Fav/Worst Airport (2 Viewers)

[jemsta]

whats so bad about the location of sydney airport?

 

[JaredR]

Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel

It's modern and well-designed though it has a nice homely feel.

 

[morgoe]

Don't have a best, but Canada is the worst I've been to. Going out from Canada, you cross the US border (they built the airport on the border), so you have to go through US customs, all that shit for about 3 hours before even getting on the plane, and then do it all again for the actual country you're going to when you get to it.

 

[5233andy]

Don't have a best, but Canada is the worst I've been to. Going out from Canada, you cross the US border (they built the airport on the border), so you have to go through US customs, all that shit for about 3 hours before even getting on the plane, and then do it all again for the actual country you're going to when you get to it.

Which airport was that? I know for a fact that international passengers transferring in Canada for US bound flight or passengers travelling from CA to the US clear US customs at the Canadian airport. This is awfully strange, but once this is done, there is no need to clear customs on arrival in the US.

Transferring in the US is utterly annoying. I was on QF107 SYD-LAX-JFK, on arrival at LAX, bags had to be collected, x-rayed again, security had to be cleared - TSA officials were awful. On arrival at JFK, bags did not reach the carousel until 45 minutes after arrival.

Another aspect of American airports that really bothers me is the fact that upon arrival, all aircraft are towed to the gate, meaning that the plane would be sitting on the tarmac in excess of 30 minutes, waiting to be towed to the gate, which is only 2 minutes away.

 

[JaredR]

Which airport was that? I know for a fact that international passengers transferring in Canada for US bound flight or passengers travelling from CA to the US clear US customs at the Canadian airport. This is awfully strange, but once this is done, there is no need to clear customs on arrival in the US.

Transferring in the US is utterly annoying. I was on QF107 SYD-LAX-JFK, on arrival at LAX, bags had to be collected, x-rayed again, security had to be cleared - TSA officials were awful. On arrival at JFK, bags did not reach the carousel until 45 minutes after arrival.

Another aspect of American airports that really bothers me is the fact that upon arrival, all aircraft are towed to the gate, meaning that the plane would be sitting on the tarmac in excess of 30 minutes, waiting to be towed to the gate, which is only 2 minutes away.

It sounds like US airports need instructioning from Israel Airport Security. All passengers are questioned on their time in Israel, where they stayed, what they did - asked whether anyone gave them any "gifts", passports are thoroughly checked. Next luggage is hand searched by security staff. This often involves electronics being checked. Tests are taken for residue on all electronics, suitcase zippers, shoes etc. Again passengers are questioned. Passengers then can finally check their luggage through.

The process is thorough but the time it takes usually isn't too bad.

 

[5233andy]

It sounds like US airports need instructioning from Israel Airport Security. All passengers are questioned on their time in Israel, where they stayed, what they did - asked whether anyone gave them any "gifts", passports are thoroughly checked. Next luggage is hand searched by security staff. This often involves electronics being checked. Tests are taken for residue on all electronics, suitcase zippers, shoes etc. Again passengers are questioned. Passengers then can finally check their luggage through.

The process is thorough but the time it takes usually isn't too bad.

I'm pretty sure that all passengers are questioned as to their place of residence whilst within the foreign country. This is usually completed through arrival documentation, distributed whilst onboard the aircraft. Upon arrival at LAX, the flight manager reminded all that if the documents (there are two of them for non-US residents) are incorrectly filled, you may be asked to join the end of the queue. Americans take their security seriously (with understanding) - arriving passengers are fingerprinted and a photo taken.

 

[JaredR]

I'm pretty sure that all passengers are questioned as to their place of residence whilst within the foreign country. This is usually completed through arrival documentation, distributed whilst onboard the aircraft. Upon arrival at LAX, the flight manager reminded all that if the documents (there are two of them for non-US residents) are incorrectly filled, you may be asked to join the end of the queue. Americans take their security seriously (with understanding) - arriving passengers are fingerprinted and a photo taken.

I think you misread my post. Security in Israel is considered the most stringent of any nation by many and for me was far more intence than that of when I've travelled to the US.

