What is your favourite Airport?

Simon Gruber Says

Munich by far. The forum area with beer garden, different events all year including a Christmas market in December. Has a decent shopping area pre security including a supermarket (pretty much the only one open on a Sunday in Munich too). Also has a great spotters hill and the rail connection to the city is great.

Honourable mention to Cherry Capital Intl in Traverse City, Michigan. Lovely little airport with the terminal surrounded by trees and a kind of log cabin style to the interior. Security takes all of one minute.

L1011

From the small scale ones, Tallinn both has some aesthetic qualities and has a decent mix of facilities. It doesn't even look like an airport building land-side and many of the gates are decorated uniquely. Pier is pretty new, head building which was the entire terminal previously is soviet architecture but of the quality they built to show off so still decent.

Also seems to be able to have an entire section closed off during less busy periods - heating costs would be substantial there for one, makes it feel like less an empty shed when quiet. Its also basically in the city. Pity it hasn't got a tram line though!

Worst small - Leeds

Mid sized airports - Portland PDX is pretty unique. One of the few airports that has a better downtown to airport price ratio than Dublin as the owners made it a clause in lease agreements that you couldn't charge more than downtown. Layout is a bit bad due to predating modern security and it still has the US domestic baggage carousels in the lobby!

Worst mid - no one stands out.

Big airports - I hate all of them realistically. Dublin's in the big airport category now isn't it? That'll do :pac:
Before Gatwick brought in bussing for Irish arrivals I'd have given it to them - could make it from the plane to the train in 9 minutes.

Worst big is definitely Manchester

Comhrá

My favourite international is Sciphol.

Local, 1: Shannon 2: Kerry 3: Cork.

fxotoole

Denver airport. Home of Nazis and Lizardmen Illuminati:

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Denver_Airport_conspiracy_theories

Hanwellian

Heathrow - So many different aircraft types, T2 now handy for Aer Lingus incoming/outgoing flights.

Arrecife- Watching planes come in over the sea/beach, only 30 feet above your head.

lufties

L1011 wrote: »

From the small scale ones, Tallinn both has some aesthetic qualities and has a decent mix of facilities. It doesn't even look like an airport building land-side and many of the gates are decorated uniquely. Pier is pretty new, head building which was the entire terminal previously is soviet architecture but of the quality they built to show off so still decent.

Also seems to be able to have an entire section closed off during less busy periods - heating costs would be substantial there for one, makes it feel like less an empty shed when quiet. Its also basically in the city. Pity it hasn't got a tram line though!

Worst small - Leeds

Mid sized airports - Portland PDX is pretty unique. One of the few airports that has a better downtown to airport price ratio than Dublin as the owners made it a clause in lease agreements that you couldn't charge more than downtown. Layout is a bit bad due to predating modern security and it still has the US domestic baggage carousels in the lobby!

Worst mid - no one stands out.

Big airports - I hate all of them realistically. Dublin's in the big airport category now isn't it? That'll do :pac:
Before Gatwick brought in bussing for Irish arrivals I'd have given it to them - could make it from the plane to the train in 9 minutes.

Worst big is definitely Manchester

Manchester airport is awful, ugly and old.

Chris_5339762

Simon Gruber Says wrote: »

Munich by far. The forum area with beer garden, different events all year including a Christmas market in December. Has a decent shopping area pre security including a supermarket (pretty much the only one open on a Sunday in Munich too). Also has a great spotters hill and the rail connection to the city is great.

I hate Munich, at least all the terminal that Aer Lingus uses. 45 minutes to downtown, grey building, security has no proper area to get ready or clear up, awful smell in the place because of the smoking areas that are never properly sealed and car hire return signage not clear.

VG31

Nuremberg Airport is quite good for a small enough airport. The U-Bahn station is right outside the airport. There were no queues for check-in and short ones for security. I was their at an off-peak time though.

The airport is clean and modern with plenty of seats. The selection of shops is fairly good (including an aircraft model shop!) There was a limited selection of restaurants though. There's a viewing terrace as well I think but I didn't see it.

