End of an Era for Me

I am posting this from the departure lounge at Dallas Love Field; on my way to OKC for business.

And, just as I typed that, something baaaaad happened--- they paged me from the podium. By name. Oops. Turns out baggage claim caught an error--my bag was headed irrevocably for El Paso. But they caught it, so hopefully it will be in OKC when I get there. It's a bad weather day; flights being diverted all over the place because of bad weather. Who knows when I'll get there...

In any event, this is my very last visit to an icon of my youth. They are doing a multi-zillion-dollar remodel on Dallas Love Field. I remember this being the "big" AirPort; being turned into a night club (!!) "LLove", then Southwest starting up.

At first Southwest used one of the "walkout" gates in the yellow concourse (the one that was never finished, that was "all other" airlines, airlines with names like Eastern and Ozark and Republic and Trans-Texas). Braniff had had their own Concourse (complete with Alexander Calder murals), and American had their own concourse, which also had a couple of Continental (then "the Proud Bird with the Golden Tail") gates.

The part of the terminal Southwest now uses, the part with which we're all familiar, is the old American Concourse. I remember when they first started using it, all the old service counters, complete with airline logos, were still there, abandoned.

In the next three weeks, the new concourse at Love Field will be ready, and Southwest will move. They will then tear down the old American Concourse, where I now sit.

56 years I've been going through here. But, the gates are small, the concourse is narrow, and it's always jammed. It has outlived its usefulness. Sometimes, old is a priceless treasure; other times, old is just...old.

So adios, old friend. Next time I come to Dallas, it will be to the new terminal.

I don't know how to caption photos on the iPhone version of blogger, so, in order:

1. The American Concourse
2. The big open area that I used to think was sooooo cool
3. The infamous gates 3, 4, and 5: the Houston gates.
4. A Southwest 737-300 in front of the new concourse (former location of the yellow concourse)
5. Update: It did not go to El Paso!!!