After several months of historically low air travel, people are slowly starting to fly again. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), on August 16, nearly 863,000 passed through their airport checkpoints – making it the highest number of people since March 17. There are still many unknowns regarding the future of commercial airlines and the specifications on COVID-19 transmission in planes, but at this point it is probably safe to say that no one wants to spend extra time at the airport. (Although, that’s also true in non-pandemic times.) Because airports can be difficult to navigate, here are a few tips to prevent you from getting lost.
Why are airports so confusing?
Unfortunately, airports can be confusing places, even for experienced travelers. And according to Dr. Janet Bednarek, an aviation historian University of Dayton, that’s because they were not designed for so many passengers. “Perhaps even the best designs have been overwhelmed by a growth in passenger numbers that have far exceeded the predictions, or, more recently, changed safety protocols,” she said. told USA Today. To fix this, try to make airports for design and capacity issues by placing signs all over the place.
And while these signs may help in theory, in practice it can be difficult to tell exactly which way they point. (Does that diagonal arrow point up and to the left to turn left at the next fork in the hall, or take the escalator forward?) Moreover, airports are a sensory overload for us, as we try to follow terminals with crying children, competing Cinnabon and Panda Express flavors, and signs pointing in all directions – all while trying to get on a flight, or out of the airport.
Normally, this non-intuitive design is frustrating and can cause us to lose patience. Throw up a pandemic – if everyone tries to get in and out of the airport as quickly as possible without touching anything – and things can get ugly. While we are waiting for the need for improvements at airports, here are three strategies to help you not get lost there, courtesy of Christopher Elliot at USA Today.
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See for the time floor plans of the airport
If you’re trying to find a place you are not familiar with, use a map. Most airports provide maps with the floor plans of terminals on their websites, so before you get to the airport, it takes a few minutes to familiarize yourself. You do not have to memorize it (although taking a screenshot is handy so you do not have to upload the web page anymore), but knowing whether you need to make links or right after passing security can help. Plus, you’ll be looking ahead to your dining options, and you can create a game plan for using the toilet.
Use TripIt or airline apps
De TripIt app, which provides interactive airport maps for 90 airports worldwide, has been a favorite of frequent flyers for years. In addition to the maps, it also shows you the fastest way to your gate or exit – including an estimate of how long it will take. Some airline apps have similar features, which are especially useful if you have a short layover before a connecting flight. Because it contains all your flight information, you do not even need to plug in any information.
Just make noise
While we all want to get through the airport as quickly as possible, get there early enough to give yourself time to get to your gate without having to walk through the terminal while fighting to keep your roll right. Flying (especially at the moment) is stressful enough without adding time constraints.
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