Okay, this makes total sense to me. Last time David came back from an out of town trip, I did this very thing on my own by parking out at the “Kiss N’ Fly” place, which is a turnaround right by the north exit of the ground transportation rail link to remote parking. There were a few spots right there within site of the door that were 30 minute wait, so I stumbled upon the idea all on my own.
No more driving in circles at airports | Chicago Tribune
“This is something that is desperately needed at O’Hare and Midway to improve safety, reduce pollution caused by idling vehicles and deter drivers from circling numerous times around the terminal core or stopping on the shoulder of [Interstate Highway 190 at O’Hare] to wait for the call,” said Chicago Aviation Commissioner Nuria Fernandez.
From the dawn of the jet age until the 2001 terrorist attacks, people picking up family members or friends at the airport would often pay to park then walk to the terminal to meet their travelers at the gate with a kiss and a hug.
The custom ended when access to the concourses was restricted to ticketed passengers after the attacks.
Concerns about car-bombers outside terminals led to stepped-up enforcement of no-parking rules on the roadway outside baggage claim areas. That has led to runaround and confusion in the arrivals lanes.
The cell phone lot at O’Hare has 150 spaces carved out of economy parking Lot F, off Bessie Coleman Drive. Signs directing drivers to the lot are posted on Mannheim and Zemke Roads and on I-190.
Lot F, which was closed after the steep decline in air travel after 2001, is reopening to handle the surge in O’Hare travelers. The lot has about 3,000 spaces.
The 90-space cell phone lot at Midway is at 61st Street and Cicero Avenue, south of the main airport entrance. Signs were scheduled to be installed over the weekend on Cicero Avenue and the roadway outside the terminal, officials said.
Drivers waiting in the cell phone lots must remain in their vehicles, and parking in the lots is limited to one hour, officials said. Violators will be ticketed or towed.
