Do you like flying or do you like AIRPORTS?

Ok, what is it that you enjoy most while traveling as a nonrev. Do you enjoy the flight or do you enjoy wandering around the airports and even checking out different airports? Do you enjoy the duty free stores? Do you enjoy the sports bar and having beer? Do you enjoy looking at the magazine stores? What is it you like or dislike about the airports?
How about this question. Do you enjoy the atmosphere of both? Flying and airports? Does it depend mostly which airport and which city, construction, atmosphere you go to? Here is some of my favorite airports.

1. IAH. Beautiful airport inside. I know my way around like a rat. PAPADEAUX has a great buffet if you like cajun rice, gumbo, catfish, chicken. They have a FOX SPORTS BAR too. A couple of decent food courts with some great chow.

2. NRT- Great terminal. You can smoke in smoking areas. They don't kick the smoker to the curb as they do here in the states. You can get a cubical room to rest, plus massages. They have kids entertainment and you can lay down on these sofas scattered around the airport. They got it together in Japan. They've come a long way since I first went to NRT in late 1980's. Expensive.

3. EWR- I like it there. Nice terminal. I kind of made it a ritual to eat at SBARRO'S there everytime I swing via EWR. No other SBARRO'S taste like that one in EWR.

4. HNL - Pretty scenic. You see mountains all around beautiful palm trees, great sports bars and little stores.

5. DCA- Home away from home. My kinda town. And NFL sportsbar shows REDSKINS on Sundays at DCA with people cheering. Try an EINSTEIN bros. bagel from there at the airport. Its real good.

http://www.einsteinbros.com/

I like to suss out what facilities the airports have, find good restaurants and shops etc.

I like airports with good signage, good and local food shops, plenty of power points etc, good bathrooms/facilities, free wifi, ambiance, pay in lounges (or lounges i can get in with priority pass), good local style bars or a nice wine bar

I dislike airports with expensive junk food, disjointed terminals (spoiled here in MEL), expensive wifi, poor coffee, poor security/immigration/general setup (TBIT @ LAX is good example, but slowly getting better)

Favourite hands down has to be AUS - for the local food shops on offer, the bands playing and the general ambiance. I've done many a DALAUS run just for dinner... whether in the airport or at Guerro's.

Other favs include:
DCA - just felt neat - very good airport, very good signage... professional.
YVR - excellent airport for lengthy layover
HKG - biased, barely get to hang there as they clear us at checkin at std-15mins so run run run
ABQ - I liked the theming of the airport (chairs, signs, the fact it is a "sunport" etc.)
BHM - cute girls in hats and boots everywhere
DAL - fun for me and compact, but needs that modernisation quick

I love the thrill of the chase of a seat... going gate to gate, trying different carriers etc. I wasn't even that annoyed when my bag got lost in DTW (my fault) - it was an adventure. But I love flying... my thoughts are so clear and i'm happiest when i'm up in the air. Maybe I should have been a pilot.

For me, the it's never about the destination - the journey (airline choice, people I meet, airport etc) is the best part.

I love flying! To me it's so fascinating to be sitting in a chair in the sky. When you watch a plane take off, it goes out of sight. It's like it doesn't even exist. Then out of nowhere it just pops out of the clouds in some other place. It's insane to think you can go from USA to Asia or the middle east in less than a day. Aviation has shrunk the world so much. Recently I had to drive a couple hundred miles to meet an arrival. The airplane and I both left at about the same time and I beat it by about a half hour, but the airplane came from IRELAND. I'm currently 700 miles from home, but thats just 90 minutes.

I also like to see different airports. I like seeing different terminal/airfield layouts. I love seeing all the different tails in a place like JFK or FRA, or the architecture at DCA or CDG. It's interesting to see the nice clean terminal at ICN, and to see the zoo of check in at CAI. It really interests me to look at the thousands of people and wonder where they're all going. Just to think that EVERY DAY hundreds of flights, with hundreds of people each cross the Atlantic.

I've never been so fascinated by anything like aviation. I've been in this industry 3 years, and haven't worked a day yet.

It's the destination for me as well.
An airport is just the place where plane lands. It's a place full of mazes, poor signage, fast food and very expensive shops selling water.
I will say I do like the time I save flying, although driving has it's (food, comfort, sightseeing and you can bring your own water) advantages. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...DIR#>/wink.gif
So like Palms, the destination is the factor that decides how I travel.
Now I will admit to choosing a flight because of the aircraft, and I have traveled to airports, miilitary bases and a few museums just to do some "spotting", but that's only par for the course. Who here hasn't done that. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...#>/biggrin.gif

Most beautiful airport - DEN - seeing those pyramid tent canopies silhouetted against the Rockies, whether coming in by air or land, it's a beautiful sight.

Most inconvenient airport - IAD, (two words- "people movers" they break down at night...... in the snow. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...IR#>/angry.gif

Best airport - ITO- very friendly staff, rattan chairs, hula dancers and you're in Hawaii, what's not to like.

BTW, Palms would you like this topic moved to General Discussion?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ColoAvs19 @ Jan 31 2010, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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I love flying! To me it&#39;s so fascinating to be sitting in a chair in the sky. When you watch a plane take off, it goes out of sight. It&#39;s like it doesn&#39;t even exist. Then out of nowhere it just pops out of the clouds in some other place.[/b]

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"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
--Leonardo Da Vinci

C-19, you and Leonardo used different words but the sentiment is the same, and Leonardo Da Vinci never saw an airplane.

Its all about the destination.. I love seeing new places and adding new cities to where I&#39;ve been. I also feel awesome to be a jet setter!!!

I enjoy the whole experience from the airport to the flying to the destination.


Nick--I love going into AUS for some Amy&#39;s ice cream!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (29Palms @ Feb 1 2010, 07:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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Times like that I am very greatful to be part of the airlines industry, especially as a technician, when I especially have the inside scoupe on what is happening in flight.[/b]

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Speaking of which I read http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-new...00201-n792.html with interest today.

Know the guy? What do they mean non standard part? As in it could be fitted in a non standard way, or it was completely wrong part? Interesting it has taken so long for this trial

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ColoAvs19 @ Feb 1 2010, 08:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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and to see the zoo of check in at CAI.[/b]

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Never experienced that as I flew out of LXR to SSH. What&#39;s it like? The arrival was crazy enough! Would never arrive at night again

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Migflanker @ Feb 1 2010, 08:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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It&#39;s a place full of mazes, poor signage, fast food and very expensive shops selling water.

Most inconvenient airport - IAD, (two words- "people movers" they break down at night...... in the snow. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...IR#>/angry.gif[/b]

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Don&#39;t you mean LAX - for both of those? http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...R#>/tongue.gif

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Migflanker @ Feb 1 2010, 08:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."
--Leonardo Da Vinci[/b]

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Great quote.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vulindlela @ Feb 1 2010, 09:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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Nick--I love going into AUS for some Amy&#39;s ice cream![/b]

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I&#39;ve always heard about that but never tried it! My fav was salt lick.... I was told I have to go to the actual place in Driftwood one day

"It&#39;s (airports) a place full of mazes, poor signage, fast food and very expensive shops selling water.
Most inconvenient airport - IAD, (two words- "people movers" they break down at night...... in the snow. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...IR#>/angry.gif "
--Migflanker

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nick @ Feb 1 2010, 05:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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Don&#39;t you mean LAX - for both of those? http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...R#>/tongue.gif[/b]

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Touche&#39;, although we don&#39;t get a lot of snow in L.A. http://www.nonrev.net/forums/style_e...#>/biggrin.gif
BTW, the renovations at TBIT are supposed to be completed in March.