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What behavior by passengers or staff at airports annoys you the most?

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Annoying part: Custom Officers, wasting 10min on 'friendly talk'!(20min on baggage check and find nothing worthwhile).

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All of it, I hate airports & anything to do with them.

Flying I like, its just the getting off the ground & back on the ground that I hate.

Is it airport policy to make it all as painful as possible?

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I hate the way the airline staff always get to go on the plane first. They always get the best seats, right next to the galley, the toilets and the emergency exits. Not fair.

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Worst of all is being stuck behind a passenger at the check-in counter whose carry-on bag is too big or he/she has too much carry-on items and they argue about it.

Another bugbear is a passenger who is very fussy about where he/she sits and practically wants to see the configuration of the cabin so they can pick their seat.

What else? At immigration, I always get stuck behind someone at the immigration counter who hasn't filled out their immigration forms correctly, and they usually have a family of five with them. So while they are all fumbling with forms and trying to understand what the immigration officer is saying, everyone else has to stand patiently in line. Finally, it dawns on them to go over to another counter and fill in the forms there, so the rest of the line can proceed.

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The only thinks I love more than an airport experiences are stomach flu and tooth aches. And my dear home country has perfected the airport experience so that it is only equalled by a case of Ebola.

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The check in lobby at O'Hare is a joke with You Knighted Airlines. They laid off most of the lobby staff.. and there's no one there to tell me how to use the computer. Once past security, it's okay. At Narita, Kansai and Chubu, no complaints at all. Except for pushy non-Japanese in those FaSiDo duty-free junk shops.

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Not updating the flight status properly.

When flying their will be delays and missed connections. I understand this. I am not one of those passanger that goes berzerk when my flight is delayed. Wheather, maintainance, etc... It isn't the staff's fault. However, at least do me the courtesy of informing me if the flight is delayed. I hate sitting, staring at a screen telling me my flight is "on time" 30 minutes after boarding was supposed to begin, ad the staff hasn't said a word.

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Depends on the airport. In Singapore airport, there is nothing annoying whatsoever- it's airport heaven.

In Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore airports, just about everything the staff do (or usually don't do) is the worst. I love travelling in India, but the airports are just diabolical.

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People who make the low level "Elite" or "Premier" status level at an airline who think they are gods gift to the airlines. You've flown 25-30K miles, stop showing your card off like you're something special. You're not.

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None, but Narita is a very boring airport. Hardly anywhere nice to brouse, or sit for a bite to eat or drink. Japanese airports are boring. Staff is very nice though.

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NPA bigwigs throwing tantrums (and other things).

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@Patrick Smash:

Go early, be first in line, find your way one of the many food establishments, get a cold beer and chill.

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Too many carry on bags.

Folks who insist on stuffing the holder full while ignoring the line of passangers waiting to get on.

Grumpy staff.

Folks who STILL don't know that drinks, lighters... are banned and complain when they are told they can't take them onboard.

Folks with kids who let them run around like an airport is a park.

Folks with kids who allow their kids to run around screaming and crying and ignore them.

Flights should have a no kids zone!!

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It's not so much staff who are mostly ok. The little people at the immigration desk sometimes like to prove a point, but I would do the same if I was sat all day stamping passports.

The airport itself is a dump. Getting to Narita is the worst aspect. I'm less keen for international travel as the airport is simply too far away and takes too long to get to. Once there, it's incredibly boring with all the charm of a school cafeteria. I'm surprised at how limited and lacking the "renewal" was. It's very much a public sector overhaul, and looks incredibly cheap. That little garden they've put in is worthy of scorn. The extremely limited books available there (unless you're interested in gardens in Kyoto or the art of tea ceremonies) shows really how poorly integrated Japan is. The food sucks. I was left with the choice of Starbucks or a curry. A curry served by an old woman and eaten on a cheap plastic table.

They have so much to learn.

Heathrow, for all it's faults, is an enjoyable airport to lose a few hours. US airports are the worst for staff behaviour, rudeness and giving you a generally bad reception.

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The number of airport execs around the world who apparently assume all of us in international departures want to spend layovers watching CNN.

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Separate airports for domestic and international, i.e. Haneda/Narita.

Canceled international routes from Nagoya. Taking a flight to Nagoya (a beautiful airport, BTW), and leaving from the same airport WAS very convenient.

