View Full Version : What airports have you been in?
What airports have you been in and do you remember any funny, strange or horrible incidents? :dunno:
Here's what I can remember right now :p
- Helsinki :p
- Stockholm
- Oslo
- Frankfurt (on the way back, a man on the other side of aisle had breathing troubles. It might have been heart, or most likely just anxiety. But in the end he was ok. I was dead tired having just flown from Toronto, and I almost fell asleep... but the stewardess (naturally) came there all the time to look at the man and ask him questions and give oxygen etc, also I kept seeing if he was okay. So sleep was impossible. Such is life. Strangely, in Helsinki, all the other passengers were allowed to get out of the aircraft before that man, I would have though we needed to wait for the guy to be transported out first. Paramedics did come right away, but they stayed with the man while others exited.)
- Toronto (YYZ)
- Chicago O'Hare (on the way over, our group got business class seats due to overbooking :D Well, on the way back, got tourist class with the most horrible totally-bored-with-my-life cabin crew ever, yay SAS :rolleyes: )
- Rhodos
- Gran Canaria (terrible sidewind, I was sure we're gonna crash :eek:, well we didn't in the end, surprise :p)( going over there, we flew over London very low, I could see the Thames, London Eye etc. I thought it was weird we flew so low..)
- London (Heathrow, Stanstead and Gatwick)
I saw that reporter guy from the tv series Heathrow on one of my trips :p
Trips from when I was very little, don't remember that much :uhh:
- airport near Mamaia in Romania, a military airport, scary for a little girl :nervous:
- Jalta, with a landing in Leningrad? I think :uhh:
- Mallorca
DFW
Chichago O'hare
Denver
Laguardia
Dulles
Hmm, I don't remember most airports. They are just places to pass through.
A lot of people don't like O'Hare but I like it - well set out and easy to get around.
The most pleasing I remember is the Tom Bradley Terminal for international flights at LA.
The Fort Worth airport fooled me twice in one visit. Each time I somehow wandered from the secure area back to the public area and had to undergo all the invasive security procedures each time.
The airport I was most grateful to be in was in Denver. Our plane had technical difficulties. The pilots' windshields got broken in mid flight and we risked the windows blowing in and sudden depressurization. We made an emergency landing in Denver. This was a real white knuckle flight! I never was so glad to be back on the ground again.
The airport with the strictest security I have ever seen was in Belfast. The airport with the slackest security in this post 9/11 era was this past April in Sint Maarten.
The airport that was roughest on our luggage was in Manchester. I think they must have been throwing them from a great height!
The only airport to be responsible for losing our luggage was good old Pearson airport in Toronto. We went to Hawaii. My wife's luggage went to Rome!!!
Annette
05-05-2006, 5:35pm
Billund
Århus
Copenhagen -my luggage actually got lost flying from Århus to Copenhagen... it's 20 min flight and there were only like 20 people on the plane.
Madrid
Alicante
Malaga
Frankfurt
Amsterdam
Minneapolis
Toronto
Stockholm
Oslo
Rhodos
London Gatwick and Heathrow
Glassgow
Hamburg
Think that's it..:uhh: But in a few months I can add Lübeck and Pisa:D
shania-little
05-05-2006, 5:41pm
- Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
- London (Heathrow, UK)
- Eelde (Groningen, the Netherlands)
- Palma (Mallorca, Spain)
- Heraklion (Crete, Greece)
- Dalaman (Turkey)
Manchester
Toronto
Heraklion, Crete Greece
Halkidiki, Greece
Menorca, Spain
Majorca, Spain
I can't remember any incidents.
Cool thread! :D
I've been in those airports...
European airports:
-Frankfurt (Germany)
-Düsseldorf (Germany)
-Hannover (Germany)
-London Stanstead (England)
-Lisbon (Portugal)
-Faro (Portugal)
-Cyprus
-Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
-Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)
-Tenerife (Canary Islands)
-Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)
-Palma (Mallorca)
American airports:
-Los Angeles (California)
-Washington D.C. (Virginia)
-Orlando (Florida)
-Vancouver (Canada)
captainCorr
05-05-2006, 6:01pm
Let me think....
