Dear Massport Authority

Thought I would share a letter I sent out via mail, as sometimes to get a message across, emails just don’t cut it.  How does your airport rank in these areas?

Dear Massport Authority

I am writing to express my continued frustration with Logan Airport.  I fly in and out of Logan 1 to 2 times a week, for 12 years now.  When comparing Logan Airports to others across the country, it is sad to say that Logan is probably one of the worse airports in America.  I am going to limit my reasons for this to just 4 areas.  I hope you’ll see that business travelers consider these high priorities.  Logan needs to cater to its regular travelers and not to annual family visitors.  Here is why:

No Access Between Terminals – My understanding is that this was voted down several years ago.  I can’t imagine why any airport would limit access between terminals after going through security.  I often switch airlines, especially when flying internationally.  The poor design also limits my ability to meet colleagues, host professional meetings or interviews, and limits my access to airport amenities.  Outside of security, I use central parking to gain access.  Not ideal in the winter months.

CLEAR – The MA Secretary of Transportation, Stephanie Pollack needs to catch up to modern times.  We have grown and learned so much since 9/11 yet she continues to place restrictions and limitations that directly impact the public.  She has stated Boston will not allow CLEAR because of insurance costs and accountability.  Given my next line item, Logan Airport is in trouble if they don’t expand passenger security options.

TSA Pre-Check and Security – As mentioned above, without CLEAR, TSA Pre lines are often longer than non Pre lines.  This is due to limited space allotted for TSA Pre, especially in terminal A and terminal C.  With common times of business travel being Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons, why are TSA Pre lines not expanded?  There is clearly no monitoring of passenger flow or actions taken to improve timeliness of security check points.

Airline Lounges – There is no argument that the infrastructure of Logan Airport is dated.  Space allotted for lounges in terminal A, B, and C are the smallest in the country.  Decisions to extend one of the best lounges, The Lounge Priority Pass in the JetBlue terminal makes zero sense.  It’s always empty and due to no access between terminals is an underutilized space.  Delta Lounges are both small, crowded, and dated.  The lack of interest in expanding these spaces to accommodate passengers only adds to overflow of bars and waiting areas in the terminals.

Thank you for your time.  While I expect little to no action from this letter, I felt it imperative to share what myself and other professional colleagues are saying about Logan Airport.  As you consider future initiatives and prioritization of upgrade projects, I hope you’ll consider these 4 areas of concern.

Sincerely,

Douglas Herr