Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport — Attraction in Kenner

Proceed with caution with Southwest Airlines MSY airport Flight #3678

On May 18th, 2025 approximately 10am, I was boarding Southwest Airlines to return home to Nashville from New Orleans. I was denied pre-boarding due to not meeting the 2 questionnaire qualifications.

Do you need assistance to board the aircraft? for example, wheelchair assistance, the use of a cane or other mobility device, etc. – the question was subjective. Could I use a wheelchair? a. Yes, I could use a wheelchair. Could I use a cane? Yes, I could use a cane. I was clearly walking slowly with a limp and was experiencing a great deal of pain but I wanted to push through with whatever energy I had that day to return home. Matter of fact, my significant other was walking me to my seat to ensure I was safe. Does that not count as a "cane" Do you have a specific seating need in order to accommodate your disability? a. I answered yes. Because I do not fly often, my family wanted to ensure I wasn't overworking myself trying to get home.

I do not fly often and did not know that pre-boarding was an option for my condition. Quite frankly the whole ordeal was embarrassing, and I didn’t want to cause a scene, but my family insisted on getting an explanation and was concerned for my wellbeing. Upon asking for more clarification to explain to my family why I was denied pre-boarding, Southwest Airlines customer service (manager) rudely responded that what he answered was clear, when I was in fact did not understand and the manager made no attempt to deescalate the situation. The level of customer service presented that day was not because of my doing to deserve to be treated less than a human/person. Shame on you for subjecting someone to this level of embarrassment and falsifying the event that took place.

I would also like to note that your staff allowed outside factors to determine my disability. When I reported the situation to through Southwest Airlines website, they provided a false narrative of the event. The negativity that they were receiving/experiencing was from the family. Not with me the handicap person. The entire time I was exhibiting confusion and pain. I was experiencing a lot of pain standing and was on the verge of tears and had to end the conversation with no clarification for me to tell my family who were upset over the situation. It is now been 10 years since my horrific accident and I am now able to travel and this is the treatment that is given to people with disability?

I have a total knee replacement, an ankle fusion, and both of my arms are also broken. Never in my life have I ever been asked these questions or was comfortable understanding to answer the questions with a room full of strangers. Since my disability I have made accommodation to ensure I would not get trampled by a group of people/strangers and I have made arrangements to arrive to the MSY Airport at a reasonable time for my condition.

When I was at the BNA airport I was approved for pre-boarding. That day I was wearing shorts with scares up and down my left leg and was exhibiting limited mobility. When I was at the New Orleans airport I was wearing leggings that covered my scares and was exhibiting limited mobility. Is that not considered discrimination?

Please note a Southwest Airline staff from the MSY Airport who scans boarding passes saw how much I was struggling and hand gestured me to come speak with her. She allowed me to the front of the line, and I was able to board the plane with the other pre-boarding passengers. What does that say about Southwest Airline customer service? If I was such a volatile person, why would one of the Southwest Airline staff allow me to the front of the line. How does one not feel profiled when other staff members see how much I was struggling with...

In the city that gave birth to jazz, architectural improvisation has found spectacular form in Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport's gleaming terminal. Opened in part in 2019, the $1.3 billion structure represents far more than functional infrastructure; it's a triumphant crescendo in New Orleans' post-Katrina rebirth story.

The sinuous, three-concourse terminal, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in collaboration with the local firm Manning Architects, performs an architectural melody that unfolds gradually as travelers move through its spaces. The soaring central atrium, bathed in natural light from expansive clerestory windows, creates a first impression of lightness and possibility — a stark contrast to the oppressive, compartmentalized terminal it replaced.

This spatial liberation isn't merely aesthetic. The wider concourses feel like generously proportioned boulevards rather than the constricted alleyways common to older airports. Here, travelers don't simply endure a transitional purgatory but instead inhabit a space that breathes with the distinctive cultural rhythms of New Orleans.

The design's greatest achievement lies in how it interprets rather than mimics local flavor. Where lesser airports might resort to superficial cultural references, MSY incorporates subtler homages: curved ceiling fixtures suggesting the flow of the Mississippi, terrazzo floor patterns evoking the city's waterways, and thoughtfully integrated artwork by local creators. The effect is sophisticated rather than kitschy — New Orleans distilled, not caricatured.

This architectural thoughtfulness has translated into operational success. In 2021, J.D. Power ranked MSY the best large airport in North America for customer satisfaction, a remarkable climb from 23rd place just two years earlier. Food and retail offerings received particularly strong ratings, with local institutions like Café du Monde and Emeril's anchoring a dining program that showcases authentic New Orleans cuisine.

