I used to call Berlin Tegel my home airport for about 2 years a decade or so ago and loved it. I also hated it. I hated it for its small size and I loved it for its small size. LateDeparture wrote a couple of times about Berlin Tegel already, but when I recently returned – after years of absence – I couldn’t resist to pull out my notebook and note down some of the new additions since.

What I first noticed was that the airport is now more clearly split into sections of gates, A to D. A is the main, hexagonal terminal, B a side annex used by Lufthansa. The C and D gates are separate buildings to either side of the main complex. So here’s what caught my eyes:

A gates & central area

• Buy some Vienna style bakery delicacies from ‘Erster Wiener’
• Check out the S.Oliver store (Germany’s answer to Esprit – which, by the way, also has a store in the central area)
• Visit the ‘Bon Voyage’ store for books, newspapers, travel accessories, souvenir, toys and small snacks (near gate A15)
• Experience Munich in Berlin by popping to the “Wiesn Grill”. You can’t go wrong with the Weisswurst, Weizenbier and Bretzen deal for €7.90

B gates

• Enjoy great views towards the runways from the Tegel Terrace restaurant upstairs on level 3. You find the lifts opposite the Lufthansa check-in area
• Find a last minute book from a good selection of German and English books at the ‘Pocket Shop’

C gates

• Try the Marché Bakery for some fresh gourmet sandwiches or sit down at the American diner called – you probably guessed it – Cindy’s
• The ‘Relay’ newsagent next door has a small but selected range of last minute Berlin souvenirs (e.g. try the Berlin Ampelmãnnchen salt and pepper dispensers). It also sells beers by the can.

D gates

• The only thing worthwhile mentioning is the ‘die Es-S Bahn’ store on the way from the main building to D. It sells the famous Currywurst, which, if you haven’t already done it on your visit to German’s capital, is a must try. For €2.90 it sure is a no-brainer, even for a cheeky “top-up”.

As you can see there is no shortage of things to see, do and discover despite the smallish size of the airport. You want to be quick with your visit though as the airport is scheduled to close on 3rd June 2012, the day when the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (IATA: BER) is set to become operational.

[Photo from Flickr - Some rights reserved by Matthias17]

Wikipedia tells us that Terminal 7 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK; LD hub page) was built for the former British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and Air Canada in the early 1970s. As we established earlier, it is currently owned and operated by British Airways. What’s historically more special though, is that this terminal was the only one owned and operated by a foreign carrier on US soil ever, anywhere. Today, the terminal serves a few other Oneworld alliance carriers such as Iberia, Cathay Pacific and Qantas. The Star Alliance carriers United Airlines, US Airways and ANA also use the terminal.

Let’s get back to my experience: After a slightly messy check-in which wasn’t particularly the fault of British Airways (rather blame my packing skills), I made my way to the security queue. Unfortunately the queue looked longer than the guest list of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s wedding. Suggestion: pull out your frequent flyer card and queue over at the business class security check (with no queue). In fact, those security guys looked so bored, I’m pretty sure you could talk your way through even without an explicit access privilege at hand.

Once through, the terminal still feels somewhat cramped, but a lot less than I had feared initially. And then something weird happened: I started to actually quite like this terminal. Don’t get me wrong, if I had the choice, I’d still rather be at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, but right then, I could definitely spend some time there without getting bored. Here are a few suggestions:

• Check out the “Discover New York” shop for any last souvenirs (I particularly liked the PAN AM memorabilia and the Museum of Modern Art articles) – near gates 9/10
• Sit down for a minute and enjoy a drink in the Bombay Sapphire lounge
• Visiting on of the Xpres Spa franchises is always a good idea, particularly if you want to get rid of some tension before your flight (e.g. enjoy a 15 minute neck and back massage) – next to gate 7
• Score yourself a bargain DVD deal at InMotion Entertainment and enjoy those movies on your laptop while waiting in the terminal
• Grab a cup of coffee from Starbucks, then enjoy it at one of the nearby seats with airfield view and laptop connection points. You can even get complimentary internet – sponsored by British Airways. However, don’t forget to bring an Ethernet cable as only wired connections are free.
• If you’re feeling peckish, you’re in luck as the terminal offers a good range of food options: for a sit-down meal you could try Todd English’s bonfire restaurant near gates 3/4 or wander to the food court which you will find in the middle of the terminal. You will find a selection of outlets: Auntie Anne’s, McDonald’s, Balducci’s food lovers market, Grove and Wolfgang Puck Express.

