Airports
I just got back from some really horrendous travel schedules, which involved overnighting at two airports (Seattle and Prague), and then more flights than necessary to get home. (Plus, I went through Security four extra times.) So, I wish they would hurry up with transporter technology. Last I heard, they have been able to transport electrons, or maybe it was only quarks. Clearly, some of the money the government is throwing around at things needs to be diverted.Airports are mazes, especially Heathrow. Lots of corners turned, and I am sure that there was a whole building of corridors. It was even worse than JFK. But the security was the most polite, the guy who had to search my bag was very chatty about the whole thing and I found out he had been to Washington when he was in the British military and had spent some time at Fort Lewis. (There, now I can get that fact out of my head and leave room for something else.)
But Heathrow has figured out something else.
Most Airports I have been in have the gate numbers posted so you know where you are going and how much time you can stop to get coffee (or tea or beer or wine) and then pee before boarding. All this in the name of efficiency and not missing flights.
Heathrow Terminal 3, which I flew out of two times, has a large board of flights. This board has the gate number, but only 1 hour before the flight leaves. (And it has a helpful sign board telling you it will take 10 or 20 minutes to get to your gate, that is nice.)
Most airports have rows of shops and restaurants (and Starbucks) in line with the gates. And lots of seating.
Heathrow Terminal 3 concentrates these in a very large central area, with enough seating for maybe two flights worth. You have no place to go until you know where your gate is (Really? It changes that often?) And you have little place to sit, even if you are eating, so the only place to be is...in the shops.
Worked on me. Twice.
posted by Marion @ 6:16 AM
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