Airports you love & hate
Mar 14th, 2006, 03:15 PM
#21
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I love Amsterdam. Like Portland OR, Santa Barbara, Puerta Vallerta, Matzalan, Venice, Atlanta, Sacramento, Burbank, Long Beach, the airports in Hawaii, Albuquerque. Hate SFO, Miami,LAX, JFK. To lazy to think of anymore.
But agree with chrylforeurope..the airport getting me there is great..the airport when I go home is terrible!
But agree with chrylforeurope..the airport getting me there is great..the airport when I go home is terrible!
Mar 14th, 2006, 03:47 PM
#22
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If they don't send my bag to the wrong place, if I can get a decent cup of coffee, if I can just prop up my feet, if I can catch just a little sleep, if the guy next to me doesn't yack-yack-yack on his cell phone while wolfing down a meal-in-a-box, if the men's room isn't too totally gross -- the I will give it a pass.
But for my vote for being a super-bummer, you can take your pick of just about any airport in India. A 10-hour layover in Mumbai should be charged with cruel and unusual punishment.
For good airports -- clean, well-run, comfortable -- take those in Seoul-Incheon, Kansai/Osaka, and Narita/Tokyo. Melbourne is a beauty prize, and so is the one in Sydney. Paris' CDG is the most confusing. Amsterdam's Schipol must be the friendliest and best-organized for the complete stranger.
Minneapolis gets my vote for being America's most cheerless airport -- miles and miles of gray carpeting, gray walls, gray seats, and gray food.
But for my vote for being a super-bummer, you can take your pick of just about any airport in India. A 10-hour layover in Mumbai should be charged with cruel and unusual punishment.
For good airports -- clean, well-run, comfortable -- take those in Seoul-Incheon, Kansai/Osaka, and Narita/Tokyo. Melbourne is a beauty prize, and so is the one in Sydney. Paris' CDG is the most confusing. Amsterdam's Schipol must be the friendliest and best-organized for the complete stranger.
Minneapolis gets my vote for being America's most cheerless airport -- miles and miles of gray carpeting, gray walls, gray seats, and gray food.
Mar 14th, 2006, 05:03 PM
#23
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We had a wretched experience at Frankfurt, which colored my impression of that airport negatively for all time. Connecting from Madrid, to PDX in the USA via Lufthansa, we first traveled a considerable distance on a moving sidewalk, then a long walk aside an apparently broken moving sidewalk, then down two flights of stairs, to a bus for a ride god-knows-where, then up two flights of stairs, another considerable walk ensued, ending with a long queue, with the final result that a man at the gate area tried to tell us we were too early and should go away and come back later. We firmly declined his suggestion.
True airport hell.
True airport hell.
Mar 14th, 2006, 05:27 PM
#24
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Chicago's O'Hare is the worst! From October through May the place is socked in because of ice or snow, and from May through September there are delays due to thunderstorms or tornadoes. Surprisingly, the Las Vegas airport is quite nice, close to downtown and everyone is very "western" friendly.
Mar 14th, 2006, 05:43 PM
#26
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For pure functionality, I think the new Detroit World Gateway terminal is the easiest to use. For having an experience, Amsterdam Schiphol has the most complete package that I've ever encountered.
Mar 14th, 2006, 05:55 PM
#28
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I would say that Washington Dulles is the worst. As the airports for the nations capital, its embarassing. The entire interior of the gate area reminds me of a trailer. CDG isn't far behind.
I also dread ORD (Chicago O'Hare). I actually like the airport but dread the delays.
My favorite airport in Europe is Munich. Its so nicely designed and has a lot to keep you busy if you have a delay.
In the USA I would say my favorite is Charlotte, I don't know why, I just like to pass through there.
My home airport is Newark.
I also dread ORD (Chicago O'Hare). I actually like the airport but dread the delays.
My favorite airport in Europe is Munich. Its so nicely designed and has a lot to keep you busy if you have a delay.
In the USA I would say my favorite is Charlotte, I don't know why, I just like to pass through there.
My home airport is Newark.
Mar 14th, 2006, 06:35 PM
#31
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Don't know what it's like now, but when I went through there in transit 11 or 12 yearsago, I thought Keflavik (Reykavik) Iceland was really cool. Of course, not one of the worlds busiest airports, so that helped.
For negatives: IAD and CDG. Though I wouldn't mind so much if I was landing in CDG right now!
For negatives: IAD and CDG. Though I wouldn't mind so much if I was landing in CDG right now!
Mar 14th, 2006, 07:21 PM
#33
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I love open air airports like in Tahiti or Hawaii..the smell of the flora and fauna is amazing...but my favorite is coming home to San Diego, which is built right downtown on the water and it always feels good to be home..( I love the tourist who think we are landing right downtown into the building because we are that close)
I find that CDG (Paris) is never fun..
LAX can be a nightmare but I like Sky Harbor Seattle,SF,and Vegas airports..
Isn't it great that some airports are close to the city that you are going to and there was some thought process on layout on arrivals and departures with a combo pack of good signage to get you there with good food and bar area.
I find that CDG (Paris) is never fun..
