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| Whimsical banner from www.sleepinginairports.net |
The site isn't just about saving a night or two on hotel fare to sleep on an airport bench, it also provides a wealth of information about airports around the world that you wouldn't necessarily find on their official sites, the things that travelers really want to know... how well does the WiFi really work, do the toilets reek, will you feel safe on a layover there?
Once a year they publish their lists of Best and Worst Airports in the world... the #1 Airport winning their coveted "Golden Pillow" award. After 16 years, they decided to change up the Worst Airport format, with Bottom 10 lists by region as opposed to a global list. Best Airports are ranked globally and by region. I haven't read through everything but did observe a few notable shake-ups. Methinks I might have to travel back to certain cities or try out some of these top rated airports that I've never been to! ;)
Best Airports of 2012 (Global List)
No surprise Changi of Singapore wins the #1 spot again. I agree the rest zones are amazing the and washrooms abundant and clean, there does need to be more of these awesome daybed chairs though, last time they were all occupied when I strolled by, so I had nothing to do but photograph the flower/art exhibit that was there (oh, the horror ;))
Hong Kong is in 3rd place (edged out by Seoul... think I said this somewhere previously, but the only times I remember passing through Seoul I was stuck in a crowded airport with delays and people sitting everywhere on the floor. Granted that was probably 25 years ago, so it's time to go back.) and did have a big of a buggy WiFi from what I remember. So spacious and comfy though, also city check-in for a number of airlines (just don't fly through the U.S., though some years have passed since 9/11 and the 2006 initial liquid bans, so maybe they will allow city check now?) where you can check in your bag hours before you leave in Central, go do a little shopping, eat one last delicious meal, then take the MTR to the airport and go straight through. Or, if you do have to spend a few hours at the airport itself, I hear they recently opened an IMAX there!
Was a bit excited to see that our own Pearson made it on the list at number 10! I still try my best to avoid Pearson whenever I'm flying short distances, but that's more for the commute and wait times. Shopping remains a snore, but the random sculpture/water art thingy and abundance of seats are good. God forbid I ever have to sleep there (though I've surely passed out in my chair during delayed flights... you know, face-first into the backpack...)
I was intrigued to see Amsterdam/Munich/Helsinki on the list as well, three European cities that are on my list to visit. In the top airports of Europe, Coppenhagen is also there. Now I might throw Helsinki/Coppenhagen on my list of possible airports to fly into on my next European trip. I'd like to get back to Vancouver sometime to see the airport improvements and take the train directly into downtown.
On the Worst of Europe list, I was surprised by the absence of Paris Charles de Gaulle, which has topped the global worst list for years. Maybe times have truly changed, maybe it's a sign it's time I returned to Paris (yes, that's it.). Rome Fumicino was voted worst, which I don't necessarily disagree with, however I recall there being a lot of flat surfaces and sleepers there (more sleepers make me feel safer) even if the chairs do suck. I've spent a night at Fumicino, I'd just gotten drenched is the worst rainstorm I'd ever experienced in my life, and had planned to stay up anyway so I'd sleep better on the plane. I made a friend (Sarah from Iran, whom I still keep in touch with through Facebook) and we chatted on and off through the night.
In the top 10 North American airports, I raised an eyebrow at Minneapolis. Again, it's been a long time but I've never had a good experience there. In my memory I equate it to O'Hare in terms of chaotic. Also Calgary at #8, are you sure we're not grasping at straws here? I haven't gone through Calgary in 10 years but I don't recall there being anything at that airport. The seats were padded benches though with no arms/backs, so I guess that is good for sleeping. Not as much for a short middle of the night layover though, nearly nodded off and tipped over onto a strangers lap.
For those who are serious about spending a night in the airport, here is a list of tips from the site. Not sure if I agree with the bit about an inflatable raft/air mattress, unless you require one in your travels outside of airport sleeping. Though it is important to arrive early to airports like Rome Fumicino and London Gatwick if you want to find any spot to sleep (last time I slept at Gatwick, yeah, I've done it more than once, I was forced to shiver under my jacket beneath a drafty vent). I'm a medium to sound sleeper, less so in an airport obviously but I can usually fall asleep for an hour or two at a time. My method of protecting my bags is to have the bag strap across my shoulder with the zipper under my arm. My suitcases all have locks, I will lift the pull handle up halfway and put my leg up on the suitcase through the middle of the handle so I will feel it if the luggage shifts in any way and my foot makes it hard to grab the bag by the handle and make off with it. The downside is I can't roll over very well and can't make any sudden movements when I wake or I crash to the floor. I also look like an idiot.
In an unrelated topic... I've just begun reading a new book: The Packing Book, 4th Edition by Judith Gilford. I've written blogs about how to pack, what to pack, but despite my best efforts I'd still like to garner more info on how to pack even lighter. Hopefully I'll return with a bit of a book report and a list of new packing practices that I'd like to adopt.
Sadly, in the meantime, the only thing I have to look foward to packing... is my summer clothes away :( Safe travels to those of you who are on the road! Hope to be among you again soon!
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