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[studentaffairsgal]

OK, so this isn't the *worst* air travel story, but it's certainly a frustrating way to start a vacation!

Headed from West Coast to East Coast, with a layover in Kansas City, MO. Bought a $4.50 bottle of water in CA, didn't drink it on the first leg, figured I'd drink it on flight #2. KCI's wacky airport makes you go through security when you change gates (the way this place seems to be laid out, there are security checkpoints at each of the 4- or 5-gate rotundas), and therefore, you can't bring in any liquids! I'm not one to try and bend the rules (especially at airports these days), but c'mon. How was I supposed to anticipate another round of  security when I wasn't changing airlines or terminals!?

What are some of the more bothersome incidents you've encountered at airports (stateside or abroad)?

I hope the surly security agent checking ID's appreciates my brand new Vasa bottle ...

[mythbuster]

Oh I've got one from last week. In Toronto, loaded the plane and then told that the brakes are looking "suspect". 30 minutes later, we are told that we need a new plane. So everyone gets off, and they collect everyone's boarding pass. We never could figure out why. So when the new plane arrives, they have to manually check everyone's ID with the manifest since no one has a boarding pass anymore. Can you say SLOW! Then, this plane is not the same configuration as the last one so my seat is now the galley. I ask the flight attendant what I should do. She asks to see my boarding pass, and of course goes ballistic when I don't have one (nor does anyone else on the plane!). It takes over an hour for the flight attendants to figure out how to seat all these people in a plane with 6 fewer seats than the original. Oh and of course, my luggage wasn't on the new plane. At least it showed up the next day.

[studentaffairsgal]

Oops, Kansas City, MO = MCI; KCI = Kon Airport (Indonesia)

or Kansas City International ... I love/hate it when airports have codes that make sense. Example: Orlando, FL (MCO).

[icurhere2]

Oops, Kansas City, MO = MCI; KCI = Kon Airport (Indonesia)

or Kansas City International ... I love/hate it when airports have codes that make sense. Example: Orlando, FL (MCO).

There's a reason for the stupid names - there's now an FAA rule that U.S. airports within a certain radius cannot share any of the three letters in common (to avoid misrouted luggage and cargo).  It wasn't always that way / enforced (e.g. DFW and DAL), but that's why New York has LGA, JFK, EWR (Liberty Newark - which could start with an "N") and White Plains (HPN) . . .

Suckiest U.S. airport is quite likely IAD (Washington-Dulles), my home airport for 3.5 years.  Fortunately, the "mobile lounges" are going away.

[englitprof]

Arg--yes!  The Kansas City airport sucks majorly.  Can't even use the restroom without having to go through security to get back in!

[old_school]

Fortunately, the "mobile lounges" are going away.

really? how will they get people across to the various places instead?

I always thought they were kinda quaint .. but I suppose if you have to use them all the time it would be different.

[acrimone]

Oh I've got one from last week. In Toronto, loaded the plane and then told that the brakes are looking "suspect".

At least they didn't mangle the language and say they looked "suspicious."

[expatinuk]

I fly a lot... I have too many horrible airport/airline stories to recount here.

I can just offer some advice to those who travel.

When you travel get into the valium mindset. You have to act like you've taken at least two valium and let nothing upset you. You are in control of your attitude. You are not in control of anything else.

Getting annoyed that you have to go through security every time you have to pee will not stop you from having to go through security every time you have to pee... it will just raise your blood pressure. Getting annoyed that your luggage is lost, and yelling at the baggage handler will not find your luggage any faster. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Focus on where  you're going, not on how you get there. Pick out a good book that is mindless (I find John Grisham is perfect for flying). And just enjoy the enforced reading time.

[dr_stones]

Like ExPat, I fly way_too_much.

The Kansas City (MO) airport is arguably one of ther worst airports in a major city in the US, for all the reasons described in this post, plus so many more.  A truly awful design and minimal amenities for the traveler.

Among the worst of the "major" first world international airports, I'd have to rank Narita, while the new Hong Kong Airport is fantastic. 

LaGuardia just generally sucks.  The K-Mart of major airports.  Besides having an awful layout, inconvenient access (how can you have an airport in NYC that does not have a train going to it???), the fact that they DON'T TOAST THE BAGELS just blows my mind.  I go to a bagel stand in the American Concourse (you know, the one with the stupid Broadway marquees everywhere) and they DON'T TOAST THE BAGELS and THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SCHMERES.

In LaGuardia.  That's like finding out you can't get deep dish pizza at O'Hare (which has a lousy layout).

Best small-major-airport amenity --- the used book store in the Milwaukee airport.

[orienteer]

Heathrow. Long journeys between terminals - less than an hour between flights and you're stressed - with unpredictable baggage searches/queues in between too.

[icurhere2]

Fortunately, the "mobile lounges" are going away.

really? how will they get people across to the various places instead?

I always thought they were kinda quaint .. but I suppose if you have to use them all the time it would be different.

There is now a walkway to Dulles A/B, and there is going to be a "train" line from the check-in to the other terminals.

MCI isn't too bad, although my first impression was that it looked like a bowling alley.  My last time in MCI was when my American Airlines flight had to make an "unscheduled maintenance stop".

[dr_stones]

MCI isn't too bad, although my first impression was that it looked like a bowling alley . . .

That is rather insightful.  MCI used to be a bowling alley.

[americanist]

Detroit used to be dreadful, and then they made it all snazzy.  Except--if you aren't flying Northwest, you'll still be in the nasty, dirty, underground terminals where the flight information screens don't work. Somehow, I think it's worse now that I know the nice part exists, just out of my reach.

[prytania3]

I don't like ORD for international. I always get arrested going through customs. They are much cooler at JFK.

[norvell]

I fly a lot... I have too many horrible airport/airline stories to recount here.

I can just offer some advice to those who travel.

When you travel get into the valium mindset. You have to act like you've taken at least two valium and let nothing upset you. You are in control of your attitude. You are not in control of anything else.

Getting annoyed that you have to go through security every time you have to pee will not stop you from having to go through security every time you have to pee... it will just raise your blood pressure. Getting annoyed that your luggage is lost, and yelling at the baggage handler will not find your luggage any faster. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Focus on where  you're going, not on how you get there. Pick out a good book that is mindless (I find John Grisham is perfect for flying). And just enjoy the enforced reading time.

I couldn't agree more. Remember that you don't have to feed and water the oxen and repair the wagon wheels during the three months it takes you to travel from Kansas City to Oregon City like it did a *short* hundred and fifty years ago.