Airports

I have previously commented, in different forums, on the advantages and disadvantages of major airports so if you have seen this before, just let it pass.

I recently flew from Newark to Detroit, a trip I have taken many times and which is usually a non-event. Newark is a pretty comfortable airport and one whose quirks and layout are very familiar to me, especially those of Continental's main terminal C. Newark doesn't win five stars from me but it is certainly in the four star category, designed to current standards of passenger comfort, ease of navigation and handicap access.

My current trip started out with the plane being delayed from Buffalo by about half an hour which is not cause for concern. It soon became apparent that the airline personnel were up to their old habits of not being truthful and that the plane was going to be arriving considerably later than they were reporting. At the time we were supposed to leave, it was announced that there had been a gate change and in order to avoid having to go through security again, a bus would take us around the building to the other gate. When we got there there was another gate change but only one gate over, but still the plane hadn't arrived. When it did, the mechanics had to check something and we finally took off about 2 hours late. I discovered something I didn't know about terminal A and that is that the busses are a regular feature of the terminal shuttling passengers and employees from one set of gates to another, because, apparently, there is no corridor leading from one concourse to another inside the security cordon sanitaire.

So much for Newark. Detroit is another matter altogether. If I were to rate it, I would have to award it four black holes. (How do you graphically portray a black hole?) Admittedly, not every part of the airport is as bad as the worst part. The main terminal has a train running through it and it only requires one escalator to get to the shuttle level. from there you go down to the main concourse, take an escalator or elevator up to some mezzanine level only to have to go back down again to get to baggage claim and the outside. The terminal we arrived in requires some walking, then several levels down, a long level corridor with moving walkways, up several levels and then down to baggage claim. I am not sure why they didn't install a roller coaster. At least the McNamara terminal, as dingy as it was, used a logical design plan. The old main terminal was actually no better in traffic flow than the new one is so I suspect that Detroiters have a strange view of the world.

How about other airports?

My all around best five star large airport is Atlanta, GA. The plan is simple. There are two terminals, North and South each a large square containing baggage claim and ticketing on one level. Then there are five parallel, rectangular, concourses progressing from east to west connected only by an underground viaduct where you have a choice of walking, using a moving walkway or taking the tram. It makes for a very quick sprint from plane to baggage claim or from ticketing to plane.

Besides Detroit My black hole airports are Miami, the new Fort Lauderdale airport and Toronto's Lester Pearson airport, terminal one, which is a multi story building which requires the use of elevators that don't hold too many people or bags. San Francisco is another up and down nightmare but I only used it once and that was enough. Maybe it has some hidden redeeming qualities.

Airports I like: Newark, Aberdeen SD, Lynchburg, VA. For no particular reason except that I am used to them and have spent a lot of time enjoying their facilities. I feel like I've lived there.

Let's hear your favorites and least liked.