Ten Most Annoying Things About Airports
Ten Most Annoying Things About Airports
Skyscanner's newsletter includes this article about travellers' opinions on the Ten Most Annoying Things About Airports:
10 Most Annoying Things at Airports | Skyscanner
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10 Most Annoying Things at Airports | Skyscanner
What's on your list?
Other pax who:
Stand right up at the luggage carousel when their case is still nowhere to be seen.
Let their kids run around where they are at risk of being bashed by a barely controlled 32kg suitcase being dragged off the carousel by a 42kg lady (or by Bas gallantly assisting same)
Delays with steps/buses. You DID know we were coming several hours ago
Stand right up at the luggage carousel when their case is still nowhere to be seen.
Let their kids run around where they are at risk of being bashed by a barely controlled 32kg suitcase being dragged off the carousel by a 42kg lady (or by Bas gallantly assisting same)
Delays with steps/buses. You DID know we were coming several hours ago
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1. The pricing of anything you have to purchase, once inside. An airline gives you a lunch voucher for $10 when your flight is excessively delayed - and you're struggling to buy a snack with $10, let alone lunch.
2. Airport food that barely passes muster as edible food.
3. When things go wrong, and there's a serious delay - having to go back through security just to get a bite to eat. Then having to go through security again, because you went to the snack bar, and you're now almost certainly carrying liquid explosives.
4. There's never enough seats - particularly when thoughtless people have placed all their luggage on the seats - or they're lying down and stretched out over 3 seats and snoozing because their flight has been delayed for 6 hrs.
5. Finding a seat and then realising that someone has wet themselves on it.
6. Having a flight delay of one hour announced. Then after that hour, having another hour flight delay announced. Then after that hours wait, hearing about another 2 hour delay. It's called drip-feed, I believe.
7. Airport signage warning you about every infringement and penalty they can think up - but a lack of signage giving you directions on exactly where to go to find your gate, your luggage, or the way out.
8. People touting in airports - even though touting is banned (yes, I'm thinking of a number of European airports, here - and most Asian airports).
9. People smoking in airports, even though smoking is supposed to be totally banned (CAI promptly comes to mind).
10. Paying a fee for a shuttle bus between terminals, that should have been better positioned - or if this wasn't possible, then free transport provided.
2. Airport food that barely passes muster as edible food.
3. When things go wrong, and there's a serious delay - having to go back through security just to get a bite to eat. Then having to go through security again, because you went to the snack bar, and you're now almost certainly carrying liquid explosives.
4. There's never enough seats - particularly when thoughtless people have placed all their luggage on the seats - or they're lying down and stretched out over 3 seats and snoozing because their flight has been delayed for 6 hrs.
5. Finding a seat and then realising that someone has wet themselves on it.
6. Having a flight delay of one hour announced. Then after that hour, having another hour flight delay announced. Then after that hours wait, hearing about another 2 hour delay. It's called drip-feed, I believe.
7. Airport signage warning you about every infringement and penalty they can think up - but a lack of signage giving you directions on exactly where to go to find your gate, your luggage, or the way out.
8. People touting in airports - even though touting is banned (yes, I'm thinking of a number of European airports, here - and most Asian airports).
9. People smoking in airports, even though smoking is supposed to be totally banned (CAI promptly comes to mind).
10. Paying a fee for a shuttle bus between terminals, that should have been better positioned - or if this wasn't possible, then free transport provided.
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My bug bear, besides egotistical megalomaniacs in US security, is passengers rushing to block the boarding. How difficult is it to not get in the way when they call first/business class, frequent flyers, rows 44-64 etc. Have a look at your ticket. If you're sat in row 29 then you shouldn't be trying to board when the above has been only been called. Get out of the way!
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Jack of all trades. Part of the problem in the UK is the expectation that all of the passengers speak perfect English and can decipher a broad Gordie or Scots accent with no problem. Swiss (LX) do a bilingual announcement at Heathrow, but I can't recall anyone else doing one.
