Chicago O'Hare Airport

[hfearly]

Seriously,
Chicago is the host of the biggest and most renowned international pipe show, yet the airport is a total joke. Family toilets, Diaper Dispensers, Defibrilator stations, and Asian rubbing your back for money, but not a single smoking lounge?! Hell, not even a small, crammed, frosted-glass booth like the rest of the world? Nope, nothing, nada, niente. To top it off, they don't even offer free Wifi - like the rest of the US does.
What a huge bloody let-down :-(
/rant off

 

[matchstickman]

The last time I was at O'Hare (I only live about an hour and a half away), I was not yet a pipe smoker and we were seeing a good buddy off who was flying to Montana. Unfortunately I was so liquored up I could barely remember where I was, and once I sobered up I started to fall asleep in the terminal. The closest airport to town here has a designated smoking area IIRC, or at least it did the last time I went to go pick up my brother in law from a business trip. Next time you're in the area you could try flying in and out of Bloomington airport if you want a smoking area.
EDIT: I think you can also get free Wifi in and around most of town in both Bloomington and Normal being a college town and all.

 

[hfearly]

Good to know. Avoid O'Hare, use Bloomington. ORD was especially disappointing, as I flew out from Palm Springs Airport, where they have a laaaarge courtyard with Palm Trees and Patios where you can enjoy tobacco and Margaritas all day long in the sunshine.

 

[matchstickman]

The other nice thing about Bloomington is that there is a very pipe friendly B&M right in town. Get out of the airport and hit Route 9 and head to Smokers Choice. Got a good selection of McClelland, Dunhill, and a few Peterson tobaccos, lots of accessories and quite a few nice pipes. They carry Savinellis, Nordings, Bjarne, and they even have a case full of Meerschaum pipes. If you decide to use Bloomington airport in the future let me know if you want directions or care to meet up there as I go there pretty often. Also, their downstairs smoking lounge is top notch and the older gent who runs the shop is about the friendliest guy there is.

 

[winton]

There is a reason that the show moved from Chicago to St Charles. Actually many.

 

[mso489]

O'Hare, nothing like it on land or sea. I've flown in and out of there over many years, and the

airport is just miles from the family home. Smoking (anything) and traveling just don't mix.

I go on a tobacco fast, and am glad they don't make a fuss out of my pipes on the x-ray

screen at security. Business travel -- hotels, restaurants, bars, parks, sidewalks, forests,

farms, and you name it, someone jumps out of the woodwork to let you know, no smoking.

Around barns and hay, I see the problem. Any crowded situation (O'Hare is perpetual crowd)

just don't bother with trying to smoke. I guess I take it as an opportunity to clear my palate

for that first burst of primo blend. On planet X where smoking is welcomed.

 

[docwatson]

It's no different flying into Midway either. I can empathize with everyone and think ot really sucks to say the least.

 

[kashmir]

That's why I avoid traveling by plane at all costs. If there's any way of driving or taking the train, that's my ticket. The idea of subjecting myself voluntarily to the madness of modern air travel, airports, security, and all the rest is simply beyond me.

 

[billinsfl]

O'hare is actually a great airport; no smoking though. I have to think there are very few Airports left with smoking lounges; Atlanta Hartsfield comes to mind. I think Las Vegas has a lounge as well. Airport smoking lounges are pretty nasty though. I'd just rather go outside when I can.

 

[hfearly]

Oh, I'd love to go outside. BUT you have to leave the security area, which means you'll need to pass the checkpoints again. When you are between connecting flights that usually takes way longer than the allotted layover time. Also, who wants to go through all the frisking and harassment by TSA twice?

 

[brian64]

That's why I avoid traveling by plane at all costs. If there's any way of driving or taking the train, that's my ticket. The idea of subjecting myself voluntarily to the madness of modern air travel, airports, security, and all the rest is simply beyond me.

+1

 

[instymp]

+1 Kash, and I had to go to MI through Detroit last week & they even went through my wallet, after I went through the photo/Xray machine, told/scolded me, next time to take my cash out & put my wallet with credit cards in the tray. First time for me, anywhere in the world, I ever heard of this. Said I was sorry, thought "what an ash&&" put my shoes on & got out of there.

 

[kashmir]

I remember flying on a prop Pan Am as a kid in the 60s. Walking out on the tarmac to board the plane, the smell of aviation fuel in the air, the captain at the top of the stairs to greet the passengers, getting the little Pan Am wings and toy basket as a kid. Even getting to visit the cockpit before take off. Everyone in tie and jacket, smoking at the airport. Jeeze, how we've come.

 

[billinsfl]

It's all an inconvenience but it is necessary because of the Muslims who want to wage jihad with airplanes. It's not perfect but consider the alternatives. It's the price we pay for living in the world that we do.
Smoking areas in airports are nasty; you will emerge reeking of cigarette smoke along with smelling that nasty crape which won 't enhance your enjoyment of the pipe. Exiting the airport and re-entering through security to smoke is not always possible but when it is I do it. Charlotte airport has a nice little area just outside that I usually repair to when I go through on a connecting flight.
Aside from Bloomington IN, Atlanta and Vegas are there any other Airports with smoking lounges?

 

[ssjones]

I just take it for granted that when I fly, I won't be smoking. The one lounge I've seen (Miami) looked pretty disgusting. Plus, my wife would shoot me if I stunk like cigarettes for several hours next to her on the plane... I don't fly that often, but I could see if I did, that would be a pain.

 

[kcghost]

It's the "New Normal" so man up and deal with it.
The one thing you have to give O'Hare is if you want to get somewhere you can almost always get there from O'Hare.

 

[supdog]

Last Jan. I had a lay-over at Chicago's other airport (Love field I think) and they didn't have one place that sold deepdish pizza! I mean WTF? That's one of Chicago's most iconic items. To me that's like going to New Orleans and not being able to get some gumbo or a po'boy (I've never been to NO) but you know what I mean.

 

[tjameson]

Memphis is probably the coolest as far as a smoking lounge goes. They have a great blues bar with BBQ and you can smoke anywhere in the restaurant

 

[hfearly]

supdog, I think they actually do sell deepdish somewhere around concourse K or J. Saw bunch of people with them pizzas sitting around.