What are airports missing?

[qhere]

Enough seating in the "pen" before boarding your flight.

What about seniors having seating not being consumed by very healthy children whilst the seniors stand ("hello, parents?")

Why not have the chairs "all over the airport" complete with USB chargers instead of hiding, locking up a few scattered power points in the airport. Do mobile phones bring the entire electrical grid down in an airport costing the airport $$$$$ per month?

Vending machines instead of expensive (and normally NOT the best quality) "outlets".

Less shopping, friendlier environment.

Ability to navigate through to your gate (Terminal 5 LHR is probably the worst experience - windy pathway, shops, shops, shops, little signs to help with your directions as the shop signage is HUGE.

 

[marki]

Enough seating in the "pen" before boarding your flight.

What about seniors having seating not being consumed by very healthy children whilst the seniors stand ("hello, parents?")

Why not have the chairs "all over the airport" complete with USB chargers instead of hiding, locking up a few scattered power points in the airport. Do mobile phones bring the entire electrical grid down in an airport costing the airport $$$$$ per month?

Vending machines instead of expensive (and normally NOT the best quality) "outlets".

Less shopping, friendlier environment.

Ability to navigate through to your gate (Terminal 5 LHR is probably the worst experience - windy pathway, shops, shops, shops, little signs to help with your directions as the shop signage is HUGE.

I think your on to something here I hate the Terminal 5 experience and the Terminal 3 experience! Welcome to AFF qhere it's a great place!

 

[Menippus]

A few suggestions, some of them airport specific:
(a) In Canberra, signage (so that one can find where the different things in the airport area), and in the boarding area, signage that is readable about what flights are departing from where. It really is about the worst airport that I have ever been to
(b) Showers - a facility that one pays for would be fine, and with good quality facilities - in arrivals: there seems to me little worse than a long economy flight (especially overnight), without one being able to freshen up on arrival
(c) Good quality, uncrowded food courts: Singapore's basement food court in Terminal 3 is a really good model for this
(d) To get rid of all the duty free shops which clutter up ones passage to the planes. Sydney is terrible on this score - one has to go through a huge shopping area before one can get to actual departures. I'd be happy to see the end of duty free completely: given that space in aircraft is at a premium, why encourage people to take on board all kinds of expensive rubbish. (I'd also be delighted to get rid of it on planes, and have the cabin crew spend their time providing actual services to the passengers, instead.) It would be fine - as in Sydney and a few other places - to have duty free in arrivals, provided that it was not obtrusive. This is not a proposal to remove shops from departures; just to have shops that sell things that people would actually wish to consume before or during a journey.

 

[bushycomm]

The main thing which is missing from Australian airports is:- A seamless automated inter-terminal transfer system such as the Heathrow pods or the Changi trains etc.
As a pensioner with a hip replacement, I want to be able to get through security without losing my belt and shoes. Its murder trying to get them in again.

 

[Scimitar]

A view of the planes.

Second that!!

 

[bobbyjo]

It's easy surely, just go to Changi and see what they have there, just about everything that anyone could need.

 

[Quickstatus]

Definitely a Barber. Most guys are in and out within 20-30 mins or less......I suppose $40 max is what id pay for the convenience.....

Mine is a number 2 and takes less than 15 minutes. Will not pay more than $25.

I suspect I won't see a LCB anytime soon in an airport

Does the island state of SIN penalise men for unkempt and long hair? That would be the only place where barbered hair might come in handy?. I suspect for a lot of men (unless travelling for coin) would be happy to let it grow while away

 

[kko]

MEL is missing a train line to the city

 

[marki]

MEL is missing a train line to the city

I would be robust customer of this train line

 

[Scout]

I agree that it would be nice to have some laydown type seating to have a nap. Lying on the floor is not very dignified nor that comfortable.

 

[russ]

Definitely a Barber.

That is a fantastic idea! It would be a great addition to the lounges. I am not interested in the whole massage/spa thing, but a barber would be really useful. I hope Red Roo is listening!

 

[marki]

That is a fantastic idea! It would be a great addition to the lounges. I am not interested in the whole massage/spa thing, but a barber would be really useful. I hope Red Roo is listening!

Probably miss your flight ? Or the barber needs to speed it up as boarding has started.

 

[FirstClass]

Used a barber in at least one departure terminal (HKG?). Had to ask at info desk to find it. No waiting. 10 minute job.
Should be in every int'l departures for sure.

