Airports are fascinating places!
For some, they are simply a pickup point from where you travel from one place to another, but for many they serve as a second home.
The size and scope of airports can often be overwhelming, which is why it can peak the curiosity of many.
To shed light on some of the mysteries revolving around airports, here are a few surprising facts that you probably didn’t know about them.
1.Airports Often Sell Lost Luggage
Whether you leave or lose anything at the airport, it will go into a storage area where you have up to 90 days to collect it.
This includes luggage misplaced by airlines. However, airports won’t auction it until the airline has made all the efforts to try and track down the owner of the bag.
Airports take these items from storage rooms and either donate them to charities or sell them off for cash at auction houses.
In fact, last year Bangalore Airport held an auction for unclaimed baggage to get rid of the increasing pile of “lost” things.
2. Landing Slots Are A Huge Business
Airports charge airlines an exorbitant fee for the privilege of landing on their runways on certain days or times.
In fact, these landing slots are sold or traded between airlines.
For Instance, in 2016 Oman Air paid Air France $75 Million for an early morning arrival slot at the London Heathrow Airport.
High landing slot prices have been one of the major reasons why airfare has increased over the past 10 years.
3.Celebs Don’t Board Like You Do
You might have a famous person on your airplane, but you probably won’t know it.
Larger airports have separate check-ins and security protocols for celebrities. They often board their airplane directly through a secret door beside the jet bridge.
In the US, airlines such as United & Delta use a Porche or Cadillac to secretly transfer VIP’s from the terminal building to the airplane.
However, this kind of treatment doesn’t come cheap!
4.Airports Can Make Airlines Look Punctual
According to a travel survey conducted in 2017 on 8,50,000 flights globally, only 74 % of the flights arrived on time.
Airports change arrival timings to allow for delays and make airlines look more punctual than they actually are.
Read more about ‘The Complex Process Behind Your Airline’s Flight Schedule’
5.Celebrity Chefs Don’t Run Their Airport Restaurants
If you come across a celebrity chef’s restaurant at your next layover, chances are it isn’t actually run by the chef themselves.
Due to tricky logistics and security checks, special airport restaurant companies are in charge of running these outlets at an airport.
That means while you might have a nice meal, it’s probably not as good as it would be if you went to their actual restaurant.
6.Air Traffic Controller Towers Are A Peaceful Place
Contrary to popular belief, people in the Air Traffic Control(ATC) tower work in a stress-free environment.
In an interview with ‘The Telegraph’, an ATC tower operator said that people imagine ATC towers to be a hectic place where people are constantly screaming and throwing things at each other but it’s the opposite.
He also went on to say that outsiders are always surprised to see the serene environment inside an ATC tower.
7.Airport Operators Deliberately Keep Queues Longer
Airports are enormous, especially the boarding gate area!
But why is it that despite peak hour traffic, only one queue leads to a particular flight?
This is not because it’s convenient, but a single queue gives the person standing in it a sense of fairness that everyone would have to go through the same grind as they’re going through.
8.The Letter ‘X’ In Airport Codes Doesn’t Mean Anything
In movies, you must have seen people flying to or from LAX(Los Angeles International Airport).
Well! That ‘X’ doesn’t really stand for anything.
In 1938, International Air Transport Association(IATA) decided to change the airport coding format from 2 letters to 3 letter codes.
Thus, places like Los Angeles which had 2 letter codes had to add an ‘X’ in the middle or end of their previous airport codes.
9.Cash Exchange Rates At Airport Are Terrible
Passengers never get a great exchange rate at an airport terminal because exchange bureaus take advantage of disorganized travellers who have left things to the last minute.
If you’ve forgotten to buy your currency in advance, you’ll get far better rates by ordering it online, than getting it exchanged at the airport.
So remember to take cash in the currency of the country you’re going to before leaving for your trip.
10.Airports Are Designed To Stop You From Getting Lost
A lot of thought goes into airport layouts to ensure the smooth flow of travellers.
The key to a successful airport design is easy navigation, which is achieved through subtle but effective design cues that help people find their way from security to the gate.
For instance, airports are designed to have duty-free shops between security checks points and the boarding gate, to help you relax after clearing security & get you in the mood for shopping before boarding your flight.
If you want to go shopping before you catch your flight, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App to get information about different eateries and shops at the airport along with airline information and real-time flight updates to Fly Stress-Free.