-Amsterdam
-Paris (de Gaulle)
-Las Vegas
-Washington (Dulles)
-Cincinnati
-Chicago (O'Hare)
-London (Heathrow)
-Jakarta
-Denpasar
-Lombok
-Unjung Pandang
-Medan
-Abu Dhabi
-Bangkok
-Hong Kong
I think that's it..:uhh:
eveningstar
05-05-2006, 7:12pm
In Texas-Houston Bush Intercontientel
In Canada-Pearson International (sp?) lol
:)
I can't remember any incidents.Wow, no lost luggage, insanely delayed flights, awful food on the plane, strict security, nightmare co-passengers, rushed trasfers to other flight etc? :shocked: ..You're extremely lucky! :p
-Jakarta
-Denpasar
-Lombok
-Unjung Pandang
-Medan
-Abu Dhabi
-Bangkok
-Hong KongWere those all on your recent Malaysian trip, or have you been there several times? Did you have to fly local small planes while there? :nervous:
-my luggage actually got lost flying from Århus to Copenhagen... it's 20 min flight and there were only like 20 people on the plane.I wonder if that is a record of sorts? :uhh:
A lot of people don't like O'Hare but I like it - well set out and easy to get around.I personally didn't like it at all. For example our group got really hungry before the flight. I set out to find food for us. The only place I could quickly find was in the public area. So after I had gotten some snacks, back through the security... when I finally got back to the gate, our group was already boarding :eek:
And the only tax-free shop I happened to see there was very small and a very limited selection.
Perhaps another section of that airport was more nice, but where I was at, blah.
The only airport to be responsible for losing our luggage was good old Pearson airport in Toronto. We went to Hawaii. My wife's luggage went to Rome!!!Modern jet set life: Breakfast in London, lunch in NewYork, luggage in HongKong :p
Annette
05-06-2006, 9:49am
Were those all on your recent Malaysian trip, or have you been there several times? Did you have to fly local small planes while there? :nervous:
I wonder if that is a record of sorts? :uhh:
Probably:p It turned out that my luggage had been transferred to internationals which actually was ok since I was continuing to via Norway to Spain:funny:... but I had on purpose chosen not to check in my luggage all the way because the Århus-Copenhagen flight was independent of the Copenhagen-Norway-Spain flight.
Anyway, they found it and I had pleanty of time to catch my next plane.
UllaCountryGal
05-06-2006, 2:12pm
Iceland:
-Akureyri
-Egilsstağir
-Reykjavik
In all these flights there was a terrible turbulence. But there is always very much turbulence above Iceland and the Fokker airplains don't make it any better
International:
-Copenhagen -Kastrup
-Mallorca
-Boston -Logan
-Stockhom - Arlanda
-Lanzarote
One incident from the airport in Boston the first time I was there
(I remember one thing that happened at the airport the first time I was there. I was at the airport and was gonna go to the bathroom before I'd board the plain. Well that wouldnt be so signifagant, but in the bathroom there was a thing that the girl from little Iceland had never heard of. never theless seen, I didn't even know it existed. It was a slefflushing toilet. I was pulling up my pants when it went on and flushed on its own, and if I remember correctly I had a big shock and screamed. This is what happens when a smalltown/hillbilly girl goes to the big city.
Not that many really, I usually go to the same places on holiday. No incidents I can think of other than seeing a few famous people at airports.
In the UK:
Manchester
Leeds/Bradford
Gatwick
Luton
Abroad:
Pisa
Verona
Venice
Faro
Malaga
Nice
I bet Shania has a pretty long list.... :p
a slefflushing toilet. I sure wish those things would have a big warning on the wall, been scared a few times myself.
seeing a few famous people at airports.Oh, who? :curious: :p
Wow, no lost luggage, insanely delayed flights, awful food on the plane, strict security, nightmare co-passengers, rushed trasfers to other flight etc? :shocked: ..You're extremely lucky! :p
Yeah I guess I am. The only thing that I could even consider a bad thing is waiting for luggage, but that's not even that big of a deal. Watch us get the worst flight/airport service ever when we go to Canada this year :rolleyes: :p
Naaah, I'm sure your good luck will continue, it's been great so far, why would it change? :p
Well everything has to end sometime...:nervous:
captainCorr
05-06-2006, 5:16pm
Were those all on your recent Malaysian trip, or have you been there several times? Did you have to fly local small planes while there? :nervous:
Indonesian ;) Not all, I've been there..uhm..4 times already..:)
National & international.. and the planes weren't that small actually.. Airbus', Boeing's..:)
A lot of people don't like O'Hare but I like it - well set out and easy to get around.
I do, I like it better than Dulles and especially Cincinnati..:nod:
Oh, sorry. My bad. I have a bad memory :uhh:
captainCorr
05-06-2006, 5:24pm
Haha no worries..all in the same area :p
I bet Shania has a pretty long list.... :p
You are probably right.
UllaCountryGal
05-06-2006, 6:51pm
I sure wish those things would have a big warning on the wall, been scared a few times myself.
