TRANSCRIPT
Hey guys, and welcome to a new episode of Wanderer, this is Laura, your host.
This week’s podcast is a little different from what we usually do. Over the course of this podcast I’ve tried to give you the best tips and tricks to make your travels as smooth as possible, while still encouraging you to have your own adventures. In this episode, we’ll be talking about airports- I know I know, some of us hate ‘em and some of us can’t wait to just plane watch, but we’ll going into the specifics: why do we do these things?
Chances are, if you’ve listened to Wanderer in the past, you’ve been an airplane, meaning you’ve more than likely gone to a less than relaxing airport.
Rude TSA guards, never-ending bathroom lines, not to mention the crying baby that just seems to be a prop to every flight. Believe me, I feel you, airports aren’t necessarily the most comfortable places on earth . . .
But they’re starting to be. And they’re becoming places to kill time before our departures- and even after, more pleasant.
Let’s just put Airports into a different perspective for a second.
Los Angeles International Airport (referred to as LAX by local Angelinos) used to be a tease for me in my childhood whenever I was on my way to my aunt’s house who lives in Westchester- the neighborhood of LAX. Whenever my dad would drive down one of the terminal tunnels as a shortcut, I felt as if I were about to get off and go on a faraway flight. Even when it was just to pick up relatives visiting from Guatemala at the airport or to drop them off, I’d always tag along, just so that I could be in the environment, observe people from places not my own, and listen to languages that I can’t understand- it was like having the world in front of me without having to board a plane.
Airports are possibly the happiest and yet saddest places we may encounter in our lives. How could something so mechanical and systematic be the setting of where so many emotions are taking place? So many stories passing by us, each experience different even though we may have been at the airport plenty of times prior to this. The baggage every traveler carries is more than just their literal Samsonite suitcase - it’s their life. It’s what they want to bring on this new journey.
So how do people act and why do they do it? How have airports learned to adapt?
Peter Adey, a contributor of Geoforum (1) , wrote in a special issue on Environmental Economic Geography an article titled Airports, mobility and the calculative architecture of affective control, where he argues that the emotions we experience in the terminal space are not caused by the power structures we encounter (TSA, ticketing) but rather only an addition to them, and something they’ve had to adapt to themselves- they are the power.
As Adley puts it, his research is not trying to portray the power system in place at airports as the bad guy, but how it co-exists with our emotions and as I quote from him “ how airport operators are realizing that people are not ‘disembodied universal subjects’ (Imrie, 2000) – rational billiard ball-like objects that make logical decisions (an approach not unlike that practiced by Geography’s positivist spatial science (Barnes, 2001; Sheppard, 2001). Rather, airports are recognizing that passengers are embodied, and have important physical and emotional relationships with the airport terminal building.” [1]
I wanted to have my own opinions and observations contribute to this journey of answering this question as well, so I was looking forward to my upcoming flight where I would encounter three different airports; Sacramento International Airport, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, and Long Beach Airport.
Sacramento was my first stop on this journey. I arrived on a lyft with my friend who was also flying out that weekend to LA. What I noticed is that the airport has made it a convenience to separate any terminals that receive any international flights (Sacramento has departures and arrivals from Mexico and the Caribbean) and domestic flights. Thus, reducing the likelihood of encountering the stress of not finding your terminal.
The airport is very small, but an architectural marvel that makes it both easy to navigate and look at. My flight was in terminal B while my friends was in terminal A (she was flying through American Airlines), and all I had to do to get from one to the other was cross a simple bridge, whose carpet just happened to be part of the Airport’s art collection. When arriving at Terminal B, you’re greeted by a huge -origami style rabbit sculpture hanging from the ceiling near baggage claim and the second story terminals. Truly a homage of luck towards passengers on their travels. The airport has a museum worthy (as their website says) ( 5) public art collection from artists from all around the globe, where most pieces are inspired by the Sacramento River Valley and the spirit of flight. Travelers could make use of the time before their flights by taking a walk around their terminals and enjoying the art pieces on display. The airport’s dining area includes your typical food court finds and an Esquire Grill- famously known for their flagship downtown Sacramento location which happens to be former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's favorite restaurant in the Capitol. The airport truly brings the spirit of the capitol and valley to its passengers while still satisfying their needs. Who doesn’t want to say they had the Terminators favorite burger before their flight?
