Worst and Best Airports to transfer through
May 2, 2006, 4:29 pm
#33
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Worst: LHR
2nd Worst: LHR
Best....Any airport that ISN'T LHR!
Actually, for Best there's none that I'd really say is always good, but I seem to usually have a relatively painless experience at DEN. PIT hasn't been too bad, if memory serves... but its been a while since I've used it.
2nd Worst: LHR
Best....Any airport that ISN'T LHR!
Actually, for Best there's none that I'd really say is always good, but I seem to usually have a relatively painless experience at DEN. PIT hasn't been too bad, if memory serves... but its been a while since I've used it.
May 2, 2006, 4:38 pm
#35
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Location: Canberra
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Originally Posted by mosburger
I would be interested to know if you mean that the 100+ restaurants at KIX do net serve enough variety or that the number is too small?
My only complaint with KIX is that the Cathay Pacific lounge was small and had no internet.
My favorites are SIN which has an endless range of facilities, and HKG which has some greatshopping (and CX's glorious lounges).
May 2, 2006, 5:00 pm
#36
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Originally Posted by sangster
Best:
Sydney
Sydney
May 2, 2006, 5:16 pm
#37
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Originally Posted by Skyring
I went through there a few weeks back and I don't think I've seen a better place for food! From vending machines to proper sit-down restaurants the choice is impressive.
My only complaint with KIX is that the Cathay Pacific lounge was small and had no internet.
My favorites are SIN which has an endless range of facilities, and HKG which has some greatshopping (and CX's glorious lounges).
My only complaint with KIX is that the Cathay Pacific lounge was small and had no internet.
My favorites are SIN which has an endless range of facilities, and HKG which has some greatshopping (and CX's glorious lounges).
NRT is also like that, at least for Terminal 1 - lots of shops and restaurants on the landside, but much less airside.
May 2, 2006, 5:17 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2006
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SFO, for confusing connecting passengers with a lack of proper signage; I was especially nonplussed that there was nothing posted indicating that T2 is currently closed for renovations. I also almost missed my connecting flight YYC-SBA after being advised, by a gate agent, that "T3 was just a 5 minute stroll" from T1. 
May 2, 2006, 5:24 pm
#39
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Location: Canberra
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Originally Posted by silverkris168
My impression of KIX is that there is very little selection once you get through passport control and into the airside area. Spacious and spectacular architecture but little in terms of shops and restaurants. There may be more on the landside area.
May 2, 2006, 6:22 pm
#40
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Best of the big ones:
- ORD on AA
- DEN on UA at long as Ted isn't involved. (Nothing against Ted himself, but he's in Terminal A while most of his United cousins are in Terminal B.)
- PIT on US. Never had any problems there, and the US agents there are friendly compared to the treatment seen at most fortress hub airports
Worst, other than LHR, which is in a nightmarish league of its own:
- MIA, perhaps because the place is so chaotic and unfriendly all around
- ORD on UA. I always get hosed and have to go from one of those terminals to another
- ATL on DL. Another unfriendly place all around, plus a long way between gates in different terminals.
- LHR, in almost any circumstances
My home airport, MCI, would be a crappy place to connect if you had to change carriers. You'd likely need a bus or a long walk, and you'd have to exit and re-enter security. Fortunately connections at MCI are rare except on YX and WN, and those two now have all of their gates together, with bathrooms inside security. (Still not much in the way of food, not that MCI has a lot of gourmet offerings anywhere in the terminals to begin with.)
- ORD on AA
- DEN on UA at long as Ted isn't involved. (Nothing against Ted himself, but he's in Terminal A while most of his United cousins are in Terminal B.)
- PIT on US. Never had any problems there, and the US agents there are friendly compared to the treatment seen at most fortress hub airports
Worst, other than LHR, which is in a nightmarish league of its own:
- MIA, perhaps because the place is so chaotic and unfriendly all around
- ORD on UA. I always get hosed and have to go from one of those terminals to another
- ATL on DL. Another unfriendly place all around, plus a long way between gates in different terminals.
- LHR, in almost any circumstances
My home airport, MCI, would be a crappy place to connect if you had to change carriers. You'd likely need a bus or a long walk, and you'd have to exit and re-enter security. Fortunately connections at MCI are rare except on YX and WN, and those two now have all of their gates together, with bathrooms inside security. (Still not much in the way of food, not that MCI has a lot of gourmet offerings anywhere in the terminals to begin with.)
May 2, 2006, 6:43 pm
#41
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Best and worst
I evaluate airports by easy of transfer between terminals (logistically, and time wise), ease of passenger pickup and drop-off; services such as restaurnts, gifts shops, bookstores, ATM etc...