Dublin Airport is pretty good as well. The free Wi-Fi is the best of any airport I've been in. The selection of shops/restaurants in T1 especially is good. Even in the older parts (Pier 2 and 3) the toilets are clean and reasonably modern. The staff are generally friendly and helpful also. The only bad things are the the long walk to Pier 1, (although I always enjoy seeing the view of the Old Terminal) and the lack of a train connection to the city.

Captain_Crash

Orlando, I love the layout (even though its terrible for moving large numbers of people) and there is a nice tropical feel about it. Nostalgia of course plays a part from traveling there every year on holidays as a kid.

Special shout out also goes to the new Bangkok Airport (I wont attempt to spell it).

Edit: I say new BKK but I've just realised its 11 years old now

lufties

Captain_Crash wrote: »

Orlando, I love the layout (even though its terrible for moving large numbers of people) and there is a nice tropical feel about it. Nostalgia of course plays a part from traveling there every year on holidays as a kid.

Special shout out also goes to the new Bangkok Airport (I wont attempt to spell it).

Edit: I say new BKK but I've just realised its 11 years old now

Ever fly into don muang? Its really old school, I always used think of "banged up abroad" when passing through lol

HeidiHeidi

Brego888 wrote: »

Donegal Airport. Stunning.

Donegal is my favourite hands down - so cute and efficient and friendly. And yes, stunning both in look and situation.

Haven't been to Munich in years but lived there when it opened, and thought it was amazing. Was always gobsmacked by the fact that they closed down the old airport at 1am and opened the new one at 5am miles away - only the Germans could even attempt that

Captain_Crash

lufties wrote: »

Ever fly into don muang? Its really old school, I always used think of "banged up abroad" when passing through lol

No I didn't, I flew into BKK about a month after it opened, and Don Muang had been closed... I believe its open again as a low cost airport as several airlines didn't like BKK (I'm guessing the cost of operating there).. I also remember distinctly having the best Singapore noodle ever there... N.B. this may have something to do with the about of drink that had been lashed into me:P

goingnowhere

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I hate Munich, at least all the terminal that Aer Lingus uses. 45 minutes to downtown, grey building, security has no proper area to get ready or clear up, awful smell in the place because of the smoking areas that are never properly sealed and car hire return signage not clear.

And the 60 minute wait to crawl through security and immigration at 9am...

lufties

Captain_Crash wrote: »

No I didn't, I flew into BKK about a month after it opened, and Don Muang had been closed... I believe its open again as a low cost airport as several airlines didn't like BKK (I'm guessing the cost of operating there).. I also remember distinctly having the best Singapore noodle ever there... N.B. this may have something to do with the about of drink that had been lashed into me:P

Haha, I flew into don muang at the tender age of 21, one week in phuket, one in phi phi.. Suvarnabhumi is obv much much nicer than don muang, but again its kinda that Dublin T1 vs T2 thing.

Bkk is after going a bit downhill over the years tbh. I spent about 8 hrs there once as I missed a connecting flight..the food\restaurants are very average and overpriced, and there's only one internet cafe in a far corner in check in..security and passport control can be a nightmare too..I do love the layout and design though.

Simon Gruber Says

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Haven't been to Munich in years but lived there when it opened, and thought it was amazing. Was always gobsmacked by the fact that they closed down the old airport at 1am and opened the new one at 5am miles away - only the Germans could even attempt that

They have since done a complete 180 with the absolute shambles that is Berlin Brandenburg. I'm sure it's lovely, but nobody has been through it yet, even though it was due to open nearly a decade ago.

+1 for koh samui !
Could spend a whole holiday in it!

galway rower

I have always liked Brussels Zaventem, but the best to fly into is Santos dumont in Rio de Janeiro if the are landing on runway 02R

lufties

bubblypop wrote: »

+1 for koh samui !
Could spend a whole holiday in it!