Did I walk around Terminal B trying to analyze every single art piece I encountered? No. I had priorities such as finding a restroom that wasn’t packed as soon as I got out of the TSA line (which by the way, has a TSA pre-check line, which is totally convenient if you’re one of the lucky random passengers whose ticket allows you to cross), and catching up on some homework, but it brought back into mind Adley’s essay in Geoform, and how airports are just trying to keep everything at bay. I didn’t feel a power struggle at the airport, and I’d imagine that anyone who did would have probably forgotten about it since most of the art collection, restaurants, and shops are your first sight after you cross TSA- a smart distraction to prevent anyone wanting to file a petty complaint. The intentions and psychology behind it are all in the placement of the entertainment and its aesthetics- Airports are really stepping up their game.
As I was waiting for my flight, I watched a toddler, whom will call Max, watch airplanes from the terminal. I remembered how I would do this back home, and how I felt wanderlust even though I wasn’t boarding a flight. Max was about 3, but could he have really been wondering about taking the next flight to a faraway place? I doubt it, but I can assure you that he felt the emotions we’ve all felt at the airport as he was watching the printed Boeing 747’s touchdown on the runway: enchantment, fear, and amazement.
If you google search the term: people’s emotions at airports, you’ll come across articles ranking the most troublesome travelers we’ll encounter on our journey. I’m unashamed to say I was at least three of those listed in a CNN article by Karla Cripps titled “Annoying people at airports and their 18 most rude habits” (3)
I won’t go into detail about what the 14 other habits are (I’ve now realized I presented four of those habits- sorry guys), but when reading the list, I wondered why we do these things. I would naturally hesitate to take my shoes off and walk barefoot on cold tile in public, so why am I not resistant to it here in the TSA line? Why am I the overly emotional traveler who claps at the end of flight when I know the chances of me landing safely are greater than what I think (not to mention the fact that I cried when I took off- but explaining my internal emotions and thoughts would take up a whole other podcast)? Or the electrical outlet hogger (My laptop and camera were dying)? Or the cliché passenger who finds the 1 mile per hour speed of a moving walkway thrilling before being yelled at by the woman behind me to start walking because I caused a traffic jam?
Whenever when we’re in a new place, we take precaution in keeping ourselves safe but also in absorbing the new sights we may be experiencing. I can use this to argue for all my actions that I previously mentioned. I want to remember as much of this experience as I can because it’s just my human nature, so forgive me for charging my camera to have enough battery to take some photos of my destination, but I also want to abide by the rules and not have a TSA officer suspect me of smuggling in things through my shoes, so of course I take them off without hesitation. We do these annoying habits for protection of ourselves, and our memories.
The same procedures and observations that happened during my time at the Sacramento International Airport also happened within my time in Las Vegas and Long Beach - apart from the influence of my surroundings.
My flight was about two weeks after the terrorist attack at Mandalay Bay in the Strip occurred, so the feelings of the tragedy were still lingering within the culture and security of the airport. All the stores were selling “#Vegas Strong” merchandise and security was as tight as you’d expect to be. Here, when referring to Adley’s essay, power was responding to the emotions of the passengers in the best way possible, even if it wasn’t to the passenger’s convenience. Though from what I saw TSA was more “Exaggerated” - for lack of a better term- than they would usually be, it was all for safety, and who doesn’t want that.