Oh they should indeed put up a warning on the wall. That thing scared the hell out of me. I'm usually not scared by many dead things. But those toilets, nah-ah :nono:
captainCorr
05-06-2006, 7:03pm
*mind your step, mind your step*
Big Swede
05-06-2006, 8:12pm
Stockholm-Arlanda (Sweden)
Gothenburg (Sweden)
Helsinki (Finland)
Oslo (Norway)
Copenhagen (Denmark)
London-Heathrow-Luton-Stanstead (England)
Newcastle (England)
Paris (France)
New York-Newark (US)
Toronto (Canada)
Frankfurt (Germany)
Kos (Greese)
Have to come back with any eventual stories. :p
canoilers
05-06-2006, 8:22pm
Do these have to be major Airports, most of the ones I've been to are all small towns.
Dawson Creek.
Fort St. John.
Prince George.
Kelowna.
Edmonton, Muni
Edmonton, International.
I almost forgot Saskatoon, how could I forget that one. Thats where that tubes popped out of my hears and I screamed the whole way back.
Those are the airports I've been too.
Vancouver International
Chilliwack Municipal :p ...never taken a plane from there though. it's mostly private planes.
Trudeau International (Montréal)
Frankfurt
Charles de Gaulle (Paris)
Pearson International (Toronto)
*mind your step, mind your step*That reminds me of the announcement they have on some of the London underground stations: mind the gap, mindddd the gappp :p
Stockholm-Arlanda (Sweden)
Gothenburg (Sweden)
Helsinki (Finland)
Oslo (Norway)
Copenhagen (Denmark)
London-Heathrow-Luton-Stanstead (England)
Newcastle (England)
Paris (France)
New York-Newark (US)
Toronto (Canada)
Kos (Greese)
Have to come back with any eventual stories. :pHow many of those would be Shania related flights? I counted 8 :uhh:
BTW: You left out Frankfurt at least
Do these have to be major Airports, most of the ones I've been to are all small towns.Any airports will do :D
Lisboa ( portela de Sacavem)
Porto ( Sa Carneiro)
Faro( Portugal)
Madeira(Funchal,Portugal)
Tires ( Cascais, Portugal)
Paris( De gaulle)
Madrid
Barcelona
Rome
Frankfurt and London
Zsuzsi (Suzy)
05-07-2006, 5:23pm
I read these and I feel like totally broken in heart... I haven't travelled by plane. :(
Big Swede
05-09-2006, 1:21pm
How many of those would be Shania related flights? I counted 8 :uhh:
All of them except Kos (Greese) :p
BTW: You left out Frankfurt at least
Thanks! Missed that, fixed now. :p
jerseycaramel
05-10-2006, 12:04am
Sydney International
Pearson International (Toronto)
Trudeau (Montreal)
Vancouver International
O'Hare (Chicago - that place is like freakin' Alcatraz!!)
LAX (Los Angeles - like starring in your own tv drama, it's great!)
Charlotte International (USA)
Minneapolis (USA)
Heathrow (London)
Changi (Singapore. It's the most beautiful airport I've been to, its worth a visit).
Hong Kong Intl (this is worse than Alcatraz - I got hopelessly lost in here...)
Manila, Philippines (O dear God...Madness. Pure madness. And I loved it!)
Oh! Now I can't remember good, but those ones I remember are the nexts ones:
1. Ciudad de México.
2. Los Angeles.
3. San Francisco.
4. Seattle.
5. Vancouver.
6. Calgary.
7. Edmonton.
8. Toronto (in the two airports, i think they're two):p
9. Hamilton.
10. Quebec City.
11. Montreal.
12. Winnipeg.
13. Minneapolis.
14. Milwaukee.
15. Chicago.
16. Indianapolis.
17. Detroit and Rapids.
18. Cleveland.
19. Cicinatti.
20. Boston.
21. Nueva York.
22. Pittsburg & Filadelfia.
23. Washington DC.
24. Charleston.
25. Newark.
26. Charlotte.
27. Atlanta.
28. Columbia South Carolina.
29. Memphis.
30. St. Lous & Kansas City & Wichita.
31. Dallas & San Antonio & Houston.
32. Phoenix.
33. Salt Lak and Las Vegas.
34. Miami & Tampa & Orlando.
35. New Orleans & Birminghan.
36. Richmond.
37. Reno Nevada.
38. San Diego.
39. Denver & Aspen.
40. Lincoln Nebraska.
41. Portland Oregon.
42. Anaheim.
That's all I remember by North America. In my country I've been in many airports of course. In other airports I still remeber are:
1. Buenos Aires & Cordoba & Salta - Argentina.
2. Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo & Manaus & Brasilia - Brasil.
3. Asuncion - Paraguay.
4. Santiago de Chile.
5. Lima & Arequipa - Peru.
6. Cali & Bogota & Cartagena - Colombia.
7. Caracas & Maracaibo - Venezuela.
8. Paramaribo - Surinam.
9. Panama City.
10. La Habana - Cuba.
11. Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana.
