Page 123 - teyxos_13
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Y our typical passenger is usually at the Passengers are informed and entertained
airport about two hours before his flight while waiting to board plus airlines address
is scheduled to depart. Personally, I pre- directly their customers
fer arriving with at least three hours to
spare, not because I am in a hurry or anxious to get Thankfully, no. My momentary panic is replaced formed me that should the worst happen and my
things done – I just love spending time in airports. with relief as I notice the futuristic monitor over my baggage never arrive, I can submit an electronic
International airports are much more than runways head, yet another upgrade to AIA’s services, which lost baggage claim at one of the new WorldTracer
with scattered patches of grass; they are more like calculates the real time required for passengers to Kiosks, strategically located throughout the Bag-
cities. Or rather, cities within cities, carriers of ar- reach their departure gate. It dawns on me that this gage Reclaim area. Yet another load off my mind.
chitecture, style and trends; For me, airports pro- information is really useful, and not only for some- In retrospect, I was right; every time I arrive at an
vide the most fertile ground for people watching one as absentminded as me. This pleasant surprise airport, a new chapter begins. In fact, the Athens In-
and observing. follows me to the departure lounge, where I notice ternational Airport features more than just one chap-
I may sound like a character from Spielberg’s “The the brand new video-walls used by airlines to di- ter: as I approach the Arrivals area, I am pleasantly
Terminal”, but I honestly enjoy everything about air- rectly communicate with their passengers before surprised by being greeted by the holographic im-
ports: from coming in contact with the latest techno- boarding, through displaying their own videos and age of an airport employee. These full-size digital
logical developments to even the simplest pleasures text which ultimately enhance the travel experience. holograms offer useful and important pre-record-
of the multilingualism of check-ins, the sweet rat- It’s time to fly. My last image from Athens is the ed airport information to arriving passengers on a
tling sound of my wheelie suitcase. But more than renovated Bus Gates, decorated in a modern man- 24-hour basis – needless to say I am very impressed!
anything, I like airports for what they represent – ner, featuring new materials and impressive ceiling Cut. Action, a New Centralized Information Coun-
the beginning and the end, departure and arriv- lamps. I get to finish a small chapter of my book while ter at the Arrivals area in Main Terminal Building
al. One moment in the midst of a heat wave, a few waiting for the bus which will take me to my plane. (MTB) has also been established. In the comfortable
hours later you can arrive into the heart of a win- My flight soon takes off and is also fairly enjoyable, and practical space, the friendly, welcoming staff is
ter wonderland. Every time I step into an airport, a without too much turbulence. busy answering various questions posed by excit-
new chapter is about to begin. A few days later, I find myself back where I start- ed tourists – in this case, a Japanese couple and a
The voice announcing that my train is about to ar- ed – Athens International Airport. I carry with me a northern European lonely traveller-type.
rive at the Athens International Airport interrupts my sweet melancholy; I always feel this way after re- I am already dreaming about my next journey. In
thoughts. I hastily head towards the check-in coun- turning from a trip I really enjoyed. My most press- fact, I plan to arrive at least four hours before my
ter. At 9:10 I am flying to my favourite city – London ing concern is always my baggage – will it arrive flight – I am looking forward to admiring the forth-
– and as always, I have enough time to spare… on time and intact? However, a fellow traveller in- coming renovation of AIA’s Business Centre.
I check-in fairly quickly, despite the hefty queue. As
I move forward, I indulge in my favourite passtime:
observing people’s faces. I feel airports are the best
window into a person’s emotions: from a weeping
goodbye to a joyful arriving embrace… After tak-
ing my customary look at the foreign newspapers
and magazines at Press Point, I have been discon-
nected from the internet for a few hours now, which
is quite a long time for my standards. In the Intra
Schengen zone of the Departures area I pause for
a moment – a new hotspot? Well, the “Internet Is-
land” could well be considered a hotspot, since the
former seating area has been recently renovated.
Having new design features with undulating curves,
a new welcoming area that embraces multiple seat-
ing and state-of –the-art technology, I am immedi-
ately drawn in. Time to check my emails. In the end,
I am staying much longer than expected; the relaxed
minimal atmosphere welcomes me as I recharge
my phone and surf the internet after placing my lap-
top on the specially designed laptop stands. Am I in
danger of missing my flight, I wonder?
