True words for sure.
Quote Originally Posted by Pattyherb View Post
Then comes the walking. Airports never advertise the walking. They advertise "90-minute connection" but not "enjoy your scenic 2.7 kilometre expedition through Terminal Somewhere."

That's why many experienced travellers stop viewing layovers as "free time." They view them as buffers. If everything goes perfectly, great, you get a meal, a drink, and some relaxation. If something goes wrong, that buffer gets consumed by the reality of modern air travel doing what modern air travel does best: turning simple arithmetic into a complex logistical exercise.

The difference between those two things is often measured not in minutes, but in stress levels.
Obviously, written by another road-warrior. I actually saw a sign at BKK's Swampy (Don Mueang you are missed) that my gate's terminal was 900 m "that way->". That's damn near a click. Yes, airports have moving walkways. But that's assuming they are working, and that you have the agility of a slalom skier coupled with the attitude of a roller derby jammer to break through the perpendicular walls of civilians who don't understand it's a PUBLIC conveyor, not their own personal mover whilst they carry on with their own all important personal conversation with their fellow travelers. Hint: good practice - Burwood's main street sidewalk on any Saturday. Skiers' etiquette ("Pass right", "Pass left"), along with a command voice and the "MAKE A HOLE" improves transit times. Given that so many Asian languages are tonal, THE tone WILL translate adequately, no need to worry about actual translations.

At security, it's those who just can't seem to find their electronic tablet that's "somewhere" in their carry-on, unable to put it in it's own separate tray. Or who can't follow the pictogram diagram of the correct position for the body scanner. (Fun agility test: having a belt with a PLASTIC belt buckle that actually holds up your pants but being told to remove the belt and put it in the x-ray tray just because it's a belt regardless of buckle composition, THEN trying to assume the body scanner position with hands overhead without having your pants fall to your knees.)

At immigration, being behind someone with sketchy paperwork while a supervisor is called, or a mass group that doesn't understand queuing and one-at-a-time. (Hint: when your paperwork is "being reviewed" while that Bangladeshi cleaner has already cleared the adjacent kiosk... you DO have a problem). Or the "automatic" camera clearance is having a problem with YOUR face... (Helpful hint: Open your mouth. If your mustache and beard blend and you're not a mouth breather, the camera needs to find a mouth...)

Finally, the math test: when there are glitches, you're watching the time dwindle down as you're hung up along the way, then trying to do the mental math of converting your watch's home time to the transit time zone to see exactly when that onward flight will board.

One final gotcha: 00:30 is NOT late night, it's EARLY morning. If you get to the airport after you've used that last night to party, and there's no one standing in line, YOUR flight left 22 hours ago.