What airports are zoo? ...and which are civilized?
#46
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
#47
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,476
Harare, Zimbabwe......
Now there's a nice, smooth airport to go through. Not much in the way of facilities and the lounges are not up to much but it is at least fast:
1. On an international arrival, I've gone from plane, to immigration, to collecting my bag, to the taxi, all in just under 20 minutes (you need to know what you're doing, be close to the front of the plane and be prepared to run a little to do that though).
2. On international departure, from check in to immigration and clearing security in five minutes.
Downsides? Toilets are in a state of disrepair (you'd have to be very luck to have both soap and a working hand dryer at the same time). The airspace around the airport closes for an hour or so, either side of a certain dictator's plane coming in to land (he's a bit paranoid).
1. On an international arrival, I've gone from plane, to immigration, to collecting my bag, to the taxi, all in just under 20 minutes (you need to know what you're doing, be close to the front of the plane and be prepared to run a little to do that though).
2. On international departure, from check in to immigration and clearing security in five minutes.
Downsides? Toilets are in a state of disrepair (you'd have to be very luck to have both soap and a working hand dryer at the same time). The airspace around the airport closes for an hour or so, either side of a certain dictator's plane coming in to land (he's a bit paranoid).
#48
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
Agreed. I think MUC might be my favorite airport anywhere. I also very much enjoy the convenience of the on-site Kempinski for quick overnights or dayrooms. I dare say I had the most "fun," I've ever had at an airport at MUC as I was there on a long layover heading CDG-MUC-JNB during the day of the England/Germany World Cup match in 2010. They had a huge screen setup in the courtyard and everyone was drinking and in German colors, felt more like a party than a day at the airport.
#49
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,887
Personally I think all US airports are zoos and most people are treated like animals and not people. The experience is unpleasant from the moment you set foot in the terminal until you exit. Depending on the time of day or year, it can be better or worse. Unfortunately, its a necessary component of travel so you have to grin and bear it.
I connect in LHR quite a bit, and I know there is always a lot of bad mouthing of that airport, but I kind of like it. I havent found the transfers to be difficult at all, and the only real bad time is early morning. I was also in BRU and CDG in the last week and found them much more difficult.
The airports in PEK and PVG are really big but very clean and spacious. In PEK we had a driver and guide that were able to meet us at the gate and escort us to a hidden driveway where we bypassed most of usual activity.
HKG is also civilized.
I connect in LHR quite a bit, and I know there is always a lot of bad mouthing of that airport, but I kind of like it. I havent found the transfers to be difficult at all, and the only real bad time is early morning. I was also in BRU and CDG in the last week and found them much more difficult.
The airports in PEK and PVG are really big but very clean and spacious. In PEK we had a driver and guide that were able to meet us at the gate and escort us to a hidden driveway where we bypassed most of usual activity.
HKG is also civilized.
#50
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,841
Personally I think all US airports are zoos and most people are treated like animals and not people. The experience is unpleasant from the moment you set foot in the terminal until you exit. Depending on the time of day or year, it can be better or worse. Unfortunately, its a necessary component of travel so you have to grin and bear it.
HKG is wonderful, best in the world imo.