Well, who would have thought this terminal could entertain me so much? Sure, it has its bottlenecks and there could be more space to sit down and relax without having to check into a restaurant, but overall, you can surely spend a couple of hours here without getting bored, thirsty or hungry! That is, if you had to, of course.

→ Find further information for John F. Kennedy International Airport on the LateDeparture hub page.

[Photo from Flickr - Some rights reserved by Joe Shlabotnik]

SWISS operates five different lounges at Zurich Airport. The three main lounges are located at what the airline calls the ‘SWISS Lounge Center Zurich’. There you find the SWISS Business Lounge – with 1,100m2 and 233 seats the biggest one. This one is also the lounge you’re most likely to get access to. This lounge offers the usual things like free Wifi, internet stations, showers and a basic buffet with changing snacks. What is different to most other lounges I’ve seen is the attention to detail in regards to the interior design: The floors are made of beautiful dark wooden parquet and the walls of limestone and the furniture is custom made from Vitra. Altogether this gives the space a warm and homely, yet contemporary feel.

Next is the Senator lounge (Star Alliance Gold lounge; pictured above) which has a similar look and feel to the business lounge but is located on two levels. It also offers a more varied buffet than the business lounge.

Finally the crown of the SWISS lounges, the SWISS First Lounge: With about 170 guests per day, this is (logically) the smallest yet most exclusive of the three. Again it has a similar overall look and feel than the others but because of its smaller size, the lounge almost feels like one of those stylish Zurich apartments every Swiss aspires to own one day. Speaking of apartment, this lounge even features living room style corners with TV and sofas. You can even occupy one of the two day rooms and get away from it all. For business minded travellers the lounge offers meeting rooms with projectors. Breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner is offered in a separate, Restaurant-style dining room with great views towards the airfield and the midfield terminal.

The hidden gem of the SWISS Lounge Center, however, is the Smokers Bar. According to the airline, the bar with a length of 27.6m is the longest, served airport bar in the world. It can be accessed directly from the Business and Senator lounge – of course First Class passengers have access as well. The drawback? Well, it’s a smokers bar!

As the SWISS Lounge Center is located in the airport’s “Schengen zone”, the airline is currently building another lounge in the “Non-Schengen zone” – the B Gates. According to the airline, this lounge will open in early December.

Finally there is the arrival lounge, which offers showers, a washroom and two ‘Relax Areas’ as well as a cafeteria where you can book your hotel or find out about train connections.

Overall the SWISS lounges at Zurich airport met my expectations. They tick all the boxes of what frequent travellers are looking for and they surely are well aligned with the airlines national values. Maybe a hint of excitement is missing, but then as we established earlier this is one of those Swiss values too. The SWISS Lounge Center Zurich is generally open between 6am and 11pm. You can find more information on the airline’s website.

Relaxing in the SWISS Business Lounge at Zurich Airport

Stylish dining in the SWISS First Lounge

[All photos from Swiss International Air Lines - all rights reserved]

The first impression of the airport is that it’s fairly spacious but looks quite tired. The latter is no surprise as it was built just after the WWII and opened in 1949. In summary, there are two really great things about the place: it offers free WiFi and operations are fairly efficient, so you won’t need to queue too long anywhere.

Generally, however, we advise not to spend too much time there as there simply isn’t terribly much to do. Sometimes you’re forced to stay a bit longer though, so in true LateDeparture style, we found a few tips for you to kill some time:

• If you’re with children, check out the “Discover the Airport” display between the two sections A and B of the arrivals & check-in hall. Whilst it’s a bit dated, it still offers a few interesting displays and a few interactive buttons for your kids to press.
• After security there’s not much at all. Even air condition seemed patchy when we were there. In summer, choose to wait in an area that’s well tempered.
• Go to gates 8/9 and play “plain spotter” – mind you this is no JFK with constant aircraft movement
• Check out the various vending machines featuring electronics or beauty products
• If you’re hungry, there’s a small snack bar offering a few breakfast/food options, newspapers, magazines and books
• If none of the above are your thing, simply surf the web on your phone or laptop – after all, WiFi is free throughout the airport – so you could even check out further tips from the Foursquare community

