10 Things I Didn’t Know Before Working at an Airport

A lot of what I read about air travel is written by travel pros on one side of the experience. That means frequent flyers and travel bloggers, people that travel a lot for a living. What I don’t see very often are things written by actual industry insiders. So I thought I’d share some things I’ve picked up from behind the scenes. Here are ten things that I didn’t know before I worked at an airport.

1.) A LOT of people still don’t know how an airport works.
This could simply be that most of the passengers I interact with at the airport ask me questions. I’m amazed though, at how many people don’t understand more or less standard airport practices. They don’t know the difference between a check-in counter and a gate, they don’t know what a codeshare is, they don’t even know that liquids in hand lugged needs to be in a separate plastic bag. I feel like even if you rarely travel by air, there are enough films and television shows that depict the airport experience that you should know basically how it works.

2.) Unless you’re at an airline’s hub, the staff you interact with are probably not actual airline employees.
Many people expect to find local staff for their flight when they arrive at the airport. However, check-in counters and gates are typically staffed with sub-contracted and/or airport employees rather that airline employees. If an airline only has two or three flights per day, it doesn’t pay to hire dedicated staff. Most of the time, check-in and gate staff move from flight to flight based on their schedule rather than stay with one specific airline.

3.) The rule that you should arrive three hours before your flight only applies to direct intercontinental flights.
While it is true that you should arrive at the airport three hours before your international flight, that only applies to direct flights. If you’re flying from Kansas City to Paris but have a layover in Newark, you can breathe easier since your first flight is domestic and you are likely alright arriving 1 1/2 to 2 hours before your flight.

4.) Even if you check in online, you probably still have to go to the counter
Many passengers check in online ahead of time and then arrive at the airport thinking they’ve saved themselves from having to wait in line at the check-in counter. In fact, checking in online is often only telling the airline that, yes, you do intend to catch that particular flight. Most of the time, you still have to wait in line at the check-in counter. Sometimes you need to get a boarding pass, but most often it’s where you have to turn in your checked luggage. Automated kiosks are available to print boarding passes and some airports air equipped with automated baggage drops for certain flights. However, the kiosks often only function during the times when the actual check-in counters are open.

5.) Airline staff are not always at the check-in counter.
As mentioned above, check-in staff are not always airline staff. Either the employees will be dedicated check-in agents and move from counter to counter, or they’ll be airline employees and need to move from check-in to the departure gate in order to manage the flight. Often the counter will only be staffed from two to three hours before departure until the gate begins boarding. If you come too early or too late, you’ll find the counter either empty or being used by a different airline for a different flight.

6.) Powerbanks are not allowed in checked luggage.
A few years ago, Samsung got a bad rep when some of their Galaxy Note 7 cellphones spontaneously combusted. One of the problems was the highly sensitive lithium ion batteries they used. Lithium ion is also used in powerbanks for recharging cellphones. The volatile material can potentially catch fire and if the items are in the cargo hold, they could actually burn right through the fuselage. Therefore they are only allowed to be transported in the main cabin where flight and cabin crew are on hand to take action if something happens.

7.) Boarding is arbitrary.
During the boarding process, many airlines use a “zone” system. Passengers board according to whatever zone number is on their boarding pass when it’s called by the gate agents. What they don’t tell you is that the machines that read the bar/QR codes on your boarding pass aren’t typically equipped to know the difference. The only thing stopping someone in zone 4 from boarding with first class passengers is the attention of the gate agents actually looking at the tickets before boarding. To be fair, they do tend to be pretty watchful. However, if you’re feeling lucky and the gate staff are lazy, you might be able to sneak on board ahead of time.

8.) Departure time means the time the aircraft actually takes off.
Many passengers often refer to the departure time which is displayed on monitors throughout the airport to decide when to proceed to their gate. Understandably you want to relax and maybe get something to eat or drink before the flight. However, that time is actually when the airplane leave the airport. Your boarding pass will typically display a boarding time when you need to be at the gate. Aircraft doors typically close 20-30 minutes before departure time (and if the aircraft is at an apron position, it could be even earlier) and you will not be allowed on board once the doors are closed.

9.) Long-haul airplanes have secret rooms to sleep in.
During long flights, cabin and flight crew have access to secret rooms inside the airplane for them to relax and catch some sleep. These areas are never marked and are typically above or below the main cabin. Cabin crew areas usually have 4-6 bunks (think where you might sleep on a tour bus or submarine) while flight crew usually have 1 or 2 bunks.

10.) Lost Items don’t always go directly to the Lost & Found Office…and not always to the SAME Lost & Found Office
If you’ve ever lost something during your journey, it can sometimes be difficult to recover. For instance, items left at security checkpoints aren’t immediately taken to the airport’s lost & found office. Often, they’re collected and turned in at the next shift change or even the following day. It’s best to retrace your steps in the airport before you rush to the lost and found office because it’s likely not there yet. Also, there are typically several “lost and found” offices in an airport and they are usually in very different places. There are offices for items lost in the actual airport, there are offices for baggage that hasn’t arrived, and each airline has their own process for items that are lost or forgotten on board. Make sure you know where to look instead of just looking for the words “lost and found”.

