Best and worst airports

Question

antone

First Officer

Joined: Apr 08, 2006 Posts: 293 Location: EGPF

Asked Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:52 pm

This is a question inspired by the columns of Patrick Smith (see my other post - "Aviation Writer"). Out in the real world, what are your favourite and least favourite airports (from a passenger POV, not a pilot's) and why? The reason could be convenience, architecture, ground transportation, anything. Here are mine:

Favourites:

Vancouver, BC - spacious, well-designed architecture. Elevated walkways allowing arriving passengers to see what's going on. Even the ethnic "Native American" displays aren't as cheesy as they might have been.

Heathrow, London - not too pretty, but feels cosmopolitan, and the duty-free is excellent (if not all that cheap).

CDG, Paris - space age, man!

Least Favourites:

Gatwick, London - smallish, cramped, and full of beer-swilling yobs heading for Ibiza

Dulles, VA/DC - shame, because the large terminal is an incredible architectural achievement, but those monsterbus things? I hate them. They feel like they should be loading you into the cargo bay, and not the cabin.

Salzburg, Austria - see Gatwick, except the yobs are heading for the ski-slopes and not the beach. It has one redeeming quality: the area in the men's bathroom that contains the urinals is signposted "Pissoir".

Answer 1 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:23 pm

Solotwo

Chief Captain

Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 1186 Location: Milwaukee, WI

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:23 pm

My fav is Chicago Midway, well because I have FlyTampa's scenery. Wink

Answer 2 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:24 pm

CrashGordon

Chief Captain

Joined: Jun 20, 2005 Posts: 3821

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:24 pm

I can't think of any airport I like. They are all inefficient.

Those that I don't like: Bob Hope in Burbank and Chicago Midway. Both of them have runways that are too short. Princess Julianna in St. Maarten is an accident waiting to happen.

Answer 3 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:29 pm

antone

First Officer

Joined: Apr 08, 2006 Posts: 293 Location: EGPF

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:29 pm

CrashGordon wrote:

Princess Julianna in St. Maarten is an accident waiting to happen.

Is that the one where the approach is right over a beach or something? I'm sure I saw a pic of that, but maybe I'm thinking of somewhere else.

Answer 4 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:34 pm

pilotwannabe

Chief Captain

Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1719 Location: A galaxy far far away

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:34 pm

My fav is probably Bristol, UK. The reason being, its rarely that busy or congested and you can get good views of the apron without going airside.

My worst would have to be Gatwick, although they do have quite a nice viewing gallery once airside that allows views of the apron and part of the runway. It's in desperate need of a major revamp though
Yes

Answer 5 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:40 pm

Jonathan (99jolegg)

Chief Captain

Joined: Jun 26, 2004 Posts: 4112 Location: UK

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:40 pm

Stansted is quite a nice airport. Its a bit like a massive tent looking at it from the outside, but its simple and clean.

Sharm-el-sheikh would have to be my worst airport that I've been to. Its small, smelly, run-down and shabby.

Answer 6 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:43 pm

IsaacN

Guest

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:43 pm

Favorates:

Tyler Pounds Regional (<VERY nice airport!)
Dallas-FT. Worth International (<lot's of busses!)

Worst Airports:
Don't have one...AIRPORTS ROCK! 😛 😀

Answer 7 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:45 pm

IsaacN

Guest

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:45 pm

antone wrote:

CrashGordon wrote:

Princess Julianna in St. Maarten is an accident waiting to happen.

Is that the one where the approach is right over a beach or something? I'm sure I saw a pic of that, but maybe I'm thinking of somewhere else.

Yeah, that's it. I disagree with the "accident waiting to happen" though. Accidents have happened there as they do everywhere but there is no reason it isn't safer then any other airport. Why should an airport land short of the fence there rather then any other place?

Answer 8 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:48 pm

Solotwo

Chief Captain

Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 1186 Location: Milwaukee, WI

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:48 pm

CrashGordon wrote:

I can't think of any airport I like. They are all inefficient.

Those that I don't like: Bob Hope in Burbank and Chicago Midway. Both of them have runways that are too short. Princess Julianna in St. Maarten is an accident waiting to happen.

