Why I like airports

I spent more than my fair share of time in airports for a certain time in my life.

I have to say that after a while, they all started to look alike, which provided a certain measure of comfort.

What provided the most comfort though was the bookstores. Every airport seems to have one (or at the very least a book "rack") and they were a welcome diversion after 12 hrs on a plane, or when, after that first short hop, you realize the book you'd initially brought with you isn't something you want to spend the next several hours reading.

I'll have to remind myself of that when I go on vacation this summer because I always thought that I hated airports, flying, and anything else to do with unnatural methods of transportation.

I've gone to the Arrivals and Departures at the Toronto airport in the past, with a pen and a journal. It's amazing the reunions and sad goodbyes you see. Great grist for the writer's mill. I love airports too!

oh man airports have the MOST uncomfortable seats for reading.

I HATEHATEHATE airports. especially the ones 'round here (people gawk when they see you READ... 'specially if you're female and... BLONDE ).

The Washington, DC, Metro train was better for me. We took it from Arlington into the city and back daily for four days and nobody didn't have a book. Well, one day there was a woman working on her laptop. All those lawyers and clerks were great word-suckers, even for a 20-minute commute. Not much as grist for a plot, but a wonderful encouragement to me as a writer.

I love airport BARS.

Siddow said:

I love airport BARS.

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we only gots one here that serves BOOZE. imagine, one! always crowded. ever had to get on WAITING LIST for an airport bar?

a_sharp said:

The Washington, DC, Metro train was better for me. We took it from Arlington into the city and back daily for four days and nobody didn't have a book. Well, one day there was a woman working on her laptop. All those lawyers and clerks were great word-suckers, even for a 20-minute commute. Not much as grist for a plot, but a wonderful encouragement to me as a writer.

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I often feel the same way when I go into London and ride on the Underground. There's always a good portion of the people on the trains reading novels. It's no wonder the UK publishers make heavy use of the billboards in the Tube stations.

I don't agree with everybody's choice of reading material. I was standing on a train the other month when a lot of flesh in a magazine a man sitting nearby was looking at caught my attention. On closer inspection, it was hardcore gay porn. Some things you really don't need to see when you're on the train.

My favorite airports are:

Pittsburgh (spacious, lots of shops and restaurants at street prices, places to relax -- sleep even, wifi)
Cincinnati (spacious, generally quiet, wifi at the food court)
Atlanta (huge, efficient, a great buzz, many book stores)
Singapore (it's an awesome place, lots of shops, the business lounge is incredible, wifi)
Amsterdam (it's one of the most comfortable airports in the world)

I've bought books at airport so I know what you're talking about. It just seems like the right thing to do.

With the emergence of eBooks and eBook readers though, it may become unnecessary as people start to bring their whole collection with them on their trips.

I actually love my time, sitting in airports. I bring a couple books, sit back and wait for my flight to board.

My husband who travels for work, however, now officially hates airports. Then again, he barely reads, and when he does, it's health magazines or non-fiction books. And I'm not talking the fun non-fiction like memoirs or something interesting. I'm talking either stuff about planes and flying or how to do things, or encyclopedia type stuff. How boring. Good thing I love him for things other than the genre he enjoys!

I tell you, if everyone started working from home, the world might be a greener place, less carbon foot print et al...but as a pro-writer, I'd be truly buggered. Travelling seems to be about the only time the vast majority of people read a book. Luckily on the London underground during rush hour, just about the only thing you can do is read a paperback in one hand (whilst holding onto something with the other) Reading a paper is out of the question.

I do have a guilty confession to make. The last two years I've had PBs come out, I've quietly prayed for baggage-handler or traffic control strikes to slow things down, and drive bored, reluctant-reader passengers into Books Etc/ WHSmiths to actually pick up a book.

maestrowork said:

Amsterdam (it's one of the most comfortable airports in the world)

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I took one of the best naps of my life there a few months ago when I had a five hour layover. It's always a toss-up for me on long layovers between going into the city or using the "comfort lounges" in the airport. They have fancy, reclining padded chairs. Just awesome. They should be standard in every airport.

