We have all been there in that seat--the seat that has grown increasingly smaller over the past years of air travel. The same seat that holds the stressed traveler returning home from another business trip across the country. This traveler who purchased a flight that cost $99 (plus $622 taxes and fees!). The traveler who purchased pre-boarding rights, and then was stuck on a late shuttle bus in traffic between the hotel and airport. While going through security, the traveler got stuck in line behind someone who knew nothing of the TSA rules for liquids, lighters and sharp objects. After three tries, the bag and passenger ahead of the traveler was finally cleared. The traveler gathered his bag; put on his shoes and belt; then raced through the terminal to find his gate, not having time to stop for breakfast though his stomach growled in hunger.
As he approached the long line already boarding his flight, the traveler noticed that many passengers in line ahead of him struggled with extremely oversized bags. By the time he made it onto the aircraft, there was no room for his regular sized bag in any of the overhead compartments. He squeezed it into the space on the floor in front of his middle seat---the flight was, of course, FULL. Both of the traveler’s seat mates already had their elbows on the arm rests, where they monopolized his space throughout the flight. The youngster behind him had legs just long enough to kick his seat throughout the four hour flight. The baby two rows back screamed at blood-curdling pitches throughout takeoff, landing and everything in between. The man in front of him decided to recline for a nap, infringing on the traveler’s space even more as he closed his eyes.
Although the traveler had hoped to take a bit of a rest on this flight, the couple across the aisle, who just met, spoke as loudly as humanly possible the ENTIRE trip about every bit of nonsense they could imagine to discuss. The traveler got peanuts for his meal and had to pay $2.00 for a bottle of water from the annoyed flight attendant who acted as if she would rather be anywhere else but serving him and the rest of his fellow passengers.
When the flight landed, disembarkation was like a rugby scrum. Everyone jumped up and shoved their way toward the aisle. However, when it was finally the traveler’s turn to leave his seat, a woman two aisles ahead blocked the way as she seemed to take forever to retrieve all her oversized bags in the overhead compartment. The traveler was not sure how she made it on the plane with all her luggage. But his concern was how she was going to get off the plane with it. She slowly made her way down the aisle out of the aircraft ahead of him as the traveler disembarked for his two-hour layover at the next airport.
The above story was a bit of an exaggeration, but many of us have lived through similar “traveler” experiences. So, what are airports doing to help relieve this stressed & weary traveler to make up for the service that has been taken away by the airlines? This is the question asked in this article the past couple weeks. Here are some of the answers that were received:
Comfortable chairs in airport
Layout simple/ straightforward and convenient marked well with signs
Transit lounges that are relaxing with free internet
Cleanliness of terminal and bathrooms
Transportation affordable and frequent (plenty of buses)
Seamless
Stress free as possible
No obnoxious announcements on PA
Staff welcoming
Presence of volunteers to help direct passengers to gates, baggage claims, shops, food, other terminals, etc.
Efficient, pleasant, polite staff
Cultural experiences or entertainment (ex. Simulated “desert decorations” in Phoenix Sky Harbor or Korean Dance/Music groups in Seoul Incheon Airport)
Special rooms/supplies for Moms with babies or young children
Staff who seem like they care even with something as simple as a smile and a friendly “hello”!