Well hell, you better start talking to the airports to tell them the right way to run there business!

Bah, short runways are what make landings and takeoff's fun! Big ups for STOL!

Answer 9 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:56 pm

tomthetank

Chief Captain

Joined: Aug 24, 2003 Posts: 3392 Location: Newport S/Wales

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:56 pm

I like my local airport Cardiff,never had a delay there 👍 and less than 1/2 hour away.
Bristol is good as it only 40 mins away
Dislike Gatwick for the same reasons as above Yucky and I hate Corfu airport(love the landing and takeoff on its short runway)
The airport is far too small for the amount of flights that it handles

Answer 10 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:56 pm

Jonathan (99jolegg)

Chief Captain

Joined: Jun 26, 2004 Posts: 4112 Location: UK

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:56 pm

IsaacN wrote:

antone wrote:

CrashGordon wrote:

Princess Julianna in St. Maarten is an accident waiting to happen.

Is that the one where the approach is right over a beach or something? I'm sure I saw a pic of that, but maybe I'm thinking of somewhere else.

Yeah, that's it. I disagree with the "accident waiting to happen" though. Accidents have happened there as they do everywhere but there is no reason it isn't safer then any other airport. Why should an airport land short of the fence there rather then any other place?

Windshear can cause an aircraft to descend quickly and possibly land a 100 feet or so early, if an aircraft loses an engine on approach, then they may end up landing early - all ruining someone's tan.

😉

Answer 11 · Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:29 pm

Jake (JarJarBinks)

Chief Captain

Joined: May 13, 2005 Posts: 1159 Location: deep deep south georgia

Answered Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:29 pm

my favourites are:

The Hartsfield Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.
Chicago-O'Hare, Chicago, Ill.
Honolulu INTL, Honoulu, Hawaii
Miami INTL, Miami, Florida
Chicago meigs, Chicago Ill
Salt Lake City Intl, Salt Lake City, Utah
and my local airport Glynn Co. JetPort, Brunswick, GA (10 minutes away)

Worst are:
JFK, New York, New York
Denver INTL, Denver, Colorado
AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN!!!!

Answer 12 · Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:35 am

alohajoe

First Officer

Joined: Jun 17, 2005 Posts: 321 Location: KRNO Nevada

Answered Wed Apr 26, 2006 2:35 am

My favorite would be Ixtapa\Zihua MX. Its small, cool, clean, open, and practically EMPTY!!!

Worst:
LAX its to old and the terminals smell like FEET....BADLY!!! Puke Up And the TSA screening lines are really long. Sleep
All though i do like sitting at the gate taking pictures of planes.

Answer 13 · Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:37 pm

Jake (JarJarBinks)

Chief Captain

Joined: May 13, 2005 Posts: 1159 Location: deep deep south georgia

Answered Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:37 pm

LAX is ok i dont fly there much but hovecontrol has some cool scenery for it Yes

Answer 14 · Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:56 pm

lenin

First Officer

Joined: Nov 07, 2005 Posts: 491

Answered Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:56 pm

When I went to limogue (france) the airport terminal was under consttruction so the temporary terminal was a tent! Yes, a giant tent!!! One baggage carousel and 3 check-in desks!!! The new one has been built now so it is ok.
My favourite would have to be London Gatwick as i know my way around (been on hols loads of times from there) and it is only 10 minutes from where i live.

Answer 15 · Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:30 pm

oreo005

First Officer

Joined: Sep 08, 2005 Posts: 241 Location: Woodland, WA, USA

Answered Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:30 pm

i hate the woodland washington airport (in flight sim) theres no parking (but in real life there is but its on the grass) even thought i live in woodland i dont like the airport much (whene its in flight sim) but flight sim cant do everything! 😀

Best and worst airports

15 Answers

Still does not answer your question? Ask a new question!

15 Answers

Still does not answer your question? Ask a new question!

Related Questions

okay if this how worst fsx can get and how good it can get

America's worst airlines

World Airports 2 Reviews?

Scottish Airports

Airports, Fun, Beautiful, and/or Dangerous.