Publisher’s introduction: Most travel retail executives are hardened ‘road warriors’, well-used to the stresses and pitfalls of global travel. But what’s the experience like for those less familiar with the world of security screening, immigration, concourse shopping and go to gate signs?
And what’s it like if you’re a 15 year-old traveller, all on your own? Filippa Dorais (pictured right), daughter of UAE camel milk chocolate company Al Nassma’s Director of Sales Patrick Dorais, is one such intrepid explorer. Here she tells her tale.
Many are in shock when I tell them I fly around the world alone, everywhere from Washington, Toronto and New York to Paris, Berlin and Dubai. I believe that the world is an empty canvas waiting to be explored and discovered. Food and culture are some of the greatest discoveries I bring from each place. But sometimes the airports that take me places can be struggling to keep up with new standards, especially those of the younger generations.
My experience of Berlin Schönefeld Airport was not that great (I heard that they are opening a new airport but, in the meantime, everyone is suffering…). The airport was very small and badly in need of a makeover.
The terminal which my flight departed from was not much bigger than a football field. The duty free shop, spanning almost a quarter of the size of the airport, was well-stocked with wonderful luxuries to immerse myself in before my flight. The Relay shop just across from the duty free shop was small but carried most necessities such as refreshing drinks (I picked a nice iced tea by Volvic: I can definitely recommend it) and snacks.
One of the main issues with this small terminal was the way it was organised. The terminal had very few gates, all of which were on the ground. This in turn meant that you had to walk out onto the runway to get on the airplane. There were no ropes to guide you from running off, which I found very funny. Anyway, this meant that many airplanes shared the same gate and you had to stay seated for a very long time to find out gate info at the same time as boarding starts.
The shabby airport was not a pleasant environment to wait in for this information to arrive. Time passed slowly. There were a few TV screens hanging from the ceiling with gate info. These were very small which meant you had to walk up close to them to be able to read anything! They were also oddly placed, as you couldn’t see them from everywhere people were seated. This meant that you would have to leave your seat to see the gate info only to go back to it seconds later to see that somebody had taken your seat due to the small amount of seating available.
Another struggle I had was being unable to find any outputs to charge my phone or computer! I find this unacceptable as we are living in a highly digital world where it has become a necessity.
Later I transferred at Oslo Airport which in comparison to Berlin was absolutely wonderful. I longed to spend time there and eat a lovely dinner or snack between my flights. The lovely modern environment echoing through the corridors was beautiful. I enjoyed a lovely Salmon Wrap (a speciality in Norway) from Fiskeriet Seafood, a delightful sandwich from W.B. Samson and a delicious juice from Haven.
For somebody like me with a diet made up of purely natural foods with no preservatives or additives of any kind, it can be a struggle to find something good to eat at airports, but Oslo Airport allowed me to find what I wanted due to the plentiful amount of great food places available. And in contrast with Berlin’s airport, Oslo has plenty of seating and an abundance of available charging places in its clean and fresh environment. I was almost sad to leave the airport due to the amazing and pleasant experience I had there.
In conclusion, I feel that often many airports can struggle to give a pleasant and luxurious experience to the many passengers that travel through it. I feel that Oslo Airport is an example that many airports should strive towards achieving as the modern and fresh vibe plays a huge part in giving the passenger a great experience.
Footnote: The Moodie Davitt Report has made a £100 donation to Filippa’s chosen charity, Autism Speaks (https://www.autismspeaks.org/) in recognition of her writing contribution.
