Do you enjoy airports?

[athena53]

Only once I'm past the TSA ordeal and if I'm in an airline lounge with an adult beverage in my hand.

 

[sengsational]

Another reason to keep an eye on your stuff

I'll echo the general sentiment about airports, and add that a down-side to this practice is that it will incent local thieves to visit.


Once past security, I know I'm supposed to keep a close watch on my stuff, but I'm pretty relaxed about setting stuff down on the floor, maybe even dozing, and not worrying about some sly emeffer unzipping a pocket on my carry-on and running off with a bit of my electronics or something. But there will probably be "professionals" that target the airport, now that they don't need a ticket.

 

[Moemg]

Airports are a fact of life . I try to fly from Sarasota airport which is basically hassle free. My favorite airport was the old Wilkes Barre airport . They had a coffee shop that served decent inexpensive food and they would page you when your flight was boarding . I have flown from Tampa many times and no way would I go there just for fun.

 

[Rianne]

That said, I do have one of the nicer airports near me, PBI, Palm Beach International. Very nice, clean, easy, smaller...

Agree, PBI. We go through there instead of FLL to visit my DB sometimes. Very sweet/clean/small airport.

 

[MRG]

Not at all, I'd rather have a root canal. Crowds, waiting in line, waiting on baggage, pat downs and going through x-ray detectors, removing shoes off, postponed flights, crummy food, getting rental cars, returning rental cars, taking shuttles from long term parking in freezing/raining or excruciating heat are not enjoyable. Flew enough in my work career to fill a lifetime. Will only fly now if it makes sense not to drive. I actually thought the question was tongue in cheek.

+1

Spent many years traveling. No!

 

[RockyMtn]

I like them a lot more now that I am travelling for pleasure as opposed to business!

 

[mountainsoft]

I guess I'm odd that I enjoy going to our local airport in Portland, Oregon. It's a lot like going to the mall with most shops and restaurants on the public side (pre TSA screening). It's also fun to watch people coming and going wondering where they're all traveling off to. I actually enjoy riding the shuttle buses too, weird huh. We live out in the country, so it's all a bit of an adventure for us.

I would not make a trip to the airport just to see the shops, but if we're traveling or picking someone up it's a fun place to visit. I do miss the days when you could sit and watch the airplanes coming and going, but the windows are all behind security now.

I don't remember much about the other airports I've been to. I think the worst was the St Louis airport about 30+ years ago. It was dark, dingy, and smelled really bad. I sincerely hope they have cleaned it up since then.

Fairbanks, Alaska was a smaller airport and I don't remember seeing much of a security presence there. The main thing I remember is once we were past TSA there was absolutely no place to get anything to eat or drink, nothing to do, and very few places to sit. It made for an uncomfortable two hour wait.

The worst part of Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was the assault of people trying to sell you stuff. Sometimes it was difficult to know who was an employee of the airport or just someone trying to make a buck or con you into a timeshare. Not good when you're trying to find your way through an unfamiliar airport. There was a guy in the bathroom wanting me to pay him a dollar to pull a paper towel out of the dispenser for me. No thanks, I can manage. Another guy grabbed our luggage without permission and took off to the check-in terminal, then wanted money for that "service". Leaving the airport in Cancun we had to walk down a long path with people on both sides yelling and waving arms at us to sell us something. It was actually kind of scary for our first trip out of the US.

 

[kgtest]

I enjoy the function of the airport. I don't enjoy all of the experience, but some of the experience can actually be partially enjoyable. I probably more enjoy the outcome of the visit to the airport resulting in a visit to somewhere different. So change can be good, it can be bad say on the flight back though when I dread returning..but that is usually overcome with the desire to be back around my things, stuff, and peeps.

I do try to learn something while at the airport, treat it like an expensive museum. Sometimes I meet some cool people, sometimes i meet some terrible people.

Being around large groups of people gives me severe anxiety so I prefer to just blow through security and find a quiet corner in the facility.

I've had some cool sky lounge and military USOs before. Been on some cool planes, and some terrible planes lol.

I sort of have a strategy to airports. Arrive 1.5hrs early, earlier on weather days. check the bags at the curb, or just use carry-on if I can get away with it. Find the least busy Security checkpoint, where my comfy airport clothing, and just relax. I try to find the humor in other people as I stroll along but sometimes its tough. Once through TSA I double-check my departure gate and the time I have to make it there. Then, we immediately snag the stroller tag at our gate and backtrack to fill water, use bathroom etc. I always take the road less traveled when it comes to navigating airports lol. The strategy really starts before I reach the terminals drop-off. even that can be a zoo.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

After 30 years of travelling on business I can safely say NO!

 

[Mdlerth]

I wouldn't say I enjoy airports. I would say they can offer a few enjoyable features.

When I was a kid my Dad used to take us to the airport (Cleveland Hopkins) just for fun. There was no TSA to deal with and one of the concourses had an outdoor rooftop area for folks like us to go out and watch the planes take off and land.

Back in the 1970s, I went to Dulles just to watch the Concorde come and go. Didn't need a ticket to get in, parking was cheap, and that flexible front end made it an impressive airplane.

These days I dislike pretty much everything about travel, although I acquiesce when my employer or wife insists on it. However, when I'm stuck on layover in some distant airport, the opportunity to people-watch is a treat. I am writing a novel, and as raw material for creating supporting characters I imagine a life story for each passerby. There aren't many other places with such a target-rich environment.