 

[James747]

of the ones i've been to
best: Hong Kong, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur
worse: Sydney (hate the new tiled floors on departure *yuk* )

 

[jazzbaby]

fave:
dubai

worst: delhi

 

[Hagaren]

Favourite= Kansai and then Narita. The only two airports i've seen outside of
Australia.

Worst=Cairns, Just because there are heaps of asian tourists coming through doesn't mean you can charge $7.50 for TimTams.

 

[ZabZu]

Transferring in the US is utterly annoying. I was on QF107 SYD-LAX-JFK, on arrival at LAX, bags had to be collected, x-rayed again, security had to be cleared - TSA officials were awful. On arrival at JFK, bags did not reach the carousel until 45 minutes after arrival.

At the start of the year I was on my way home from London and I flew via San Francisco. I had a 5 hour layover at the airport. I had to go through immigration (which took about 1 hour because of the line). I couldnt have my bag checked all the way to Sydney so I collected it. Because there was still a while before the flight was due to leave for Sydney, I had to wait about an hour for the Qantas check-in kiosks to open.

 

[5233andy]

At the start of the year I was on my way home from London and I flew via San Francisco. I had a 5 hour layover at the airport. I had to go through immigration (which took about 1 hour because of the line). I couldnt have my bag checked all the way to Sydney so I collected it. Because there was still a while before the flight was due to leave for Sydney, I had to wait about an hour for the Qantas check-in kiosks to open.

I think it's the case with all transfers. If you're transferring between flights, in most airports, this is standard procedure. In my case, it was the same flight to JFK from SYD, via LAX. Though, I understand that it's US Homeland Security's guidelines that all incoming passengers clear customs at their first US port of call, re-checking bags and clearing security is simply unnecessary, despite the bags being checked all the way, bound for JFK from SYD.

 

[ZabZu]

I think it's the case with all transfers. If you're transferring between flights, in most airports, this is standard procedure. In my case, it was the same flight to JFK from SYD, via LAX. Though, I understand that it's US Homeland Security's guidelines that all incoming passengers clear customs at their first US port of call, re-checking bags and clearing security is simply unnecessary, despite the bags being checked all the way, bound for JFK from SYD.

Yeh its probably standard procedure in the US. It didnt happen to me when i transfered in Thailand and France.

 

[Kwayera]

Best:
HK
Singapore
Tokyo & Osaka
Malpensa
Sabi Sabi (for a glorified dirt strip in the middle of Tsavo NP, it was very well designed)

Worst:
Male
Bangkok
Nadi
LAX
Avalon

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Best: Sydney
Worst: Coolangatta

And there ends my experience.

 

[Omie Jay]

Heathrow airport is pretty intense, quite big, 4 massive sections if i remember correctly.
I remember these huge escalators there that were so steep that you'd fall to the bottom just from looking over. Try peering down while ur on the way up, steadying a 30kg suitcase in the process. Oh, and when u do try, make sure ur 12 yrs old.

I survived

 

[Miffstaa]

best: Munich -I loved it. It was very long and spacey and whenever I've been there, its been empty.
Hong Kong- it had everything

worst: Heathrow- for some reason i didnt like it at all
Pudong International- crazily crowded and something about the atmosphere.
Bangkok- Those chairs literally looked like green bathtubs sawn in half.

 

[gella]

best: auckland, buenos aires (nice views. haha)
worst: sao paulo - tooo confusing, had a hard time finding my way around it
and manila.

 

[icraig88]

best: Munich -I loved it. It was very long and spacey and whenever I've been there, its been empty.
Hong Kong- it had everything

worst: Heathrow- for some reason i didnt like it at all
Pudong International- crazily crowded and something about the atmosphere.
Bangkok- Those chairs literally looked like green bathtubs sawn in half.

lol theyre so uncomfortable. i had to wait there from like 8pm to 1am for my flight back to sydney. was so fucked it wasnt funny, so my mate and i bought these tablets when we were in bangkok. they were horse tranquiliser antihistamine tablets, never slept so well on a plane in my life.

 

[emobopeep]

Favourites: Sydney, Seattle, Dublin, Singapore
Worst: Los Angeles, Frankfurt