12. San Juan - Puerto Rico.
13. Kingston - Jamaica.
14. Nassau - Bahamas islands.
15. Honolulu - Hawai :p.
Well, I assure that many here thinks that I'm inveting; but I had the great oportunity a few years ago to travel by many cities in Canada and USA because of my momma's last work; she was working in Tourism, and she won 3 packages to travel in Cnada, West USA and East USA. These trips were awesome! I've never imagined to meet all these marvelous places! I'd give whatever as long as repeating this experience! Every trip lasted 3' days aproximately, We had one or two days to meet every city; even we have to travel by plane and it's ever something annoying, the trips were incredible! Now I'm waiting for the moment to meet another dream: Europe! I really would like to be in Paris, London, Rotterdam, Berlin, Munich, Rome and some other places. Well, we'll se if this is very soon! But till now these ones are the airports I've been in.
Mexico City
Guadalajara
Monterrey
LAX
Las Vegas
Chihuahua
Cd. Juarez
El Paso
Kristian
07-27-2006, 1:59am
Way too many to mention :p
UllaCountryGal
07-31-2006, 2:05pm
Okey I have updated my list. In June I visited two new airports.
Iceland:
-Akureyri
-Egilsstağir
-Reykjavik
In all these flights there was a terrible turbulence. But there is always very much turbulence above Iceland and the Fokker airplains don't make it any better
International:
-Keflavík,Iceland -Leifsstöğ
-Copenhagen -Kastrup
-Mallorca
-Boston -Logan
-Stockhom - Arlanda
-Lanzarote
-Athens, Greece
-Heraklion, Crete, Greece
I also have some new airport experiences. Gosh I was a bit unlucky on my way to Greece in June. First in Keflavik,Intl. there was a big delay of 4 hours. You know that rule about comming 2 hours prior to the estimated time of departure. I had done that, so I waited 6 hours at the airport, for my flight to Copenhagen. Well it would have been tolerable if there had something that I could have done. But there was some construction going on, so there was only the one Duty free store and it sold nothing that I was really interested in buying. But I think that I walked through all the section of that store about 10 times....But finally I got to Copenhagen.
I was staying at my cusins house in Copenhagen for one short night. I had a flight from Copenhagen at 7 am in theo morning so my cousin woke me at 4 am but only to tell me that he had gotten a msm saying that there was a 2 hour delay so we could sleep 2 more hours. That in itself was not that signifagant. But when we were at the airport and I was about to check-in they told me i was 2 hours too late and that I shouldn't be checked in. But my cousin had called the airport before and the airport had told him that we only needed to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight even though it delayed. After about half an hour trying to checked in I finally got checked in. Now then there was a big trouble my flight hadn't even gotten a gate. for an hour my flight had no gate and then it got a gate and had that for half an hour and then it changed. and when it was time to board the plane I moved to gate but at the gate there was and hour long delay. It was a small waiting hall, maybe just 20 seats so most of the people had to stand on their feet for over an hour. But then we got to board finally. and then there was an half hour delay and then 8 minutes long delay because of something in North Germany. These were two aweful days.
I have a similar story about the journey back from Greece, I'll save that for later.
Shania MAC
07-31-2006, 6:12pm
I've been on the next airports...
European airports:
-Amsterdam(Netherlands)
-(Bulgaria)
-Kefallonia (Greece)
-Lisboa (Portugal)
-London Heathrow (England)
-Frankfurt (Germany)
Canadian airports:
-Toronto
-Calgary
-Vancouver
Marja
MiniShaniaTwain
07-31-2006, 9:14pm
I've been to:
Orlando International Airport
Flint Bishop International Airport
Metro Airport (in Romulus, near Detroit)
Myrtle Beach International Airport
I'll be going to:
Ft.Myers International Airport
Nashville International Airport
I also have some new airport experiences. Gosh I was a bit unlucky on my way to Greece in June.
...
I have a similar story about the journey back from Greece, I'll save that for later.'A bit' unlucky? :shocked: I think you had all the nightmare trips put together on one! :eek:
And if you had similar happenings on your way back, I'd say the rest of your travels should go smoothly as you've already been through all the bad things!
Cool thread! :D
I've been in those airports...
