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Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Would you give up Hartsfield for Briscoe Field?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leaving Lawrenceville for a 9 a.m. flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport means I have to back out of my driveway at a quarter ‘til sunrise.
So it’s no wonder that the billboard near Spaghetti Junction declaring “Avoid the hassles of Hartsfield!” has caught my eye. It’s paid for by a charter service that wants you to realize that flights are available right out of Lawrenceville.
At Gwinnett County Airport/Briscoe Field (LZU) you can charter planes and helicopters, book aerial photography and take flying lessons, or perhaps enjoy a once-a-month lecture sponsored by the Experimental Aviation Association. E.A.A. Chapter 690 even provides breakfast (bacon, eggs and pancakes topped with butter and Mrs. Butterworth) so that every first Saturday aircraft enthusiasts can salivate over all things aviation.
Regularly scheduled flights from Lawrenceville to regional destinations include beach hotspot Destin, Fla., with its white sand, clear blue water, and fresh seafood that didn’t have to be flown in on the same plane you were on. Rates start at $250 one-way from Briscoe Field to Okaloosa County Airport. You’d only save about $50 each way by trekking down to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
Or follow the Falcons this fall to away destinations with travel packages that include free limo service for first-time charter customers. Same-day roundtrip travel is available for pro games or college showdowns like UGA v. the Gators. The cost: $2,500 for you and five friends. The experience: priceless to a Bulldog.
What that I-85 billboard is really selling is the time you save avoiding Hartsfield-Jackson Airport: driving time, parking time, and time in ATL security lines that on holiday weekends snake way back to the Wendy’s side of the food court.
Flying out of Briscoe Field to avoid Atlanta airport security hassles probably isn’t the best selling point though, considering two Sept. 11 hijackers trained for a time at Briscoe Field.
Plus, commercial airlines put on a song and dance that charter services can’t rival: frequent flyer points, expertly memorized emergency exit speeches in two languages, and the wondrous sound of a hundred overhead bins slammed shut just before takeoff.
Back when I thought my Delta frequent flyer points would last for all eternity, I would have never considered flying charter. Now I might give it a try.
Rates for commercial airline tickets for Labor Day regional travel have already been taking off. So would you consider flying out of Briscoe Field or is Atlanta the only airport on your radar?
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