An off-topic rant: tin pot airports

Leeds-Bradford International Airport. The arse-end of airports as far as I’m concerned. One step up from the tarmac-strip-and-dusty-tin-shed airports you get on some of the Greek islands but with pretensions to be some kind of massive hub.

I know that Leeds is a booming city but it just ain’t – with the best will in the world – Paris (or even Manchester). Despite that, the airport traditionally had a little bit of charm. Instead of the usual “Food Court” offering, it had a pub with some fantastically natty 70s tiling (that might even have been designed by some school kids) showing various aspects of Yorkshire. Greyhounds… mining… all that.

Anyway for all it was a bit lame, at least it was different. Alas, it has been swept aside in favour of one of those Know No Boundaries collection of chain outlets and a space full of lightweight, uncomfortable furniture, bathed in flourescent tube lighting. No charm. No character.

And unfortunately, the space just isn’t big enough. You move your chair and clatter into another one… threading your way between the tables with a tray of coffees is a sisyphean task. Arrgh. If you’re going to go down the whole ‘maximum output per square foot’ approach to catering for bored passengers, at least put ‘comfort’ somewhere in your list of requirements. Here’s a tip, bozos: I would spend 3 or 4 times as much on food and drink if I could spend more than 15 minutes there with any pleasure.

Rant over.