European airports:
-Frankfurt (Germany)
-Düsseldorf (Germany)
-Hannover (Germany)
-London Stanstead (England)
-Lisbon (Portugal)
-Faro (Portugal)
-Cyprus
-Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
-Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)
-Tenerife (Canary Islands)
-Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)
-Palma (Mallorca)
American airports:
-Los Angeles (California)
-Washington D.C. (Virginia)
-Orlando (Florida)
-Vancouver (Canada)
+ San Francisco (California)... :p
How long have you got.... Well most of the Above +
Port Stanley Falkland Islands
Wide Awake Airport - Acension Islands
British Antarctic Research Base Rothera British Antarctic Territories
Alice Springs Australia
Sumburgh and Scatsa Shetland Islands (Scotland)
Orkney Islands (Scotland)
Tokio Japan
Singapore
Hong Kong
Malaya
Brunie
Kazhakstan
Moscow
and many many more I can not remember....
Well, I assure that many here thinks that I'm inveting;
No, i do believe u.. most of the people thinks mexicans are poor..
No, i do believe u.. most of the people thinks mexicans are poor..
What do you mean? :huh: I'm poor and I have the chance to have fun around the world that's it. I don't think the people in others countries is so fool to think that, well there are poberty, but not what the USA wanna show to the world.;)
I love this I have an post not than not a person has replied to as yet on this thread.
ShaniaKoukla
08-11-2006, 5:51pm
Toronto
Athens
Netherlands
SHANIANUTS!
08-11-2006, 6:37pm
What airports have you been in and do you remember any funny, strange or horrible incidents? :dunno:
Here's what I can remember right now :p
- Helsinki :p
- Stockholm
- Oslo
- Frankfurt (on the way back, a man on the other side of aisle had breathing troubles. It might have been heart, or most likely just anxiety. But in the end he was ok. I was dead tired having just flown from Toronto, and I almost fell asleep... but the stewardess (naturally) came there all the time to look at the man and ask him questions and give oxygen etc, also I kept seeing if he was okay. So sleep was impossible. Such is life. Strangely, in Helsinki, all the other passengers were allowed to get out of the aircraft before that man, I would have though we needed to wait for the guy to be transported out first. Paramedics did come right away, but they stayed with the man while others exited.)
- Toronto (YYZ)
- Chicago O'Hare (on the way over, our group got business class seats due to overbooking :D Well, on the way back, got tourist class with the most horrible totally-bored-with-my-life cabin crew ever, yay SAS :rolleyes: )
- Rhodos
- Gran Canaria (terrible sidewind, I was sure we're gonna crash :eek:, well we didn't in the end, surprise :p)( going over there, we flew over London very low, I could see the Thames, London Eye etc. I thought it was weird we flew so low..)
- London (Heathrow, Stanstead and Gatwick)
I saw that reporter guy from the tv series Heathrow on one of my trips :p
Trips from when I was very little, don't remember that much :uhh:
- airport near Mamaia in Romania, a military airport, scary for a little girl :nervous:
- Jalta, with a landing in Leningrad? I think :uhh:
- Mallorca...this thread reminds me of:
http://www.shaniaforums.com/showthread.php?t=8169&highlight=Airport
(http://showthread.php?t=8169&highlight=Airport)
...this thread reminds me of:
http://www.shaniaforums.com/showthread.php?t=8169&highlight=Airport
(http://showthread.php?t=8169&highlight=Airport)
Thanks for the link Bob.
Not so look like as you say.
UllaCountryGal
11-11-2006, 12:53pm
I have updated my list with 2 new airports
Iceland:
-Akureyri
-Egilsstağir
-Reykjavik
International:
-Keflavík,Iceland -Leifsstöğ
-Copenhagen -Kastrup
-Mallorca
-Boston -Logan
-Stockhom - Arlanda
-Lanzarote
-Athens, Greece
-Heraklion, Crete, Greece
-Lübeck, Germany
-Bergamo, Italy
orchestragirl
11-16-2006, 1:54pm
I've never flown before, but I have been to LAX airport in Los Angeles. I o have a horible incident though! I remember that there was a woman who lost her baby there, but she eventually found him. :)
MiniShaniaTwain
11-17-2006, 1:55am
Now I've been in:
Flint Bishop International Airport
Metropolitan Airport
Nashville International Airport
Myrtle Beach International Airport
Southwest Florida International Airport
Orlando International Airport
FinnFreak
11-27-2006, 6:50am
HELSINGIN SANOMAT - INTERNATIONAL EDITION - TRAVEL - Monday 27.11.2006
Flying - no longer a fast way of travelling
Join the queue and prepare to run your legs off
By Johanna Korhonen
Mixed-up, confused thoughts whirl around in my head. The line to the security check at London Stansted on Monday evening is hundreds of metres long and several metres wide. The queue does not appear to be moving an inch, even though the clock ticks on and it is now precisely half an hour until our flight is scheduled to take off.
I repeat a number of known knowns aloud: yes, we were at the check-in desk on time, in fact we were among the first in line. Yes, way behind us somewhere in this meandering queue there are other people who are also headed for the same flight to Tampere.