Frequent flyers know the system (they also know they need to get on early to get their carryon stored) and they know the worse thing that will happen if they try to get on before their turn is being told to wait. Non-frequent flyers don't know the system and just move with the crowd. Why not use that monitor hanging over the desk to tell the punters how boarding is going to happen rather than surprise eveyone at boarding time.
Frequent flyers know the system (they also know they need to get on early to get their carryon stored) and they know the worse thing that will happen if they try to get on before their turn is being told to wait. Non-frequent flyers don't know the system and just move with the crowd. Why not use that monitor hanging over the desk to tell the punters how boarding is going to happen rather than surprise eveyone at boarding time.
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I actually like most of the airports I've been to, and can't think of anything uniquely awful that I don't detest anywhere else, such as ridiculous markup on food that isn't actually very good because they have a captive audience (just like motorway services).*
I don't like the whole security theatre aspect of getting in to the departure lounge, but the whole country has the same problem.
I'm embarrassed by the way immigrants are dealt with on the way into the country, but again, the politicians are making sure that is a day-to-day occurrence wherever they are.
However, UK airports are better than some others in Europe. For instance, flying from Prague the other day, I witnessed passport control officers laughing to each other about a foreigner having the the courtesy to try to say hello and thank you to them in Czech, which they found hilarious because of the "funny accent", and two police officers making sexual and racist comments about female passengers to each other. I'm not likely to hear that at a British airport.
*Note that I don't count the excellent healthy-eating outlet ("Eat", maybe?) at EDI that I found the other day. Great food, half the price of the others.
I don't like the whole security theatre aspect of getting in to the departure lounge, but the whole country has the same problem.
I'm embarrassed by the way immigrants are dealt with on the way into the country, but again, the politicians are making sure that is a day-to-day occurrence wherever they are.
However, UK airports are better than some others in Europe. For instance, flying from Prague the other day, I witnessed passport control officers laughing to each other about a foreigner having the the courtesy to try to say hello and thank you to them in Czech, which they found hilarious because of the "funny accent", and two police officers making sexual and racist comments about female passengers to each other. I'm not likely to hear that at a British airport.
*Note that I don't count the excellent healthy-eating outlet ("Eat", maybe?) at EDI that I found the other day. Great food, half the price of the others.
Last edited by peakcrew; 5th Sep 2013 at 22:03.
1. Lack of technology for differentiating safe and unsafe liquids. Its embarrassing when you haven't removed that extra bottle of water you packed on a hot day. (Come on EU!)
2. Lack of drinking fountains as you can't take safe liquids through security. (I could name certain airports.) Are they trying to blackmail people into buying bottle water at exhorbitant prices? That I really hate.
3. Claustrophobic holding areas at gates (the US may be maligned but there airports are generally have good open plan terminals
4 - 10 queues and waiting - you can probably think of at lease seven places where you have to queue on an international journey (security, boarding, immigration, baggage reclaim etc.)
That said give me an unobstructed view of the airfield from the terminal and I love airports. Indeed I'll deliberately check in early at some (not all) airports to spend extra time airside.
2. Lack of drinking fountains as you can't take safe liquids through security. (I could name certain airports.) Are they trying to blackmail people into buying bottle water at exhorbitant prices? That I really hate.
3. Claustrophobic holding areas at gates (the US may be maligned but there airports are generally have good open plan terminals
4 - 10 queues and waiting - you can probably think of at lease seven places where you have to queue on an international journey (security, boarding, immigration, baggage reclaim etc.)
That said give me an unobstructed view of the airfield from the terminal and I love airports. Indeed I'll deliberately check in early at some (not all) airports to spend extra time airside.
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Ten Most Annoying Things About Airports
The way the architect thinks it is funny that you get out of your car at ground level, have to climb lots of steps to get to the check in hall, to walk down lots of steps to get onto the ramp to then climb even more steps to get on the plane? EGCC cones to mind!
