ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : A Bit of Temporary Turbulence

On Sunday, John Wayne Airport leapfrogged over generations by closing a terminal more suitable as a set for “Casablanca” and opening one that puts Orange County squarely in the 1990s.

The landing was a little bumpy, though. Conveyor belts got jammed; change machines in the parking lot spit out quarters like slot machines. Most glitches were simply part of opening-day blues. But several things still can be done to make the airport more user-friendly.

The first order of business should be the installation of a you-are-here map--like the shopping-mall variety--to assist passengers and others to find departure and arrival gates, as well as locate other airport services.

While there are display boards on the wall, people have grown used to looking for such mall-type maps. John Wayne’s new Thomas F. Riley Terminal seems a perfect spot. People can then find their own way instead of asking airport personnel, as disoriented travelers did on opening day.

After the opening, there was one good fix to improve information given the public. Airport administrators moved fast to correct the absence of gate numbers on the arriving flight computer message boards, which had originally caused much confusion. By Monday, gate numbers were listed along with flight numbers and other information. These will help people find the appropriate gates.

There were many other complaints, some harder to sympathize with than others. For example, smokers complained that they couldn’t buy cigarettes at the airport, even though some areas are designated for smoking. Perhaps they are already nostalgic for the old terminal, so behind the times that you could almost see Bogey smoking a cigarette. But going without probably won’t be much more than an inconvenience for modern-day smokers, used to being told not to smoke.

Let’s prioritize the more pressing problems. This is a beautiful new public facility, and everyone wants to see it get off the ground smartly.