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Old Sep 27, 2006, 5:36 am
  #1  
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Consolidated "Best Airports" and "Best Airports for...." thread

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/fligh...airports_x.htm

The modern airport is about much more than takeoffs and landings. It's a self-contained city, a stage for myriad dramas, an object of wonder. USA TODAY's Jayne Clark talks with globe-trotting writers who have seriously pondered the airport experience, especially their likes and dislikes.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 11:36 am
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MSNBC's Take on the World's 10 Best Airports

... including JFK, LAX, and LHR!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16269887/
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 11:57 am
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It must be a slow news day, and the guy who sent the article in did it from his living room couch, while on vacation. I like the entry for JFK, "only because of Jet Blue's Terminal 6". Never mind the other 8 pieces of crap that dot the site and are the first point of welcome for many overseas visitors. Last time I routed Mrs. Pickles from NRT to BOS via JFK, she asked me to never, ever route her through DEL again.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 12:06 pm
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Yeah JFK is deffinately a dump and in need of a desperate renovation project bigger than they was done for the Jet Blue terminal! I thought Jet Blue was supposed to be a discount airline and they have the best terminal?
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 12:16 pm
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JetBlue's terminal (Terminal 6) is one of the worst at JFK, along with DL's Terminals 2/3 and AA's Terminal 8 (soon to be demolished). JFK Terminals 1, 4, 7, and 9 are downright luxurious compared to Terminal 6.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 12:27 pm
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I'll buck the trend and agree with LHR - I actually like it, and it helps if you know your way around a bit. But JFK and LAX - that must be a typo or a joke. LAX is a dump on a good day. SFO runs rings around both of these, and gets my vote for best airport in the US.
Now, if IAD had made the list...
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 1:56 pm
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LHR as one of the ten best airports? It's one of those that I'd avoid despite it's having decent decent facilities for premium travellers. It's just transit there is a pain in the neck way too often, particularly since the "war on liquids" got out of control.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 2:55 pm
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Originally Posted by Pickles
It must be a slow news day, and the guy who sent the article in did it from his living room couch, while on vacation. I like the entry for JFK, "only because of Jet Blue's Terminal 6". Never mind the other 8 pieces of crap that dot the site and are the first point of welcome for many overseas visitors. Last time I routed Mrs. Pickles from NRT to BOS via JFK, she asked me to never, ever route her through DEL again.
In all fairness, BOS in 10x worse than JFK both in getting to the airport (Blue Line T is a joke) and going terminal to terminal (Shuttle Bus or Walk). JFK has T4 (best intl terminal in the country IMHO), T7 and T1 (both much improved). It is now a cinch to get there on the AirTrain. Yes, Delta's terminals are ****holes, but sadly their European East Coast flights leave from JFK. How many leave from BOS? This is why I avoid Delta at JFK. Even AA has been improving with the new T9 and 8.

The irony of the article is that of all terminals at JFK, JetBlue's is the WORST. Crowded, hot and humid in the summer. What is the MSNBC guy talking about? The attractive glass facade in front of the ancient terminal it inhabits? Can't wait for this guy to get a shuttle bus from JetBlue's temporary terminal to the main one on a Friday afternoon in July.

Yes all airports have their problems, but JFK is much improved. I find it easier to navigate than LHR (AirTrain has been a godsend) and they are improving terminal facilities (T2 and T3, the responsibility of Delta as well as T6 remain (which after the opening of the new T5 for JetBlue won't be a problem).

As for complaints about languages at JFK. JFK, like LHR, is host to just about every major airline. It's not feasible to have all signs in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, French, Italian, Hebrew, Indian, Thai, German, etc. Yes, it would be ideal but it can’t be done, especially as foreign terminals move often at JFK. For all of those who say that JFK is a bad welcome to the US because we don't speak a local language then look at a list of foreign airlines languages on the Port Authority website PANYNJ and the languages they speak.

As for Logan books could be written about its disrepair.
Ancient facilities (Terminals B and C looking out of the Stone Age) and the international terminal, E just getting a new facade.
No non-massport WiFi until a month ago.
No real public transport that is effective. (Blue Line to a bus which runs sporadically to your terminal?)
No terminal to terminal transport other than a bus. Other than walking through a garage or walking along an airport road.
Lack of parking which can only be guaranteed by paying $200 per year.
Not interfacing E-Zpass with Parking like EWR, JFK and LGA therefore requiring that people obtain another RFID card to avoid holding on a parking ticket.
Grouping all international arrivals into one terminal which is dilapidated and overburdened. (Doesn't Delta already have a snazzy new terminal it SHOULD be using.

Yeah, there's some saying about Glass Houses and stones... I forgot it though.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 4:39 pm
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Looks a lot like my list of airports to avoid if possible.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 4:46 pm
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Originally Posted by ExtrAAordinaire
... including JFK, LAX, and LHR!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16269887/
LAX? LAX? They've got to be kidding! Compared to say, SFO, LAX is dirty, overcrowded, and poorly laid out.

Any list that doesn't have PDX on it is crazy.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 8:31 pm
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Originally Posted by FLYaway3x
In all fairness, BOS in 10x worse than JFK both in getting to the airport (Blue Line T is a joke) and going terminal to terminal (Shuttle Bus or Walk).
Who said anything about BOS being a top 10 airport. It is another shethole, up there with JFK except it doesn't have as many terminals.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 8:43 pm
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They didn't even put in HKG or SFO. If anything, this shows you how little American journalists know about the civil aviation world.
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 9:01 pm
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HKG definitely has to be on there... WOW!
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 10:20 pm
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What were these people smoking?
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Old Dec 29, 2006, 10:59 pm
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Has MAD improved that much since I was last through there many years ago? It wasn't very nice back then.
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