Our flight to Italy this June, with our FF points, arrives at ATL at 8:30 in the morning. We don't leave for Rome until 4:30 in the afternoon. So, we are thinking of taking the Marta (is that what it's called?) into town to have a nice brunch, walk around, do something rather than sit in the airport all day.
Question is--Where can we leave our carry on bags? Is there anywhre in the airport to do that?
While I've never used the baggage storage, I want to say I remember seeing storage at Hartsfield in the general area of the baggage claim. I know I saw lockers but I think there might also be a service. Maybe give the airport information desk a call and ask?
And I think hopping on MARTA to spend the day downtown is a great idea. It is a pretty short ride and there is plenty of activities within walking distance of the downtown MARTA stations.
Last weekend we visited the Georgia Aquarium and really enjoyed the size and diversity of the exhibits.
I'll have a 7-hour layover there in late August. I've found that there is luggage storage outside security offered by Wrap-a-Bag; information here. There's the oddity that bags that haven't been screened can be stored landside, but there are FAA regulations against storing bags that have been screened airside, apparently because of fear that a concession employee who hadn't been screened would pass something improper to a passenger (but what's to prevent that from happening without using a locker?). However, I saw a story that airside lockers that used fingerprint recognition or something were in place in some airports including Atlanta. I couldn't find anyone on Flyertalk who knew anything about this: where they are, how the price compares to Wrap-a-Bag.
Edit: January article mentioning Smarte Carte lockers here
Hi Jan--Eight hours looks like plenty of time but if you are on a Delta code share, ASA, Freedom Airlines etc., rather than Delta, be ready for delays. Last year I thought that a 4 hour connect time in ATL with a TLH departure was more that adequate and ASA got us there with 30 mins. to spare, we had to, literally, run to get our flight to FCO. In the lastest ontime ranking of airlines ASA was dead last. I'm looking forward to your always excellent post-trip report and especially the restaurant reviews. Jim
Does anyone know of a nice place for breakfast near the Aquarium--near where we would get off the Marta? I thinkwe get off at Peachtree Center.
jan
Try Access Atlanta to find restaurants that you might like, reviewed by the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. Under "area," choose downtown for something close to the aquarium or "midtown" for lots of choices that would probably be better and are just a few stops away on MARTA. Hope that helps!
Posts: 137 | Location: Lilburn, GA | Registered: 29 July 2006
My layover will be from 12.30 to 7.30; for a time my Kansas City-Atlanta flight was on ASA, but now it's back on Delta mainline. I went to Atlanta a couple of times in 1987 when I lived in South Carolina. When I heard that Underground Atlanta reopened shortly after that, I thought that it would be a priority for my next visit; now I see notes to stay away from there. I was thinking I might do the CNN Tour. Their site says reservations are strongly recommended; I was wondering about trying it for 3 p.m., allowing for some flight delay, but since it won't ruin my trip if I miss it, maybe I'll just call from the airport and see if I can get in. I can consider the aquarium as an alternative.
Just a word of warning...when we took our daughter to ATL airport for a short flight back to Gulfport, the wait to go through security was over an hour. Please allow yourself enough time to get "checked through" without missing your flight.
Well, we discovered there ARE lockers which use fingerprints in the airport. But we didn't actually find them and had already left the airport when we found out we would have to go back through security to get to them.
Sorry to not be of any more help. They are supposedly near the main entrance (Terminal A?) where you do go through.
We returned to the airport with plenty of extra time. Because we had business ticket there was almost no line for us. The line for coach was considerably longer.
If you are traveling through Atlanta airport, please give yourself extra time as security wait times can vary on any given day.
Underground Atlanta is a bunch of shops and bars which are O.K. I would go for CNN tour (needs to be reserved) or the Aquarium (need tickets in advance)
However, I saw a story that airside lockers that used fingerprint recognition or something were in place in some airports including Atlanta. I couldn't find anyone on Flyertalk who knew anything about this: where they are, how the price compares to Wrap-a-Bag
Andrew; I flew into Atlanta this afternoon and asked 4 people on Concourse B and about 6 people around the baggage claim area about the luggage lockers. No one I talked to knew anything about them. The Wrap-a-Bag office is undergoing renovation right now and is scheduled to open next week, according to a Delta Global Services employee I talked to at baggage claim. This office is across the corridor from Delta's baggage claim Belt #2.
I'm making my first post from Italy on this trip on this forum where I seldom look; I'd been wanting to resolve this question about lockers. I arrived on Concourse C, I didn't see any in the central part near the underpass where it would make sense to have them, and I figured I had time to check all the concourses at least in the central part. I started with Concourse E, where the international departures are, figuring that most long layovers are before international trips. I didn't find any, but there was an airport information desk, the lady there said there used to be lockers but they were closed down. Since I figured that she was mainly an interpreter and I've had employees give mistaken information, I was wondering if she meant closed since 9/11 and I'd seen information about them being there since then. I thought I'd at least check Concourse A. There I found lockers, but with a sign saying they're closed when the alert level is orange or higher. So maybe that sort of resolves it. I checked my carry-on at Wrap-a-Bag. When taking the general exit from the underpass to the main terminal, turn left, left again at the Hudson News at the corner, and Wrap-A-Bag is the next shop.
I went into the city and did the CNN tour without a reservation, also walking around the Olympic Park and downtown a little. I have practical things on Italy to report, but maybe not during this session; time is running out.
