What are the biggest pain points at airports for you?

[MinMon]

Newbie to this forum, but a long time aviation professional here...

I'm presenting at a large aviation/travel conference soon. I'm interested in understanding the most common frustrations Australians experience when travelling internationally, both at Australian airports and overseas.
Whether you travel for business or leisure, I'd love to hear what makes your airport experience unnecessarily stressful, inconvenient or frustrating.
A link to a Google form is here:
You can select multiple answers and add your own experiences.

Thank you!
Minna
AirHelp

 

[MinMon]

Newbie to this forum, but a long time aviation professional here...

I'm presenting at a large aviation/travel conference soon. I'm interested in understanding the most common frustrations Australians experience when travelling internationally, both at Australian airports and overseas.
Whether you travel for business or leisure, I'd love to hear what makes your airport experience unnecessarily stressful, inconvenient or frustrating.
A link to a Google form is here:
You can select multiple answers and add your own experiences.

Thank you!
Minna
AirHelp

Thanks to the flyers who have replied already!!! More replies the merrier

 

[RB]

Newbie to this forum, but a long time aviation professional here...

I'm presenting at a large aviation/travel conference soon. I'm interested in understanding the most common frustrations Australians experience when travelling internationally, both at Australian airports and overseas.
Whether you travel for business or leisure, I'd love to hear what makes your airport experience unnecessarily stressful, inconvenient or frustrating.
A link to a Google form is here:
You can select multiple answers and add your own experiences.

Thank you!
Minna
AirHelp

Have completed the response. I don't find that screening is always slow but it is inconsistent- these are lumped together in your form

 

[MinMon]

Have completed the response. I don't find that screening is always slow but it is inconsistent- these are lumped together in your form

Thanks for completing!!

 

[Seat0B]

I agree with @RB it is the inconsistency of security that gets to me.

Also, when I did the survey, I did not mention the long lines at check in/bag drop as I usually fly business and have Platinum (OWE) status which gets me special treatment. If not for that, I would have ticked that one.

I also dislike having to get a new app for every single airline.

Once you’ve done your presentation, I think the community here on AFF would be interested in hearing the results of your research about this topic! Welcome to the forum.

 

[VPS]

Done

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I’m not going to complete the online form, but the two areas that irk me the most are slow security lines, and slow immigration. Security more so because it is usually contract security and by paying a bit more they could employ more staff and speed it up for everyone.

Immigration are government employees so not a lot we can do about that!

Followed by: misleading ‘tax free’ shops that are often more expensive than buying non-tax-free in town, forced walks through shopping, and just silly prices for things like a bottle of water.

Annoying airport habits: ‘final call/gate closing’ an hour before departure when they haven’t even started boarding yet (hello Changi). And closely followed by airlines that issue a boarding pass stating an hour before, but the staff don’t even turn up at the gate until 30 mins prior.

How airports should be run: Bali (and i’m guessing Jakarta as well). Plane to curb in 10 mins with HLO.

On arrival… gate staff that don’t show up. Don’t they check inbound arrivals? And when they do get there… it’s like it’s the first time they’ve ever manoeuvred a jetbridge.

 

[Viridis]

Newbie to this forum, but a long time aviation professional here...

I'm presenting at a large aviation/travel conference soon. I'm interested in understanding the most common frustrations Australians experience when travelling internationally, both at Australian airports and overseas.
Whether you travel for business or leisure, I'd love to hear what makes your airport experience unnecessarily stressful, inconvenient or frustrating.
A link to a Google form is here:
You can select multiple answers and add your own experiences.

Thank you!
Minna
AirHelp

Security. Security. Security ….. in that order

I find the arrogance & stupidity of a process that expects us (the passengers) to change in order to accommodate its limitations mind numbingly annoying

Why should I disrobe etc etc etc just to make the lives of the security employees easy? The process should have been designed to accommodate the travelling - and paying!! - public

We have been bullied and cajoled into accepting this nonsense as normal. It isn’t

 

[offshore171]

I agree with @RB it is the inconsistency of security that gets to me.

Inconsistency between airports and countries is understandable.

Different scanning equipment, different local threat scenarios and different rules (eg: for LAGS) etc.

So given these differences, such as iPad in/out of bag, laptops out, belts, shoes/off and so on....

Please put plenty of clear signage for those queueing up for security, so that they can get organised before reaching the front of the line at the X-ray machine and body scanner.

Eg:

• Remove laptops from bags
• Remove jackets and shoes
• iPads, tablets and mobile phones can be left in bags

Some airports are doing this, but many aren't. Their solution is yelling and screaming at travellers all day long.

 

[Viridis]

Inconsistency between airports and countries is understandable.

Different scanning equipment, different local threat scenarios and different rules (eg: for LAGS) etc.

