Largest Aircraft Luxury Arrives At Lower Level of Hell
Airbus A380 arrives at JFK yesterday. The luxury jetliner, which can seat up to 600 people, and more if they are strapped to walls and hung from the ceiling, lands at one of the busiest airports in North America. Unfortunately, JFK is an example of a declining infrastructure in the United States.
From the New York Times City Room blog:
Not one airport from North America in the top ten. Eleventh place went to San Francisco's International Airport. Personally, I think San Francisco ranks among the top ten in terms of views from the runway. But I have been there once. The survey was put together using specifications relating to shopping and other amenities. I don't think San Francisco has that much to offer in that regard.
To be number one, you have to be top class. That is certainly true for Hong Kong. They have an excellent train system, very clear signs, great shopping, and many other amenities.
Singapore I believe warrants the second spot, but the train is not part of the Changi Airport experience. It's best to take a taxi or a livery van from the terminal.
I don't know about Munich; Kansai; Copenhagen; Zurich, Helsinki or Cape Town. I have been to all of the top four airports.
1. Top door to door transit time for going to Hong Kong International Airport -- 25 minutes. Fastest it ever took me to get from immigration to my doorstep -- 32 minutes. Not bad at all.
2. When you arrive in Changi, a mobile service provider will ping our mobile phone and you will step away from the terminal with a nice SMS coupon for a free cup of Starbucks coffee.
3. Incheon, like 4. Kuala Lumpur is very far from the city. I found the quickest way to town and the cheapest in Seoul was the Korean Air bus, which stops at all the major hotel chains and takes about little over an hour and a half.
4. Kuala Lumpur is very beautiful and the ride into the city from the airport is at your own risk. There is no sense of driving in a single lane, and most of my time spent in the car from the airport was clenching the backseat as we drifted this way and that on the shoulder and through traffic. However! I was with two Porsche Carrera Cup racing drivers.
From the New York Times City Room blog:
Among the top 10 finishers of the World Airport Awards in 2008 were five airports in Asia, four in Europe and one in Africa (Cape Town, South Africa). The highest-ranked American airport was San Francisco International Airport, at No. 11.
The top 10 award winners this year were:
1. Hong Kong International Airport
2. Singapore Changi International Airport
3. Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea
4. Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia
5. Munich Airport in Germany
6. Kansai International Airport in Osaka Bay
7. Copenhagen Airport in Denmark
8. Zurich Airport in Switzerland
9. Helsinki Vantaa Airport in Finland
10. Cape Town International Airport in South Africa
The top-ranked airports are thoroughly modern, with features like free Wi-Fi and high-speed train service to downtown.
Not one airport from North America in the top ten. Eleventh place went to San Francisco's International Airport. Personally, I think San Francisco ranks among the top ten in terms of views from the runway. But I have been there once. The survey was put together using specifications relating to shopping and other amenities. I don't think San Francisco has that much to offer in that regard.
To be number one, you have to be top class. That is certainly true for Hong Kong. They have an excellent train system, very clear signs, great shopping, and many other amenities.
Singapore I believe warrants the second spot, but the train is not part of the Changi Airport experience. It's best to take a taxi or a livery van from the terminal.
I don't know about Munich; Kansai; Copenhagen; Zurich, Helsinki or Cape Town. I have been to all of the top four airports.
1. Top door to door transit time for going to Hong Kong International Airport -- 25 minutes. Fastest it ever took me to get from immigration to my doorstep -- 32 minutes. Not bad at all.
2. When you arrive in Changi, a mobile service provider will ping our mobile phone and you will step away from the terminal with a nice SMS coupon for a free cup of Starbucks coffee.
3. Incheon, like 4. Kuala Lumpur is very far from the city. I found the quickest way to town and the cheapest in Seoul was the Korean Air bus, which stops at all the major hotel chains and takes about little over an hour and a half.
4. Kuala Lumpur is very beautiful and the ride into the city from the airport is at your own risk. There is no sense of driving in a single lane, and most of my time spent in the car from the airport was clenching the backseat as we drifted this way and that on the shoulder and through traffic. However! I was with two Porsche Carrera Cup racing drivers.
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