SurlyBonds wrote:

senatorflyer wrote:

Hmmm. I’ve lived in SF for a while and had family there too. I think your statements are not entirely correct.
- Important financial centre yes but not for Europeans.

I would disagree, at least with respect to venture capital/technology finance and banking. A huge number of European startups choose to relocate or open offices in the Bay Area. Many European governments have accelerators here, to say nothing of private sector accelerators.

SonaSounds wrote:

new observation deck

SurlyBonds wrote:

n471wn wrote:

As a 41 year resident of the San Francisco Bay Area I was interested in your post about SFO. However, your statement that SFO is “one of the best airports in the United States” is laughable. It is simply one of the worst—just above Newark. You are right that it has lots of airlines and lots of destinations. But SFO is an operational nightmare and if on time and cancellations have any meaning to people then let me just state what we locals have long known: If you can fly out of Oakland or San Jose then do so. What a treat to fly non-stop to London, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Oslo, Paris, and soon Berlin out of Oakland. SFO is runway constrained due to the environmental anti-growth bunch and all the nice terminals cannot change the fact that when you go to SFO and expect your flight to leave on time you will be disappointed 40% of the time.

SFO has its operational difficulties relating to weather, to be sure. But facilities-wise, yes, it is one of the best airports in the country.

As for the anti-growth issues, these affect OAK as much as SFO.

senatorflyer wrote:

SurlyBonds wrote:

senatorflyer wrote:

Hmmm. I’ve lived in SF for a while and had family there too. I think your statements are not entirely correct.
- Important financial centre yes but not for Europeans.

I would disagree, at least with respect to venture capital/technology finance and banking. A huge number of European startups choose to relocate or open offices in the Bay Area. Many European governments have accelerators here, to say nothing of private sector accelerators.

From a banking point of view SFO is not even in the top 10 financial cities around the world. It’s an important financial center but not much more than Dubai is.

SonaSounds wrote:

Totally agree. Public transportation in the Bay Area is a joke for how many people live there.

n471wn wrote:

SurlyBonds wrote:

n471wn wrote:

As a 41 year resident of the San Francisco Bay Area I was interested in your post about SFO. However, your statement that SFO is “one of the best airports in the United States” is laughable. It is simply one of the worst—just above Newark. You are right that it has lots of airlines and lots of destinations. But SFO is an operational nightmare and if on time and cancellations have any meaning to people then let me just state what we locals have long known: If you can fly out of Oakland or San Jose then do so. What a treat to fly non-stop to London, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Oslo, Paris, and soon Berlin out of Oakland. SFO is runway constrained due to the environmental anti-growth bunch and all the nice terminals cannot change the fact that when you go to SFO and expect your flight to leave on time you will be disappointed 40% of the time.

SFO has its operational difficulties relating to weather, to be sure. But facilities-wise, yes, it is one of the best airports in the country.

As for the anti-growth issues, these affect OAK as much as SFO.

No OAK is not impacted because they are doing fine with one runway and can become like Gatwick. If you live here then you know that when SFO is at 50% due to weather (usually fog) OAK and SJC are just fine.

SonaSounds wrote:

On another note, I have done the BART transfer thing between airports and it is a nightmare, especially at OAK. Let alone the price gauging that goes on. Almost cheaper to just take an Uber across the Bay even for 1 person.

RainerBoeing777 wrote:

senatorflyer wrote:

SurlyBonds wrote:

I would disagree, at least with respect to venture capital/technology finance and banking. A huge number of European startups choose to relocate or open offices in the Bay Area. Many European governments have accelerators here, to say nothing of private sector accelerators.

From a banking point of view SFO is not even in the top 10 financial cities around the world. It’s an important financial center but not much more than Dubai is.

WHAT ! San Francisco is the second largest financial center in the United States, obviously it is bigger than Dubai!
The top 10 financial centers worldwide are:
1. London
2. New York
3. Singapore
4. Hong Kong
5. Tokyo
6. San Francisco
7. Boston
8. Chicago
9. Zurich
10. Washington DC

MartijnNL wrote:

SonaSounds wrote:

new observation deck

Wait, what?! An observation deck? In the United States? When? Where precisely? How?

Where is/was the old observation deck at SFO?

ucdtim17 wrote:

SonaSounds wrote:

On another note, I have done the BART transfer thing between airports and it is a nightmare, especially at OAK. Let alone the price gauging that goes on. Almost cheaper to just take an Uber across the Bay even for 1 person.

I wouldn't recommend planning a BART transfer between airports but it wouldn't normally be a "nightmare." It's a 75 minute train ride and $16. You can maybe get from OAK to downtown Oakland for $16 on uber but from airport to airport it's probably $50.

Edit: Uber fare estimator estimates $64-81 from SFO to OAK (now - not rush hour)

MartijnNL wrote:

SonaSounds wrote:

Totally agree. Public transportation in the Bay Area is a joke for how many people live there.

Personally I think public transportation in the LAX area is a bigger joke. I visited SFO one month ago and took the BART for the first time. It left from the terminal and dropped me off in the city center. Not too bad.

SonaSounds wrote:

ucdtim17 wrote:

SonaSounds wrote:

On another note, I have done the BART transfer thing between airports and it is a nightmare, especially at OAK. Let alone the price gauging that goes on. Almost cheaper to just take an Uber across the Bay even for 1 person.

I wouldn't recommend planning a BART transfer between airports but it wouldn't normally be a "nightmare." It's a 75 minute train ride and $16. You can maybe get from OAK to downtown Oakland for $16 on uber but from airport to airport it's probably $50.

Edit: Uber fare estimator estimates $64-81 from SFO to OAK (now - not rush hour)

Have you taken BART in the bay? It is broken down like half the time and always running delayed making the connection on BART from the SFO train to something that goes past OAK get screwed up. Then you have to get off and take the OAK airtrain which has been broken both times I had to do it and I had to take the old shuttle bus. Way easier to just expense an uber and call it a day

RainerBoeing777 wrote:

senatorflyer wrote:

SurlyBonds wrote:

I would disagree, at least with respect to venture capital/technology finance and banking. A huge number of European startups choose to relocate or open offices in the Bay Area. Many European governments have accelerators here, to say nothing of private sector accelerators.

From a banking point of view SFO is not even in the top 10 financial cities around the world. It’s an important financial center but not much more than Dubai is.

WHAT ! San Francisco is the second largest financial center in the United States, obviously it is bigger than Dubai!
The top 10 financial centers worldwide are:
1. London
2. New York
3. Singapore
4. Hong Kong
5. Tokyo
6. San Francisco
7. Boston
8. Chicago
9. Zurich
10. Washington DC

LAX772LR wrote:

RainerBoeing777 wrote:

OAK - LGW has only 10 weekly frequencies, 3 weekly with British Airways and 7 with Norwegian, would be a total of 8 daily flights with 3 weekly frequencies

Not for long, as BA is soon suspending OAK (or at least making it seasonal).

wedgetail737 wrote:

I think OAK will eventually be left with no overseas flights before too long.

simpv wrote:

It is pretty crazy expansion. Though I think AY announced 4x week service as well.