Spectator balconies
 

These days are there any major airports left anywhere where
one can go upstairs the terminal to a public open space on or
near the roof and watch everything?

Theres an open air bar on top of Changi T1 but thats the only
one I know of.

A few for starters . Only listing those with landside access. Some will require a payment.

Open air terraces

Amsterdam Schiphol
Frankfurt T2
Stuttgart
Hamburg
Dusseldorf
Tokyo Narita & Haneda
Prague


Birmingham still had an enclosed area when last there but it was over a year ago. Likewise Basel-Mulhouse.

Can add Zurich, Paris Orly, Cologne & Munich - all open from landside.

Unless things have changed, add:
Berlin - Tegel
Warsaw
Hong Kong
Incheon
Los Angeles (LAX) - not strictly a terrance, but the Theme Building has I believe recently reopened.

I should add that there are still plenty of airports that have viewing areas away from the terminal, such as Manchester. Several major US airports have such facilities - I was at Charlotte last year, and it probably has one of the best located "park and view" areas around!

Sydney. Well it had one a few years back....

Salzburg.

Think I read recently that Warsaw viewing balcony was closed.

Add Nürnberg and Hannover to the list - in fact pretty well all German airports see viewing facilities for the non-flying public as an essential part of airport planning.

The UK is disgraceful, given that spotting and photography of aircraft is such a big hobby here. Sad thing is that the UK mantra of "security is paramount" combined with rampant commercialism has lead to their almost total demise.

I undertand that the security excuse also makes train spotting and photography more difficult these days.

UK a free country - my a**e!

There are also viewing areas in Hahn and Toulouse. East Midlands has a picnic area at the eastern end of the runway, if that counts as one! I planning permission is currently being obtained for an outside viewing area at Doncaster on the eastern side of the runway. DSA used to have an indoor viewing area where Wetherspoons is - though they soon made this airside only, and now is closed off completely!

I think you could be right on that one

I think the UK authorities have the misguided belief that if you keep the viewers away from the airport you ease the pressure on security. I would think the reverse is true - all it means is that everyone parks around the perimeter (including places that they shouldn't) as opposed to having everyone contained in one place. At least Heathrow has a mini viewing deck now (north of the airport). Gatwick, which was my "home" airport for many years has nothing at all.

Not at all, I don't think the "security" authorities think of this at all. Their principal desire to to at least maintain, and where possible expand, their whole bureaucratic structure and budget. Eliminating spectator areas is good Low Hanging Fruit for these people, who have to keep finding new changes and variations to the status quo each year, before those who fund them start asking too closely "what exactly do they do ..... ?".

INNSBRUCK

See Pics. I took from Balcony Jan. 2008

http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/t...C_0162copy.jpg


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/DSC_0178.jpg


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/t...C_0203copy.jpg

OPF

Viewing facilities are available at Luqa Malta. Very good view of the runway from an elevated platform on the opposite side of the runway to the terminal. Viewing is also possible from the landside cafe on the top floor of the terminal. Not possible to see too much once you have gone airside.

A while since I was in Madeira but there was an open air balcony, cannot remember whether access was just from airside.

Have to agree with others, facilities in the UK are poor to non-existant.

Planemike

there used to be a small viewing balcony at tfs. not sure if its still there any more though.

The Highways Agency seemed to object to us making camp on the M1 and eating sandwiches! ;)

On a serious note though, surely the lack of dedicated facilities/areas in the UK only leads to more security/safety concerns, with people parking or loitering near perimiter fences or even attempting to access controlled areas.

Skytrain10,

You mention that Heathrow "at last has a mini viewing deck north of the airport" ?????? As far as I know all Heathrow has in terms of viewing areas is the Heathrow Academy, and other undesignated areas around the airport where spotters gather. There are no viewing decks around Heathrow from where you can watch the planes, unless your airside of course. I wish there was one though!

JCBeadle - the mini-viewing deck is at the car park serving the acadamy - its only small, but its 3 tier and has a cover - and does give a good view for activity on 27R/10L. not good for photography, but if you just want to watch the aircraft its not a bad place to be. I was last there in July this year.

PS, OPF - great shots by the way.

Thanks for the replys everyone! :ok:

Ah yes that is true, but yeah the viewing deck isn't really good for photography. Also I went there yesterday and all the aircraft were departing and landing on runways 9L and 9R which meant all the traffic styed clear of the Heathorw Academy end of the runway which was very dissapointing.

However upon leaving and going round the perimeter road of the airport, there is a fantastic place to watch the aircraft take off from runway 9L and you get a good view of T5, just stop in at the Esso garage and you get a fantastic view of the departing aircraft as you havn't got the stupidly annoying metal sheet going across the fence which usually blocks your vision of the airfield.

Sorry Skytrain10 I thought you were talking about a viewing area I didn't know about!

berlin sxf although it's quiet
as for the UK complete joke dont start me off or i'll get angry :\:mad:

a slight run in with local police last week suggests that a lot of airports in Africa and the middle East dont really get plane spotters :p