Small Airports around the World

We recently flew out of a small airport here in the US—one terminal, six gates, three airlines.  Having a lot of experience with small airports on the islands,  we thought it might be fun to compare the experience of small airport travel in the two countries.

Maximizing carry-ons for travel

Similarities:

• Cancellations and delays:  It may be just me, but it seems like cancellations and delays are more common in small airports.  Perhaps smaller planes are more susceptible to weather conditions?  (I’ll have to ask my pilot friends if this is the case.)  We were thankful that our flight was not cancelled and only delayed, but it seemed like every flight there was affected.
• Flight information boards:  A few years ago they put up flight information monitors in our little island airport.  They aren’t very helpful.  Often they are just blue screens or carry the wrong information.  To our chagrin, the little US airport had lots of working monitors to look at, but they either didn’t carry the right flight information or held contradictory information.  One monitor said we were leaving from gate 4 (which was correct) but the monitor over gate 4 was from another airline announcing a delayed flight to TX (not our destination).
• Boarding: You would think that when the airport is small and there is only one runway for planes to take off from, that boarding times could be staggered to reflect that, as a simultaneous boarding time could confuse passengers.  But, perhaps confusing passengers is part of what brings excitement to the day!  Last week, as passengers to Atlanta and Houston were boarding through the same door at the same time, they were careful to check our tickets before we hit the tarmac, sending some of us left and the others right—that felt just like the islands.  
• Passenger camaraderie:  Something about these peculiarities of small airports draws the passengers together.  You find yourself giving total strangers advice on which counter to go to or sharing a bit of information you may have learned.

Differences:

• Food and water:  In US airports there is always food and water.  The food may be expensive, but it is available—and there are water fountains!  What a luxury a water fountain is!  There is rarely food available at the island airports and what there is is scant.  On occasion you can buy water, but they remove the lids (as a security measure?!?) and there are no water fountains.
• Bathrooms:  US airports seem to always have nice bathrooms.  They are clean, and well stocked.  You hardly have to touch anything as almost everything is automated and motion activated.  Island airport bathrooms…let’s just say you’re lucky if the toilets flush and you always carry your own toilet paper.
• Information sharing:  On the islands, if a flight is delayed or cancelled, you will rarely be told by airport staff the reason for the delay or cancellation.  Apparently this is not information that needs to be shared.  How different from the US!  The announcer shared with us details like, “The plane is currently being cleaned and the cleaning crew will be exiting the aircraft in the next five minutes” or “One of the flight crew has not arrived yet as she has a connecting flight from Dallas which should be arriving in 6 minutes.”  I found the level of detail simply wonderful (but maybe that’s just my culture—we Americans like to know things, right?)

Our 12 yr old with a birthday treat

Having lived in the islands so long, we’ve grown accustomed to the need for patience and flexibility when it comes to travel.  In our memory, US travel was streamlined, shiny, automated ease.  So it’s funny to be hit with the reality, “Oh yeah, things don’t always go to plan here either.”  And some things, perhaps small airports, have a culture all their own, no matter where you live.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are thankful that storms didn’t not bother our travel this past week and that we made it safely back to the east coast. We are thankful that we got to celebrate our youngest son’s 12th birthday and that we got to participate in the wedding of our dear teammate and friend. It made for a full week with many blessings. The wedding was a beautiful, God-honoring event. The couple from the islands also made it to the wedding and with the help of several different people they were able to find transport and enjoy the wedding. It was nice to see them and share that experience with them. Our teammate made it safely back to Clove Island!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Tomorrow we have an appointment for our daughter with a rheumatologist in Boston— pray that this appointment could bring clarity in how to proceed with her treatment, and continue to pray for full remission! We only have 2 weeks left in the US, but it still seems like we have a lot of people to see and things to do. Pray that we would enjoy the rest of our time, use our time well, and not become too tired. Pray for the medical team on Clove Island as they prepare to welcome a new teammate— pray for a smooth transition for the teammate and the whole team!