MY Favorite or Worst Airports! and WHY!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Omaha's airport was so small! seemed like only 8 gates and one food stand and one stand for like 10 books and 20 magazines.

I still got you beat. Wheatland had no terminal, no gates, just a runway, ramp, and a crappy weather shack with an old leather couch.

[604flames]

Originally Posted by troutman

Landing in Castlegar is an adventure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Ko...gional_Airport

Due to the mountainous terrain impinging on both runway approaches, there is no possibility of a straight-in approach. The airport is therefore certified for day operations only, and the glideslope on approach is set to a steep 5% rather than the standard 2.5%. The instrument approaches to Castlegar are considered among the most challenging of any in use at a commercial airport in North America.

On more than one occasion I've had the pilot fly to Nelson then navigate above the Kootenay River to the airport because of how socked-in this area gets.

I've been lucky to have mostly good experiences at airports, flying into YVR always feels like going home.

On the other side of the coin, I've had the pleasure of spending overnight stays at both Gatwick and Ataturk Int'l in Istanbul. The old airport in Athens was... interesting as well.

[Barnet Flame]

Heathrow is awful, apart from T5 - or so I thought until I had a three ####ing hour wait to get through Customs in April. They have something like 25 desks but had two of them manned and at times, one. They can FOAD.

Lamezia Terme airport is the airport with the most pointless procedures. We landed about 20 meters from the Terminal building and the ground staff insisted that we take the bus to it. It was the same departing. People were saying, 'but the building is right THERE' to no avail.

One woman even walked to within 5 meters of it but was taken back to board the bus.

YYC is ok - nice and quiet, but very dowdy looking.

Dublin T2 is nice and relaxing.

I prefer airports that are not crowded.

[Nyah]

Best: Vancouver, Hong Kong, Malaga, Gatwick & Sydney.

Worst: Heathrow, Jakarta, Bolognia, Edinburgh & Frankfurt Hahn.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Those of you crapping on the Edmonton airport, have you been there lately?

I was there a couple of weeks ago and the renovations and expansions are very nice. It pained me to admit it.

I flew out of YEG earlier this year, and thought it was nice, about on par with the newer parts of Calgary's terminal. I don't know why anyone would call it the worst.

I flew into Winnipeg's new terminal on that same flight, but unfortunately, it was 10 pm or so on a Saturday, and all the shops were closed. It looks very nice though, a huge improvement on the old terminal.

Vancouver I last was in in 2009, and pre Olympic renovations were still going strong. Definitely was nice, but I do remember the long walk.

Toronto T2 was awful when I was there in 2001. Very little to do to pass time.

LAX was average, SFO too (we never left security there).

San Diego was meh, they didn't let people with kids preboard.

O Hare was average, a little sterile in the parts I was in.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by blankall

Worst:

Narita International, Tokyo

Japan has amazing service everywhere with the exception of domestic terminals. This place was an absolute hole. The international terminal is great, but the place where you wait for domestic transfers is downright bizarre. It's poorly heated. There is one food stand but nowhere really to eat. People are akwardly balancing bowls of soup everywhere.

Narita is terrible simply by being so far away from central Tokyo.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hevishot

Nobody has mentioned the welfare warrior airport of Cuba yet?

I loved that airport. Security was a joke and the 'executive lounge' or whatever the hell they call it was a great place. Only airport I've ever been to where I could drink rum and smoke cigars before boarding my flight.

I especially loved the x-ray machines that you send your luggage through and the ones you walk through. None of those works. I walked through the security gate holding a can of beer in my hand and security just shrugged and waved me through.

"You're leaving Cuba, you're not our problem anymore..."

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by Byrns

Narita is terrible simply by being so far away from central Tokyo.

that train ride was sooooo long into Shibuya!

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by fotze

The whitecourt airport was pretty awesome. Had a pop machine and no staff.

ZMT (Masset) also has a pop machine. The "terminal" is also filled with angry wasps.

[Jbo]

Surprised that it has not been mentioned, but Rome has a terrible airport.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

No love for Halifax? Beautiful view of the tarmac and runways from the secure area. At least three bars that I can count off the top of my head. Security is quick and easy. The gates are well labeled and easy to find, lots of seating. I *think* there is free wifi. Tons of parking and parking options. Three four hotels all by the airport. Two Tim Hortons locations, BK and Chicken Burger. What more could you want? Although I'm told the amenities once you clear US customs are lacking.

Oh and the view from the lookout lounge is unbelievable!


I also have a special place in my heart for Sydney NS. It's small, but the view from the waiting area is decent, the restaurant is world class, wait time is non existent (at least if you're flying out on the Dashes which is all I ever have. They keep updating it, the new secure area should be really nice.

Plus the view next to the airfield is excellent.

However it's boring if you have an extended wait, but as a small regional airport it's always the end stop, no layover.

[Rubicant]

CDG in Paris is a barn.

I'm surprised that so many liked Schipol. I liked the train to get there, that is all.

[troutman]

Everywhere I landed in South America, there was great applause in the cabin. I wasn't sure what to make of that.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by troutman

Everywhere I landed in South America, there was great applause in the cabin. I wasn't sure what to make of that.

Funny, I don't recall applause on the landing in Ushuaia or on our flight back up to BA.

Cultural thing or a "Thank God we made it in one piece" thing?

[Joborule]

Haven't traveled around too much. But here's my list.

Airports I've liked:
- Orlando
- Denver
- Vancouver
- Toronto T3

Airports I thought looked dumpy:
- Cleveland
- Newark

Airports I found average:
- Calgary
- Barbados
- O'Hare

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Funny, I don't recall applause on the landing in Ushuaia or on our flight back up to BA.

Cultural thing or a "Thank God we made it in one piece" thing?

Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was the former or the latter. This happened in Ecuador and Peru. I can't remember if it happened in Argentina.

[Bertuzzied]

so we are 76 posts in. Why is Vancouver in people's most favorite airports? Is there a hookers and blow section i'm not aware of?

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by Barnes

ZMT (Masset) also has a pop machine. The "terminal" is also filled with angry wasps.

Have you ever flown in there? Arguably some of the best scenary ever once you actually hit the island and you have a clear day.

[normtwofinger]

Houston is terrible.

[Jbo]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Houston is terrible.

Had to fly there in March on the way to Belize. The airport itself was not too bad, but customs in that airport gives me nightmares