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Jack of all trades. Part of the problem in the UK is the expectation that all of the passengers speak perfect English and can decipher a broad Gordie or Scots accent with no problem. Swiss (LX) do a bilingual announcement at Heathrow, but I can't recall anyone else doing one.
Frequent flyers know the system (they also know they need to get on early to get their carryon stored) and they know the worse thing that will happen if they try to get on before their turn is being told to wait. Non-frequent flyers don't know the system and just move with the crowd. Why not use that monitor hanging over the desk to tell the punters how boarding is going to happen rather than surprise eveyone at boarding time.
Frequent flyers know the system (they also know they need to get on early to get their carryon stored) and they know the worse thing that will happen if they try to get on before their turn is being told to wait. Non-frequent flyers don't know the system and just move with the crowd. Why not use that monitor hanging over the desk to tell the punters how boarding is going to happen rather than surprise eveyone at boarding time.
I've heard that in Terminal 2 there will be no foreign languages on the announcements and there will be no bi-lingual signs. This is a big failing for LHR. Go to airports in almost every other country and you will see signs in the local language and usually English. Even Pyongyang International has more languages than LHR with English, Korean and Mandarin appearing on their handful of signs!
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VERY well said Cumulogranite. I had this last weekend at LGW. the stair/escalator ups/downs is tedious. I know the place was built ad hoc over the decades but it really shows in the way the different blocks are linked.
Go to airports in almost every other country and you will see signs in the local language and usually English.
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1. Getting searched at security
Nope, doesn't bother me. Part of the process.
2. Having to show your boarding card to buy anything
Yep, I'd love to know if there is a reason beyond marketing for this.
3. Lack of power sockets
Kudos to Stansted, which has a few charging points. Gatwick has some accessible sockets if you know where to look (at least North terminal has!)
4. Lack of seating
Yep
.
Bristol airport is a prime example - the small supply of seating is always oversubscribed, (and there’s no seating at many of the gates at all!) yet there’s a glut of restaurant seating (which of course, only restaurant customers may use).
5. Being told your flight was delayed ‘due to its late departure’
Lack of information is my main bugbear - being told just before boarding is due to be called that your flight is going to be delayed 2 hours or more - I'm sure the airlines didn't just find that out (OK, occasionally an aircraft may go u/s, but if the delay is due to a 2 hour delay in the incoming aircraft, then they knew about that before then!). You can often find out more from the airlines website than you get told on the airport displays.
6. Having to pay for Wi-Fi
Simple answer, I don't. If it's free, I use it, if ot, I'll read a book (or use my Mifi!)
7. Airlines who understaff their check-in desks
Check in on line and rarely travel with more than cabin luggage.
8. Not being able to check in online
See above (Except Flybe, where you can choose your seat for free if you check in at the airport!)
9. Most airport shops are useless to most people
It’s time to give travellers what they really want: Greggs and a Primark.
10. Being charged for .......... re-sealable plastic bags
Edinburgh gives these away free.
My own pet hates:
Over priced Food Outlets
e.g. Wetherspoons burger sets you back £6 in the real world, costs £12 at the airport.
I usually eat out of Boots!!
People who Haven't Read the Cabin Baggage Restrictions
It must be 10 years since the 100ml limit/clear plastic bag was introduced, yet you still get people trying to get through with cabin baggage with 500ml bottles of contact lens cleaner, etc etc. holding up the queue at security
Crowding the Baggage Carousel
Sorry, but if my bag comes out first, I'm not going to apolgise for it hitting you if you insist on standing right next to the conveyor. Personally, I'd paint a red line 2 feet away and have lasers to deal with those who infringe before their bag arrives!
Priority Boarding/Security
Just a symptom of everything that is wrong with the Uk - the idea that you can get something/somewhere quicker just by throwing some money at it.
Last edited by Davef68; 2nd Oct 2013 at 12:38.
2. Having to show your boarding card to buy anything
Yep, I'd love to know if there is a reason beyond marketing for this.
Yep, I'd love to know if there is a reason beyond marketing for this.