Airport Name	Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Website	http://www.syrairport.org/
IATA Code	SYR
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall
	n/a
	n/a

[Photo from Flickr - Some rights reserved by waitscm]

Alright, we admit it, not everything is perfect – you still have to queue when dropping off your bag at check-in, but hey, you can’t blame them for that, as this is mainly due to Federal Aviation Administration issues. The agency still doesn’t allow passengers to check-in themselves (already a common practice in a number of countries i.e. Australia on domestic Qantas routes). But, once the FAA is ready for this, JetBlue can simply convert the existing area; and fear not, even if you have to wait a bit, the terminal offers free WiFi, so surely you’ll find heaps to do on your phone while you queue.

Once through security you will be greeted with a large open area, the centre of the 635,000 square feet (60,000 square meters)  terminal that opened in 2008. This is also the area where you will see promotional events and if you are really really lucky, you’ll  see a pop star performing live. JetBlue’s event series “Live from T5” has previously featured amazing talent such as James Blunt, Robyn or Taylor Swift.

From that central area, affectionately  called ‘marketplace’ lead three wide concourses to the various gates. Along those concourses you will find the usual shopping and dining outlets. Hang on a minute, did we say usual? Scrap that – rewind! If you know JetBlue then you know that they don’t do ordinary. Period. What you actually find along these corridors are carefully selected shops, a food corner that provides a trillion options for every appetite and a chef-driven dining program. Dining program? Yes, you read right, at T5 you will find a number of restaurants that you would normally expect to find in a swanky Manhattan area!

Featured local chefs include: Mark Ladner (Aeronuova), Roberto Santibanez (Revolucion), Alex Raij (Piquillo), Lee Hanson & Riad Nasr (La Vie) and Michael Schulson (Deep Blue). Year-after-year, the T5 dining program, which is managed by OTG, are recognized with Customer Care Awards by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for their outstanding contribution to customer service.

What else? Well, there’s plenty more to discover – here a few of our favourites:

• Check out the old, iconic TWA Flight Center building right next to T5 – best views are from the check-in area or the bridge to/from the Air Train.
• After security, walk to gates 14/15 and lounge in one of the Italian designer chairs while watching planes take off and land, talk about luxury!
• Get your kids tired at the playground near gate 12
• Try to find gate 13 (send us a photo proof once you found it!)
• Love your quiet spot in the morning? Walk to gate 2 and have breakfast at the Horizon Bakery Cafe
• If you’re short for time or simply want to hang around your gate area, you can order food to eat in or take away from one of the many “revive” stations – you should get it within 10 minutes
• Hungry and have a little more time? Pick one of the great restaurants, you won’t be disappointed!

Hopefully we got you excited for experiencing T5 yourself. The only draw back of the terminal is that in order to experience it all, you will need an actual JetBlue ticket. So when you fly through JFK the next time, make sure you choose the right airline!

Airport Name	John F. Kennedy International Airport – Terminal 5
Website	http://www.jetblue.com/flying-on-jetblue/t5/ (JetBlue) http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk.html (Port Authority)
IATA Code	JFK
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall
	n/a
	n/a

[Photo from JetBlue - all rights reserved]

When you get past the fairly efficient passport control, the international terminal presents itself as a large but light-filled structure facing the runways. The first shop that presents itself to you is a large-ish duty free shop with a fairly good range of all the usual stuff. You then discover a semi-circled walkway on either side of this shop leading to additional stores that range from Sunglass Hut or Rip Curl to more unique outlets like the Rainbow Serpent. Then on either end of the walkways you’ll get to food and beverage outlets. On one side you find the Moreton Bay Ale House (yes, it’s a pub) and several fast food outlets. On the other side there’s Coffee Club and a few others.

Because my flight to Papua New Guinea received a two hour delay that day, it left me with plenty of time to explore the airport. It could have even been more time hadn’t Coffee Club been flooded with passengers that morning. With my coffee at hand I then got slightly more adventurous and discovered the airport offered more than just the usual things you see at every airport: at Brissie you also find some interesting art on display and even free wifi if you know where to go to. First, the art is displayed in form of two large sculptures by Stephen Killick (partially pictured above) on either side of the large glass-sided part of the terminal towards the gates. It’s well worth looking at it for a moment! Secondly, the free wifi, even though this really is a cheeky one, can be found in front of the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer lounge as was helpfully pointed out by one Foursquare tipper.

