The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

I’m currently in Gatwick airport wishing I was somewhere else. Almost anywhere else seems preferable at the moment.

It’s noisy, it’s chaotic, it’s too hot and everything’s a rip off. You can probably tell I’m feeling a bit grumpy, probably because I’ve had no sleep. No, actually that’s only an excuse. I don’t like airports at the best of times and only tolerate them as a means to an end.

What’s your feeling about airports? Are you of the same mind as me or can you manage to enjoy the wait, the herding about and so on?

Must dash. My flights just been called for boarding. Thank goodness.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

HATE IT !
It's no longer a pleasure to fly what with security hassle and DIY checking
I am flying tomorrow have to be at the airport at four in the morning

PS enjoy your flight !

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

They''re strange places aren't they? A kind of no-man's-land where you're trapped between countries. At one end, all anxious, stressed and excited people and at the other dog-tired and exhausted and dying to get home. I find baggage reclaim the worse aspect of it really - the worry that everyone's case will appear but mine, or someone will collect mine in error.

At a child we lived only a few miles from B'ham (what was Elmdon) airport and dad took me once to look round and I thought it really exciting. I could see the beacon from my bedroom too.

The shops are a total rip off, it's true - best to take a book and some packed lunch if you're there for long.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

Hi

If there is an Airport Lounge I pay for it, well worth the money.

There are good and bad Airports,I avoid Stanstead if at all possible.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

Airports are by nature large, noisy and not particularly pleasant.
Heathrow is, at least, organised and well signed but dirty.
Leeds/Bradford is much smaller and not as complicated,
Manchester - filthy, disorganised.
My favourite by far is Terminal 2 at Dublin - well organised, staff to help, interesting shops with goods at reasonable prices, but it is comparitively new, therefore clean and tidy.
Nearly forgot - Jersey - lovely and, at the right time of year, smells of flowers everywhere.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

The worst IMO is Miami a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth and the rudest airport staff on the planet .

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

When I used airports I always found Stanstead a pain in the rear to much walking involved I was forever stopping and getting my breath back.
Alicante I hate once again to much walking to the cars.
Murcia the military airport was great but these days I am not so sure.
Gatwick I found so much better because hardly any walking you get the shuttle to your departure.
But apparently I am told by family and freinds Southend is so good you walk in check in near the entrance and walk a short journey to the plane. It has a station a 100yrds away and is 20 mins drive from my house.
Trouble is I ain't been abroad for some years although I am hoping to start up again early next year,going obviously from Southend.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

I have only flown out of the UK twice since security was tightened and I thought it was hell. It took so long and it was so crowded and those machines they shut you in were awful.

Australian airports seemed much more relaxed in comparison - though until I went to the UK I thought they were over the top with the metal detectors. Having said that they are now talking about passengers having to produce ID to get on domestic flights so that will be less relaxed too I guess.

The thing that gets me is that all this security has never caught anybody it is always in response to a threat discovered by other means.

I suppose to be fair Australian airports are far more concerned about incoming passengers breaking quarantine and immigration rules however once you ensure you tick "No" in every box and you are not from China entry is pretty unstressful.

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

Some years ago I went to Australia
I had to go to a line because I had been in a stables recently .
They took out my riding boots and yes ( schooling whip ) and had a good time making funny comments on the said items to the entertainment of the entire queue !

Re: The Airport Experience. Love it or Hate it?

I've not flown much really but when I have I've found the airport experience all part of the holiday . I've never bought anything from duty free as things are pricy . I'm going to Thailand in March and we are booking a lounge at Heathrow prior , I've not had this experience before I'm told we can have a few drinks and nibbles while we wait . As you can tell I'm a novice really . I can Immagine it must be awful for business flyers .