One of the most significant factors which affect our travel experience is the kind of airport we travel through. No one wants to wait in a badly designed and an ugly airport. According to a study, a person spends around 133 minutes in the airport waiting to board their flight. There are many elements which go into making an airport feel like a great experience. The management, the cleanliness, the amenities and most importantly, food shops and the lounge at the airport constitute for making it a smooth affair. Most of the airports also offer free WiFi for a limited amount of time. It is essential to design the airport carefully to ensure that the customers flying do not waste their time or miss out on their flights by reaching the wrong terminals. Proper instructions about the terminals and knowledgeable airport staff is a necessity. If the airport is too big, then there should be transporting facilities available! Choosing the best quality of furniture and lighting is significant as well. Some airports with unique but useful designs are mentioned below.
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport - Terminal 2 / SOM
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is one of the most beautiful airports in India. Its Terminal 2 has added 4.4 million square feet of space to the airport and manages around 40 million passengers every year. One of the exciting things about its interior is that it is built with keeping in mind the rich history India shares with the world. The new Terminal 2 is a four-story ‘headhouse’. Regional designs and textures are beautifully merged into the terminal’s build.
Indira Gandhi International Airport / Hafeez Contractor
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the biggest airport in India. It is also known as the Terminal 1D. It dons a very open feel to it and has a massive curved roof structure. There are multiple skylights which puncture the roof membrane. Many people love this subtle design. The Terminal 1D is built with keeping in view the comfort of millions of passengers that pass through it every year. The airport has a modern 4 level in-line baggage system which will save you much time by removing the X-Ray procedure before you check-in. The passengers at the airport feel very much at nature with all the bright light falling through the roof of the airport. The Terminal 1D has 16 channels of security to ensure the safety of the passengers.
Beijing Daxing International Airport / Zaha Hadid Architects
This airport manages around 75 million customers every year, and after expansion by 2025, it is further expected to handle about 100 million customers and 4 million tonnes of cargo in a year. The airport was built around with many echoing principles taken from the traditional Chinese architecture. It has a central courtyard which connects every part of the airport. Also, the ceiling design is made in a way to allow natural light to dance through the airport, giving it a unique look.
Hamad International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex / HOK
One of the most prominent airport’s of the world in Qatar, it is designed to pay tributes to the sand dunes and ocean waves. The transit experience in this airport is enjoyable and also optimises the flow and act as guiding paths for the users who don’t know where to go. One of the excerpts from the team that completed the project said that the passengers who will be departing from the airport would get to see an undulating roof. It will add to their unique and unforgettable experience.