Sink r8

Isn't everyone friends with their weiner?

And don't jump on me for forgetting about chicks. They own a weiner too. The don't necessarily carry it with them everywhere, that's all.

Brocc15

I lived in Atlanta for awhile, and really the only options are VA, or a 20+ minute drive away. Virginia Ave is actually better than the other areas around the airport because of all of the business people working nearby. I actually loved living in Atlanta, and I think it is a really cool city if you are in the right areas, but those areas are for the most part all north of downtown, so a minumum of a 20 minute drive. A lot of Delta pilots live south of the airport in Peachtree city, I don't know if there are hotels there, but even if there are it is also a 20 minute drive. I don't think there is a realistic option that is 15 minutes or less other than VA. At least there are some decent restaurants on VA, that are safe to walk to in the day time. At the hotels south of the airport you would have to walk a half mile to get to the one restaurant down there and it is even sketchier in my opinion. I would prefer to stay downtown myself while in training, but downtown is not that great either, Midtown and Buckhead are better but they are even further north.

sailingfun

There have been no murders in the crew hotel parking lot. There was a murder a few blocks away behind the Hilton. I think it was the first murder in the area in several years.

Doug Masters

So they just mug you but let you live eh?

Bucking Bar

Everyone forgets the reason why MSP has no problem with street people, or "bums" as we used to call them, it that MSP is too cold for the "urban outdoors-man." Newsprint and cheap wine has little effect at keeping a human warm below 10 degrees, at which point they turn into "bumsicles."

tomgoodman

I saw a newspaper story about a NYC bum who would always disappear in the fall and show up again in the spring. Turned out he was a wealthy Florida eccentric who liked the "street life" (but only in warm weather).

tsquare

Tom.. you reminded me of a great song from the 80s...

Randy Crawford and the Crusaders Don't listen if you don't like jazz

Wasatch Phantom

I haven't been to training in ATL recently, but was in MSP last summer for a month.

IMHO it beats training in ATL hands-down, no contest. The hotel is excellent, and they appreciate our business (what a novel concept). There are a huge number of places to grab a bite to eat with a great selection of beers. St. Paul is a very clean, safe city with friendly people. I will miss it...

I've stayed at several hotels on Virginia Ave courtesy of Delta. With the sole exception of the Crowne Plaza (76 school only), they were all of the "El-Dumpo" variety. Perhaps there hasn't been a murder lately, but I don't feel very safe walking there. I feel like I'm amongst drug dealers, pimps etc... people I try to avoid.

johnso29

Agreed. Aside from the cold during the winter, training in MSP is a much better environment.

iFlyer

Thanks to everyone who took the time to document complaints with both the company and ALPA, shuttle van service from Crowne Plaza to NATCO is restored to 2 vans departing simultaneously every 30 minutes.

Delta had unilaterally cut service two weeks ago to a single van on a 45 minute loop, with no flexibility in capacity or ability to take you to the airport - not a good deal. But I'm sure it sounded good to some beancounter in Atlanta!