McCarran Airport is ranked as the eight busiest airports in the United States, (2) and probably one of the most unique as well. Aside from the increased security that day, the spirit of Las Vegas was still prominent within the people continuing to gamble away at the airport gates (yes- Las Vegas does have slot machines and poker tables past security). The airport knows you’re excited to be in Vegas and they want to keep you entertained, so as soon as you come off your plane and exit your gate, you’re greeted by the sight and sounds of Vegas’s iconic slot machines. Ticket handlers are on standby near every of it’s 1,500 slot machines just in case you win (which you probably won’t), and it’s exclusively for the entertainment of people over the age of 21. When you gamble, you’re not playing to win, you’re playing for entertainment and to pass time, which makes it a perfect addition to your experience at a gate in McCarran.
I’m too young to gamble, but I did splurge on an $8-dollar breakfast during my short 30-minute visit to this airport. The people traffic was immense, and I feared missing my flight. Once I got on the plane, I knew it was only a matter of 45 minutes to where I would see Long Beach.
Once landing in Long Beach, I was greeted by a completely different environment. The architecture of the airport resembles that of a naval port and is surrounded by palm trees- something I haven’t seen in awhile. The airport doesn’t even make it on the list of the top 50 busiest airports in the United States, to my relief. It’s small, quaint, and the people are friendlier due to the lack of stressors that usually accompany travel. There TSA lines are mostly just “pre-check” lines, and there are only two restaurants at the dining area. However, it doesn’t lack the emotions airports come along with.
As I was waiting for my ride to pick me up, I noticed this family that mostly consisted of elders struggle to take their luggage inside. Watching from afar, I saw a young woman leave her luggage unattended just to help push one of their wheelchairs. Here, the power structure of the airport was irrelevant and had no influence on emotions. This was human nature at its finest. And they were doing it because they’ve probably been there as well.
I cried around three times on this trip. Once after ascending to 10,000 from Sacramento to Las Vegas, another at the Las Vegas airport restroom because I was overwhelmed, and last at Long Beach, where I witnessed human kindness at the neutral crossroad of life that an airport is.
Skift- the largest industry intelligence platform providing media, insights and marketing to key sectors of travel- reports how the travel industry has adapted to our changes within the past five years. (4)
Five years ago, in 2012, as they quote it, One Billion people traveled internationally for the first time. One Billion People crossed Borders.
Imagine, One Billion stories going through airports all around the world, new chapters being formed, and airports having to adapt.
We analyzed why we do these things at the airport, how Airports are cunningly trying to adapt, and how these airports are more than just settings where our patience is tested.
Sadness overwhelmed me as I boarded my returning flight 4 days later at Long Beach Airport that would take me back to Sacramento. It was a cloudy, rainy Halloween, and alongside it being my mother’s birthday weekend, I wasn’t sure if I had made the most out of my trip. I was scared for what was to come. TSA had to check my bags twice, and I was worried about how I was going to get back to UC Davis. I didn’t meet anyone on this flight, it was a lonely plane, and I didn’t get any snacks because we had experienced turbulence throughout the entire flight. I caught up on homework, left the plane, and ran to grab my luggage so that I’d be able to catch my bus back to UC Davis. I asked myself if I am strong enough to do this multiple time a year. Airports are cross roads, and temporary relief most of the time from the outside world, but at what cost? For those of us who are inclined to reflect, it often leads to the question as to why we are about to board on the plane, why are willing to fly 10,000 feet over the air for a couple of hundred miles, and leave our family or comfort zones. This is often a test, but we develop habits easily, we adjust, like airports have adjusted to us.
Thanks for listening.
Make sure to subscribe to Wanderer! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Soundcloud, and Spotify for the latest insight on all things travel. Use the #airport wanderer on Instagram and Twitter to share your airport experiences and insights! I’m your host Laura, good luck, and never stop exploring!
Works Cited
Hey guys, and welcome to a new episode of Wanderer, this is Laura, your host.
