subject: More Plastic Signs For Airports [print this page] I have been best friends with Amy since preschool, and last weekend I was in her wedding in our hometown in Iowa. I have been living in Charleston, South Carolina for a few years now, and decided to fly home after a full day of work on the Thursday before the wedding. I had a seat on the last flight of the night into Dubuque, Iowa.
Now I must say that I never have any luck flying on time through the Chicago O'Hare airport. And that Thursday was no different. Our flight was a bit delayed and upon landing in Chicago, airplanes were lined up outside the gates, impatiently waiting their turn to park and unload. So as luck would have it, I missed my flight into Dubuque.
Fortunately I was able to re-book myself on a later flight to Moline, Illinois, a city only an hour away from my hometown. Switching flights, however, required that I leave the secure area, check in with a new airline, and go back through the security line. I now had exactly one hour to navigate my way clear across the airport and wait in several lines or I'd be spending the night snoozing on the airport floor.
Let the great airport dash begin.
Now I think of myself to be quite skilled when it comes to dodging people in a crowded space. I guess this comes from the months I spent working in the Herald Square Business District in always-crowded New York City. And as a frequent flyer, I have no problem navigating my way through large airports, especially since they do an excellent job of hanging custom plastic signs throughout the airport directing even a first-time flyer to their proper gate with ease. There are plastic signs everywhere! They point to restrooms, food courts, airline gates, baggage claim...they point the way to everything except where I needed to go! (Because think about it...how often in an airport do people try to exit through the entrance?)
Because of this lack of signage, I found myself desperately searching for an airport employee that I could speak with without first waiting in line. When I at last found someone, they pointed the way out of security to where they claimed check in would be. With a quick thank you, I nearly propelled myself through the gate only to find that the check-in lines were nowhere in sight. I had been mis-led, and since I was already outside the security gates, I would now have to go out of my way and navigate myself to where I needed to be outdoors at the airport.
Dang it! Where was a custom sign when I needed it?!
There I was, sprinting through the humid summer heat and making my way around the outside of Chicago O'Hare. "What a joke" I thought to myself. "Had there been plastic signs around, I wouldn't have been misled!" Plus, time was ticking! My chances of catching my Zzz's in an airport terminal with a suitcase as a pillow was slowly becoming a reality.
But I finally made it to that Delta Airline check-in desk. And there I waited. And upon receiving my new boarding pass, I made my way to the security line. And waited. And with a quick dash to gate C4, I made it just barely in time for final boarding call.
Homeward bound at last!
While I am well aware that leaving through the entrance at an airport isn't the most traveled path, I am positive I am not the only one who has been in my shoes. I certainly could've been spared a whole lot of sweat and tears (literally!) with just a simple sign.
In my next life as an airport manager, I'll be sure to display a plethora of new plastic signage!
