This World Traveler

Today, Cranky Flier was talking about British Airways' recent announcement that they'll be flying narrow body jets across the Atlantic, from the New York area to downtown London, out of the not often used London City airport. The more I read about that, the more I thought about the smaller airports that I've used over the last few years.

Smaller airports generally mean shorter wait times to check in, go through security and a pleasant environment. Unfortunately, it also means there is a lot less to do in the case of a long wait time. I've gone through my share of them. Some still offer regular jet service, some don't.

1. Lubeck, Germany - currently serviced by Ryanair
Lubeck is a northern German focus city for the low cost Irish airline, Ryanair, offering service to five different destinations. The old small terminal building has a restaurant and bar, and little else. But at least there's beer! The actual behind security area resembles a steel pole barn. Because that is basically what it is with four "gate areas" which are really just barn doors with desks in front of them. This was my first experience with the Ryanair cattle call, and the cement floor and undecorated barn experience of the airport definitely helped make the livestock feeling come alive.

2. Reims, France - currently not serviced by any airline
Reims is a tiny tiny building with virtually no services. Just a glorified waiting room. The odd thing about this airport is the baggage carousel. It's an indoor outdoor carousel. So when your bag is taken off the plane, it sits on the conveyor belt outside, their baggage system is literally, pull the bag on the plane and set it on the carousel.... If you miss your bag as it rotates through, it ends up back outside for another round with the elements. If it takes you a bit to get to the front of the baggage line, you can end up with a very wet bag, as what happened to me flying to France on Ryanair back in 2003.

3. South Bend, IN - currently served by Delta, Northwest, United, CapeAir and Allegiant

This small regional airport, about 90 miles from Chicago, is a pleasant place and has quite a bit of traffic going through it. Most of it are on small regional jets and turboprops. Cape Air flies 10 seat planes out of South Bend down to Indianapolis, for example. The operations definitely don't feel like a larger airport. In my recent experience, the deicing of the plane was done on what looked like the back of someone's modified pick up truck with a cherry picker attached. There are a couple places for coffee and a bar. But no services whatsoever on the other side of security, just vending machines and two cramped gate areas that serve as entire concourses.

4. Flint, MI - served by AirTran, Delta, Northwest, American, Continental, Midwest

This small airport 35 miles north of Detroit feels like a larger airport. In fact, it's grown quite a bit and is now the third largest airport in the state, just behind Grand Rapids and ahead of Lansing - whose airport does feel larger, even though it isn't.

The terminal was rebuilt within the last few years and it is, from the outside, meant to be reminiscent of a wing. From the inside, its reminiscent of Fisher Price. I was sitting in the snack bar/restaurant area of the Airport and looking around, I noticed its got all the "amenities" of a big time airport and laid out like a playset would be. The snackbar, the giftshop and shoe shine stand, just above the gates... And no sharp corners to hurt the kids! Aside from the playful nature of the terminal, it is very easy to get from point A to B. 10 minutes from check in to gate... and thats with Security check.

Labels: airlines, airports, flint, france, germany, london, lubeck, reims, south bend

On The Road Eats: 5 Great Fast Food places!

1. In-N-Out Burger (Multiple Locations)
Oh my goodness, what amazing food! And what a simple menu too! I was floored on my first visit there and how packed it was, but when I tasted my 4X4 Animal Style, I knew that this was something special and I understood. The menu is simple. Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger, fries, milkshakes and soda. But there are hidden menu items. You can get your burger there protein style, which is with a lettuce bun - or animal style which contains some sort of secret sauce. The fries are fresh cut in the restaurant and always always fresh. I have eaten no finer fast food then that of the In-N-Out Burger.

2. Max's (Long Branch, NJ)
What can I say about this place that can't be described in four words? Foot Long Hot Dogs. And they're great. It's not all that the restaurant which is right off the Atlantic Ocean serves every summer when it opens, but it might as well be. It's what they're known for and rightly so. Nothing says summertime to me quite like my first foot long of the year doused in brown mustard at Max's.

3. L'As du Falafel (Paris, France)
Nothing says fast food to me better than mediterranean food. Be it Falafel or Gyros or Doner Kebap sandwiches - and the Ace of Falafel in Paris is just that. Just the right blend of spicy and crunchy. I was shown the place, which is in what remains of the Jewish quarter of the city in the 4th Arrondisement. Recommended dish here - the Falafel!

4. Random Doner Kebap Stand (Across from Zoo Bahnhof, Berlin Germany)
I went to Germany all the time as a child, and until my late teen years, I was always afraid of Doner Kebap. The everything but the kitchen sink sandwich that Turkish fast food stands sold around seemingly every corner in Germany. Finally, at age 14, I tried one. I fell immediately in love. When I was 16, I'd have a fourth meal after dinner with my grandparents every night. I'd walk to the stand three blocks away and have a Doner. It grew to be my favorite food ever, and its probably because of its location and how it was always near my grandparents. Four years ago, I visited the area. My grandparents were no longer there and nor was the stand. However, I found a stand near Zoo Bahnhof, just off Kufurstendamm that was almost as good. Just not quite the same feeling to go with the flavor.

5. King Gyros (Michigan City, Indiana)
When I thought about the fifth spot for this list. I was torn between this and Skyline Chili, the midwestern chili chain that comes from Cincinatti. I fell in love with the Three Way when I was in college, but King Gyros is ultimately the most special. There's no other reason to go to Michigan City, in my opinion... other than the beaches. But the Gyro platter with what seems like a pound of fresh Gyro meat, nice salad, huge chunks of Feta cheese and fresh French Fries. Sometimes, a meal like this makes you think that everything IS right in this world after all.

Labels: california, food, france, germany, indiana, new jersey, travel