#136

Best:
As long as it’s not shit, an airport is an airport really isn’t it? But I’ll say Birmingham because it’s 20 minutes from home and has somewhere nicer than Wetherspoons for your beer and breakfast.
Quite liked Barcelona airport for no particular reason, although the little bit that Easyjet use wasn’t great.

Worst:
-Coventry: The terminal was literally a portakabin and the baggage collection when you got back was just in a big shed. Think it only functioned as a ‘proper’ airport for a year or two.
-Sharm el Sheikh: The departures bit had no air conditioning and was full of people smoking. Got pulled aside at security because they thought my car key was a flip-knife.
-Reus: Might be better these days, but it was basically just a permanent version of Coventry.
-Luton: Never used it, but it’s in Luton so…

#137

Best thing : getting somewhere nice

worst thing: the whole process and the fact that my ridiculous fear of them means I probably wont get to visit anywhere truly spectacular

#138

Also, and I am sure @epimer at least will be with me on this. As someone whose anxiety around flying manifests itself as needing to go to the loo/proper nausea the thought of drinking alcohol before a flight is just :fearful:

#139

Yeah I don’t usually bother. Might have a single whisky for nerves but that’s it.

1 Like
#140

you can actually ferry and cycle to a lot of places - my friend went all the way to india

#141

FINE.

Best: All are logical, with a clear hierarchy of space, good sight lines, high ceilings, have a restricted colour palette, efficient security and good public transport connections to the city.

Hong Kong
Tokyo
Schiphol
Bilbao
Oporto

Worst:

Gatwick: smells like cigarettes, low ceilings, chaotic station
Luton: Lads, it’s Luton
Rome: Staff that don’t care
Reus: Basically a school canteen with a very, very long playground attached
JFK: bit of a mess, and bloody expensive and slow to get into the city.

Wed-nes-day morning thread
#142

Yeah, I sometimes shun a pint pre-flight because of nerves. It’s a sad time.

1 Like
#143

Enjoy walking to/from your gate for hours and hours.

1 Like
#144

JFK’s one redeeming feature is that it’s not La Guardia.

#145

at Reading!

1 Like
#146

Thanks Hoogs, I do!

#147

Or, come to think of it, Newark.

#148

I preferred Newark to JFK, if only because it’s better connected to Manhattan.

Never been to La Guardia

#149

BEST AND WORST AIRPORTS YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH SUBTHREAD:

Best
Rotterdam The Hague Airport: if you choose your seat on the plane carefully, you can be from touching down on the tarmac to jumping into a cab in less than 5 mins. You can turn up 20 mins before departure without getting nervous, and you’re always the only person going through security. The bar sells a range of Dutch craft beer, often seasonal. It has an outdoor terrace overlooking the runway.

Worst:
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport: a fucking dump. Grim. Once spent 7 hours stuck here. Nowhere to sit, nothing to do, terrible food options. Apparently, since a major fire in 2013 they refurbished it and it is a bit better now. Not tempted to try it again though.

#150

Fucking great chocolate cake there now mate

#151

That changes everything.

3 Likes
#152

I’m struggling to think of an airport that’s particularly good.

Bad: St Malo - essentially 400 Ryanair customers, a greenhouse of a departure lounge and a vending machine.

#153

What’s wrong with Ryanair customers?

#155
#156

Nothing per se. I just remember there being two Ryanair flights departing at roughly the same time. And no facilities to speak of.