Our Unfriendly Airports
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Editorial
Our Unfriendly Airports
Really inviting huh? At least this place has signs.
When it comes to customer service there seems to be a universal constant among airports – they stink!
It slays me that FBOs, Flight Schools, and other airport-based businesses are so unapproachable. “What do I mean? They are nice to me.” “I come in and they know me by name and they are always responsive.” That’s because you are established – a known entity. They should be rolling out the red carpet to anyone that takes the time to come through their doors. And they need to make it easier to find where to go for GA – most airports are a rubix cube of buildings and access roads with no clear direction on where to go for the newbie. Hey guys, how about some signage!
Howdy Stranger
Visualize a scene out of an old western; stranger walks into a saloon and instantly the music stops and you can hear a pin drop as the patrons stare daggers through the interloper – not exactly warm and welcoming! Remember what they say about first impressions?
But Why?
I don’t know why this phenomena is so prevalent, but I have some theories – hey it’s an editorial, I’m allowed to guess!
- My leading defense is how lean these facilities have to be to stay in business. Its not like you have room in the budget to hire a host (or hostess) to greet you and show you to your awaiting rental aircraft or introduce you to Steve Canyon, your new instructor. These places barely make ends meet even in good times.
- Another possibility is apathy; they just don’t care or are completely unaware of how they are perceived by the outside world.
- Finally, and this is least likely; they are such a small group they have become like a club, and outsiders are instantly scrutinized until they are deemed worthy.
You would think that a business that is partially (or totally) supported by people’s discretionary income, would figure out how to do this right.
Regardless as to why, it is still happening. People show up wanting to know more about flying or whatever and they leave the experience feeling like they belong in a leper colony.
The Airport Bum
Since no one is paying attention, the job of airport ambassador generally falls on the local airport bum. (Airport bums are typically retired men that hang out at the airport for hours at a time drinking free coffee and chatting about all subjects aviation.) Some are really approachable, outgoing people, but there are an equal number that are as warm and inviting as a grizzly- hey they didn’t know they were supposed to be the airport welcoming committee.
Empty hangar – image that!
The whole thing kind of puts a damper on getting excited about aviation when you have this kind of first impression – and they wonder why student starts are down and people are losing interest.
Prison or airport?
Post 9/11
So if airports couldn’t be any less approachable, fast forward to our post 9/11 world; we have fenced off, gated, and barb wired most of our metropolitan airports to keep out the evil-doers. All we are really doing is keeping out the honest folks and making our airports resemble federal correctional facilities – nice touch!
No Clear Solution….
I obviously don’t have the answer to this problem, otherwise I’d build a chain of FBO/Flight Schools across the country and retire flying a P-51 and a Corsair…
I do offer one thought. All of us in aviation should be ambassadors for flying. If you are at an airport and you see someone new milling around looking lost – put out your hand and offer your assistance. Include them in your conversation. Make flying inclusive, not exclusive.
I left a lot of room for your thoughts – please post them below.
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This issue is not at all new, unfortunately. I learned to fly out of SNA back in the late ’70s and the FBO attitude was just as poor then as it is now. That was in the heyday of GA!
Like you, I have my own opinion: it happens to agree 100% with your theory number 3. The difference is that I think it is absoultely the MOST likely reason.
Your example of the ‘grizzly’ airport bum is just on example of that.
Another would be the non-welcoming, acerbic, cynical, condescending (I could continue with a plethora more of adjectives) you see on aviation web boards; the AOPA Red Board being the most poignant, IMHO. A bunch of grumpy old men with too much time and ego on their hands.
Personally, I think it takes a lot of moxie for a ‘newbie’ to decide to drive out to an airport, find the FBO, and walk through the door to inquire about lessons. It’s no surprise to me that too many of those few who do so choose never to return. Frankly, I don’t blame them!
GA could handle that poor attitude in its prime; today I think it is just hastening its own demise. I wish I could offer a useful suggestion. But, after 30+ years of seeing this all I can continue to do is try to be friendly and helpful when I can.
Mike
item #3 hits it pretty good. At an airport near where I am from if you weren’t in the clique, then you were treated like a second class citizen even though you paid hangar rent, etc. like everyone else.
GA airports, like you say, look like prisons, or they are feifdoms of certain types of managers. People don’t hang around airports like they used to. It is much harder now to find the “airport bums” than in years past. At a lot of small airports visitors are just plain not welcome.
Thanks Glenn! It’s a real challenge.
Brent
Good discussion, Brent. I try to bring as many people to the airport with me as I can, but they need to be WITH me because there’s a gated fence with an entry code (for context, we’re an untowered facility with no commercial operations). It does not make the place look inviting at all. This is unfortunate because most people at the airport are friendly and the owner is very outgoing and welcoming of anyone who makes the effort to reach out to him. But it puts a lot more onus on the curious to investigate further. While the fence does a great job keeping deer off the field, it also segregates the airport from the surrounding community and fosters an “us versus them” attitude with the neighbors that requires continuous outreach by the owner to overcome.
Like your other readers, I think #3 has done its share of damage, too. The airport bums where I learned to fly did very little but sit together in the FBO drinking coffee and grousing amongst themselves about the student pilots. And yet, the students were actively flying while some of these guys owned dusty airplanes sitting in hangars on flat tires.
On a positive note, I really appreciate that another local airport provides a parking / observation area near the ramp. People from the community will park there and watch airplanes come and go. I think all airports should provide such an area. For every person who takes pleasure in visiting and watching, that means one less person who dislikes those “little airplanes”. I always try to greet these people and, at times, I have brought families through the fence so that the kids could sit in my airplane. It’s not much, but every little bit helps.
Great stuff Chris! You are spot on.
We are lucky in Ohio, if the airport isn’t responsive or fun, we can go 20 miles to the next one.
Brent
Nice article. I think we have all experienced super friendly and welcoming people and not so super friendly and welcoming. I believe that this common across the board. It is not just in aviation. I think people forget why they are there, why they do what they do and how a smile can make a difference. I have come across mostly nice people everywhere I go. I have done my best to justify why someone would not be willing to help me or say hello and I try to remember to not evolve into someone “like that”. We can all be nicer and friendlier. We can all also be more forgiving when someone is not as nice as we had hoped…because a few more visits might help you find a best friend in that ole grizzy fella who wont smile or the lady who rolls her eyes .
Excellent points Rhonda! Thanks!