This week’s podcast is a little different from what we usually do. Over the course of this podcast I’ve tried to give you the best tips and tricks to make your travels as smooth as possible, while still encouraging you to have your own adventures. In this episode, we’ll be talking about airports- I know I know, some of us hate ‘em and some of us can’t wait to just plane watch, but we’ll going into the specifics: why do we do these things?
Chances are, if you’ve listened to Wanderer in the past, you’ve been an airplane, meaning you’ve more than likely gone to a less than relaxing airport.
Rude TSA guards, never-ending bathroom lines, not to mention the crying baby that just seems to be a prop to every flight. Believe me, I feel you, airports aren’t necessarily the most comfortable places on earth . . .
But they’re starting to be. And they’re becoming places to kill time before our departures- and even after, more pleasant.
Let’s just put Airports into a different perspective for a second.
Los Angeles International Airport (referred to as LAX by local Angelinos) used to be a tease for me in my childhood whenever I was on my way to my aunt’s house who lives in Westchester- the neighborhood of LAX. Whenever my dad would drive down one of the terminal tunnels as a shortcut, I felt as if I were about to get off and go on a faraway flight. Even when it was just to pick up relatives visiting from Guatemala at the airport or to drop them off, I’d always tag along, just so that I could be in the environment, observe people from places not my own, and listen to languages that I can’t understand- it was like having the world in front of me without having to board a plane.
Airports are possibly the happiest and yet saddest places we may encounter in our lives. How could something so mechanical and systematic be the setting of where so many emotions are taking place? So many stories passing by us, each experience different even though we may have been at the airport plenty of times prior to this. The baggage every traveler carries is more than just their literal Samsonite suitcase - it’s their life. It’s what they want to bring on this new journey.
So how do people act and why do they do it? How have airports learned to adapt?
Peter Adey, a contributor of Geoforum (1) , wrote in a special issue on Environmental Economic Geography an article titled Airports, mobility and the calculative architecture of affective control, where he argues that the emotions we experience in the terminal space are not caused by the power structures we encounter (TSA, ticketing) but rather only an addition to them, and something they’ve had to adapt to themselves- they are the power.
As Adley puts it, his research is not trying to portray the power system in place at airports as the bad guy, but how it co-exists with our emotions and as I quote from him “ how airport operators are realizing that people are not ‘disembodied universal subjects’ (Imrie, 2000) – rational billiard ball-like objects that make logical decisions (an approach not unlike that practiced by Geography’s positivist spatial science (Barnes, 2001; Sheppard, 2001). Rather, airports are recognizing that passengers are embodied, and have important physical and emotional relationships with the airport terminal building.” [1]
I wanted to have my own opinions and observations contribute to this journey of answering this question as well, so I was looking forward to my upcoming flight where I would encounter three different airports; Sacramento International Airport, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, and Long Beach Airport.
Sacramento was my first stop on this journey. I arrived on a lyft with my friend who was also flying out that weekend to LA. What I noticed is that the airport has made it a convenience to separate any terminals that receive any international flights (Sacramento has departures and arrivals from Mexico and the Caribbean) and domestic flights. Thus, reducing the likelihood of encountering the stress of not finding your terminal.
The airport is very small, but an architectural marvel that makes it both easy to navigate and look at. My flight was in terminal B while my friends was in terminal A (she was flying through American Airlines), and all I had to do to get from one to the other was cross a simple bridge, whose carpet just happened to be part of the Airport’s art collection. When arriving at Terminal B, you’re greeted by a huge -origami style rabbit sculpture hanging from the ceiling near baggage claim and the second story terminals. Truly a homage of luck towards passengers on their travels. The airport has a museum worthy (as their website says) ( 5) public art collection from artists from all around the globe, where most pieces are inspired by the Sacramento River Valley and the spirit of flight. Travelers could make use of the time before their flights by taking a walk around their terminals and enjoying the art pieces on display. The airport’s dining area includes your typical food court finds and an Esquire Grill- famously known for their flagship downtown Sacramento location which happens to be former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's favorite restaurant in the Capitol. The airport truly brings the spirit of the capitol and valley to its passengers while still satisfying their needs. Who doesn’t want to say they had the Terminators favorite burger before their flight?