BA arrivals lounge at LHR will press suits and shirts. Great when you arrive personally and sartorially wrinkled after long flt and need to go straight to work.
Otherwise that's what hotels are for. Speaking of hotels (and I realise this forum is about public air transport) my number one longhaul travelling bugbear is laundry.
After arriving in Europe one has already amassed some, then if you've gotta change hotels every day, never in one place long enuf to get it done (even express) or it's 'no service @ weekends' and so I find myself actually planning a whole business trip itinerary around laundry availability. Maybe airports need laundromats?
Some people suggested drycleaners. I guess if they were onsite and quick that would be a good complement / alternative to laundry.

Otherwise, I think top of my wishlist would be arrival of ambulance at house, administration of long-acting anaesthetic from which one is revived in the arrival hall of destination airport, having been showered and dressed in clean clothes and luggage already forwarded to hotel, laundry done and clothes hanging in closet... Alternatively, the ability to email oneself to the destination and give the tin tube thing a complete swerve.

 

[harvyk]

A few suggestions, some of them airport specific:
(a) In Canberra, signage (so that one can find where the different things in the airport area), and in the boarding area, signage that is readable about what flights are departing from where. It really is about the worst airport that I have ever been to
(b) Showers - a facility that one pays for would be fine, and with good quality facilities - in arrivals: there seems to me little worse than a long economy flight (especially overnight), without one being able to freshen up on arrival
(c) Good quality, uncrowded food courts: Singapore's basement food court in Terminal 3 is a really good model for this
(d) To get rid of all the duty free shops which clutter up ones passage to the planes. Sydney is terrible on this score - one has to go through a huge shopping area before one can get to actual departures. I'd be happy to see the end of duty free completely: given that space in aircraft is at a premium, why encourage people to take on board all kinds of expensive rubbish. (I'd also be delighted to get rid of it on planes, and have the cabin crew spend their time providing actual services to the passengers, instead.) It would be fine - as in Sydney and a few other places - to have duty free in arrivals, provided that it was not obtrusive. This is not a proposal to remove shops from departures; just to have shops that sell things that people would actually wish to consume before or during a journey.

Just some questions / comments,

a) signage at CBR? I've never had a problem with the signage at CBR. It's always obvious which gate for which flight and it's not exactly a big airport.
b) showers are certainly good, this is where having lounge access it almost a must, although I do wish that they would provide arrivals access (without needing to ask nicely first) for the purposes of showers.
c) Agreed, food courts which serve quick but good food are essential. SFO's international terminal took pride in the fact they didn't have a food court and thus it was only sit down restaurants. Fine if you've got a couple of hours to kill, not so great if you've only got a short time before your flight.
d) Don't mind the duty free shops, but I want a clear and obvious path through them where I don't have to navigate down tiny aisles with hand luggage. SYD is probably the worst I've seen for being forced down the aisle.

 

[Quickstatus]

Airports to have better food outlets which deliver to the passenger at the gate. MSP has that and lots of passengers had little bags of tucker and drink delivered to them which they took on to the aircraft.

 

[Awesom Andy]

SIN used to have a barber, but it was landside in T2. It closed down a few years ago.

 

[UP4014]

Competitive pricing on retail and parking.

 

[docjames]

I'd trade all the stuff inside the airport for a cheap, modestly fast and reliable public transport to the airport.

eg. AMS. 20mins to city. Goes 4 times per hr. €5.

 

[JohnK]

Vending machines instead of expensive (and normally NOT the best quality) "outlets".

Do we really need more calorie vending machines? Can't escape them wherever you go.

 

[jastel]

How about some more real live people to check you in and thru security faster so you can get "inside" to all these great ideas??
We are not all Platinum FF and used that airport before.
Also sometimes you are at the airport transferring or just have not enough time to do anything else but then you cant check into a flight until 2 hours beforehand etc...
so you sit outside "minding your luggage" for hours before you can check in and get to the food/shops.
Admittedly more a low cost carrier problem...and worse for a solo traveller...cant even go to the toilet unless you want to take your suitcase.
Then by the time you finally get inside you have like 20 minutes to shop/eat/toilet before boarding if you are lucky.
That really annoys me having wasted 3 hours outside sitting on the floor.

You want my money...let me in the door!!