I agree, tis better than the island itself

Donegal Storm

lufties wrote: »

Ever fly into don muang? Its really old school, I always used think of "banged up abroad" when passing through lol

Don Mueang has been given a facelift recently, still has the low ceilings and long corridors but check in and security are really easy now. I was just there the other day and went from stepping out of my taxi to airside in 7 minutes and that included checking a bag. It's growing at a ridiculously fast rate though (30 million extra pax in the past 5 years) so I'd imagine it gets pretty crowded.

Boulevardier

I recently used Southampton, and I have to say I loved it.

You can be on a train to Southampton central within 10 minutes of coming down the plane steps. The train platform is literally across a small road from the terminal.

The place is intimate, spacious and unfussed.

RocketRaccoon

I must be the only person who doesnt like T2 in LHR. I've had 2 relatively long layovers there recently and didn't like it at all, poor choice of shops and very uncomfortable seating.

AndyBoBandy

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

I must be the only person who doesnt like T2 in LHR. I've had 2 relatively long layovers there recently and didn't like it at all, poor choice of shops and very uncomfortable seating.

If you were flying Aer Lingus, it would have been well worth buying access into their lounge at LHR T2, its a stunning lounge.

RocketRaccoon

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

If you were flying Aer Lingus, it would have been well worth buying access into their lounge at LHR T2, its a stunning lounge.

I had access to the Lufthansa lounge the second time thankfully.

dastardly00

Currently having some breakfast in SNN. I parked the car, walked to terminal, checked-in, and went through security all in a matter of minutes. Happy days
The main departure area with the bar looks a lot nicer too since it was renovated.

Henry Ford III

dastardly00 wrote: »

Currently having some breakfast in SNN. I parked the car, walked to terminal, checked-in, and went through security all in a matter of minutes. Happy days
The main departure area with the bar looks a lot nicer too since it was renovated.

Yep. I was going to the USA last year. I was parked, checked in, bag drop (golf clubs), through security and US preclearance and was at the gate in 15 mins!

It's very efficient.

p.s. Changi airport in Singapore is very nice and comfortable.

jjbrien

dastardly00 wrote: »

Currently having some breakfast in SNN. I parked the car, walked to terminal, checked-in, and went through security all in a matter of minutes. Happy days
The main departure area with the bar looks a lot nicer too since it was renovated.

Does SNN still have the old Aer Rianta red seats? I seen a photo recently of Shannon and seen the seats still there.

For me Gatwick ranks high. Nice selection of shops, places to eat. lounge access can be got too for a decent price. The new security area in the south terminal is the best I have seen. The little places they have to put your stuff to repack is genius. Makes security so much faster as people move away from the belts faster.

lufties

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

I had access to the Lufthansa lounge the second time thankfully.

Show off :-D

skallywag

Has to be Zurich.

dogmatix

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

I've always liked Gatwick. I've only flown from the South Terminal with EI and FR, but its always held memories of good trips and rampages.

Plus, over the years I've worked out every back way out of the terminal that I think there is... I'm not sure if the staff know them all! Onto the Sussex Border Path and into the lakeside park.... down onto the public footpath trails and all the way down to the Beehive terminal.

Agree with you on Gatwick - lots of neat little walks on leafy paths and streams just a short walk from the terminals.

Also with regards to Gatwick – happy memories of flying out from here on my annual trekking holidays, back in the day when I could afford annual trekking holidays. Plus it has a good range of hotels within easy walking distance of the terminals. Plus, it is not Heathrow.

Dublin – yes, it is an ugly unplanned mess but it means you are home.

Vancouver YVR – nice clean bright airport with good facilities that never seems to be crowded.

Having said all that, it has been a good few years since I was in Gatwick or YVR and they could have turned into horrible fleapits since.

lufties

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/qantas-new-perth-airport-international-wing-to-feature-patio-and-barbecue-grill/news-story/9646962af69d40e63094ae03418da6f0

Could be a nice addition to PER..An outdoor barbeque.