I have seen over the years...and know about WT issues later...because you will never hear about most of it in the Globe News. 5.) The HUGE problem with the Amarillo Globe News...is that there are some sacred cows that the AGN is protecting in Amarillo... ....A. They protect the AEDC...which they can't criticize for fear of offending Amarillo National Bank...which is a big AGN advertiser. Also...I think the AGN may have gotten some economic development money for a new printing press...or if not...they still want to keep the AEDC looking good...so they are in line for future funds from the AEDC. ....B. They protect Boys Ranch from news coverage of BIG faculty unrest problems...because some of the big Boys Ranch donors are local business owners...who would quit advertising in the AGN. ....C. The AGN used to report and look into WTAMU problems and issues...but now they protect WT from any negative news coverage...because the big WT donors are also local business owners. ....D. The AGN also will no longer report or look into Amarillo problems or issues...and will now only report things that will make Amarillo leaders look good. *** The Globe News helps cover up as many problems around town...as they report on.*** 1. I'm not impressed with Buzz David, either. I looked up his resume online and noticed something missing: any experience at all with any work in the private sector. That means he's never done anything except work for taxpayer-funded jobs. But hey, that's what the 2% sales tax added to the rear of the 6.25% state sales tax is for, right? 2. Those long runways are wasted because we have nothing bigger than the crappy little 737's Southwest uses and the little turboprop planes used by American Eagle. How many airlines have bailed on Amarillo over the years? I'm thinking somewhere between 3-5, at least. 3. Yeah, that's the argument the city council people give for not doing anything with that farking eyesore. With all due respect, though, I think I would rather get a report from an engineering firm that says the Lake is unfixable. To the best of my knowledge, this has not happened recently. That Playa lake argument doesn't hold any water, no pun intended. My parents house was just west of there, not far from Olsen and Teckla. That was all built in the 50's and 60's, and further west it drains into the ponds at 45th and Coulter. South of there, somewhere between 34th and 45th, it drains into the ponds off of Hillside. If they can't fix it, so be it. The sides of that thing are not THAT steep. We used to ride bikes down there when I was a kid. There are a number of cities on the west coast with terrain at least as steep as the sides of that lake. In addition, I have been to a number of places where they have put terraces into place. Something similar could be used there if the lake is unfixable. 5. The AGN has long been considered a joke. In fact, I seem to remember some people who had a circulation floating around when I was a kid demanding a better paper for Amarillo. Most of their readers are old, though, and print media seems to be going the way of the blacksmith. |
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Writer
Full Member
If you don?t risk anything you risk even more.?Erica Jong
Posts: 199
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Post by Writer on Apr 18, 2008 18:13:47 GMT -5
I have to agree with you guys. I love Amarillo, it is my home, but it saddens me that we can't seem to improve or grow. Our geographic location is suchthat we could be so much more.
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Post by sj on Apr 18, 2008 18:50:24 GMT -5
With all this criticism about Amarillo, has anybody flown into College Station?
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Post by phantom on Apr 18, 2008 22:50:21 GMT -5
Or Tyler?
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Post by west-texan on Apr 19, 2008 10:23:48 GMT -5
With all this criticism about Amarillo, has anybody flown into College Station? I've never been to that airport...but I know a young woman who flew into the Waco airport...like a couple of years ago. When she got back to Amarillo...she was telling all of us what a joke she thought the Waco terminal was. She's another IT person like I am. Also...does anyone remember what the airport terminal was like at New Orleans in the mid to late 70's? I went through there twice back then...when I was like 12 and 14...and both times...I thought that was a dumpy terminal...and we had flown from Amarillo to get there. ****************************************************** But...the all-time cheesiest airport terminal I've ever seen...was the American Beagle terminal at DFW in April 2001...which is the one and only time I've flown American Beagle. We were coming back to Amarillo from a weeklong software class at Philadelphia...and we got to ride one of the turbo-prop crop-dusters back to Amarillo...which is an experience I don't want to repeat. We started out at the nice DFW American terminal... And then some hillbilly looking guy...who might have been from some place like Borger or Pampa...drove us way out in the DFW airport boonies...to a little metal building...that looked like a small town bus station...you'd see in a movie. That was American's Eagle terminal at DFW...a very large airport. I can't believe they did it...but the ground crew supposedly put too much fuel in the plane for the weight...and when we got on the plane...we had to drive out a little ways...and then sit there revving both engines for about 30 or 45 minutes...to burn off the excess fuel before we even took off. Then it was an hour and a half bumpy and rattling ride to Amarillo...against a strong headwind. I don't ever want to do that again. |
