International Airports- Best and Worst.

[GoldCanyon340]

I love TXL arrivals: off the aircraft, through immigration and into a taxi in 2 minutes if you're Cabin Baggage Only. TXL departures: that gate security, for which I don't like SIN for the same reason, is interesting and it makes timing your departure from the lounge an interesting game.

 

[JohnK]

The good thing about these lists is to take no notice of them.

Personally I ignore what most people think of an airport. Everyone judges differently and what's important to someone is not necessarily important to me.

Also if you fly often enough you'll get good and bad experiences with each airport.

In saying that I've only been through 2 airports on that list and whilst GVA is not a fantastic airport it's not one of the worst either.

HKT tomorrow night and Friday night. I wonder if it has improved since 2003.

 

[dajop]

I for which I don't like SIN for the same reason, is interesting and it makes timing your departure from the lounge an interesting game.

I depart SIN 2-4 times a month. I don't play that "interesting game". All I know (and count on) is that most passengers don't have lounge access and will get to the gate relatively early before the flight. If you have lounge access, my advice is (unless you have a lot of hand luggage and travelling in Y) is to relax and wait it out there, and aim to arrive at the gate not long before it closes, as there almost always won't be a queue. Just know your airline rules around gate closing. For example, SQ gates close strictly 10 mins before departure (and print the same on boarding pass) , therefore I reach gate 20 mins before (sometimes 15 mins if a short haul) . Never missed a flight, ever. And never stressed about it either (well that could be because of the alcohol in the lounge ). Advantage of being on home turf.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

Hey? I’ve never seen that happen. There’s got to be a cracker of a story behind this!

Haha agreed. I was through KUL yesterday and as always you put the bag on and just walk through the scanner with everything still in your pockets. Its the most passive security and immigration out there.

 

[OZDUCK]

Kul security is so passive that the last time we flew from there I walked through it after showing them a passport and photo - which was actually my wife's. She complained about me doing it when it was her turn but I think if she had kept her mouth shut she could have just walked through as well.

I also now remember the worst airport we have been through - Karachi in 1976. Luckily we were just on a refueling stop with British Caledonian. It was dirty, run down and just as bad as you imagined it would be. The pilot apologised before landing about using it as a stopover.

 

[jase05]

The good thing about these lists is to take no notice of them.

Personally I ignore what most people think of an airport. Everyone judges differently and what's important to someone is not necessarily important to me.

Also if you fly often enough you'll get good and bad experiences with each airport.

In saying that I've only been through 2 airports on that list and whilst GVA is not a fantastic airport it's not one of the worst either.

HKT tomorrow night and Friday night. I wonder if it has improved since 2003.

Went through HKT about a month ago and it was far better than previous times

 

[mrsterryn]

Interesting all the different views
Is Frankfurt still have renovations and new buildings occurring ? I shall be there in Feb for a flight to London
I find Honolulu security system abysmal. Nice little airport though
Dubai is just not well sign posted (as someone else mentioned earlier) I get lost and I have been through there a few times now
London is ok, ditto los angles
Kinda not looking forward to Paris now better make sure I do a stack do research for my Qatar flight

 

[jase05]

Interesting all the different views
Is Frankfurt still have renovations and new buildings occurring ? I shall be there in Feb for a flight to London
I find Honolulu security system abysmal. Nice little airport though
Dubai is just not well sign posted (as someone else mentioned earlier) I get lost and I have been through there a few times now
London is ok, ditto los angles
Kinda not looking forward to Paris now better make sure I do a stack do research for my Qatar flight

We flew into FRA in late July and it was fine. Was some signs of renovations but we were still surprisingly quick to get through. Have no idea what it’s like to depart from though but I do hear plenty of negatives about it

 

[mrsterryn]

Thanks @jase05 They have been building for years.
I am only arriving there

 

[Forg]

FRA was under construction when I went on my first overseas trip with mates in 2001!

 

[mrsterryn]

FRA was under construction when I went on my first overseas trip with mates in 2001!

Geez I thought 2006 was bad (first overseas trip )

 

[Forg]

Nah, I believe there have been Australians with a first overseas trip as early as the late 80’s!

 

[PineappleSkip]

IIRC there was a whole thread on first overseas trip (maybe it was first flight)
Cheers skip

 

[OZDUCK]

Nah, I believe there have been Australians with a first overseas trip as early as the late 80’s!

1976 - 12 months "working holiday" in the UK and Europe. We spent about 8 months in the UK, working in London over winter. Then we drove around Western Europe for 3 months in a 1972 Ford Cortina Station Wagon. My wife beats me easily however. Not only did she migrate to Australia via ship in 1955 (obviously very, very young) but she had already travelled to Sarawak from Singapore the year before as a 1 year old.

 

[JohnK]

Went through HKT about a month ago and it was far better than previous times

Much different to what I remember from 15 years ago.

One thing though is that Thai airports look the same. HKT looks almost the same as CNX.

 

[jase05]

Much different to what I remember from 15 years ago.

One thing though is that Thai airports look the same. HKT looks almost the same as CNX.

The taxi/hire car situation at HKT can still be pretty chaotic depending on your time of arrival. We usually grab a cheap beer from one of the stalls and wait for the foot traffic to die down a bit

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Geeez, I was thinking HGU would take the cake, but after reading this thread, it's a dream. Only has 4 (from memory) shops + a currency exchange ... of course all are empty, and the worst of the delays are if the passport stamper is late because he's either still on the golf course, picking the grandpikininis up from school, or left his passport stamp at home (I kid you not, all scenarios happen often).

On the plus side, I have two avenues to get to the Int. terminal. I can either walk the street market (I assume this is akin to walking the duty free shops, as I'm sure bugger all duty is paid on any purchases), or I can skip the crowds by walking up the apron, which I also do regularly!

Life's full of tough choices.

 

[p--and--t]

Hey? I’ve never seen that happen. There’s got to be a cracker of a story behind this!

Haha agreed. I was through KUL yesterday and as always you put the bag on and just walk through the scanner with everything still in your pockets. Its the most passive security and immigration out there.

A transit stop Mel-Kul-Dbx on Emirates.

After walking through the scanner was randomly instructed (along with a couple others) to put hands in the air and the male security guard went for the grope during "pat down".

Lets just say a couple of marbles stopped aching around 30-60m into the flight.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Lets just say a couple of marbles stopped aching around 30-60m into the flight.

So he used his shooter to knock your aggies out of the ring?

 

[p--and--t]

So he used his shooter to knock your aggies out of the ring?

Relegated to travel war story now, but at the time both painful & damn annoying.

Frustrating as nothing I really could do about it except "waddle" on board. Too many factors against lodging a complaint -> foreign country, security officer, his word against mine, flight already boarding....