There are some curiosities about airports that could change the way we see this place, considered by many as simple facilities for taking off and landing airplanes or loading and unloading travelers. Although they are very busy places they can also be very interesting, after all they are the meeting point for many people and there is always something going on in them. Although it is normal that because of the hustle and bustle, some details about them go unnoticed.
Besides, there are so many in the world that it is not strange that there are some incredible facts and secrets to know and that possibly leave us wanting to visit the airports themselves instead of the destination. If you are one of the millions of people who travel by plane every month, then you will surely want to know some curiosities about airports that will surprise you and try to find out more about them. Discover them below!
11 Interesting Facts about Airports That You Probably Didn’t Know
1. Airports often sell lost luggage
While 97% of lost suitcases end up reaching their owner sooner or later, 3% of them are never recovered. But whether someone loses their luggage or leaves it at the airport, it will go to a storage area, where we will have 90 days to retrieve it. Of course if it is luggage lost by airlines, they will make every effort to try to locate the owner before sending it there.
But in case it is not picked up by its owner, after this period the airports will take these items from storage and donate them to charities or sell them for cash at auction houses.
2. Some airports are a destination in themselves
Although we tend to think of all airports as boring, tense and unpleasant places to be. Also, in some cases this is not the case, in fact, more and more airports are worth flying to just to see them. Besides, since it is possible to find a wide range of entertainment options from amusement parks or yoga rooms, to amazing art galleries. With which we will have no time for boredom and our stopovers will fly by.
For example, if you travel to Hong Kong International Airport, you’ll find a nine-hole golf course right next to Terminal 2, as well as an IMAX cinema, which seats 350 and plays both regular and 3D movies. But if you like a relaxed atmosphere and you’re at Singapore Airport, you can check out the world’s first butterfly garden at an airport. It has an impressive array of more than 1,000 tropical butterflies.
3. What does the letter “X” in the airport codes mean?
This is one of the most disturbing airport curiosities for many people. However, that “X” doesn’t really stand for anything. It is only due to a change in the airport coding format from a 2-letter to a 3-letter code, which was implemented in 1938, by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Therefore, places that had 2-letter codes had to add an “X” in the middle or at the end of their previous airport codes.
4. The best-selling product at airports is water.
Although the price of water bottles at airports is usually high, it is surprisingly the best-selling item. There are two reasons for this, the dehydration we suffer when flying and the fact that we can’t get them through security.
Fortunately, many airports now have drinking water fountains, so it is more ecological and economical to carry a bottle from home and refill it.
5. The oldest airport
The title of the world’s oldest continuously operating airport is held by College Park Airport in the state of Maryland, USA.
It was established in 1909 by the brothers Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright. Two American aviation pioneers, who invented, built and successfully flew the world’s first airplane. The airport was used to train two military men to fly the first U.S. federal government aircraft.
6. The cash exchange rates at the airport are terrible.
There is no doubt that this is a curiosity about airports that everyone who travels by plane should know, especially if you are traveling for the first time. Well, unless you are in a hurry or want to lose a significant amount of money in the transaction, it might be best to exchange cash in the currency of the country you are visiting before you leave.
Another thing to consider is to withdraw our money through the ATM, if we have a credit or debit card that is a visa or mastercard. Since we will be able to withdraw money almost anywhere in the world, but we must ask before for the commissions and charge in the operations. On the other hand, if you have not been foresighted with the currencies, you can also look for exchange houses in the destination city, since they offer better rates.
7. Celebrities do not board like us
One of the curiosities about airports that many of us overlook is this. There may be a famous person on our plane, but we probably don’t know it. That’s because larger airports have separate check-in and security protocols for celebrities. They often board their plane directly through a secret door next to the jet bridge.
For example, in the United States, some airlines such as United & Delta use a Porche or Cadillac to secretly transfer VIPs from the terminal building to the plane. However, this type of treatment is far from cheap.
8. Countries without an international airport
Among the curiosities about airports, this is a rather strange one. Well, although it seems incredible that there is a country in the world that does not have an airport today, the truth is that there are 5 in the world. Curiously enough, they are all European countries and they are: Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, Lienchestein and the Vatican.
9. Seeing airplanes flying just a few meters above the ground.
This seems an unlikely situation, but it is not for those who visit the beach of Saint Martin, located in the Caribbean Sea about 240 kilometers east of Puerto Rico. Since, while we are sunbathing in this place, it is possible to see how airplanes pass a few meters above the ground, something that is repeated daily.
10. One of the strangest airport services you can find in an airport
At the São Paulo / Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil, we can find one of the strangest airport services. Travelers can go to Terminal 2 to visit their in-house dentist, who offers cleaning, whitening and other services.
11. World’s busiest airport
Since 1998, the world’s busiest airport has been Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the U.S. According to figures from Airports Council International (ACI), it had 110.5 million passengers in 2019. But when it comes to international travelers Dubai International Airport takes the prize with 86.4 million passengers. Meanwhile, Hong Kong International Airport handles the most cargo traffic annually, with 5,049,898 tons of cargo handled.
Did you know these curiosities about airports? If you know of any others we invite you to share with us in the comments.
ALFA