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Post by west-texan on Apr 19, 2008 11:09:12 GMT -5
About petie's points... 1.) I think the AEDC issue is that Amarillo National Bank...and the old-rich Ware family keep control of the AEDC. Amarillo National Bank is really one of the handful of local family-owned businesses left in Amarillo...since most others have been bought up by outside corporations. You're right that the AEDC has really done almost nothing since the Bell Helicopter deal...years ago. The current head of the AEDC...a guy named Buzz David...that the Globe News tries to promote as some economic mastermind...has really done nothing except bring call centers to Amarillo. The call centers have very few salaried employees...so they just provide hourly wage jobs...to keep the apartment complexes full. 1. I'm not impressed with Buzz David, either. I looked up his resume online and noticed something missing: any experience at all with any work in the private sector. That means he's never done anything except work for taxpayer-funded jobs. But hey, that's what the 2% sales tax added to the rear of the 6.25% state sales tax is for, right? There's an Amarillo National Bank employee on the board of the AEDC... And I think that pretty much says it all. ANB is the largest local family-owned business left in Amarillo...and there is no way they will let someone else become a larger force in the Amarillo economy. Look at how huge Texas Tech is in Lubbock economy...where Lubbock would be MUCH smaller without Tech...and 30,000 students. This may have something to do with WTAMU...our local university...not growing larger than it was in 1971. WTAMU is caught between Canyon not wanting to grow larger...and the old-rich in Amarillo...probably not wanting WT to get bigger...and play a larger role in the Amarillo economy. With each dollar spent turning over several times in the local economy...think about how BIG those 30,000 Tech students are in the Lubbock economy. Texas Tech is the 800 lb gorilla in the Lubbock economy...and I think some in Amarillo don't want WTAMU to even approach that. A larger WTAMU would have great economic benefits for the Amarillo area...but those in control don't seem to want that to happen. This pretty much sums up the AEDC...and how the Globe News protects them from negative news coverage...even though the AEDC does a very mediocre job. The board of the AEDC is a rich elitist board...that is protecting their interests...ahead of Amarillo's interest. |
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Post by west-texan on Apr 19, 2008 11:30:49 GMT -5
5.) The HUGE problem with the Amarillo Globe News...is that there are some sacred cows that the AGN is protecting in Amarillo... ....A. They protect the AEDC...which they can't criticize for fear of offending Amarillo National Bank...which is a big AGN advertiser. Also...I think the AGN may have gotten some economic development money for a new printing press...or if not...they still want to keep the AEDC looking good...so they are in line for future funds from the AEDC. ....B. They protect Boys Ranch from news coverage of BIG faculty unrest problems...because some of the big Boys Ranch donors are local business owners...who would quit advertising in the AGN. ....C. The AGN used to report and look into WTAMU problems and issues...but now they protect WT from any negative news coverage...because the big WT donors are also local business owners. ....D. The AGN also will no longer report or look into Amarillo problems or issues...and will now only report things that will make Amarillo leaders look good. *** The Globe News helps cover up as many problems around town...as they report on.*** 5. The AGN has long been considered a joke. In fact, I seem to remember some people who had a circulation floating around when I was a kid demanding a better paper for Amarillo. Most of their readers are old, though, and print media seems to be going the way of the blacksmith. It's not just the older people...because most of the 30 and 40 year olds in Amarillo... Don't believe anything if they don't read it in the Globe News...or hear it on the TV news. They just can't imagine the Globe News covering up things...or not giving them all the news. But it happens on a daily basis. You can find out more about what's really going on in Amarillo...by Googling and reading message boards...than from the Globe News. The Globe News has been guilty of telling who the AEDC board appointees were...but NOT mentioning where those people work.BTW...it's a racket because the rich elitist Amarillo city commission appoints the AEDC board. |
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Post by horribilis on Apr 20, 2008 7:36:10 GMT -5
From the looks of construction activity going on in SW and NW Amarillo I would argue with the notion that Amarillo isn't growing. Anything I've read recently says that Amarillo's population is growing slowly, but the upside to that is it a sustainable rate of growth, as opposed to the boom and bust cycles of larger cities.
Is the vehicle inspection at the airport a City of Amarillo mandate or one mandated by the Federal TSA?
Amarillo's airport appears to be able to handle the volume of passenger traffic. I find it welcoming to come back after fighting with the crowds at ORD, DIA, LAX, DFW, IAH, AFL, CIO, WTF etc. to be back in a surroundings on a more manageable scale.
There are advantages and drawbacks to living in any city, the beauty of AMA is you can get on Southwest for a weekend in the bright lights and then come back to our little town and leave the rat race behind.
AMA will grow to accomodate the needs of the flying public as Amarillo grows.
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