There is no way, surely, that this airport can operate like this, such that we are all late for our flight because of the slowness of the security inspection!
At the same time the suspicion thuds into my mind that perhaps, yes, this is precisely what is happening.
More scrambled thoughts: how do we fix up a night at an airport hotel? Who is going to pay for it and for a new flight? How am I going to cancel the meetings I've got lined up in Helsinki tomorrow? Where am I going to get some soy milk for the kids?
Jumping the queue is forbidden on principle and nigh on impossible in practice, but dozens and dozens try it. Some even get away with it.
One woman is yelling at the top of her voice about important appointments, an elderly gent from Southern Europe seems to be bordering on having a coronary right there and then. The staff call two armed police officers - not to help the old man, but to preserve order among the increasingly restive queuers.
The scheduled departure time of Ryanair's flight to Tampere comes and goes.
The queue, meanwhile, goes nowhere. The perspiration level rises.
Conversations go on in several different languages over whether it is now beyond all possibility to make the plane.
Someone remembers to thank George W. Bush and Tony Blair: this is the war on terror at its finest!
The snaking line of several hundred metres in the airport terminal leads to just one security checkpoint, where around five officials are at work.
Their nerves have been well shredded hours ago.
The security staff are no longer searching for guns or explosives, but for metal objects, tubes of hand cream for people with atopic dermatitis, and soy milk powder for infant feeding bottles.
When - after more than an hour and a half of standing in line - we finally make it to the security inspection area, we are found to have any amount of metal about our persons.
It is there in the zips of cardigans, in key rings, and even in the staples holding together a Bob the Builder magazine.
An irritable uniformed man flicks through the Bob the Builder mag with an undisguised expression of triumph: Found it!
He does not disclose how one is to go about hijacking an aircraft with two staples.
When a small soft stuffed pig has gone through the X-ray machine, has been run over with a hand-held metal detector, and then squeezed roughly in the stomach a couple of times, we are fit to go on.
A few other Finnish-speaking passengers, with whom we presumably share the same flight or non-flight to Tampere, have gone by us while the stuffed piglet was being subjected to the third degree.
We break into a run, with baby's stroller out in front. And when I say a run, I do not mean a gentle trot, but a flat-out sprint that sends the lactate concentration soaring.
As we flash past Gate 40, we hear the tannoy announcement: "Last Call, Gate 53". Wow! The plane is still there!
Over the last couple of hundred metres, the dripping sweat starts to blur vision, as we career along corridors, down flights of stairs, and up and down escalators.
We make it. Gate 53 closes behind us.
Seven passengers - and they, too, were at check-in on time - are left in the queue from hell or dashing vainly down the corridors of the departure lounge.
The removal of their luggage from the aircraft hold takes a few more minutes before we can taxi for take-off.
As we reach the runway, my heart is still pounding like a bass drum. This war on passengers - it really takes it out of you.
P.S. Who provides compensation if a passenger who arrives at the airport in good time for check-in does not get on the flight, owing to the time taken to get through security?
According to the consumer authorities, not necessarily anyone.
John - :smirk:
An interesting article John.
Thanx for the article, John. The holdups now figure largely in our travelling plans. Kay and I are flying to New Zealand in February. I cancelled our original itinerary (at our cost) to allow lots of time between flights. So we will drive to Toronto (a day or two early if need be) rather than fly and have only a half hour between flights. In LA we will have eight and a half hours between flights!! This should take care of any delays caused by security concerns and Canadian winter. *keeping fingers crossed*
Top 10 airports in the world
Learn to love the airport at one of our top picks
Why spend your next layover in a mind-numbingly dull airport terminal when you can spend it catching a flick or taking a dip? "Enjoyable" might be the last word you would associate with air travel these days, but the experience of passing through one of our ten favorite airports comes pretty close. Pick your arrival or connecting airport from this list and enjoy fine art, city excursions, spas, and cowboy-hat-wearing welcome committees on your next trip, because whether an airport made this list because of its stellar amenities, spectacular natural surroundings, or award-winning architecture, it's guaranteed to remind you that getting there is half the fun.
1. Aéroport de St. Jean
Despite being the chicest island in the Caribbean, the airport on St. Barths is as simple and diminutive as it gets – but landing here is an experience nearly as memorable as the French savoir vivre and bikini-clad rock stars that make the island so alluring. Tiny puddle-jumpers (some with only 7 seats) arrive from St. Maarten and Guadeloupe during daytime hours, landing on a miniscule strip that ends abruptly at the edge of the Caribbean Sea, right on the cusp of the island's famed St. Jean beach. Upon descent, your heart rate will escalate as you dip between steep emerald hillsides and fly over gingerbread-trimmed Creole cazes before arriving with the nose of your plane so close to the Caribbean, you'd be forgiven for thinking you could just dive right in upon disembarking. Alas, you'll have to go indoors, and pass through customs, before being allowed to hit the surf.
2. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
As one of the world's busiest aviation hubs, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport could be deemed a travel destination in its own right – it boasts an on-site art gallery, casino, and even organized city excursions. You can easily arrive early here, and spend your pre-flight time viewing the Dutch masters on display from the famed Rijksmuseum, or trying your luck at the slots and gaming tables in the terminal's Holland Casino. Connecting passengers can rent mini office space to get work done, snooze in oversized lounge chairs, get a massage, or even head out on a short city excursion – regular bus tours leave from the airport. You can even plan on getting married here! All of this, coupled with worthwhile eateries and fantastic duty-free shopping, makes Schiphol one of our very top picks.
3. Calgary International Airport
Many travelers find themselves passing through Canada's Calgary International Airport on their way to Banff and the Canadian Rockies in ski season, but there's fun to be had no matter what time of year you find yourself in this airport. Sign up for a "white hat welcome ceremony" and be greeted at your gate by a group of white-cowboy-hat-wearing volunteers, who'll present you with your very own hat and Calgary-style welcome.
Proceed to baggage claim, where conveyer belts are anchored by rotating exhibits ranging from life-sized local animals to dinosaurs (all stuffed, of course). If you've got some time to kill, the airport also touts over 110 shops and restaurants with a "street-pricing" philosophy, guaranteeing prices won't be padded.
4. Changi Airport
There's so much to do at Singapore's Changi Airport, you may just want to miss your flight. If you're deplaning, make a beeline for the spa services, showers, or napping cubicles, all of which are available 24/7, or head out for a free tour of Singapore (choose from the Colonial, Cultural, or Lifestyle tours), swim a few laps in the pool, catch a flick in the airport movie theater, or take a nature walk through the onsite sunflower garden complete with Koi pond. Shoppers and diners won't be disappointed, either, what with the upscale stores (think Burberry, Celine, Hermes, Gucci, and Ferragamo) and over 50 restaurants here. No matter what you decide to do, a stopover in Changi promises to rejuvenate you.
5. Heathrow Airport
Two words: Duty free. At London's Heathrow airport, killing a few hours is both easy and enjoyable, especially when you board the plane with some extra goodies (tax free, of course). The long, glossy promenades in Terminals 1 to 4 are lined with stores, restaurants, bars, pubs, and cafés vying for your attention, but why not get gorgeous with a manicure or pedicure at Manicure Express or prep yourself for a long flight with a refreshing spa treatment at Rejuve? You can also pick up some last-minute souvenirs at Harrods – a mini-version of the retail staple in Knightsbridge – and revel in some heavy-duty shopping at high-end shops like Chanel, Hermes, and Christian Dior, so you can at least look like a first-class passenger, even when flying coach.
6. John F. Kennedy International Airport
This airport makes our list for one reason: JetBlue's Terminal 6. Besides having a dedicated online bag-drop counter (allowing you to check in for your flight online and still check your bags on arrival), the terminal also boasts a full-service Oasis Day Spa where you can get a pre- or post-flight manicure, facial, or massage. You can also let the kids blow off some pre-flight steam in the children's play area (your fellow passengers will thank you) or grab some made-to-order sushi at Deep Blue (just one of the many on-site restaurants) while taking in the sounds of one of the live bands that occasionally serenade terminal passengers. One caveat: While Terminal 6 is widely regarded as the best of all three New York airports, you'll need your own JetBlue boarding pass to see what the fuss is about.
7. Keflavik International Airport
Though Keflavik Airport is tops for being hassle-free (thanks in large part to its small size) and its design (white, mod, and virtually noiseless), the real reason Iceland's main airport makes this list is because of what's outside its perimeters. The country's main carrier, Icelandair (www.icelandair.com), offers a plethora of packages that allow passengers a free stopover en-route to one of the airline's other European destinations. Passengers can stay in Iceland for up to seven nights, and enjoy the country's stark beauty and legendary nightlife scene before hitting their next European capital without having to pay extra for an ongoing ticket. What's more, you can decompress before or after your flight with a mineral soak in the nearby Blue Lagoon, as airport shuttles conveniently offer drop-off/pick-up services to and from the airport.
8. Los Angeles International Airport
Although the TV series LAX was short-lived, the popularity of this mega airport (the world's fifth--busiest passenger airport) hasn’t dwindled. Get out your camera phone and keep an eye out for passengers sporting dark sunglasses indoors, because this airport is second to none for celebrity sightings. But even if no one famous crosses your path, you don't have to settle for reading a copy of US Weekly here – you can handily pass your time in one of the nine terminals, each filled with eateries, lounges, gift shops, duty-free stores, and business centers. The space-age-like Encounter Restaurant (in the central terminal area) is a standout, located 70 feet above ground and serving fresh California fare in a mod setting.