 

[ABQ2015]

Truthfully, I don't enjoy airports. I think they are boring, sterile, and dull. I could think of a few more similar adjectives. Tedious, uncomfortable, and mind-numbing. I would go on but you get the idea.

If I enjoyed airports, my Dream Home would look just exactly like an airport. After all, I have the money to decorate it however I want. That said, the way I have decorated it is not at all reminiscent of an airport, thank heavens!

I would not mind having my home look like parts of my local airport on a smaller, cozier scale. Hand carved vigas and corbels, saltillo floor tile or brick, Native American murals and arts (in a display case at airport), some floor to ceiling windows with great views of the mountains, observation deck. The southwestern style seating is also rather attractive. And there used to be a decent burrito place there where I would always get my chile fix before leaving town on travel.The airport is getting a little dingy and worn after 30 years or so since the last big remodel but not so much as the modern, contemporary airports that do not appeal to me.

I'd like to attach some pictures but have never been able to figure out how to do it in an easy way.

 

[Nick12]

One airport I don't enjoy is in Las Vegas. Lady luck was not on my side at the slot machines.

 

[marko]

Hard to believe today, but back when the 747 first came out, TWA had a quiet PR program where you could visit an unattended 747 that would be parked for the night.

Some buddies and I found out what day and time and we were able to walk right into Boston's Logan, to the gate and right onto the plane. Absolutely no one around.

We went up to the top lounge (well before they put seats up there) and played with the electric piano, took the elevator down to the below deck area and I even have a picture of me sitting in the pilot seat flipping switches.

At the time, Logan also had a lounge atop the air traffic control tower. You could sit there with a drink, watch the planes land and have a beautiful view of downtown.

 

[target2019]

Newark Airport, Terminal A. Box fans. No joy!

 

[W2R]

I would not mind having my home look like parts of my local airport on a smaller, cozier scale.

That's nice, but IME most airports are neither small nor cozy these days. I remember back in the 1950's when terminals often were quite small and passengers and those greeting passengers could freely walk out on the runway to the planes. Now, the terminals are huge and access to the runways is not open and easy like it once was. That is sensible but makes terminals less than cozy.

Here's a photo of the airport here in New Orleans (MSY), that I grabbed from some online source. Just think, that could be your home, so lovely and cozy.

 

[audreyh1]

I just want to get from point A to point B so no. But I do get a kick watching those old Airport movies with Dean Martin. All the customers are wearing their Sunday best!

Crazy thing is I can remember when it was like that, flying quite a bit as a child, especially international. Fancy meals in coach, etc.

 

[audreyh1]

Newark Airport, Terminal A. Box fans. No joy!

Yeah, Newark is particularly unenjoyable. And the lounges have been a mess, so no respite either. Ugggh!

 

[audreyh1]

Only once I'm past the TSA ordeal and if I'm in an airline lounge with an adult beverage in my hand.

Same here - bring on the Prosecco!

 

[audreyh1]

I'll echo the general sentiment about airports, and add that a down-side to this practice is that it will incent local thieves to visit.


Once past security, I know I'm supposed to keep a close watch on my stuff, but I'm pretty relaxed about setting stuff down on the floor, maybe even dozing, and not worrying about some sly emeffer unzipping a pocket on my carry-on and running off with a bit of my electronics or something. But there will probably be "professionals" that target the airport, now that they don't need a ticket.

My concern exactly - thieves or others bent on causing mischief to the infrastructure.

 

[braumeister]

Back in my w*rking days I spent a year assigned to JFK. Made lots of friends among the maintenance people at various airlines, and would sometimes get invited for lunch at the Swissair cargo building. Their cafeteria had some of the best food I had ever eaten and it was always a treat. Similar to Marko's story, I had a ramp pass so I could go anywhere, and I have to admit I would occasionally walk onto a 747 that had just come in from an international flight and see if there were any tasty treats left over.

 

[WestUniversity]

Dislike everything about flying, except getting to my destination in a timely manner. I’m not afraid of flying. I just dislike what public air transportation has become. IMHO it’s nothing more than a glorified Greyhound bus and a glorified Greyhound bus station...

 

[jollystomper]

I do not mind airports if I am not in a rush. I usually plan to get to security at least 2-3 hours before the flight departure, and that helps make it more bearable. No matter how crowded one is I can usually find a relatively quiet place or gate to hang out and read or use my tablet or computer until having to go to my gate for boarding. I can also get my daily steps in, people watch, and overhear interesting conversations.

The closest airport to me has a nice observation deck to watch flights take off and land. If I have to drop someone off, many times I will hang around in the observation deck for a while and watch the actions, it is peaceful and relaxing to me.

 

[sengsational]

All we need are flying cars with a range of, say, 4000 miles. Then we wouldn't have to congregate in these generally horrific places. Imagine if you could order a flying trans-Atlantic UBER that would pick you up in your driveway and drop you on the roof of your Paris hotel!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Back in 1989-1990 (my high school years), a buddy and I went to the Atlanta airport with a video camera in hand. We arrived a little before midnight and filmed a short "movie" about being trapped in the airport since it was so large. We didn't finish our film trip until about 6:00 AM when folks started showing up for the early morning flights. We went all over that airport and probably had at least 3 hours of footage. That is the only time in my life that being at a commercial airport was "fun"

 

[CardsFan]

All we need are flying cars with a range of, say, 4000 miles.

Meet George Jetson: