Phoenix Sky Harbour

[ruddman]

Great airport. Nice facilities. Sitting here right now. Ok....bit nerdy. :8 And bit bored waiting for next connection.

Runway and concrete taxiways extra smooth. The concrete guy is a genius! :D


Oh and the hot dogs wrapped in bacon from the Southwest lounge area even better! :ok:

[radeng]

Flying to the US, I prefer to go to PHX. BA flight gets in about 1700, no other international flights at that time. Immigration and customs people are friendly - at one stage, I flew in so often that one guy recognised me and it was 'You here again?' If you have a BA Gold Card, flying out has always for me produced the station manager to welcome me. One Saturday Jul 3, there were tech problems flying out and the ground staff all stayed until about 2230 as we were loaded and unloaded, when they could have gone home and left us. We did get eventually, to a great sigh of relief from everyone but two CC who wanted more time in PHX.....

Security are fast efficient, polite, friendly and could teach LHR a thing a or two.....or three.

[ruddman]

I have left the area in case anyone was a bit worried. :p

True, radeng. Customs were all friendly. No dramas. The airport layout and staff makes a mockery of some in Australia!


Getting back to the concrete..:8....would live to 'fly' around it with some mates in go-carts. Would make a great race track. :ok:

[Married a Canadian]

I believe Sky harbor advertises itself as the US's friendliest airport...or something like that. I have to admit when we flew through there recently I had to agree.
I had forgotten about a bottle of water in my handbaggage (travelling with child) and I expected the Heathrow telling off/lambasting telling me how stupid I am for leaving this half drunk bottle in my bag. Instead I got a very apologetic "is this yours sir?", an understanding nod at how it happened...followed by a "you can drink it now or we'll dispose of it for you?"
Finished....thankyou...hope to fly through PHX again!

[radeng]

My experience with TSA at PHX is that you should get your paperwork out BEFORE getting in line, because you'll be moving too fast to be able to easily do it afterwards!

Seriously, I rate PHX as the best: DFW is not too bad and ORD is awful, but part of that is too many international arrivals with wide bodies at the same time - three 747s and two 777 s within ten minutes will strain any customs/immigration system. On one occasion, after 55 minutes in line one Wednesday, I got to immigration.

"What are you here for?"

"Vacation"

"When do you go back?"

"Next Monday"

"That's not long for a vacation. Where are you going?"

"Dayton Ohio for the big ham radio event this weekend"

"Are you a ham?"

"Yes"

"What's your callsign?"

"G3***"

Starts to stamp passport and then stops.

"Didn't you have an article in NCJ (an amateur radio magazine) the other month?"

Stamps passport, "OK, have a good time at Dayton!"

But the line is so long I try never to fly into ORD.



Different in the UK...........

A US customer is flying in for a meeting. Immigration lady asks what he is here for and is told "Business".

"What business are you in?"

"Military Electronics"

"Where are you going?"

"Plessey"

"Plessey where?"

"Plessey Semiconductors in Swindon"

"So is your business related to RF?"

"Yes"

Stamps passport and says "tell radeng to buy you a good lunch and dinner tonight".

I did.........

he thought MI5 had really got tabs on him when he found I was his contact, but the immigration officer was (still is but retired) very good friend of ours with an interest in ham radio who knew what I did for a living.....

[Hotel Tango]

It's a small world as they say :)