So given these differences, such as iPad in/out of bag, laptops out, belts, shoes/off and so on....

Please put plenty of clear signage for those queueing up for security, so that they can get organised before reaching the front of the line at the X-ray machine and body scanner.

Eg:

• Remove laptops from bags
• Remove jackets and shoes
• iPads, tablets and mobile phones can be left in bags

Some airports are doing this, but many aren't. Their solution is yelling and screaming at travellers all day long.

I admire your ‘zen’ but if an international airport doesn’t have the necessary equipment to allow passengers to transit security - without removing their shoes (or boots!) then they have no business being in business - buy the necessary equipment or get out would be my ‘solution’.

I have witnessed one young adult being instructed to remove her thongs from her (bare feet). It was idiotic.

As for ‘yelling & screaming’ … I simply don’t respond until they communicate in a civil manner

I have to say, Sydney is up there with the best - Amsterdam, London (both) & Auckland are amongst the worst

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Inconsistency between airports and countries is understandable.

Different scanning equipment, different local threat scenarios and different rules (eg: for LAGS) etc.

So given these differences, such as iPad in/out of bag, laptops out, belts, shoes/off and so on....

Please put plenty of clear signage for those queueing up for security, so that they can get organised before reaching the front of the line at the X-ray machine and body scanner.

Eg:

• Remove laptops from bags
• Remove jackets and shoes
• iPads, tablets and mobile phones can be left in bags

Some airports are doing this, but many aren't. Their solution is yelling and screaming at travellers all day long.

But that leads to another problem… how exactly are you supposed to arrange all of this before you get to a tray?

You can’t hold your backpack in one hand, a laptop in the other AND then take off your jacket, get out liquids, take off shoes.

It all pretty much has to be done at the belt?

 

[eastwest101]

Flight displays in airports in landscape format are so short that they need to alternate between two screens. Put it in portrait format with the most imminent departure times at the top; what's the point of showing passengers flight info for flights that have departed more than 15 mins ago, its irrelevant information.

Flight displays - another pet hate of mine - domestic flights with 15 different codeshare flight numbers; the native flight code and number should always be prominently displayed, with other secondary codes rotating. Flights from SYD to MEL? 99% of people are looking for the QF details, not XZ98632

Flight displays in busy airports that become advertising screens: we don't care about your luxury handbags or overpriced cars; we want to know which gate our flight is leaving from and how soon.

Flight security screening - if your body scanner cannot see through a normal pair of shoes/boots, it's not a security scanner anymore - it's security theatre.

 

[MinMon]

I’m not going to complete the online form, but the two areas that irk me the most are slow security lines, and slow immigration. Security more so because it is usually contract security and by paying a bit more they could employ more staff and speed it up for everyone.

Immigration are government employees so not a lot we can do about that!

Followed by: misleading ‘tax free’ shops that are often more expensive than buying non-tax-free in town, forced walks through shopping, and just silly prices for things like a bottle of water.

Annoying airport habits: ‘final call/gate closing’ an hour before departure when they haven’t even started boarding yet (hello Changi). And closely followed by airlines that issue a boarding pass stating an hour before, but the staff don’t even turn up at the gate until 30 mins prior.

How airports should be run: Bali (and i’m guessing Jakarta as well). Plane to curb in 10 mins with HLO.

On arrival… gate staff that don’t show up. Don’t they check inbound arrivals? And when they do get there… it’s like it’s the first time they’ve ever manoeuvred a jetbridge.

Thank you for the feedback - fully agree!!

 

[MinMon]

Flight displays in airports in landscape format are so short that they need to alternate between two screens. Put it in portrait format with the most imminent departure times at the top; what's the point of showing passengers flight info for flights that have departed more than 15 mins ago, its irrelevant information.

Light displays - another pet hate of mine - domestic flights with 15 different codeshare flight numbers; the native flight code and number should always be prominently displayed, with other secondary codes rotating. Flights from SYD to MEL? 99% of people are looking for the QF details, not XZ98632

Flight displays in busy airports that become advertising screens: we don't care about your luxury handbags or overpriced cars; we want to know which gate our flight is leaving from and how soon.

Flight security screening - if your body scanner cannot see through a normal pair of shoes/boots, it's not a security scanner anymore - it's security theatre.

Thank you!!! Agree 100% with the codeshare displays!

 

[Daver6]

Not covered in your survey, but being called to the gate from the lounge only to find either boarding isn't going to start for ages or boarding is already well underway. There should be better coordination between the lounge calls and actual boarding.

 

[MinMon]

Not covered in your survey, but being called to the gate from the lounge only to find either boarding isn't going to start for ages or boarding is already well underway. There should be better coordination between the lounge calls and actual boarding.

Agree!