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1) Narita: When you exit the customs area at Narita and a flight has arrived from China. The Chinese stand in the exit area or literally stop in front of you and you almost walk over them. They have no sense of space nor care. 2) U.S: Being an airline elite member and travelling business class and waiting for 30 minutes during a rush hour period in that line because a)none of the check in counter computers work and if they do work you go the whole way through the list of instructions then it tells you to go and see an agent and b) Because they've layed off most of the service counter employees there are only 2 people at the counter getting slammed by the first class, business class and elite passengers all together. c) The computer instruction telling you to pck up the phone and you get the Indian call center and have to explain everything all over to them on what has happened and they ask you to spell your name 10 times because they don't understand you're native tongue of English is then they ask your address then finally ask what they can do for you. You don't have this time so your best to go back into the line for another 30 minutes to deal with the counter staff. Europe: Everything is pretty good with the excemption of Lisbon (Perhaps the worst airport in the world for immigration especially if you arrive just after a flight from Africa. It takes 2 hours to get through as they interview each African for 5 minutes at a time with only 6 staff on duty. Heathrow: Thank goodness that I'm an elite member and can go through the quick line. Inter EU flights they recommend that you show up 1 hour before hand. I did that and the line to the security area was about 300 meters long. That was before you go through the snake line on the other side of the wall. If anyoe has been in this kind of lne at Disneyland waiting for a ride at the speed you move at, you know it takes a bit more than 30 mins. CDG (Paris): A little confusing as there are signs of where you need to go from when you are quite a distance from where you are, but then as you get closer they disappear. Lastly I admire and respect flight attendants, but my company or myself never pays money to be their psycologist and hear their complaints of how bad their company is as I pay decent money to be transported safely, waited upon, treated with a bit of respect since I treat them with respect. I'm not Jerry Springer and it's not a talk back show with trailer trash sitting in the plane.

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How bout this one, when the check-in bimbo takes off without saying a word with your passport and tickets and you don't see her again for 30 minutes.

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What annoys me the most about airport staff is when you miss your flight due to the security line taking forever. Once you have the realization your plane has already left, you get fustrated & upset..of course. But when you try to plea w/ the flight attendant to get you on the next flight, they give you a smug look & give you attitude as if you threatened their children.. Its rediculous! You just want to get home to your loved ones, but then they treat you like their the victim.. eh, i swear..

They have too much power sometimes.. But thats not all the time, I have encountered numerous sweethearts..

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@Patrick Smash: Yeah, I know. I wish you could just send them by Kuro Neko but JT posters frwon upon things like that. Seriously though, earlier is better, get to the "other side" and then relax.

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There was this moron on my Cathey Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo on January 5th who seemed to dislike his seat or something like that so he was getting angry with flight attendants and then he said he didn't have his boarding pass. So that took about 15 minutes to settle down. After the plane took off the bastard took the seat to which i wanted to move to.

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I love KIX for many reasons (which end up converging to the point: less stress).

In the US, France, UK, I'd say immigration/security is the part I hate most.

Why do they have to exclusively pick grumpy people who hate their job for the task?

They treat you like you are trying to invade their countries and, when letting you in, behave like if they were doing you a favor! Best part is: you can't complain, there is no counter power to this, you just have to shove it and shut up, even in your own country. Try to remind them the difference between power and duty, and you might end up being refused the right to enter.

In Japan, they manage to at least pretend showing some respect.

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Customs - Invasive body searches where the person doing the search doesn't use a new pair of gloves for each search, or doesn't have the lubricant handy. Immigration/Police at certain US airports who single you out for an impromptu luggage search just because you look like a drug smuggler (loud shirt, board shorts). Same persons are usually pretty apologetic when persons meeting you at the aforesaid airport have stars on their shoulders.

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Unapologetic fingerprinting of people who have lived and contributed to this society for years, as if we were criminals.

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<At the airport> The massive boarding line-ups which are a result of people not listening to staff instructions for boarding sequence (Sit down and wait yer turn!!). Crew and staff that cannot efficiently handle flight delays/cancellations/re-routing (mostly in the US/Canada). Having to go through security again on a transferring flight.

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@warispeace, How do they know you're not a criminal?

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What annoys me most at airport? The Narita airport trainee ground staff take such a long time to attend to a passenger, and their 'senpai' are not doing anything to help....

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I have no problems with the staff, in fact i commend them! maybe it's because I'm no tourist, but i get treated with the same high respect as the Japanese travelers. My last time exiting Narita, I had forgotten to organize my re entry permit... it was a Sunday and the immigration office was closed. The customs officer whisked me aside to get his manager, who got me a re entry permit within 10 minutes. He was very nice and held my 9 month old daughter while i was filling out forms.

What annoys me at the airports is actually the other tourists. Loud Americans with their fanny packs, hiking back packs and cameras around their necks sifting through the Japanese souvenirs... talking extremely loud and laughing about how weird it all is. Then the expect all the sales assistants to speak English... so when i hear "Don't Y'all speak English 'round here?" I tend to get rather pissed off.. which usually results in an insult or two..... >_0

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At Narita the Airline has 20 counters but only 2 highschool grads checking in everyone. Also in the background of the 2 checking everyone in is 10 idiots milling around uselessly.

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The # of fatties (fat person) who exploits the airports' wheel chair assistance annoys me.

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These "I'm different from you!" people: http://www.japantoday.com/category/shukan-post/view/npa-left-red-faced-after-official-blows-his-top-at-narita

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agreed with nigelboy!

nothing more frustrating than seeing some fat bastard being wheeled along while us normal people must use our own legs! absolutely atrocious!

mind you, i guess it protects our eyes from seeing their pants being "eaten" by their behinds...

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Nothing does, really. I enjoy flying just about every time I travel by air....

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I enjoy flying, the only part that annoys me is security, have to take my shoes and belt off, take my laptop out of my bag, take all the crap out of my pockets, take my headphones off and then put it all back when I get through.

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"the only part that annoys me is security, have to... take my headphones off..."

People walking around with headphones on annoys me.

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Sitting at an airport for two hours waiting for your flight number to come up to find out your flight has left!!! and told the info board was out of order!

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linro - You must have been waiting in front of some info board nowhere near your gate.

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linro: sounds like it was your own fault. If something seems fishy, don't just sit there.

I have, in general, a favourable impression of Narita, though the shops after immigration absolutely suck. If they want tips for the types of shops and restaurants to set up, then look at Heathrow. A mere MacDonalds does NOT do the trick, Narita.

As for Heathrow, service is absolutely sh!t at some of the shops. At Boots, the cashier was busy gossiping with her colleague, didn't even look at me, no thank you, no nothing. If they want tips on how to treat customers, then look at Narita.

Two more problems with Narita (though not connected to the staff) is that it takes ages to get there and that automatic gates are NOT installed in all the winggs (eg north wing of terminal one). Why bother having them in the first place if you're going to do things half-heartedly? Having to give your fingerprints is bad enough. And many major cities (esp those in East Asia) have very good transport links from the airport to the city centre. Get rid of the supplementary fee for Narita Express and I guarantee the trains will no longer be empty. I bet the limousine buses are partly financing N'EX.

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I love travelling, but I am afraid of flights. I abslutely have to relax, so what I hate the most in any airports in the World is when the bartender gives me a wild-wild west look and ask me to leave after my tenth pint.

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" What behavior by passengers or staff at airports annoys you the most?" am I reading JT right now or am I having a dejavu episode?! anyway I'll go w/ the most recent: a guy who swallows 90 pouches of drugs has got to be most annoying if not disturbing.

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The last officer to pass when returning to Japan asking:"Purpose is what?" - My reply:" I live here."

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Flying is a pain in the arse wherever you do it, but nothing at Narita particularly annoys me, it's one of the best airports I've used. Immigration and customs have become a lot more sophisticated and relaxed in the past 15 years, and the baggage handling is respectful, not like the slaughterhouses for suitcases you get at many airports. Prices are fair at the stores and restaurants (Sydney is king of price gouging, everything from souvenirs to car parking -- you're even charged $4 to rent a luggage trolley), staff are mostly efficient and courteous (yeah there are a few rule-sticklers but I can live with it), the limo bus works, and on return you can cheaply courier your luggage home within a day so you don't have to carry it. Apart from the distance from the city, it's fine.

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The last officer to pass when returning to Japan asking:"Purpose is what?" - My reply:" I live here."

This has happened to me several times, both coming back and boarding a plane to leave. Do these people actually look at the passport when you thrust it into their faces? It's almost as ridiculous as the old re-entry cards where you had to write 'purpose of visit'. It's plain common sense that those with re-entry permits LIVE in Japan.

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I think people that work in the airport or in the plane they speak their language and say bad things about other people and think that nobody understand them. but they are wrong because i can speak 5 languages and i understand every freaking word that they speak. for example i was flying in Turkish airlines and the flight attendent check the passenger list and figute that there is no turkish person in that flight so they were talking about how fat and ugly are the passengers in Turkish i was born and raised in Turkey but I am a Israeli citizen so I decide to stood up against the rude flight attendent and tell her if she wana see fat and ugly person all she need to do is check the mirror. In turkish ofcourse suddenly she chenged her color and apologise to me but it was too late.

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it was in Dubai and true, of cause I got a flight the next day and fellow readers I am a gold card, I fly alot and I could write a book!!!

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when the check in staff are acting like immigration staff and telling you you need a visa when you don't, why would check in staff know what the immigation law between Seychelles and South Africa is in Timbukto?????

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Ain't nothing wrong with Narita. Those complaining have clearly never been to Toronto airport, which constitutes its own special corner of hell.

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i don't like it (especially when travelling through N. America) when people push/pull their luggage willy-nilly through the airport without regard for the safety/comfort of other travellers. i'm tired of people suddenly stopping/changing direction/ramming into me. i wish they would pay more attention to wear they're going. i try to watch out for as many of them as i can but, it seems like one of them always slips through the defenses.

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Narita is the best ever airport Ive been . staff were very polite and respectful not like in US escially LAX in Cali . Its so shocking every staff were arogant ..

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Lack of respect by airport staff. They start seeing you as sheep.

I just want to get on a plane and go, but we have to undergo a total environmental change of hours of lines, glitzy shops, music, announcements, queues, body and baggage checks etc., and it feels like a total invasion of my personal space. I HATE the whole experience, and I HATE those inconsiderate idiots who think of themselves as clever terrorists or fighters who make life so much more difficult for everyone on the planet! (Rant over.)

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