Who utilizes airports as strictly a tourist attraction anymore?

On 11/30/01, after a lunchtime sendhome due to lack of available work at my temp office job of the moment, I drove up to Philadelphia International Airport just to see what it looked like anymore. Well I saw one or two pairs of soldiers patrolling the concourses, and of course the jet piers have metal detectors at the entrances. PHL used to be a great place to watch planes come and go even if you weren't a passenger. Not any more. I doubt if I'll ever visit an airport again unless catching a plane, dropping someone off or picking someone up.

Just do like Wayne and Garth did, layout on the hood of your car right at the end of the runway fence.........

And no, I have been to airports throughout my life, and I never thought of them as entertainment. Lines everywhere, everyone in a hurry. It's not relaxing to me.

Just do like Wayne and Garth did, layout on the hood of your car right at the end of the runway fence.........

And no, I have been to airports throughout my life, and I never thought of them as entertainment. Lines everywhere, everyone in a hurry. It's not relaxing to me.

Hmm, the people aren't the attraction for me, it's the magic of flight. Watching a bloated monstrosity like a 747 acclerate down the runway, and suddenly break free of the bonds of Earth... Wow.

They just built a new terminal at Detroit Metro, and there are (I swear!) radio ads for the new terminal. Too bad no one can go more than a few steps into it without a ticket to somewhere...

Couples in Miami parked their cars near the fence lining the runway, making it a prime make out spot. I haven't seen many for the past few months.

The truth is, SO MANY people take airplanes these days that airports are considered mundane and not worthy of special attention.

My Dad was a pilot and flew his whole life. He had his own plane which he kept at Lunken Airport (Sunken Lunken to those who fly) in Cincinnati. I grew up with the airport as a playground. We always watched the planes. Dad hopped passengers every week end, so was always there. He racked thousands of hours over the years giving people their first airplane ride.

We saw many airshows, my Dad helping put some of them together. Or we were out just to take the plane up for a spin.

I'll never forget one time just after an airshow, the Blue Angel pilots were in the Airman's Club and my Dad got me in to meet them with my older sister. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, boy, were they good looking guys to a young teenage girl. (Still are)

As a family we were there a lot. Although it is a small airport by comparison, it's a very busy place. The airport was a place for families to come by just to watch the airplanes come and go. And you couldn't beat eating at the Sky Galley restaurant sitting by the front windows just watching the planes. It has been a few years since I have.

I have not been back since 9-11, so I don't know what it's like. But I imagine nothing is the same, even for the smaller airports. With my folks gone it couldn't be the same anyway. Maybe I'll make it a plan to have dinner there next trip in, (next week - hopefully) just to bring back old memories, like you just did, I hope there hasn't been a big change....... Just thinking about it, maybe I'd be better of just remembering and not going back!

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