Large World Airports

[Fernando_Covas]

Is it just me or are some of the world’s biggest/busiest airports the most boring place to be compared to Heathrow. On a recent trip to the states we returned on AA and used JFK’s terminal 8. I find it hard to believe that such a large airport has a smaller duty free than Cardiff airport. This means that it takes you 5 minutes to look around and then all you can do is sit at the gate and wait. There isn’t even somewhere to sit down and have something to eat. I also found the same with terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle airport. One small duty free shop and the departure gate.

Now compared to Heathrow where you are spoiled for choice for shopping as well as eating, what other large airports are pathetic?

[WHBM]

Most North American airports are the same.

I know we take the p1ss here on PPRuNe out of Heathrow and/or BAA for being more into shopping than aviation functions, but they do have such a good selection of facilities, provided of course that you are prepared to spend money there.

One thing still somewhat missing almost everywhere is DECENT restaurant facilities rather than yet another *&$%? Costa Coffee. Why have airports worldwide been unable to make a go of proper restaurants. There's one in Helsinki (by about Gate 28) which I always use when there, a pleasant place to while away an hour. Even Heathrow doesn't seem able to run to this in T1.

But compared to any US terminal I know, Heathrow is splendidly equipped.

[seacue]

(Ronald Reagan) Washington National Airport DCA is much smaller than LHR, having only 17.8 milion passengers per year. However I think it is well equiped with shops and eating places. http://mwaa.com/_/File/_/shopnational.pdf
The shops range from Victoria's Secrets, Brooks Bros clothes, to a Smithsonian Museum shop, a National Geographic shop, a real (small) bookstore, on down to tourist schlock, 36 shops in total. I do a lot of my Christmas shopping there because there aren't crowds and the selection is pretty wide. There are 35 places to eat. Eleven are before security including Legal Seafood, a sushi place, TGIF, etc. The other 24 are fast food places or bars on the 4 terminal fingers near the gates. One can get food and then sit in the glass-walled terminal wings and eat it.

Dulles (27 million pax last year) is not quite so convenientlyl equiped with service since most places are scattered in the various midfield terminals near the gates. http://mwaa.com/_/File/_/shopdulles.pdf

BWI (approx 22 million pax/year) has 32 eating places, about half of them in Southwest's big new area which includes a real seafood restaurant, Phillips. There are about 22 shops, again about half are in Southwest's area.
http://www.bwiairport.com/customer_assistance/upper_level_terminal_map/

[striparella]

I agree.

LHR is by no means perfect but it definately has a buzz about it that is hard to match with North American airports.

I mean i was just in LAX and it's meant to be one of busiest in the world yet it felt small and boring. There's no excitement anywhere!

Even big hubs like HKG are boring. Clean, efficient but lacking in any other character.

It doesn't matter what shops you have, it's the airlines and the people that make and airport.

[WHBM]

I mean i was just in LAX ...... there's no excitement anywhere
Actually it's one of the few where there is. The Theme Building, in the middle of all the terminals, is real Buck-Rogers futuristic architecture which always gives me a moment of excitement seeing it from a flight pulling up to the gate. It seems to capture the futuristic view of air travel that was around in 1960 when it was built (Becket Williams Luckman Pereira achitects). And it has a quite worthwhile restaurant suspended from the top of it, with good views across the airport. But so few travellers walk over to it.

http://www.you-are-here.com/architect/lax.html

Regarding HKG. For a world-class shopping city, I find the selection of shops at the airport is absolutely The Pits ! Worst group of shops in the city.

[apaddyinuk]

I agree that LHR is not the worst airport to be stuck in as there are plenty of distractions...but it is also a perfect example of an airport that has forgotten that it is an airport and not a shopping mall...at least most airports in the states are effecient!!!

[YOWGirl]

Not "large", but one of the few truly civilized airport moments I've had in the last year was at Portland Oregon. A lovely wine bar, Rose Cafe, I believe...featuring reasonably priced flights of local pinot noirs in Riedel glasses. Spent 3 hours enjoying myself and put Oregon on my "to do" list of places to go back to on my own time because of that one evening.

