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

My mate tells me he goes to Manchester and parks his car on the top of the multi story....and views from there with many others.

Nick.

One of the most picturesque spectator balconies must be this one in Ljubljana. Good to see that when they recently ungraded the terminal they kept the spectators area. It's nice to see a wave from the balcony as we push back occasionally!

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_yYJ_r1Fv8Go/TO...0/DSC00618.JPG

When last there Almeria had an open air balcony overlooking the apron. Good bar serving food there too. Very civilised.

Surprised no one has mentioned about the RVP at Manchester, I know the charges are contentious to people who want these facilities for free however it is a damn fine facility for watching the aircraft. So to say the facilities are poor in the UK may be true at many airports but not all. In addition there is the Airport hotel and may other unoffical spots.

Christchurch NZ - NZCH is excellent, the way they used to be in the old days and Perth AUS (Intnl Terminal) - YPPH

Arrecife airport in Lanzarote.

Except it's full of smokers!!

Bournemouth/Hurn has a good viewing area. Free to visit, though you have to pay to park a car. Short walk to the terminal for a spot o' lunch. You will need a three-step ladder to get any piccies, but it is a prime spot:

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/s...0-07-20006.jpg

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/s...0-07-20020.jpg

There are free indoor viewing decks and areas landside at Cape Town and Jo'burg

Suzeman

I don't know if you're specifically looking at civilian airports but RAF Waddington(Lincolnshire,UK) has the WAVE (WAddington VEiwing area),it has been taken-over by a really nice couple called John and Christine who have a fantastic gift-shop and eatery.
Large (free) car-park and the hedge overlooking the airfield has now been cut down to 4 feet high,great for photography and even includes free toilet facilities.

Fukuoka, Japan. There's nice restaurant with counter overlooking the apron and runway. In Japan, airplane spotting is a joy. Going to check out the new Terminal in Haneda soon.

I recall when at LHR few years ago being told the balcony was closed. The person told me 'since the gulf war' ..

Further back ,, the mid-eighties - I vividly remember the outside gallery at LHR and the happy atmosphere.

I remember the one at Edinburgh with great affection . Has Newcastle gone or is that a silly question ?

The facilities can still be had "for free", arrive on public transport or walk in. Charges only apply to drivers and their passengers........

Planemike

Have not been to the Channel Islands for while but both Guernsey and Jersey made provision for spectators.

At the other end of the world an indoor landside viewing lounge is available at Auckland International. Jean Batten's Gull G-ADPR is there, an ex Shuttleworth resident.

Planemike

Munrobagger,

Yes sadly Newcastle International Airport's viewing balcony disappeared many many years ago with no replacement.

There is absolutely no where to view any inbound or out bound aircraft with any degree of safety or legality.

Great shame as I remember the viewing gallery with great fondness when my dad used to take me there as a budding pilot!

A8C.

Perth (Australia) airport had a good viewing area when I was there in April last year.

At MAN you can go to the top of Terminal 1 (I think it is) carpark and take pictures. There is a small Aviation Shop in Terminal 1 Arrivals tho the main Viewing Park is much better.

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).

The world is changing: The Arab Spring; Twitter; containment of al-Qaeda; China and India as economic powerhouses; e-society and i-society; Croatia joining the EU; rise of Ryanair and loco revolution; fall of Malev and legacy flag carrier carnage; new generation of airliners like the 380, 787 and 747-8; and demise of others in their wake.

Today it's about customer choice and demand, consultation and communication as much as rationalisation, globalisation and austerity.

Airports and airlines exist to make money for owners/shareholders through selling services to their customers (passengers and cargo, but also parkers and shoppers). What can we do to make it worth their while to have more people coming to airports specifically to watch and learn about planes, operations and flying, or to wave off or meet passengers?

When I was a kid I used to visit the roof gardens at London Airport frequently. In post-war times the thrill of seeing aircraft was enjoyed by hundreds, if not thousands, of people. As in my case, many kids were taken to airports by their parents and it was an exciting day out. Now, flying is an every day occurrence for many people and the thrill has gone. Just about every aircraft now looks like every other whereas in those far off days of Avro Yorks, Argonauts, Dakotas, DC4s, Constellations, Stratocruisers, etc., there was great difference between the types which made identifying them great fun.

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. What are spotters going to bring to the airpport apart from the entry fee and clogging up the already over crowded infrastructure?

I'm sure others will have different opinions but it is a subject which has been discussed at great length on here and other forums.

Those who quote security considerations, maybe should look what has been done at some airports and military airfields, in that those who come just to watch the aircraft are encouraged to be eyes and ears for the police.

Heathrow does in fact operate such a scheme:

Metropolitan Police Service - Heathrow - Aviation Enthusiast Scheme

LCY also has a scheme where members are encouraged to report "subjects videoing or photographing aircraft or making notes of flight times" :ugh: