I want to reheat this thread, as I feel it is time for a renewed push to restore or create spectators' balconies, as part of a broader aim of making flying more about flying (and less about shopping).
Could not agree with you more mate, and well done for bringing up the subject.
I can think of no reason why airport authorities should provide facilities for spotters especially in these times of financial restraint and greatly increased security
That is a very strange thing to say by someone who is an aircraft enthusiast and frequents these forums HD. Why should spotters 'facilities' be of any greater burden on authorities than any other facility in an airport ? Of greater concern should be anywhere around the perimeter of any airport. If a terrorist wanted to do a 'nasty' they could do it from
anywhere around an airport, with far greater ease, and with the added concealment of their car. Many, if any existed, spotters or viewing areas in modern airports were secure behind at least a wall of glass. Whats the problem with that ?
As we are going down memory lane, I remember staging through Birmingham three years ago, waiting for my Eurocypria flight, there was a very nice viewing area above the terminal. You had to walk through a model shop, pay a small fee if you were a non-flying passenger (fair enough), but lovely view, behind glass and secure. I heard later that it had been closed, pity. Jersey had a lovely viewing open air viewing area above the terminal, anyone know happened to that ? And, of course I remember the Queens building at Heathrow.