Did I walk around Terminal B trying to analyze every single art piece I encountered? No. I had priorities such as finding a restroom that wasn’t packed as soon as I got out of the TSA line (which by the way, has a TSA pre-check line, which is totally convenient if you’re one of the lucky random passengers whose ticket allows you to cross), and catching up on some homework, but it brought back into mind Adley’s essay in Geoform, and how airports are just trying to keep everything at bay. I didn’t feel a power struggle at the airport, and I’d imagine that anyone who did would have probably forgotten about it since most of the art collection, restaurants, and shops are your first sight after you cross TSA- a smart distraction to prevent anyone wanting to file a petty complaint. The intentions and psychology behind it are all in the placement of the entertainment and its aesthetics- Airports are really stepping up their game.
As I was waiting for my flight, I watched a toddler, whom will call Max, watch airplanes from the terminal. I remembered how I would do this back home, and how I felt wanderlust even though I wasn’t boarding a flight. Max was about 3, but could he have really been wondering about taking the next flight to a faraway place? I doubt it, but I can assure you that he felt the emotions we’ve all felt at the airport as he was watching the printed Boeing 747’s touchdown on the runway: enchantment, fear, and amazement.
If you google search the term: people’s emotions at airports, you’ll come across articles ranking the most troublesome travelers we’ll encounter on our journey. I’m unashamed to say I was at least three of those listed in a CNN article by Karla Cripps titled “Annoying people at airports and their 18 most rude habits” (3)
I won’t go into detail about what the 14 other habits are (I’ve now realized I presented four of those habits- sorry guys), but when reading the list, I wondered why we do these things. I would naturally hesitate to take my shoes off and walk barefoot on cold tile in public, so why am I not resistant to it here in the TSA line? Why am I the overly emotional traveler who claps at the end of flight when I know the chances of me landing safely are greater than what I think (not to mention the fact that I cried when I took off- but explaining my internal emotions and thoughts would take up a whole other podcast)? Or the electrical outlet hogger (My laptop and camera were dying)? Or the cliché passenger who finds the 1 mile per hour speed of a moving walkway thrilling before being yelled at by the woman behind me to start walking because I caused a traffic jam?
Whenever when we’re in a new place, we take precaution in keeping ourselves safe but also in absorbing the new sights we may be experiencing. I can use this to argue for all my actions that I previously mentioned. I want to remember as much of this experience as I can because it’s just my human nature, so forgive me for charging my camera to have enough battery to take some photos of my destination, but I also want to abide by the rules and not have a TSA officer suspect me of smuggling in things through my shoes, so of course I take them off without hesitation. We do these annoying habits for protection of ourselves, and our memories.
The same procedures and observations that happened during my time at the Sacramento International Airport also happened within my time in Las Vegas and Long Beach - apart from the influence of my surroundings.
My flight was about two weeks after the terrorist attack at Mandalay Bay in the Strip occurred, so the feelings of the tragedy were still lingering within the culture and security of the airport. All the stores were selling “#Vegas Strong” merchandise and security was as tight as you’d expect to be. Here, when referring to Adley’s essay, power was responding to the emotions of the passengers in the best way possible, even if it wasn’t to the passenger’s convenience. Though from what I saw TSA was more “Exaggerated” - for lack of a better term- than they would usually be, it was all for safety, and who doesn’t want that.
