AlekToronto From Canada, joined Nov 2003, 328 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2160 times:
Just wondering if any members here have travelled just to visit an airport, rather than the destination itself? Either to spot, photgraph or just to see the airport.
ElectraBob From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 931 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2147 times:
I have done "day trips" to ORD from DTW probably 4 or 5 times (first flight out, last flight back)....never left the airport...the last one was probably 30 yrs ago. Whenever I travel to a large city, I will stay at an airport hotel (with a view, whenever possible).
Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.....
Elwood64151 From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 2477 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2140 times:
When I actually worked for an airline? Yeah... AUS once, ATL frequently. MDW a couple of times.
Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it in summer school.
Socrates17 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 54 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2140 times:
Just small regional weird ones. Surprising I haven't flown Ryanair - seems like a marriage made in heaven (or at least the upper atmosphere.)
Teva From France, joined Jan 2001, 1868 posts, RR: 17 Reply 5, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2122 times:
I have to see an aircraft at least once per week.. With my work, I have no problem....
And when on vacation, yes, I do visit airports. For instance, I have been in Slovenia with my car for a little bit more than 2 weeks. As a result, I have visited 2 of the 3 airports in the Country. (Ljubljana and Portoroz) . I drove very close to the third one (Maribor), but didn't have enough time to stop.
Teva
Ecoute les orgues, Elles jouent pour toi...C'est le requiem pour un con
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2104 times:
In the past I did a lot of trips for spotting only, but now my main reason for travel is to see the city/country itself and not only the airport. I was at a lot of destinations where I saw the airport only but not the city, for example:
Paris (I was there for eight times but only at CDG
Zurich (never been to the city, only at the airport)
Dublin (only at the airport during an a.net spotting tour a year ago)
Glasgow (only at the airport during an a.net spotting tour a year ago)
Lisbon (I flew to this city just to fly jumpseat, spend approx. 30 minutes during turnaround at the airport, in the plane)
Izmir (I flew to this city just to fly jumpseat, spend approx. 30 minutes during turnaround at the airport, in the plane)
Nice (I flew to this city just to fly jumpseat, spend approx. 30 minutes during turnaround at the airport, in the plane)
Oporto (my first jumpseat flight, spend 20 minutes inside the terminal before going back into the plane, at least I was on Portuguese territory )
AS739X From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5820 posts, RR: 23 Reply 7, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2080 times:
A co-worker and I were sitting at SEA-TAC bored and decided to jump on a Horizon Air flight just to go somewhere. We flew over to Port Angeles (all 20mins.). Took some pictures and got back on. The flight attendant gave us a really weird look when we got back on. Glad we did it, QX will be suspending Port Angeles service soon.
ASSFO
"Some pilots avoid storm cells and some play connect the dots!"
Searpqx From Netherlands, joined Jun 2000, 4343 posts, RR: 12 Reply 8, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2031 times:
I haven't for many years, but when I was in my teens and shuttling between my parents (Alaska to Arizona every summer), I'd try and route myself through different airports and give myself extended layovers to sightsee/photograph. Got to see every major airport in the western US that way.
Duane
"The two most common elements in the universe are Hydrogen and stupidity"
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 11, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1961 times:
Airports I flew to just to visit:
PDX
JFK
LGA
MCO
TLH
IAD (I had flown into there several times before, but my plans for that day were messed up because my flight was delayed about 90 minutes out of ATL, so I just hung out there for a few hours.)
Planemannyc From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 989 posts, RR: 9 Reply 12, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1952 times:
I have not taken a trip to a city just for the airport, but have chosen flights with connection points just to be at a specific airport. I flew to Halifax to visit family three times in 2003 from New York. Once I took the CO Express non-stop flight. Then I took AC via YYZ. The next trip was LGA-YUL-YHZ-YOW-LGA although connections were available through YYZ or YUL both ways.
I flew Icelandair to CPH because I wanted to see KEF and fly FI. But I did stop in Iceland for a day, and loved that experience! I recommend anyone flying FI between Europe and the US to stay in Iceland and check this amazing country out!
Airtrainer From Belgium, joined Aug 2003, 1519 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1907 times:
The first time I went to New York, I landed at EWR and the day after took the subway just to visit JFK. Also, when I'm close to CDG I always stop to spot, and like Planemannyc said, I'd rather book a multistop flight than a direct flight... even if my girlfriend can't stand this !!!
Jabpilot From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 423 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1868 times:
I've gone from BUR-YVR twice just to spot, staying at the Fairmont Hotel inside the terminal.
