Another vote for Capot's elegant and tightly argued rant.
Airports are for getting people from plane to car/bus/taxi/train. The way that shops -- sorry retail outlets -- intrude on this process is both extremely irritating and cynical and, combined with the forcefeeding of stimuli there and en route, is enough to make anyone with a modicum of brain cells feel like they've been minced through a giant sausage machine by the time they reach their destination. Horrid.
Can't wait for the day when I never have to fly again....