worst airport... googles point of view

[Mike S KPDX 597]

I just got done reading an article in Flying magazing about how bizarre Paris's CDG airport is for a US pilot to fly into and taxi around.So I brought up my google map (actually google world) and took a look see. Well, it is quite messed up in terms of overall layout. Then got me looking at others as I am an architect by profession.nice ones...Hong KongDenver Coloradothe worst...London Heathrow - and I mean by far! I have never been there, but I have no idea how that random collection of structures even begins to work as anything much less an airport. It is a total maze, I still cant figure it out.Can you think of others, good or bad in terms of general layout?

[Guest airbus2]

From google earth Heathrow does look confusing, although take a simplified look and it becomes clearwww.scramble.nl/airports/publish/egll.htmjust scroll over the building for the names to appear.Denver has a very simple layout, however handles less traffic than heathrow, which is Europes busiest airport, the third busiest in the world and the worlds busiest international airport!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HeathrowDave

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

I have been to every major airport in the western and eastern world and I can attest to how bad De Gaulle is from the taxi perspective. I once had an Air France flight from Tunisia to De Gaulle, connecting with a UAL flight to KIAD. We landed on time. It took us over an hour to taxi from the active to our gate. I got to my UAL flight with about 1 minute to spare. They literally closed the door upon my arrival.As for Heathrow, it is the worst airport in the world in terms of passenger arrival comfort. I was once with a group of architects (just happened to be on my flight) and they were of the opinion that it should be torn down and started over again. I emphatically agree. The place is a disaster, and the new terminal (5) is looking to be on the same scale as the other four. I was just at Heathrow two weeks ago (arriving and departing) and have been flying into Heathrow for 30 years. It gets worse and worser, and I cringe every time I have to transit through or arrive there.Frankfurt is not great, but compared to Heathrow, it is a jewel.But having said all that, my worst of worst is KORD, followed by Kennedy, KLAX, KSFO and finally KIAD. I tolerate KIAD because it is my main jump off point, but I try to avoid all the others like the plague. If I can get a direct to Heathrow, Narita or Frankfurt and then on from there to where ever, I will take it.I should write a book!!! :)

[Guest airbus2]

>I should write a book!!! "Tom Allensworth's worst airports and how to survive them."Dave

[Mace 1,927]

Tom, just curious if you have ever been to any airports in Central America.RhettAMD 3700+ (@2310 mhz), eVGA 7800GT 256 (Guru3D 93.71), ASUS A8N-E, PC Power 510 SLI, 2 GB Corsair XMS 2.5-3-3-8 (1T), WD 250 gig 7200 rpm SATA2, CoolerMaster Praetorian case

[RFields5421 1]

Most of Tom's bad airports - and he has a better view than I do - are ones which "growed up"KORD and EGLL would not even get design approval today from the respective countries aviation licensing boards.LFPG is an example that too much of a good thing is too much. They tried to use the split airport model - but ended up with two airports too far apart to be workable.One other thing - if an airport is one of the busiest airports in the world - it is great for spotters and usually terrible for passengers and pilots.

[Roger Mazengarb 0]

Can't comment from a pilots point of view but as a passenger for my money Kuala Lumpur is by far the best airport I have visited.Unfortunately as an Australian it gives me no pleasure to say that my hometown Sydney (YSSY) is the worst airport I have been to. The queue we had for customs would have to be seen to be believed. A four lane line approx. 200 metres long (4 times the width of the customs hall). It took over an hour. Heaven help us when 3 A380's, all economy configuration, lob in at the same time. Cheers,Roger