I'm also partial to the Charlotte airport where they have those giant white rocking chairs in front of the windows.

Oh, and I just this weekend discovered the live piano player in the E terminal of the Atlanta airport. I don't know if I'd never been in that terminal or what, but Swanky!

I've always loved airports too. The comings and goings are fantastic for inspiration, the bookstores always have some great books (although not so much for writers) the downside I've found with airports and flying is that there is no where to plug in my laptop. I only have two hours on battery which disappears very quickly. After spending 22 hours in transit last week I've found that reading and watching movies is really the only great way to spend that time. Personally, I'd rather be writing.

I remembered another reason I love airports. It has to do with a book. I popped my Sedaris cherry in an airport gift shop years and years ago. I think it was in Montréal??? Best flight home ever. Man, I love that man's words!

Maryn said:

My vote for worst airport is De Gaulle in Paris.

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I don't remember a thing about CDG at all. LOL. The worst airports I've been to are: JFK, Heathrow, and regional Chinese airports (back in the 90s). The Hong Kong International is really nice, but I find it a bit bland and "cold." JFK is just nasty, and Heathrow is a mess.

Maryn said:

My vote for worst airport is De Gaulle in Paris.

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I second that vote. The engineers for that monstrosity need to be dragged out and shot. Or at least take away their engineering...license. The biggest annoyance I remember is the TOTALLY RANDOM AND NEEDLESS flight of stairs up, then stairs down, smack in the middle of the terminal. There's a cafe on top, but just passing through to your gate forces you to use those stairs. Those little old ladies who insist on having a carry-on suitcase really get put through hell in that airport.

Mini-rant aside, I have yet to see a lot of reading going on in the airports I go to. And I've been to a fair amount, too. Maybe they're all the wrong ones.

In the Istanbul airport no one was without their handy dandy prayer rug though.

I also hate O'Hara. Chicago deserves a better airport than that atrocity.

KTC said:

I've gone to the Arrivals and Departures at the Toronto airport in the past, with a pen and a journal. It's amazing the reunions and sad goodbyes you see. Great grist for the writer's mill. I love airports too!

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I miss being able to go to the airport for just this reason. Today, you can't get past the ticket counter without a ticket. (Daggum bad guys!) I used to like to watch people in the shops, too.

I hate, hate, HATE airports. Airports are Limbo.

Not sure I've ever found books I'd love in American airports. British airports, yes. And on sale! *squee*

Angelinity said:

oh man airports have the MOST uncomfortable seats for reading.

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Most do. But I do think they're getting better. And San Diego's airport now has rocking chairs all over the place. I love them! They're wonderful for sitting and reading.

maestrowork said:

Amsterdam (it's one of the most comfortable airports in the world)

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I really want to love that airport. But sadly it's not all that comfortable if you're allergic to cigarette smoke It's "non smoking" now, except for the bars every 100 feet...

With the emergence of eBooks and eBook readers though, it may become unnecessary as people start to bring their whole collection with them on their trips.

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I dunno, wouldn't they have to switch those off until the plane reached 10000 feet? That would be really annoying in the middle of a chapter

maestrowork said:

I also hate O'Hara. Chicago deserves a better airport than that atrocity.

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Oh man. I almost missed an international connection there because the airport was so badly designed and the security line so slow. And then the people at the gate had the nerve to lecture me about being slow.

ETA: Moving to OP so that other people can join in the fun

I have scene where the MCs are on a four hour layover in Charles de Gaulle, and the new terminals are pretty artsy, I hear.

“That’s almost beautiful.”

The expansive latticework of the terminal was aglow in the rays of the setting sun, dwarfing the busy travelers below. Johan and Anki strolled arm in arm, admiring the warmth of the scene. His psychedelic state of mind had taken him through the gauntlet at the airport, finally receding on its own after the flight was underway. Still sensitive to the energies around him, he was managing a normal, almost pleasant experience, though thoroughly exhausted.

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