You suck as an airport! You’ve gone from one of my favorite airports to fly through to one of my most dreaded. Every trip you seem to find a new way to piss me off.

First you got rid of Ivar’s Fish House, their clam chowder made sitting in a 15’ diameter tube with 184 of my closest friends and their screaming rotten crotch fruit, contagious coughs and questionable hygiene for 2 hours almost worth it. Anthony’s Fish Bar was a close second, but then you kicked them to the curb and replaced them with a tofu, salad bar laden generic food court of prepackaged overpriced crap that one could find in any airport.

Your signage campaign of, “Seattle is PC…” was an annoying reminder of what was once a great city and working man’s town now transformed into a northern suburb of San Francisco. The latest one of, “SEA-TAC is a safe zone… please report any aggressive behavior or disparaging comments to the airport police…” Really? I thought airports were already supposed to be a safe zone. Wasn’t that the justification for the federal jobs program known as the TSA? And as far as your disparaging comments, I got them for you right here…

Last week’s breakfast burrito containing tofu was just a crime against humanity and flew in the face of cultural appropriation which your city decries. It was strange enough to serve it with Sriracha sauce, but tofu? Really? Why not just practice some honesty and call it a garden omelette wrap because it’s about as authentically hispanic as Geraldo Rivera.

Then today’s kick in the toolkit was the lower D Concourse. It really isn’t a concourse at all, it’s a glorified bus station. Yes, present your boarding pass to a gate agent, just to walk outside, board a bus, be driven out to the midfield tarmac, get out, and climb stairs to the plane. All in all 72 minutes from when bus boarding started to when the doors of the plane closed. Really? Exterior boarding in Seattle, a city wetter than Peg Bundy at a male strip club. If we’re going to recreate the 1970’s air travel experience, can we at least bring back the hot stewardesses in mini skirts and gogo boots that handed out free cocktails?

Yes, you’ve gone from the wonderment and dreams of looking across the tarmac towards the international terminal with 747’s painted in colors from all over the world to the horror and reality of literally watching a large rat run around the corridor in front of the food court dodging Birkenstocks, wheelchairs and roll away bags.

If only Alaska Airlines had more flights connecting through Portland instead…

Thank you. This made my day. At your expense I know and I can relate at times but thank you for a worthy rant.

Flying certainly isn't what it used to be. Bus riders in the sky.

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....and their screaming rotten crotch fruit, contagious coughs and questionable hygiene..

That alone put me in a good mood for the day....

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wetter than Peg Bundy at a male strip club.

Classic!

SEATAC is truly a shithole airport.

Even 10 years ago it was lightyears better.

Fortunately, I no longer have to go there. My brother in Seattle meets me in Arizona.

You are always good for an interesting read. Never been in an airport, but will avoid Seattle if at all possible.

Wow....I used to love flying into Sea-Tac but haven't done so in about 15 yrs or so. It sure sounds as if it has gone to hell. Same goes for the city...used to be lovely place to visit and now it's full of garbage, homeless and filth all over and PC nonsense.

Went through in January. I'd been looking forward to some of Ivar's chowder.... My world was shattered.

Not actually true; but I was really, really looking forward to that chowder.

Not sure what your itineraries look like but if you're west coast or can conveniently connect, check out PAE . Cheap flights as they try and build an alternative to SEA. Served by Alaska and United.

Flying in and out for 20+ years, SeaTac has changed for the worse, in the past 10 years, since the big overhaul.

Like Z, I too miss Ivar's and detest the trendy and quirky concessions.

The massive overhaul did nothing other than add a number of new concession operations.

Casa Del Agave in the B concourse, well they abandoned all pretense of Mex food in 2012 or so.

Airport coffee doesn't have to be terrible.
Beechers, opposite the C2 gates is okay.

Caffe Ladro not too bad and Chowder Shack near A6.

Just because the flight/cabin crew choose a concession, doesn't mean it's good. More that it's fast service and tolerable.
And always construction ...

This is the plan for America.

I look at places like Washington, Oregon, California, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, New Mexico, Illinois...and it takes my breathe away.

When half the population votes for false security, free stuff and lessened liberty - the experiment is a failure.

I'm not saying Phoenix Sky Harbor is tremendously better, but its tolerable for an airport.

The rant was highly worthwhile.

The bad part is, THE CITY DOES NOT CARE.

Do not disparage utopia. It falls on deaf ears.

Most EXCELLENT rant sir! As usual...Bravo!!!!

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Originally posted by Jager:

I'm not saying Phoenix Sky Harbor is tremendously better, but its tolerable for an airport.

Sir, not to be a cad because I fully agree with your post. However, I do have a slight quibble re Phoenix. While no one goes to the airport for the experience, Sky Harbor is much better than most other (domestic) airports I have been to. It's clean, logically laid out, easy to get into and out of, car rental center is conveniently located, etc. I much prefer Phoenix to most other U.S. airports.

Apart from this minor point, you are spot on: The ability to freely travel around the country used to be a sign of American greatness. Now, travel has been "weaponized" to demonstrate our serfdom.

EDIT: Sorry. I wasn't trying to politicize this thread. But, "TSA" is trigger word for me. My apologies to the OP.

At times, pitching a bitch pays off. Sent this to Alaska Airlines and received a $50 travel voucher for having to endure the bus.

I think my last flight was about 10-12 years ago. United to Spokane from DC.

And I mean the LAST flight. Return flight to DC left Spokane at about 0900. I arrived at the airport at 0600. Got to the place where they checked my carry-on bag. Had nothing in it but some reading material for the long flight and waits at airports, etc.

Only person at the check station, about a DOZEN TSA twits, standing around and doing nothing.

They dumped the stuff out of the bag, turned the bag inside out, asked me about a dozen stupid questions. It was probably boredom on their part but when the 3rd one of them decided that he, too, had to dump my carry-on I began to get a little testy.

I saw one of those new check stations sitting there, unused. I asked why they were not using it, and I quote! "because none of us know how to use it!"

All that crap was why I decided that if I ever had to go back to Idaho (which I still consider my home) I would drive!

From my point of view, anything on the left coast that is east of the mountain chain could slide off into the ocean and would be a huge improvement! Now if we could get a couple of east cost major cities, and a could of small states to do the same, the world would be a lot better.

Before I retired, I was an "official" frequent flyer, including the ID card. Which made traveling a bit easier.

As I said, if I have to "go home" again it will take about 4 days to drive. (used to do it in 3).

Damn! The best two things about SeaTac were Ivar's smoked salmon chowder and Anthony's.

Excellent rant, sir. Even if a bit understated.

I'll actually flying into PDX when working in the PacNW - you don't have to take the long ass, neck wrenching, bus ride to the SEATAC rental car facility - since rental cars are in the PDX terminal.

And once you get north of Portland, the traffic is pretty light northbound and it only adds about 35-40 min to my drive to the worksite.