While none of these things are particularly ground breaking, I think it’s good to consider them while travelling. Not only will you make the experience better for the staff at the airport, but with a better understanding of how things work, you’ll likely make the experience much better for yourself as well.

Geek Nation Tours: Samurai & Anime – Day 11

Day 11 of my Geek Nation Tours: Samurai & Anime romp through Japan started early. Too early, in fact, to even get breakfast at the hotel. I checked out before dawn, grabbed my breakfast box, said “さようなら” to our amazing local guide, Eriko, and joined some of the guests on the airport shuttle from downtown Osaka to Kansai International Airport. It took about an hour by bus to reach the airport built literally out of nowhere (it’s on an artificial island). We watched the sun slowly creep up over the backdrop of Osaka’s industrial and port area. For a lot of people, it’s probably not the most scenic area, but I find it interesting to see the blue-collar backbone of a society.

We arrived at the airport and check-in was a breeze for me since I was travelling with only hand luggage. The glitch came when I got to the security control. Apparently the brand new tripod I had bought explicitly to shoot promo footage for GNT during the tour was a few centimeters too long by Japanese flight safety requirements. I tried dismantling the top of the tripod and it was still over the limit. The obvious suggestion by the security agent was to take my backpack back and turn in it as checked luggage. I opted for the alternative of just leaving the tripod there. I was frustrated (and it showed) since the tripod was new, I had paid for it with company money, and I couldn’t see the security risk it posed since I had already brought it with the same airline into the country (although, it could be there are other standards for domestic and international flights).

The flight from Kansai to Tokyo Haneda Airport wasn’t long. I had hoped for a glimpse of Mt. Fuji one last time, but cloud cover kept Fuji San hidden far below. However, when we landed at Haneda and transferred by bus to the terminal, I was treated with an even better sight. All Nippon Airways has several Star Wars-themed liveries and during the transfer, I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the ANA Boeing 787 decked out as R2-D2. Unfortunately, I was standing in the middle of a crowded bus so I wasn’t able to get a snapshot, but I was enamored all the same.

I spent my last few moments in the airport double checking that prices for Sony products really weren’t all that better than what we pay in the West and perusing the selection of capsule machines. I’m pretty sure I got one last capsule, but I don’t remember what it was.

I was fortunate to have a direct flight from Haneda direct to Frankfurt International Airport with ANA. Although this route uses a Boeing 777 instead of the newer 787, it was still a great experience and solidified ANA in my mind as the best airline I’ve ever flown with. It was a fantastic end to a pretty decent tour.

Overall, I felt like the experience was generally positive. I often felt over drawn as I tried to juggle managing the group and shoot decent promotional footage for GNT. Luckily, Eriko is amazing at her job and was always organized, professional, and mindful of the guests. It also helped that the group was so small. The itinerary was a good mix of pop culture and traditional Japanese highlights but could’ve likely been streamlined. In the end, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit the Land of the Rising Sun again and look forward to doing it again even if I have to pay for it myself next time.

Geek Nation Tours: Sekigahara – Day 0

Back in 2017, I had the opportunity to visit Japan for the first time. It was something like a job interview, training session, and first tour as a tour guide for a company called Geek Nation Tours. The theme of the tour was the Battle of Sekigahara, an event that united medieval Japan under one Shogun in the early 17th century. I was excited because the tour promised all those cool things about ancient Japan that we all love, samurai and ninjas and cool swords and mysticism.

I flew from Frankfurt to Nagoya via Helsinki. The ticket was for JAL (Japan Airlines) but this was before I fully understood what a codeshare was and I didn’t realize I would actually be flying with Finnair instead. The flights were actually really good. Frankfurt to Helsinki was relatively short and I remember being spellbound by all of the trees surrounding the airport on approach. I had a few hours for my layover which is always appreciated for connecting flights (when booking, make sure to give yourself enough time to comfortably reach any connecting flights) and was able to take the time to eat something and relax in the birch forest located inside the airport. Seriously, there is so much wood in that airport, it’s so homey. Longer layover times also reduce the likelihood that your checked baggage will not get transferred. Normally I travel light with only hand luggage, but this time I would be on the road for more than three weeks between this tour and a tour back in Germany directly afterward so I felt like I needed quite a bit more.

I confused the immigration officers on my way to my departure gate. There I was, a resident of Germany with an American passport on my way to work a tour in Japan even though I couldn’t speak Japanese and had never been to the country before. After convincing the border police that I was, in fact, legit, it wasn’t long before I found myself en route to Nagoya.

I couldn’t tell you what movies I watched during the flight. I tend to pick movies I wouldn’t watch in any normal setting (including theatres and at home) because it’s fun to watch crappy movies and I usually fall asleep during at least one of them. I don’t remember what was on the menu either. Although, I don’t really think airplane food is as bad as everyone always seems to make it out to be. What I DO remember, though, is the juice. Finnair’s “signature drink” is blueberry juice and it’s offered in mass quantities on board. So. Much. Juice. I don’t like to drink my calories, but I couldn’t help it, it was so good. I’m pretty sure I drank at least two litres of the sweet sweet goodness during the flight.