Olympus69 From Canada, joined Jun 2002, 1737 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1790 times:
The last time I did something like that was way back in the '60s when Mohawk had a deal whereby you could fly anywhere you liked on their system on a weekend for $25. There were some restrictions - you had to end up where you started from, and your last leg had to take off before 6pm on the Sunday. You couldn't start before Saturday morning, and you couldn't make your reservations until Wednesday before the weekend you wanted to fly.
I spent hours poring over Mohawk's timetable trying to come up with the greatest amount of flying time that could be fitted in to the time allowed. I forget what my final routing was, but it came apart because I couldn't get a seat on one of the legs. Back to the drawing board.
The trip I finally got ticketed for was from YYZ to Rochester, NY (I don't know the codes for some of these places) on a BAC-111, then on an FH-227 to Ithaca, Elmira, and on to DCA. I would then return on the same plane to Elmira, then to Utica and BOS. I would RON in Boston then return to YYZ on a BAC-111 via Hartford, CT, Rochester, and BUF.
This trip also came unglued. On short final into Elmira, Chemung County, the flaps decided to retract all by themselves. After going around we made a landing without flap. The plane couldn't proceed. The other passengers were put on other flights to Washington, but that was no use to me with my non-transferable itinerary. However all was not lost - I was told that the plane would probably be fixed in time to do the Elmira-Utica-BOS legs. As there was a couple of hours to kill and as I was an active glider pilot at the time, and as the Schweizer Aircraft Co. was building sailplanes across the field I gave them a call. Their sales manager, whose name I have now forgotten, came and picked me up and gave me a free demonstration flight in their latest 2-seater.
Tiger119 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 1919 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1755 times:
I had to fly to RSW from IND on three different occasions over a period of 14 days for meetings (this was in the mid-80s). While I was scheduling the flights, I scheduled one with TWA so I could fly through STL. This was immediately after TWA took over Ozark. I made sure I had several hours for the connection so I could explore the terminal. STL used to have a restaurant (may still be there) and I believe it was on a third floor and the windows were so that you had a GREAT view of the parallel runways.
Flying is the second greatest thrill known to mankind, landing is the first!
ORD777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 258 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1728 times:
Fortunately I live only a half an hour away from ORD so I drive up there quite often just to visit the airport. If I were to ever fly somewhere solely to visit an airport it would undoubtedly be Kansai Airport in Osaka. I have seen many programs on the airport and cannot wait to see it in person.
VonRichtofen From Canada, joined Nov 2000, 4621 posts, RR: 40 Reply 21, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 1718 times:
YYZ twice. Once last May, and the second was end of September/early October for the Concorde fairwell.
When I'm in Japan in Jan. I'm going to Osaka mostly to check out KIX (if it's possible without flying in or out of)? I'll have a day to do the tourist thing too.
TriStar500 From Germany, joined Nov 1999, 4685 posts, RR: 47 Reply 22, posted (9 years 5 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 1710 times:
I've got to admit, I am also one of you guys without a life.
So far, I've flown to MUC (a couple of times), TXL, NCE, GVA, DCA and probably some other airports I cannot remember right now just to hang out at the airport, take some pics and explore the architecture and functionality (one of the advantages if you can mix your profession with your hobby).
Homer: Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!
25 Kingsford: When I was a kid and I was on holidays on the Belgian sea-side, I used to grab my bike and do 15km to spot planes at OST. I was always in awe at the 7
26 NoelG: The mass of budget airlines in Europe makes it easy to just hitch up and go at the last minute spending less than £70 on airfares... I've done AMS 3
27 Yow: I've flown YOW-YYZ a couple of times just to spend the day at YYZ spotting. I plan to do so again in early April 04 to make one last trek to YYZ's T1-
28 Mxp: In my life of spotter FRA LHR ZRH in the future im planning MIA as part of my next holidays next year regards
29 Vimanav: Have not done any recently, but in the past yes - HAM, BRU, Augsburg, SPL, PAR, ZRH, KUL, FRA/Hahn. rgds//Vimanav
30 SprxflySWA: Let me count the ways. Either driving on trips, I would map out the airports to stop at along the way. Been to Crescent City,CA;Eureka,CA;Pendleton,O
31 Godbless: I can count a few of those: LHR (with Airsicknessbag and SN332) MAN (with Ndebele and Donder10) CPH (with Sabena332, Fly-k) MAD (with Fly-k) DUB (with
33 Ba319-131: I must admit most of my 'holidays' are plane spotting trips. My LAX trip this year was just for spotting,though i did pop down to Century City for som
34 Jkw777: Train Journeys to: SOU LGW (2004) LHR (2004) Car Journeys to: LGW Flight to and from: LGW-MAN in 2004 (Meeting with forum member MYT332) All just for
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