9. Madrid-Barajas Airport
Spain's busiest airport doubled its capacity in early 2006 and, with the addition of the sleek new Terminal 4 at Madrid's Barajas International came straightforward linear layouts and light-filled hallways. Along with extensive dining opportunities (including tapas and wine bars) and shopping (look for an outpost of chic boutique Zara), as well as banking, medical, tourism, and business amenities, the new terminal – designed by the same group responsible for London's Millennium Dome and the Centre Pompidou in Paris – is tops for architecture buffs, having reeled in a slew of accolades, including Britain’s most prestigious architecture award, the Stirling Prize.
10. Sydney Airport
The Aussies are known for being friendly, so it should come as no surprise that their hospitality starts as soon as your plane lands. Keep an eye out for the Gold Ambassadors, the smiling people in bright yellow jackets whose mission is to welcome and assist you. If you have a long layover, freshen up in the shower facilities (but bring your own towel) before storing your bags and heading into Sydney for some sightseeing via the Airport Link (it runs every 10 or 15 minutes, depending on the time of day, and takes just 15 minutes to the city center). If you choose to hang in the airport, you'll enjoy internet kiosks (free in Terminal 1), a children’s play area (in all terminals), 150 shops throughout the airport, and a multitude of dining opportunities.
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Above is an interesting guide indeed, though I would put Trinidad's Airport at Port of Spain number one in the Carribian, it could be argued that it is in the West Indies so I will let that one go. Shiphol for number two is absolutly the correct choice and no matter how long, the layover there will be fun.
JFK is also a wonderful place, but I would also mention Orlando international as being up there in the US top five and Newark is not bad due to the proximity and ease of which you can get to the megga shopping mall nearby. However the immigration experience trying to enter the USA as a foreign national is letting there airports slide down the international tables as the delays get longer and longer and tempers shorter and shorter.
True Heathrow has a wonderful Duty free shopping area, but other aspects of that airport, such as the privitive departure gates and delays at Security let it down badly, Singapore is spot on and add Cape town to the list and where is Dubai in the list of must visit duty free area? For it must be the number one Airport in the whole world for a Duty Free experience, where else can you purchase luxury Cars, Boats (indeed Ships!) for cash or Gold while you wait for your connecting flight.
I am just hoping I will experience, both Cape Town and Shiphol too on the way home on or about January the 28th for I am due off home to Timmins then, but sadly my relief has yet to be found, so I may well enjoy the other option on that list and Singapore's Changi International some 17 days later eeek... Full story and pictures for those who logon in the General Section across at http://www.shaniatwaincentre.com/forum
Stephania5
04-25-2007, 11:17pm
Toronto (YYZ)
Schoenefeld-Berlin (SXF)
Tegel-Berlin (TXL)
Orlando (MCO)
Edmonton (YEG)
Munich (MUN)
Budapest (BUD)
Frankfurt (FRA)
Vienna (VIE)
Bologna (I just picked someone up, I didn't fly out of there)
UllaCountryGal
09-23-2007, 9:33pm
I have an update again. not a big airport, but I am proud of it
Iceland:
-Akureyri
-Egilsstağir
-Reykjavik
International:
-Keflavík,Iceland -Leifsstöğ
-Copenhagen -Kastrup
-Mallorca
-Boston -Logan
-Stockhom - Arlanda
-Lanzarote
-Athens, Greece
-Heraklion, Crete, Greece
-Lübeck, Germany
-Bergamo, Italy
-Vágar, Faroe Islands
I have to get a new Passport, such is the nature of my Job where I fly all over the World to join my next ship, my 10 year UK passport will only last 4 as I am running out of pages for the immigration entry stamp. It is a standard size 28 page as when it was issued I could not get the larger one.
So sometime next year I will have to take a trip to Glasgow Scotland and turn up in person so they can do the new Bio data stuff on the next one.
Sounds like a great excuse for a party if you ask me :) ;)
Airports... Well one of the most unusual would be Scatsa in the Sheltland Islands... Only Oil Rig personell pass through there with the occasional 'normal' person and it is the feeder airport for all the Oil platforms in the Ninian and Brent Oil Fields.
Then there was Mount Pleasent, The Airport for the Falkland Islands, again not too many pass through that one, and of course Rothera Airport, the longest gravel runway in the World, and built by a Canadian Company!!!!
Again you have to have business with the British Antarctic Survey to be going there. Been there done that, got the T Shirt ;)
Thanks for the stories Tom
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