Mar 2, 2008

Point me to the architect please..

What moron designed Dubai airport? Please stand up so I can kick your sorry arse.

It seems that Dubai has a mandatory minimum transit time of about four hours which means that the terminal is packed to the rafters with smelly, grumpy and worn out travellers who only want two things.

1) to get on with their trip as soon as they can.
2) somewhere to sit until number 1 happens.

As a structure it has all the really nice curves and huge glass expanses that make it feel like a sci-fi gold fish bowl. It had free WiFi net access from one end to the other. It also has the most tasteless expanses of imported marble on the floors and walls.

It is the only place where I swear you could by a Porsche duty free. Seriously, who buys cars at the airport!!!!

What it lacks is enough chairs to seat all transient population. What it also lacks is carpet along the walls making it impossible to retreat from the main traffic thorough fares if you want to plant your butt betwixt the wall and floor.

I mean you can, but it is on cold hard marble. Not my first choice in building materials for beds, couches or sun lounges.

Anyhow, maybe I am just worn out and emotional because having just done 14 hours in cattle class on the smallest seat ever (don't let me start on about Emirates as an airline...) the feckers would not let me in the first class lounge for a comfy chair and free beverages.

My advice for what it is worth, go via Singapore every fucking time. That is how you build an airport!

7 comments:

Em said...

Yes! The Dubai airport sucks for all of those reasons. Try spending 4+ hours there with two kids! Saying "hey kids let's go on the moving walk way again!" can only work so many times, ya know?

fingers said...

As Douglas Addams once wrote; the phrase 'as pretty as an airport' doesn't exist in any known language...

Stacy The Peanut Queen said...

I'm so lame...I haven't seen the inside of an airport in roughly twenty-two years.

When I FINALLY get to travel...it'll be by cruise ship! ;)

Bo Bo said...

Everyone knows you go stand real close to a female on their own and just stare.
When they ask what you are looking at say.
“Are you ovulating?”

Da Dah, you have a seat.

Jayne said...

Dubai airport is about bling............heaps of bling, costing heaps of money, which it likes to boast it has. Both the 1st class & Business class lounges are nice, but when you get a ratarse Asian passenger screaming the odds & it's grandchildren creating absolute havoc, it really isn't so nice! Personally, I think Emirates is too interested in getting things & the new terminal ready for the A380.

Anonymous said...

Totally agree..... the airport is a shit hole and Emirates are the same.... Singapore every time!

Dagny said...

I think that most airport designers aim to make them as un user friendly as possible. Or at least that has been my experience.

I can only imagine the horror of Emirates Cattle class. *shudder*