Overall, here are my usual top “time wasting” tips:

• Check the departure board and uncover some unusual destinations (e.g. ever heard of Honiara?)
• Shop for some last Australiana at the “Around Australia” store next to the pub (e.g. they offer a neat Qantas plane toy kit)
• R.M. Williams is the store to go for your true Aussie outdoor hinterland kit
• Buy (or just look at) an original, certified Aboriginal canvas painting at the “Rainbow Serpent” store
• Get up to date on your emails by using the cheeky free wifi in front of the KrisFlyer Singapore airlines lounge
• And if you then must, use the smoker’s balcony behind the Coffee Club for that one last drag before your flight (well if this isn’t a time wasting activity, then I really don’t know!!)

Airport Name	Brisbane Airport – International Terminal
Website	http://bne.com.au/
IATA Code	BNE
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall
	AUD 175
	AUD 65.99

[Picture by LateDeparture - all rights reserved]

The airport overall is split up into 2 terminals: international and domestic. In all fairness, the domestic terminal is actually quite frequented by locals even though airfares to fly within PNG are high as I was told by local expats. However, flying is oftentimes the only way of getting to another town as roads are bad and sometimes even nonexistent.

But let’s get back to the international terminal: While you are advised not to walk around Port Moresby unless accompanied by a local and definitely never at night, the airport feels save with plenty of guards who only allow travelers into the terminal building. Having said that, the sound of the alarm from the metal detector upon terminal entry didn’t seem to bother the guards when we entered. Luckily there is another, more serious security check before you get to the airside area.

After you checked in, don’t expect to find many shops within the terminal building. However, there are a few places you can spend some time at. Here our suggestions:

• If you have a lot of time before your flight and have a car, go to the “Airways Hotel”. It’s on a hill only a few kilometers from the airport and offers all the facilities you’d want including a supervised children’s area, a restaurant and a fantastic view down towards the airport. It even features an old Air Niugini DC3 which was converted to an internet cafe (see photo).
• In the terminal: go on a bargain hunt and buy locally produced coffee and vanilla seed pots (you are allowed to bring both into Australia as long as they are properly sealed)
• Buy postcards, flags or other souvenirs from one of the small shops before immigration
• In the same area, visit the Melanesian gift shop (PNG is part of Oceania’s sub-region “Melanesia”) or the jewelry shop which has more than just shiny objects: for example, you will there also find the typical, local bags called “Bilum”
• Grab a last SP, SP gold, Ice Beer or Export in the Airport Café (they have non-alcoholic beverages as well as some snacks too)
• After entering the airside area, you’re restricted to one small souvenir and duty-free shop (you can also buy duty free before immigration and get it sent to your gate) and a tiny snack bar. On one of the walls there is, however, a nice infograph of the famous , 96km long Kokoda track which is well worth spending a few minutes looking at. Who knows you might get some ideas for your next trip to Papua New Guinea?

Airport Name	Jacksons International Airport
Website	n/a
IATA Code	POM
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall

[Picture from LateDeparture - all rights reserved]

So what can you do at LAX if I want to be active but don’t want to get wet?

As with so many questions before, you are in luck at LAX as the immediate airport area even includes an 18 hole golf course: Westchester Golf Course. Didn’t bring your clubs? Don’t worry, you can rent a set of clubs there (USD 15 per set).

Anything else just outside of the airport?

Yep, again, the choice is yours: aviation enthusiasts shouldn’t miss the “Flight Path Learning Center” which features aviation relics such as uniforms, model aircraft, photographs and paintings. It also offers modern flight simulators. Sadly it is only accessible by car, so catching cab is your best option. It shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes to get there though.

Aside from that you may want to explore the nearby area called Westchester Business District which features many shops and cafes. From terminal 1 it’s only a 20-minute-walk. On your way there you will also come across an outlet of the celebrity endorsed In-and-Out Burger chain.