[ExSimGuy]

BAH - my usual "transit point" going hometo UK on leave - one restaurant which is shabby and so is the food and the service. Plus a couple of "fast-foods". With a 7-hour connection time both ways, it's a shame that I get the "lets have a really nice meal" feeling on a transit, there's nowhere to do it :bored:

PHL - my destination during my vacation time when visiting my daughter there - Nothing "landside" (so we can't arrive early, check in, and have a meal together before I leave). Admittedly the "fast foods" in the airside are quite good, but still no really nice restaurant.

BOS - used to be where my daughter lived - didn't actually look for a restaurant, but good "landside" facilities, including a "replica" Cheers, where we could have a drink and a snack (as long as she wasn't coming off or going on duty and in uniform!)

LCA (Larnaca, Cyprus) - oh dear, a "Sbarro" pizza place landside. Nothing to recommend it, but a quite nice bar airside. Still no restaurant.

LHR - Can't remember which terminal - Had a really good meal in a restaurant there once, but nowadays can't find it and usually spend the wait on my way back to the ME in the "Irish Bar" which is packed solid, would take even longer to get served if the staff weren't so bloody efficient :)

Seriously - Landside facilities are important as one usually has to arriveat least 2 hours before a departure, and family taking you to the airport appreciate arriving a bit early and having time together - often over a meal.

Airside facilities are very important for transit pax. Unless you are travelling "Club" or "First", many pax prefer to have a really nice meal to break up a long connection time (if not, they're goingto be in the bar, which Cabin Staff prefer they don't - especially if they are smokers and in these days of "totally smoke-free airports" tend to not put them in the best of moods!) rather than rely on the indifferent (awful?) offerings of in-flight meals in Ecomomy. (are the "airline chefs" listening to this????)

Luckily, in the case of BAH, I now have a "good friend" there. So instead of spending 7 hours in the airside, I can leave the airport, spend an evening in one of the great range of restaurants there, go out for a meal again the next night, and then catch the 01:00 flight to LHR 30 hours after my arrival! Makes it all the more civilised, and gets me far less stressed out than if I flew straight through!

LGW-PHL - "Envoy Class" on USAir - no need to worry about a meal at the airport; the food on the flight is magnificent. And when GF decide to upgrade me BAH-LHR, it's darned good too (GF, note, I'm on the 01:00 flight to LHR March 3rd - just a hint :E )

[Globaliser]

LHR - Can't remember which terminal - Had a really good meal in a restaurant there once, but nowadays can't find it and usually spend the wait on my way back to the ME in the "Irish Bar" which is packed solid, would take even longer to get served if the staff weren't so bloody efficient :)Sounds like you use T3?

If so, I'd hazard a guess that the restaurant was Chez Gerard, which is tucked away in a corner and not easy to see unless you know it's there.

[howflytrg]

Retail units at all BAA airports are under constant review and change regularly, hence the reason why the resturaunt you are thinking of may no longer be there. For anyone travelling through LGW the Seafood Bar/Caviar House is a personal fav of mine. If you are into that sort of thing of course. Plus earning BAA worldpoints, great for those of us who use the LHR or LGW express trains. Convert points into tickets! nice:ok:
Also for those in LGW North terminal. Take a wonder over to Pier 6 (Gates 101-113) Great views ATC style! Nice little Weatherspoons over there as well.

[Romeo Delta]

Been almost everywhere in the US, and yes, most of the airports here are not too well equipped compared to elsewhere in the world. Especially LAX, very poor airside choices. A lot of people don't go across the way to the restaurant because they have to go landside to do it, and then return through the SNAFU that is TSA security. Also in California, SFO was not all that impressive airside, either.

ATL has all the same ol' same ol' in every terminal except T and E. IF you have the extra time, take the train to T or E and check out the selection.

Comparatively, CLT is quite well equipped with sitdown restaurants and fast food. I was impressed.

Also, surprisingly, is my homeport of RSW. I don't usually get down the D concourse, but there is a Palm City Market that is like a local version of Boston Market. Semi-buffet style with lots of choices.