The terminal's connections to the city extend beyond its aesthetic sensibilities. Multiple transportation options link the facility, situated 11 miles east of downtown, to the urban core. The Regional Transit Authority's Airport Express bus and Jefferson Transit Authority's E1 service offer public transit alternatives, while ride-sharing services — Uber recognized MSY with its 2024 Quickest Pickup award for an industry-leading 4.1-minute average wait time — provide expedient options for travelers unwilling to sacrifice time for economy.

The facility's evolution mirrors New Orleans' larger narrative of resilience. Following Hurricane Katrina's devastation in 2005, when the airport sustained over $55 million in damage, MSY gradually rebuilt operations after reopening to commercial flights in September of that year. Its 2001 renaming to honor Louis Armstrong, coinciding with the jazz legend's centennial, further cemented the airport's identity as a cultural ambassador for the city.

Today's terminal has transformed from mere infrastructure into economic catalyst. Reports indicate the new facility has increased the region's economic impact by approximately 20% in its first five years, supporting 64,000 jobs and generating $6.4 billion in local spending.

For a city that has endured profound challenges, the terminal represents architectural catharsis — a space that acknowledges past struggles while optimistically embracing future possibilities. As both gateway and farewell point, MSY now offers visitors and returning locals a space that successfully balances modern efficiency with the distinctive spirit that makes New Orleans one of America's most beloved destinations.

In architectural terms, it's that rarest of achievements:...

“One star for the bathrooms. The rest? A jazz funeral for joy.”

We weren’t arriving in New Orleans. We were leaving, hearts full, bags packed with gifts, and a tiny slime-encased alligator meant for our granddaughter. A whimsical creature, sealed and solid, no more threatening than a Mardi Gras bead. TSA took one look and said, “Nope.” Confiscated. No discussion. No jazz. Just a cold, bureaucratic snatch of joy from a child’s future smile.

Let me be clear: this wasn’t liquid. It wasn’t hazardous. It was a novelty toy, the kind you’d find nestled between praline magnets and voodoo keychains. But MSY’s security team treated it like it was plotting something. I half expected hazmat suits. Instead, we got a shrug and a trash bin. The gator is gone. And with it, a piece of our soul.

The terminal, completed in 2019, is allegedly “modern.” I’d call it “airport purgatory with LED lighting.” It’s clean, yes. Spacious, sure. But where’s the Louisiana soul? Where’s the beignet stand? The chicory coffee? The gumbo whisper? Instead, you get Shake Shack, Starbucks, and a Panda Express that feels like it wandered in from a mall in Ohio. It’s culinary gentrification at 30,000 feet.

Speaking of coffee: I ordered a cup hoping for a hint of local magic. What I got was swamp water with a caffeine complex. Bitter, burnt, and emotionally unavailable. It tasted like betrayal brewed in a forgotten corner of the bayou.

Now, credit where it’s due: my wife loved the bathrooms. Spotless. Automated. A symphony of sensor-triggered efficiency. Toilets that flushed with dignity. Faucets that responded like loyal servants. A rare oasis of functionality in a desert of disappointment. If MSY ran on bathroom vibes alone, we’d be singing a different tune.

But alas, the rest of the experience was a slow descent into travel despair.

• Security: Cold, curt, and joy-averse. • Food: National chains with zero Louisiana flavor. • Coffee: A crime against beans. • Ambiance: Jazz-less and joyless. • Slime gator: Confiscated like it was plotting something. • Bathrooms: The lone star in a sky of sorrow.

So yes, one star. For the bathrooms. The rest? A jazz funeral for joy.

Eulogy for a Slime Gator Read aloud in the key of heartbreak, with a faint saxophone in the background.

“He was small. He was sealed. He was green, with googly eyes that dreamed. A gator in slime, not in crime. TSA took him, said ‘no time.’He never bit. He never leaked. Just sat in his pod, politely meek. But rules are rules, and joy is banned. So he was tossed by a gloved hand.Farewell, dear gator. You were meant for delight. Now you rest in a bin, out of sight.”

TSA Internal Memo: Operation Slime Snatch Confidential. For agents with zero tolerance for whimsy.

Subject: Unauthorized Amphibian-Inspired Gelatinous Objects Date: 06 October 2025 From: Bureau of Toy Surveillance and Slime ContainmentEffective immediately, all slime-based novelty items, regardless of size, sentiment, or googly eye count, are to be treated as potential threats to national tranquility.Agents are instructed to:

• Confiscate with minimal empathy. • Avoid eye contact with disappointed grandparents. • Dispose of items in the “Joy Suppression Bin.” Remember: if it jiggles, it...