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Myra
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my wee toon
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17-12-2014, 01:11 AM
11

Re: Airport Experience

I think most of us could go on and on about airport experiences. I do think some of the experience is farcical to say the least.

"Did you pack your own bag?". "No, my Auntie Fanny packed it". Of course I packed my own bag!!

Everyone frantically drinking the rest of the water from their bottles before chucking them in the bin. God forbid we take a teaspoon of actual water past security. They can x-ray bags, but don't have anything to check water? Strange........

Reclining seats on economy flights? Great for the reclining passenger - hell for the person behind you who almost has your headrest on their knee.

The toilets always stink.

It's a balancing act, trying to put the cardboard packaging together after eating your inflight meal. Krypton Factor springs to mind.

The pilot is babbling through a years old microphone and you can't hear a word he's saying half the time.

The last thing I want to buy is Duty Free perfume as you can get it just as cheap on the high street nowadays.

On landing "Please do not remove your seatbelt until the aircraft comes to a halt". Of course we'll remove it. Can't get off this bloomin hell hole fast enough.

There. You can see what I think about flying. I detest it and it's a mean to an end for me.

All the best to those who can afford business and first class. We can only gaze up the golden stairway towards such luxury
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17-12-2014, 01:35 AM
12

Re: Airport Experience

Originally Posted by Honey ->
we had a terrible time when we reached the new Alicante airport,the place is huge! we were told to go downstairs to meet the coach, we walked for miles, found some stairs, walked all the way down to find it was a dead end so back up the stairs, we looked around for signs, none visible, we were walking from one end to the other trying to find these stairs!
Eventually we found a member of staff who directed us to a set of unmarked steps, when we finally reached the bottom, the coach was waiting, the rep outside ushered us forward, I was so embarrassed for holding up all the passengers I apologised to them all when we boarded
I hate Alicante airport now itīs grown. We were there the day after it re-opened after all the refurbishments, what a nightmare ! Miss the turn off to the airport and you could find yourself half way to Madrid. There is so much walking there now, mile after mile, it seems, you need to be a marathon walker to reach your gate and the same returning. Virtually every time we go there to pick up or drop off friends we get stuck coming out, we always manage to get in an exit where the barriers get stuck and have to press the red button to call for help. Goodness knows what the new Corvera airport will be like when it supposedly opens in February and they close Murcia airport (San Javier), which is a lovely quite small, easy to get to and easy to deal with airport. Airports are a necessary evil but why they all have to rip you off with horrendous prices for food and drink I donīt know.
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17-12-2014, 05:02 AM
13

Re: Airport Experience

Europe sounds like hell!
realspeed
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17-12-2014, 06:18 AM
14

Re: Airport Experience

i would rather airport security, ie customs, did their job properly than let a terrorist on with a bomb. We actually had a nice experience last time we fly with BA. We were given a free upgrade to business class which was nice, we had already booked one up from "cattle" class as I like a bit of leg room.
Now one can check in on line makes things a lot easier but I do hate those machines you have to place your passport on, that is if they even are working
schiphol airport is a pain and a bit over the top with having to go through an x-ray machine even on a through transfer flight.

AS for the question "did you pack you own bag" is not as silly as it may sound. My wife does all the bag packing ( seems I would do it all wrong and pack the wrong things in the wrong order). I suspect is the same in other households as well.
So my answer is always "no"
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17-12-2014, 06:44 AM
15

Re: Airport Experience

Originally Posted by Bruce ->
Europe sounds like hell!
.

I suppose being in the outback with Roos hopping about all over the place Europe would sound like hell.

Having watched Australian customs at airports they appear to be far stricter than European ones.

Really it boils down to what you are used to. Sitting by a billabong putting shrimps on a barbi every day or having poisonous spiders bite you on the backside while having dummy is not my ideal way of life . Then of course one has to avoid the dangerous snakes everywhere

Then of course your next door neighbour is only 50+ miles down the road, ideal for wanting to borrow a cup of sugar.
But those hats with corks hanging down must keep hitting one in the face.


Sorry Bruce could not resist, but remember it was prisoners deported from England that got Australia on the map, so must have been a dangerous country in the past.
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17-12-2014, 11:45 AM
16

Re: Airport Experience

Originally Posted by Philipholmes ->
Hi Guys...

...specifically the airport journey for the ageing population...
Dont forget the gals on here, and who are you calling "aged?"

First hand airport experiences, lets see...(keeping it short)

1) Flights being cancelled at short notice.

2) Attempting to get another flight from a girl with no geography knowledge whatsoever, and thinks that 3pm Wednesday is the same time as 3pm Thursday.

3) Being forced to sit on an aircraft for 4 hours in 30C heat, because the take off is delayed, and not even being offered any form of liquid.

4) Not being allowed to use the toilet on the above aircraft because it is "on the apron."

5) Having to have surgery caused by problems arising from the same flight as 3) and 4)

6) Zero compensation for the problems, "not their fault!"

Shall I continue, or is that enough?
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17-12-2014, 12:04 PM
17

Re: Airport Experience

Originally Posted by realspeed ->
.

I suppose being in the outback with Roos hopping about all over the place Europe would sound like hell.

Having watched Australian customs at airports they appear to be far stricter than European ones.
That's not customs that's quarantine (we want to protect our agriculture from your nasty diseases and pests) but even that is much better than the days when no one was allowed out of their seat until the whole plane (and the people) had been sprayed with insecticide.

I don't have much experience of European airports but the queueing and security checks (at Manchester and Stockholm) seemed endless compared with here or Asia.

What's even more annoying is that these security checks are largely pointless, always reactive and largely to make people feel safe. If you want to be really safe carry your own bomb, the chances of two bombs being on a plane are astronomical.

Originally Posted by realspeed ->
.Sorry Bruce could not resist, but remember it was prisoners deported from England that got Australia on the map, so must have been a dangerous country in the past.
Due to an unfortunate clerical error in 1787 they loaded all the innocent people on the First Fleet and left all the criminals behind with the result you see today.
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17-12-2014, 02:05 PM
18

Re: Airport Experience

What shocking experiences, I'm just delighted I never flew and missed all that hassle.
Philipholmes
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17-12-2014, 02:34 PM
19

Re: Airport Experience

Hi Guys,

This information is all fantastic, I get the general consensus that the airport experience is a negative one, with lots of you having to walk quite far to get to the right place and the airport staff being next to no help, infact unless.

Along with the prices and the system of security I can tell you all feel that they are money grabbers, making you throw things away only to be allowed to buy the same things 20meters down the line.

I have put my findings into 4 categories:

Fatigue - Having to walk long distance and the need to sit down at certain points.

Whats everyones thoughts on carrying and moving luggage about?

Wayfindings - Very difficult to navigate the airport due to the lack of and very confusing signage.

Do any of you have any devices or help too assist in this?

Rudeness/ Unpleasantness - The airport staff are poorly informed and give the opinion that they don't care and really don't.

This has probably changed across the years due to the increasing number of air travellers so it has become more of a profitable thing than a personal service.

Technology - Struggle with some of the modern technology, if there working.

I assume that not all of you will struggle with technology?

I am looking at the airport environment specifically, and the difficulties that OAP as a profile may struggle with, not really the aeroplane, I do however understand there are serious problems with the aeroplane itself.

Once again thank you for all your responses they are most helpful, I am a product designer looking to improve the journey for the ageing traveller and looking for the best insights to create the most viable and useful product assisting OAP's with there journey.
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17-12-2014, 03:17 PM
20

Re: Airport Experience

You've not really understood everything that has been said, have you?
 
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