As you saw through part one and two of this incredibly diverse airport, there is a ton of things for you to do when you have ample time. This wouldn’t be LateDeparture though if we didn’t provide you with the top picks, neatly wrapped together:

• Eat a hot dog at the famous “Pinks Hot Dog” outlet, located in the international terminal in the food court
• Hit an LA beach, only 5 minutes from the airport by cab
• Go to Hollywood in only one hour for no more than USD 8.50
• Catch a picture of the famous LAX airport sign
• Eat lunch at Encounter, the airport’s famous space-themed restaurant from the sixties (see photo above)
• Rent some clubs and play a round of golf at Westchester’s 18 hole par 64 golf course located right next to the airport
• Grab a burger “Animal Style” at In-and-Out Burgers, only 10 minutes from terminal 1
• Visit the Flight Path Learning Center and learn about the airport’s past, then have a go at one of their modern flight simulators
• Follow one of the resident airport paparazzi and spot a celebrity

Airport Name	Los Angeles International Airport
Website	http://www.lawa.org/welcomeLAX.aspx
IATA Code	LAX
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall

[Picture from Los Angeles World Airports - all rights reserved]

So far so good.

But what about if you had a lengthy layover at the airport? Is there anything you can do?

I’m glad you ask: There actually is a lot to do. Let’s start with some things that don’t take up much time but are well worth exploring. First of all, head upstairs to the departure level of the International terminal. There you will find a new duty free section (hint: if your flight departs from this terminal you can shop here and get your goods delivered directly to your gate) and a well stocked ‘Oscars’ store providing you a first opportunity to shop for souvenirs. One more level up and you reach the food court which features my first must-do: an outlet of the LA institution “Pinks Hot Dog”. It’s very famous!

Of course Los Angeles is also famous for its celebrity scene and the airport provides you probably with one of your better chances to spot one. I was told that your best bet is to wait for the arrival of any British Airways flight or to try to spot one of the airports regular Paparazzi and follow their lead.

What if you wanted to get away from it all?

If airports aren’t your favourite places, don’t worry, you have a number of other options: On a nice, warm day, you might want to hit the nearby beach. Catch a cab to the Dockweiler State beach. It won’t break the bank (about $15 one way) and is only 5 minutes away plus has toilet and shower facilities – a perfect getaway for a few hours!

But my favourite “excursion” is actually going to Hollywood. It can be done if you have at least 4 hours. And no, you don’t have to spend a lot to do that either: Catch the ‘LAX flyaway’ bus (it departs every hour in front of every terminal) to Union Station ($7 and 40 minutes). Then catch the underground to “Hollywood & Highland” ($1.50 and 15 mins). Make sure you inquire with the bus driver about the return times back to the airport so that you won’t miss your connection. Then enjoy the thrill of being at Hollywood Boulevard!

How about staying within the airport?

Sure, there’s plenty to do without having to leave the area too. For all of you who like icons as much as I do, a visit to the famous LAX sign (see photo) is a must. You can reach it within walking distance: walk to terminal 1 and then towards the Radisson hotel; there it is!

If you happen to be at the airport on a weekend, then head to the theme building that looks like a space ship in the middle section between all terminals and get to the top floor, the observation deck. From there you have the best view to all the airport runways and surrounding areas. You should even be able to spot the Hollywood sign and downtown LA from there providing it’s not one of those smoggy days. This spot is also the preferred location for any plane spotter. Should you arrive during the week or if plane spotting isn’t your thing, then you can still enjoy a good view together with some delicious food at the Encounter restaurant in the same building. It even got featured in a Frommer’s recommendation as one of the 10 best airport restaurants in the US.

Finally there’s something that’s probably unique to the United States with access only granted to very special people. No, it’s not another private, luxury lounge, it’s the airport’s military retrieve called the Bob Hope Hollywood USO. Located in a building right next to the Encounter restaurant it provides a relaxation area for US military personnel and their allies. It is managed by friendly volunteers and provides about everything a business lounge does too. How did I get in? Well, they made an exception and let the neutral Swiss have a look around this time.

Next week, in part two, I’m going to show you what you can do if you are the active, sporty type. I will also highlight you some other jewels of this massive airport and, of course, I’m going to wrap it all up in the usual fashion by providing you my top picks for the airport overall.

[Update] Part two can now be found here.

[Picture from Los Angeles World Airports - all rights reserved]