LAX can be a nightmare but I like Sky Harbor Seattle,SF,and Vegas airports..
Isn't it great that some airports are close to the city that you are going to and there was some thought process on layout on arrivals and departures with a combo pack of good signage to get you there with good food and bar area.
Mar 14th, 2006, 08:18 PM
#34
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North America
Best - Detroit. Yes, I'm partial because its my airport, but the Northwest World Gateway actually makes travel pleasant, with the bright, high-tech minimalist mile-long concourse, international gates that don't require a change of terminal and lots of amenities.
I also really like the airports in Denver, Las Vegas and Orlando.
Worst - Washington-Dulles (especially the United area) and Boston Logan are third-world embarrasments. If I was a foreign visitor I'd turn around and go back to the plane.
Europe
Best - Amsterdam Schiphol sets the standard, and Copenhagen Kastrup is a beauty too.
Worst - Heathrow and CDG luckily are not representative of the great cities they serve. Both are poorly laid out, chaotic messes.
Best - Detroit. Yes, I'm partial because its my airport, but the Northwest World Gateway actually makes travel pleasant, with the bright, high-tech minimalist mile-long concourse, international gates that don't require a change of terminal and lots of amenities.
I also really like the airports in Denver, Las Vegas and Orlando.
Worst - Washington-Dulles (especially the United area) and Boston Logan are third-world embarrasments. If I was a foreign visitor I'd turn around and go back to the plane.
Europe
Best - Amsterdam Schiphol sets the standard, and Copenhagen Kastrup is a beauty too.
Worst - Heathrow and CDG luckily are not representative of the great cities they serve. Both are poorly laid out, chaotic messes.
Mar 14th, 2006, 08:30 PM
#35
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Probably visited most of the major ones in the US, a few here and there elsewhere.
Favorite: Auckland, New Zealand - Quiet, easy to manage, waiting areas in little living room clusters, fairly soft lighting, and NO overhead announcements.
Other good ones: Melbourne, Aus; Phnom Pehn, Cambodia (yes, really - very clean and modern); Denver; Taipei
Least favorites: Heathrow; Dallas, TX; LAX; Siem Reap, Cambodia (an un-airconditioned, one room metal building with garage doors opening out onto the tarmac). Bangkok is just laid out badly I thought, but they're just about done with the new one, I believe.
Mar 14th, 2006, 09:03 PM
#36
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Can someone explain to me how it is possible to love an airport.
However efficient Changi, Schiphol or Dubai are, "love" can hardly be the right verb.
On the other hand, <b> as buildings </b> the JFK TWA terminal, Bucharest Baneasa , and the remaining bits of Croydon have their charm. One day (preferably when it's been turned into a museum), we'll all admire T1 at CDG again. I still get all goose-pimply at Beauvais, the first bit of Abroad I ever encountered, close to half a century ago.
However efficient Changi, Schiphol or Dubai are, "love" can hardly be the right verb.
On the other hand, <b> as buildings </b> the JFK TWA terminal, Bucharest Baneasa , and the remaining bits of Croydon have their charm. One day (preferably when it's been turned into a museum), we'll all admire T1 at CDG again. I still get all goose-pimply at Beauvais, the first bit of Abroad I ever encountered, close to half a century ago.
Mar 14th, 2006, 09:11 PM
#37
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I am with CotswoldScouser. I've flown through around 80 airports in the world, and I can't really think of any one that I would say I <b>love</b>.
Some are efficient but not aesthetically pleasing. Some are both, but have poor transportation to the city, etc...
For example, many people mentioned Singapore Chiangi. It's efficient and easy to use and have great transportation, but it's architectually boring. In contrast, the new HKG is beautiful and clean and modern, but the gates are so far and it's expensive to get to the city.
But if I have to choose, I'd take the old HKG (Kai Tak). It's horribly small, and many times one have to ride a bus to the plane. But 1) it's right in the city; and 2) the usual landing approach is so incredible. So, my vote goes to Kai Tak.
Some are efficient but not aesthetically pleasing. Some are both, but have poor transportation to the city, etc...
For example, many people mentioned Singapore Chiangi. It's efficient and easy to use and have great transportation, but it's architectually boring. In contrast, the new HKG is beautiful and clean and modern, but the gates are so far and it's expensive to get to the city.
But if I have to choose, I'd take the old HKG (Kai Tak). It's horribly small, and many times one have to ride a bus to the plane. But 1) it's right in the city; and 2) the usual landing approach is so incredible. So, my vote goes to Kai Tak.
Mar 14th, 2006, 09:31 PM
#38
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I just sat down and quickly ran through all the airports I have used in my life and have come up with a count of about 71 for North America, Central America and the Carribean, 27 for Europe , 12 for Asia/South Pacific and 7 for OZ/NZ. Seems to me that how you feel about an airport depends on your experience in transit as well as getting to/from the airport. Also hard to compare a large hub airport such as Dallas to a smaller airport such as Hartford. Large airports I think are OK include Munich, Hong Kong and San Francisco International (not domestic). Do not particularly care for JFK/LAX/DFW/ NRT/CDG/FRK/LHR.
