Mardi Gras season is upon us and soon thousands of travelers will be flying into and out of our Louis Armstrong International Airport. Travelers who wish to fly out of New Orleans at any time before Feb. 27 must ask themselves an important question: “Will I be able to find an on-site parking spot at the new airport?”
Today, most of us who fly frequently are aware that our new $1.5 billion airport lacks adequate on-site parking. While new parking spaces cannot be created overnight, a relatively easy solution exists that would help reduce the stress of arriving travelers who are in the dark about available on-site parking spots. The solution requires the New Orleans Aviation Board to install an electronic sign on MSY property at the airport’s entrance off Veterans Memorial Boulevard, which shows the up-to-the-minute number of available parking spaces at each of the three on-site lots. No other location for such a sign is logical since travelers can enter the airport from several directions.
Presently, this parking-space information is available on the airport’s website, as is the ability for a person to purchase a reserved parking spot — if it is made within 24 hours of arriving at the airport. If the available parking information posted on the airport’s website is up-to-the-minute, routing it to a large electronic bulletin board at the airport’s main entrance should not be challenging.
Providing this vital information at the airport’s entrance would allow travelers the opportunity to decide, in a timely manner, if making a u-turn to the 15-minute away economy lot would be prudent. If customer service is a priority, one would think those in charge of our $1.5 billion airport could manage to find the necessary funds for such an essential sign.
RICHARD MARKSBURY
New Orleans