123
airport about two hours before his flight while waiting to board plus airlines address
is scheduled to depart. Personally, I pre- directly their customers
fer arriving with at least three hours to
spare, not because I am in a hurry or anxious to get Thankfully, no. My momentary panic is replaced formed me that should the worst happen and my
things done – I just love spending time in airports. with relief as I notice the futuristic monitor over my baggage never arrive, I can submit an electronic
International airports are much more than runways head, yet another upgrade to AIA’s services, which lost baggage claim at one of the new WorldTracer
with scattered patches of grass; they are more like calculates the real time required for passengers to Kiosks, strategically located throughout the Bag-
cities. Or rather, cities within cities, carriers of ar- reach their departure gate. It dawns on me that this gage Reclaim area. Yet another load off my mind.
chitecture, style and trends; For me, airports pro- information is really useful, and not only for some- In retrospect, I was right; every time I arrive at an
vide the most fertile ground for people watching one as absentminded as me. This pleasant surprise airport, a new chapter begins. In fact, the Athens In-
and observing. follows me to the departure lounge, where I notice ternational Airport features more than just one chap-
I may sound like a character from Spielberg’s “The the brand new video-walls used by airlines to di- ter: as I approach the Arrivals area, I am pleasantly
Terminal”, but I honestly enjoy everything about air- rectly communicate with their passengers before surprised by being greeted by the holographic im-
ports: from coming in contact with the latest techno- boarding, through displaying their own videos and age of an airport employee. These full-size digital
logical developments to even the simplest pleasures text which ultimately enhance the travel experience. holograms offer useful and important pre-record-
of the multilingualism of check-ins, the sweet rat- It’s time to fly. My last image from Athens is the ed airport information to arriving passengers on a
tling sound of my wheelie suitcase. But more than renovated Bus Gates, decorated in a modern man- 24-hour basis – needless to say I am very impressed!
anything, I like airports for what they represent – ner, featuring new materials and impressive ceiling Cut. Action, a New Centralized Information Coun-
the beginning and the end, departure and arriv- lamps. I get to finish a small chapter of my book while ter at the Arrivals area in Main Terminal Building
al. One moment in the midst of a heat wave, a few waiting for the bus which will take me to my plane. (MTB) has also been established. In the comfortable
hours later you can arrive into the heart of a win- My flight soon takes off and is also fairly enjoyable, and practical space, the friendly, welcoming staff is
ter wonderland. Every time I step into an airport, a without too much turbulence. busy answering various questions posed by excit-
new chapter is about to begin. A few days later, I find myself back where I start- ed tourists – in this case, a Japanese couple and a
The voice announcing that my train is about to ar- ed – Athens International Airport. I carry with me a northern European lonely traveller-type.
rive at the Athens International Airport interrupts my sweet melancholy; I always feel this way after re- I am already dreaming about my next journey. In
thoughts. I hastily head towards the check-in coun- turning from a trip I really enjoyed. My most press- fact, I plan to arrive at least four hours before my
ter. At 9:10 I am flying to my favourite city – London ing concern is always my baggage – will it arrive flight – I am looking forward to admiring the forth-
– and as always, I have enough time to spare… on time and intact? However, a fellow traveller in- coming renovation of AIA’s Business Centre.
I check-in fairly quickly, despite the hefty queue. As
I move forward, I indulge in my favourite passtime:
observing people’s faces. I feel airports are the best
window into a person’s emotions: from a weeping
goodbye to a joyful arriving embrace… After tak-
ing my customary look at the foreign newspapers
and magazines at Press Point, I have been discon-
nected from the internet for a few hours now, which
is quite a long time for my standards. In the Intra
Schengen zone of the Departures area I pause for
a moment – a new hotspot? Well, the “Internet Is-
land” could well be considered a hotspot, since the
former seating area has been recently renovated.
Having new design features with undulating curves,
a new welcoming area that embraces multiple seat-
ing and state-of –the-art technology, I am immedi-
ately drawn in. Time to check my emails. In the end,
I am staying much longer than expected; the relaxed
minimal atmosphere welcomes me as I recharge
my phone and surf the internet after placing my lap-
top on the specially designed laptop stands. Am I in
danger of missing my flight, I wonder?
123
