May 10th “So what is it about Airports”

Off to the Airport today but first back to the clinic to check the jab they gave me Friday.

Remember 4 stops on the Metro (and don’t lose count) then around the corner and through the security. Up to the 10th floor where the nurse biro’s my arm and the measures the lump with a plastic ruler. There is a distinct lack of emotion in this event so at least she is not running away screaming which I take as a good sign. Results I am sure will come in time.

Back via the 4 stops and home.
Judi left at 11 so I am on my own. Fill the time until the taxl arrives and as Judi has organized it I know it will be early.
It arrives at 4:30 for a 5 pm booking and takes around 30 minutes for a 45 minute trip. I am of course crouched down behind the driver for most of the trip. So here I am it’s 5 pm and my flight is close to 10 pm. (got to love my babe)

So now it’s too early to check in so I grab a coffee and people watch.

So what is it about airports that they all need to be different?
The process is the same arrive, check in, through customs, to the gate, board and fly off into the sunset.
If the process is the same why don’t they have the same layout so no matter where you are you can easily follow the plan.
Maybe they should get the IKEA designers in they are always the same (see yesterdays blog)

So this Airport has the check in desks on the extrem left and right and the notice board in the center so everyone gathers in the middle then as a flight number comes of there is a mass exodus towards the noted direction. Although the less trusting folks are wandering back and forth between the two just double checking. So this happens every 5-10 minutes as new flight get listed.

A thought which has struck me many many times at airports is “why do people carry cases which have wheels ?” these days it is actually difficult to buy a suitcase with wheels so why are people struggling carrying them rather than using the wheels they have ?
Now granted some might be broken or the handle may not work but next time you are in an airport take a look and you will start to think the same.

Eventually my flight gets onto the board and I amongst many trot off towards the check in desks. Now having been here before I know you need to fill out a customer form and have already done it so one step ahead of the crowd I think. Through the initial scanner and bags stickered I make my way to the desks 4-6 it said. Now once there they are labeled Beijing rather than Brussels my destination.
They are waiting for the stragglers for this flight which takes another 30 minutes but I have time so no worries. In fact it is interesting to note the level of anxiety of the people rushing to get this flight increasing as the time ticks on. So the flight closes with only 2 passengers stuck between check in and customs. Not sure what their issue is but it does not look too good for them.

Now our turn not quite, things could not be that simple. The check in desks now close and everyone wanders away. Another 15 minutes before our team arrive and only one person managed to jump me so second through. I blagg my way through the “diplomatic passports only” customs post given the two people off to China are still trying to get through and are causing quite a backlog at the other open posts.

Into the main hall and find my gate. There is a sign which shows four flights from Gate 10 so it will be a bus service to the plane. Not a problem (well not for me) The sign is of course nowhere near the gate so there is a constant stream of passengers going down the stairs only to be told their flight is not ready so they have to come back up again. A simple sign above the door ar better still move the checkpoint to the top of the stairs would make life so much easier but it seems to have escaped the designers who we obviously not ex IKEA employees.

The flight eventually gets called and down I go. Second again but not bad. We are not allowed to board the bus as the team are still waiting for someone for the previous London bound flight. (probably got stuck behind the Chinese pair) so hang around for anothe 10 minutes before a breathless guy dashes past and gets the bus all to himself.

Now we can play that game “how many people can you get onto an airport bus. Not sure what the record is but the driver makes a sterling attempt at an entry for the Guinness book of records but the plane is not that big so not sure he will even the an honorable mention. Off we go and the rest is just normal process. find my seat get out my ipod and relax.

Tomorrow “you get around a bit sir”