McCarran Airport is ranked as the eight busiest airports in the United States, (2) and probably one of the most unique as well. Aside from the increased security that day, the spirit of Las Vegas was still prominent within the people continuing to gamble away at the airport gates (yes- Las Vegas does have slot machines and poker tables past security). The airport knows you’re excited to be in Vegas and they want to keep you entertained, so as soon as you come off your plane and exit your gate, you’re greeted by the sight and sounds of Vegas’s iconic slot machines. Ticket handlers are on standby near every of it’s 1,500 slot machines just in case you win (which you probably won’t), and it’s exclusively for the entertainment of people over the age of 21. When you gamble, you’re not playing to win, you’re playing for entertainment and to pass time, which makes it a perfect addition to your experience at a gate in McCarran.
I’m too young to gamble, but I did splurge on an $8-dollar breakfast during my short 30-minute visit to this airport. The people traffic was immense, and I feared missing my flight. Once I got on the plane, I knew it was only a matter of 45 minutes to where I would see Long Beach.
Once landing in Long Beach, I was greeted by a completely different environment. The architecture of the airport resembles that of a naval port and is surrounded by palm trees- something I haven’t seen in awhile. The airport doesn’t even make it on the list of the top 50 busiest airports in the United States, to my relief. It’s small, quaint, and the people are friendlier due to the lack of stressors that usually accompany travel. There TSA lines are mostly just “pre-check” lines, and there are only two restaurants at the dining area. However, it doesn’t lack the emotions airports come along with.
As I was waiting for my ride to pick me up, I noticed this family that mostly consisted of elders struggle to take their luggage inside. Watching from afar, I saw a young woman leave her luggage unattended just to help push one of their wheelchairs. Here, the power structure of the airport was irrelevant and had no influence on emotions. This was human nature at its finest. And they were doing it because they’ve probably been there as well.
I cried around three times on this trip. Once after ascending to 10,000 from Sacramento to Las Vegas, another at the Las Vegas airport restroom because I was overwhelmed, and last at Long Beach, where I witnessed human kindness at the neutral crossroad of life that an airport is.
Skift- the largest industry intelligence platform providing media, insights and marketing to key sectors of travel- reports how the travel industry has adapted to our changes within the past five years. (4)
Five years ago, in 2012, as they quote it, One Billion people traveled internationally for the first time. One Billion People crossed Borders.
Imagine, One Billion stories going through airports all around the world, new chapters being formed, and airports having to adapt.
We analyzed why we do these things at the airport, how Airports are cunningly trying to adapt, and how these airports are more than just settings where our patience is tested.
Sadness overwhelmed me as I boarded my returning flight 4 days later at Long Beach Airport that would take me back to Sacramento. It was a cloudy, rainy Halloween, and alongside it being my mother’s birthday weekend, I wasn’t sure if I had made the most out of my trip. I was scared for what was to come. TSA had to check my bags twice, and I was worried about how I was going to get back to UC Davis. I didn’t meet anyone on this flight, it was a lonely plane, and I didn’t get any snacks because we had experienced turbulence throughout the entire flight. I caught up on homework, left the plane, and ran to grab my luggage so that I’d be able to catch my bus back to UC Davis. I asked myself if I am strong enough to do this multiple time a year. Airports are cross roads, and temporary relief most of the time from the outside world, but at what cost? For those of us who are inclined to reflect, it often leads to the question as to why we are about to board on the plane, why are willing to fly 10,000 feet over the air for a couple of hundred miles, and leave our family or comfort zones. This is often a test, but we develop habits easily, we adjust, like airports have adjusted to us.
Thanks for listening.
Make sure to subscribe to Wanderer! Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Soundcloud, and Spotify for the latest insight on all things travel. Use the #airport wanderer on Instagram and Twitter to share your airport experiences and insights! I’m your host Laura, good luck, and never stop exploring!
Works Cited
- http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718507001339
- https://www.world-airport-codes.com/world-top-30-airports.html
- http://www.cnn.com/travel/article/annoying-airport-behavior/index.html
- https://skift.com/2015/06/08/5-charts-that-show-why-the-travel-industry-is-the-worlds-fastest-growing-sector/
- http://sacramento.aero/smf/about/art