When we landed in Nagoya, I was excited but in that haze of not quite believing things are actually happening (which is probably a side effect of the jet lag). After being shuffled into the incoming border control line, I took the time to fill out the immigration entry card which was thankfully in both Japanese and English. I remember being overwhelmed by the language barrier not so much by the signage (most of that was available in English) but more from speaking with the airport and border control staff. It must not have been as bad as I remember though, because I was able to relatively easily pass through into the county.

I picked up my luggage and made my way to the airport’s train station. Again, the signs were pretty clear and available in both Japanese and English. I picked up a bottle of green tea from a kiosk near the station and proceeded to try and buy a ticket from the machine. This was a little more difficult since I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going and which train line I wanted to take to get there. My cellphone roaming hadn’t kicked in so I couldn’t rely on the internet to help me out and had to use the travel guide for the tour guests that was prepared before I had left. I’ve gone to places “blind” before (like Warsaw and Prague), but this seemed extra difficult for me. In the end, I managed to purchase a ticket and seat reservation (obligatory) and walked to the platform. Except that it was the wrong platform. I did, however, manage to find the correct platform and proper train before it left (with seconds to spare) so everything worked out alright.

The train commute from the airport into the city of Nagoya was pretty cool. The train car was very clean with well maintained upholstery and non-carpet floors (which are obviously much easier to deep clean). The weather was drizzly, but the scenery overlooking the bay fit nicely with the wet weather. As the buildings shifted from waterfront industrial to suburban residential to downtown business, I soaked in the architecture and started to realize that I was, in fact, really there in a country so far from home and so interestingly “foreign”.

During the journey, the train conductor came into the car to check everyone’s tickets. I’m used to European conductors entering the car and repeating their request for tickets loudly but lazily as they lurch from seat to seat. This conductor, however, entered the door, bowed, announced what I assume was that he was going to check our tickets, bowed again, then went through the car. I felt a sense of relief when I showed my tickets to him and he nodded approvingly because I still wasn’t 100% certain I had bought the right tickets.

Arriving in Nagoya station, I grabbed my bags and disembarked the train. The station wasn’t excessively large or complicated and, again, I was glad that signage was available in English so that I could navigate fairly easily out onto the street. It was a short walk to the Castle Plaza hotel from the station (more or less a straight shot up the street). I noticed that the city was lively, but not over crowded. I’d guess it had something to do with the fact that I was travelling after the morning rush hour had finished and most of the people were already at work for the day. I also noticed that the city had more “western” streets and sidewalks (read: wide) like Chicago or Toronto or Dallas as opposed to the narrow streets and sidewalks that are so common in Europe. It was also WAY cleaner that the major metropolitan areas of Europe and even North America.

I was able to check in to the hotel even though I had arrived before proper check-in hours. First on the to-do list after dropping my bags was to meet Teras Cassidy, the head of Geek Nation Tours. I had exchanged emails and a few Skype calls but this was my first interaction with the guy. He opened the door to his room and I was kind of surprised how physically imposing he was. He was a BIG dude…not obese, but rather tall and large framed. Teras was lounging in his room trying to get some work done. He was very friendly and personable and explained some of the options I had for getting something to eat and we talked a little bit about what to expect for the duration of the tour. We set a time to meet later in the afternoon and I set off to eat and see a bit of the city.

The first thing I had to do was visit the 7-Eleven (yes, that 7-Eleven) across the street and hit the ATM for some local currency. Cash in hand, I doubled back to the fish market on the other side of the hotel. Vendors had set up tables both outside and inside the market with small boxes of food for lunch. I did a lap through the market looking for something to jump out at me and eventually opted for a 500 yen fish box from a street vendor near the market entrance. I took the box and ate on a bench in a small park nearby. I had really no idea what was around in the neighborhood but Google Maps was functioning on my phone although I had no data connection, so that helped.

Later in the afternoon, I walked to Noritake Garden, an old ceramic factory nearby. The factory has long since been demolished save for a few administrative buildings and furnace chimney and is now a large park. It’s kind of a cool example of green space urban reclamation. There weren’t a ton a people in the park, mostly people just enjoying the quite in the center of the city and a group of kids running around being kids. (When you travel, you start to realize that humans are pretty much the same all around the world.)

In the evening, I met up with Teras again and a few of the tour guests who had also arrived early. We went to eat at an izakaya around the corner from the hotel. I felt a little out of place since the atmosphere was a lot like a tavern. I would describe the menu as Japanese bar food tapas, small portions of various dishes but no real main course or anything of substance.

Back at the hotel, I made an evening visit to the onsen. Luckily, the tattoo policy at the bath was a bit lax and I was allowed to visit as long as I covered up my tattoos (some onsens have a strict, no tattoo policy). Once my troubles were soaked away, I found myself back in the hotel room. I took a shower in the raised-floor bathroom and amused myself with the robot toilet before crashing for the night. It was a long journey and a long day but I was finally in the Land of the Rising Sun and it was pretty cool.