Haste Ye Back

This is the second time I have flown from this airport in as many months. The gateway to possibly my favourite city and the busiest airport north of the border, Edinburgh Airport is what I would class as a fantastic airport.

So what does it take to be a fantastic airport? Well obviously my opinion is nit the be all and end all but here's what I think makes Edinburgh fantastic:

- Space - All of the airports I've previously flown from in the UK (with the exception of prehaps Birmingham), have lacked space for the number of passengers they have during peak times. Edinburgh is different. It has a very open plan departure lounge, with the gates and concourse all merging, allowing for overflow on busy flights.  I'm sure everyone has been crammed in a gate area with 1 seat for every 3 passengers before, at Edinburgh I have been able to get a seat wherever I go in the terminal.

- Windows - Okay, it might just be the plane geek in me but when I am at an airport I like to look out of the window. I am going to spend the flight either reading or using the IFE, I would like to be able to avoid doing this for a couple of hours after check-in. Furthermore it allows for the terminal to be lit by natural light as opposed to relying on the horrible white strip lighting that most airports use.

- Internet - I know that in the commercialised world we live in, unlimited free internet at airports is going to be unlikely. However the 2 hours Edinburgh offers is more than sufficient for most people and is double or quadruple what some airports offer.

- Water - Now that we can't take liquids through security and the airside shops charge a small fortune for drinks, it is excellent that Edinburgh has listened to passenger views and installed water fountains so that people can refill empty bottles without charge.

- Climate Control - Some airports can be horrible to sit in on a warm day but Edinburgh has got the climate control sorted (unless you sit next to an air con vent, in which case you may want a jumper)

So Edinburgh, well done for getting it right. I have only one request for you, could you please make it so that you have more than 2 seats that are within range of a plug!

Those little things

Whilst I aim for this blog to be on the whole a positive thing, the idea of creating it came as I travelled through my local airport today. Being a plane nut I tend to arrive with an extra hour or so than needed so I can sit and watch the aircraft, but today as I look out the window, I am also writing this.

Whilst not what most people would class a frequent flyer, I have boarded aircraft quite a few times in the last 18 months or so and through my travels and my knowledge of aviation I have become quite adept at the airport process. This post focuses on 'those little things' that bug me as I travel through an airport.

Check-in
Whilst I wasn't around during the 'good ol' days' of aviation, I still manage to miss them. The excitement of flying or going on holiday to get away from the grind of everyday life is kind of ruined by the need to use a computer to be able to check in. With the Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) you now have to use your own personal computer, printer, paper and ink to be able to get anywhere near your flight. I'm sorry but is this not a service that the airlines are supposed to provide.

Even the Full Service Airlines (FSAs) are only one stop better. Flying with BA recently, we had to check-in at an automated check in desk before then dropping our bag of at a manned desk. I understand that theses are supposed to speed up the process and save airlines money, but whilst I am quite capable of using the machines, some people may not be and like the personal touch.

The airline i'm flying with today, Flybe, has taken things one step further. Whilst I can check in at the machine at the airport, if I have luggage, I now have to complete the bag drop process myself! Where has the human customer service touch gone?!

Security
Okay, I know security procedures seem to get more and more complicated every time you go to the airport, but the 100ml liquids rule has been around for years now. How hard is it!?

I joined a queue with only one lady in front of me at security today, compared to the one with 10 people, yet all 10 in the other queue managed to beat me through. I am aware that I have had a lot of practice at security recently but taking your belt off and emptying your pockets isn't that hard is it?

Food Court
If there is one security procedure that annoys me more than anything else, it is the miniature knives and forks that you now get given in the food court. Okay fair enough, a full size knife could be used in a dangerous manner, but making the fork prongs so short that they won't pick up a chip is just stupid!

Okay all,
Rant over.

Aidan

Plane Nut

I have been an aviation enthusiast (or plane nut) since I was a kid, ever since I was taken airside at East Midlands by my great uncle, a BMI engineer. Seeing all the aircraft in the hangar undergoing various checks, with various parts taken off, fascinated me and i've been hooked since.

Whilst my interest took hold at an early age, I have grown up in the post 9/11 era, with security and safety at the forefront of people's minds. There is a photo of me halfway across the maintenance apron at East Midlands, aged 9, with no hi-viz and certainly no security clearance, and every time I see it, I am saddened by the fact that I know this will never happen for future generations.

The purpose of this blog is to chart events of my last 2 months as an Air Transport Management student at Loughborough University and my entry into the big wide world. Whilst it'll focus on my progression, as a plane nut I will share some of my thoughts and experiences in the world of aviation.

Happy Reading

Aidan