Pickup zone for Uber, Lyft closer for Terminal North

Hartsfield-Jackson Inter- national Airport moved one of its pickup zones for Uber and Lyft users last week — a day later than expected — shortening the walk for some passengers.

The Atlanta airport was originally planning to open the new domestic Termi- nal North pickup zone at a location 750 feet closer to the terminal Dec. 22, for the busy holiday travel week- end. Instead, it opened the new Terminal North pickup zone Dec. 23.

Linda Moore, a traveler from Vero Beach, Fla., who flew to Atlanta to visit her son, called the new pickup zone located under the MARTA tracks “very convenient,” adding: “Last year, we were here and it was a lot farther walk.”

While the pickup zone for Uber and Lyft passen- gers at Terminal North — serving carriers other than Delta Air Lines — has been moved closer, the Termi- nal South pickup zone for Uber and Lyft is still a long walk from the terminal at a remote location in the economy parking lot.

The domestic terminal pickup zones for Uber and Lyft were moved from the curbside last year to make way for construction of massive curbside canopies. For drop-offs, Uber and Lyft driv- ers still use the curbside at the domestic terminal. At the international terminal, Uber and Lyft passengers can be picked up and dropped off at the curbside.

Cheryl Tipton, visiting Atlanta from Hawaii, said the walk to the Terminal North pickup zone was “much shorter than I expected.”

But Atlanta resident Maurkesha Drew said she thinks the walk to the Terminal North zone may still be challenging for people with disabilities who have trou- ble walking long distances, and she noted that there are no benches or seats in the area yet.

The previous pickup zone, however, “was way far,” Drew said. “This walk was not as long as last time.”

Getting to the new pickup zone still requires exiting through the lower level of Terminal North.

At the domestic Terminal North at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, after taking an escalator/elevator down to the lower level and exiting at lower level door LN1, signs direct passengers to the new rideshare lot to the left.

Airport officials have been planning to route passengers along the curbside to the new Terminal North pickup zone. But an awning over the curbside has not yet been built, and for now, passengers are being routed through the Terminal North parking garage to the new Uber and Lyft pickup zone.