BEST: HKG; SIN; NRT
WORST: CDG; LHR; JFK
BEST: HKG; SIN; NRT
WORST: CDG; LHR; JFK
May 2, 2006, 7:41 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 321
Worst: JFK - having to leave security area to go from one terminal to another is a royal pain, and the only safe method of travelling between terminals is by Airtrain, trying to navigate the pedestrian path of JFK is suicidal.
Best: Singapore by a long shot. Most Asian airports are pretty good in this respect, but SIN beats them all for one simple reason - no central security screening, instead of one central security area serving 3000 people from 10 different flights with a 30 minute wait time (ala NRT), in SIN you get screened when you enter the individual flight's waiting room, so the process moves a lot faster.
Best: Singapore by a long shot. Most Asian airports are pretty good in this respect, but SIN beats them all for one simple reason - no central security screening, instead of one central security area serving 3000 people from 10 different flights with a 30 minute wait time (ala NRT), in SIN you get screened when you enter the individual flight's waiting room, so the process moves a lot faster.
May 3, 2006, 6:31 am
#44
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People! Come on. The only reason I hope SVO has not been mentioned is that few of you have ever had to survive it. Nothing can be worse than getting from SVO2 to SVO1 with any amount of luggage. I ache for first timers (going to Siberia to pick up their internet brides) who don't speak Russian and can't figure out where all the domestic flights leave from.
Hands down...it's gotta be SVO!!
Hands down...it's gotta be SVO!!
May 3, 2006, 12:02 pm
#45
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Thinking about this and really looking at it from several angles.
Best for international to international connetions
SIN -- Very nice layout, decent shopping and activities to keep you from getting bored, including a nice tour that takes you into Singapore during your layover. The lounges are nice too, well at least if you are flying SQ.
HKG -- Also a very nice airport to transit through. I would rate it comparable to SIN. It is just that each of these two have their own charater.
CPH -- Great airport with a good shopping mall. Very easy to get through. The only area that isn't so great is the Non-Shengen area, but you can avoid that for the most part anyway. So long as you don't need a visa to enter.
Worst for International to interantional
FRA -- god knows what you are going to encounter trying to get from one gate to another. You can run into 10 different checks just trying to get to the bathroom. Actually I thought the place was better pre-renovations than post.
MIA -- If the fact that you have to clear immigration just to do this isn't a winner I don't know what is. The lines are so bad that it just makes your head spin. All the construction makes it worse. Maybe when the new terminals come online it will get better, but I doubt it.
LHR -- Can be good can be bad, just depends if you need to change terminals. If you have to change terminals then it is really bad, if not, it really isn't any worse than most other airports.
Best International to Domestic
MSP -- Granted you are either flying NW or FI, however, with the low number of international flights and direct access to the terminal it is actually quite pleasant. Never really a long wait for anything. Bonus points are given because they do a good job at handling unexpected internatioal arrivals. Several times when ORD has issues they have gone ahead and processed the immigration for the flight in MSP.
DFW -- Nice new arrivals facility and effecient design. Not too much problems there.
IAH -- same as for DFW
Worst International to Domestic
LAX - TBIT need I say more.
IAD -- However, I say this only applies if you have to use the IAB and not the one in the C terminal.
SVO -- I never did figure out how to do this.
MIA -- See above
Just a few thoughts here.
Best for international to international connetions
SIN -- Very nice layout, decent shopping and activities to keep you from getting bored, including a nice tour that takes you into Singapore during your layover. The lounges are nice too, well at least if you are flying SQ.
HKG -- Also a very nice airport to transit through. I would rate it comparable to SIN. It is just that each of these two have their own charater.
CPH -- Great airport with a good shopping mall. Very easy to get through. The only area that isn't so great is the Non-Shengen area, but you can avoid that for the most part anyway. So long as you don't need a visa to enter.
Worst for International to interantional
FRA -- god knows what you are going to encounter trying to get from one gate to another. You can run into 10 different checks just trying to get to the bathroom. Actually I thought the place was better pre-renovations than post.
MIA -- If the fact that you have to clear immigration just to do this isn't a winner I don't know what is. The lines are so bad that it just makes your head spin. All the construction makes it worse. Maybe when the new terminals come online it will get better, but I doubt it.
LHR -- Can be good can be bad, just depends if you need to change terminals. If you have to change terminals then it is really bad, if not, it really isn't any worse than most other airports.
Best International to Domestic
MSP -- Granted you are either flying NW or FI, however, with the low number of international flights and direct access to the terminal it is actually quite pleasant. Never really a long wait for anything. Bonus points are given because they do a good job at handling unexpected internatioal arrivals. Several times when ORD has issues they have gone ahead and processed the immigration for the flight in MSP.
DFW -- Nice new arrivals facility and effecient design. Not too much problems there.
IAH -- same as for DFW
Worst International to Domestic
LAX - TBIT need I say more.
IAD -- However, I say this only applies if you have to use the IAB and not the one in the C terminal.
SVO -- I never did figure out how to do this.
MIA -- See above
Just a few thoughts here.