Been to that Helsinki restaurant, and it was indeed very nice. Also, Amsterdam is pretty nice as I recall

Those are just the ones that come to mind right now. There are others as the memory jogs.

[YOWGirl]

For anyone travelling through LGW the Seafood Bar/Caviar House is a personal fav of mine.

Had a bite at the LHR Terminal 3 location yesterday afternoon. Lovely smoked salmon plate with green salad, glass of the house brut. Was tempted by the oysters, but didn't go for it.

[Bangkokeasy]

I suppose the lack of "decent" facilities, particularly food wise, must have something to do with royalties payable to airport authorities. Independent operators maybe don't have the wherewithall to tackle this.

This is a sad fact for nearly all major airports, even in countries where you would think there was no excuse. Last week, for instance, when faced with a 5 hour transit in Sydney, I left the airport and took the ten minute taxi ride round the bay to Brighton-le-sands, where I had a very passable seafood lunch, overlooking the bay and the planes taking off and landing on the other side. Very civilised.

I agree with Globaliser that probably the only food outlet of any class that I can think of is at LHR T3 (Chez Gerard), which was still there last month when I passed through.

[TheOddOne]

Also for those in LGW North terminal. Take a wonder over to Pier 6 (Gates 101-113) Great views ATC style! Nice little Weatherspoons over there as well.

In my opinion, Pier 6 provides the best views at ANY UK airport. We often pop over there from our building which is just over the taxiway if we want a 1-2-1 and a coffee away from the office environment. When we have visiting dignitaries we always ensure a 'bridge walk' is included in the tour, never fails to impress, expecially if a 747 is taxying underneath at the time!

Cheers,
TheOddOne

[Lee@LPL]

Newark (NYC New Jersey) after pass port controll is terrible!

[ExSimGuy]

If you want to leave the airport during a transit, you will (in most places other than "home") have to fork out 5 or 10 quid for a "temporary visa" (BAH, Cairo, to name but two whose airport facilities are "less than admirable")

[howflytrg]

[quote=TheOddOne]We often pop over there from our building which is just over the taxiway if we want a 1-2-1 and a coffee away from the office environment.


Airfield Ops I presume? But you are correct, Best part of LGW there is in my opinion, apart from the EK lounge in the CIP. which is in a league of its own.! lol. :D

[1972]

OMG, Cairo airport. That just brought back horrible memories from a few years back. Facilities? What facilities?! I had the filthiest tasting coffee in probably the filthiest 'terminal' I can remember.

[Fernando_Covas]

OMG, Cairo airport. That just brought back horrible memories from a few years back. Facilities? What facilities?! I had the filthiest tasting coffee in probably the filthiest 'terminal' I can remember.

Do they have air conditioning in the terminal now? I passed trough nearly 8 years agon and there were god knows how many people in that one area, no windows open and no A/C.

[1972]

Fernando,

A few years back in this case means 1997, so I really couldn't tell you what the airport's like these days. Hopefully they've knocked it down and started again!

[overloaded]

Large airports are what provide the misery factor in flying - hours of anonymous walking, waiting, queueing. Small airports put the fun back into it & lack of security in most make it exciting. Most disgusting probably Liverpool, best beer Antwerp Best food definitely is Pisa.:ok:

[Gouabafla]

Rather surprisingly, there is a very nice bar airside in the international airport in Accra. Unfortunately, they insist that you go and wait in the gates (among the worst airport experiences in the world) very early and won't let you benefit from the good facilities.

[PAXboy]

Let us not forget that small airports can be just as miserable at big ones. :sad:

For example ... LTN. It used to be Small and great. Now it is pretending to be Medium but it is still Small but has all the hallmarks of Big!

[Crepello]

LPL's transformed itself in the last coupla years overloaded, there's even a Burger King now. I hear their Michelin Star got lost in the post though... But the old food wasn't so bad, free use of the defibrillator if you'd had sausage & chips, all good northern fodder me lad... ;)

Speaking of which, my favourite airside eats at LAX is Jody Maroni's in the UAL terminal. You can even eat at the bar - Redondo Beach microbrew, if memory serves. Tasted great at 10am after a trans-Pacific, mmm.