Now, it would be silly to suggesr an airport is as familiar as a train or bus station while it is considerably more complicated.
But knowing your airport can take the stress out of your holiday: start badly and it’ll set your break off wrongly.
And as I begin a new journey from a new (old) airport here in Edinburgh www.edinburghairport.com my first thought is that this does save the legs.
An old fave, Turkish Airport, at Edinburgh Airport
Anybody who has been through Dublin Airport (www.dublinairport.com) knows the long hike to your airplane.
It almost feels like you are taking the strain off the plane by walking halfway to your holiday destination yourself.
So leave yourself plenty of time. while it’s easy to mix up your Ryanairs and Aer Linguses.
Flyinair
So don’t leave yourself having to sprint between terminals: Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) Terminal 1 and Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com).
Apply this logic too to even bigger airports where it might involve buses between terminals, or even trains.
And ALWAYS read the small print on your information… you may be flying with an auxiliary airline from Munich to Athens.
And the main airline where you are is in another terminal in the airport.
Yes, guilty, and I am forever grateful and still terrified of the Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com) reservations manager I had to break the news to… My Greek odyssey.
While Donegal Airport http://www.donegalairport.ie was voted the most scenic airport in the world for the second year running by PrivateFly, a private jet booking service…
To your hotel when you’ve only got 45 minutes to get to the airport.
OK, that’s not the airport’s fault.
Provide segways
Good for an airport: In Malta
4. Or at least fast and slow walking lanes.
I swear the walkway when you land in Dublin to customs gets longer every time I come through.
See Nos 1 and 3.
Provide some phone points
I’ve found one: An airport plug-in.
5. So that when it all goes Pete Tong you can charge your phone to get on the app…
To rearrange your flight, or, yes it’s old-fashioned but… phone your wife for a confidence booster.
In fact this is Nos 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
12: Leave a book of Greek poetry
It’s all Greek to me
For those of us who took Ancient Greek at school!
Like they did at Kythera airport in the Attica region from where we visited Aphrodite’s birthplace www.kythera.gr/en.
Turk that
13: Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
On the right track: Istanbul Airport
You can improve on perfection.
Turkish Airlines’ http://www.turkishairlnes.com business lounge in the new Istanbul airport, an ideal hub, though I’d say you’d be tempted to stay in Turkey’s biggest city.
That is if you ever leave the airport with its golf simulator, grand prix games track, banquets of food and drink and cinema.
And much, much more.
I also had the privilege of being shown around TA’s headquarters.