The Columnist Manifesto

It’s a commonplace to say that airports are the same all over the world, and broadly speaking they are, but there are fun differences that let you know you’re in another country.

Take Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Do you find big flower seed-and-bulb shops in U.S. airports? You sure don’t, but they’re all over this one. Plus, all the people who work there are Dutch!



In Amsterdam Schiphol, they also have this great feature – public shaming sanctions for tardy travelers. We repeatedly heard this annoucement, from an authoritative female voice in heavily Dutch-accented English:

“Passengers Smith and Jones, for KLM flight 921 to London, you are delaying the flight. Please proceed immediately to the gate or we will afloat your luggage.”

How great is that -- the offenders’ luggage to be jettisoned into the North Sea! (I eventually figured out that “afloat” was Dutch-accented English for “off-load,” but still... way cool.)

Krakow airport’s food stand offers an assortment of dishes, and at prices, you wouldn’t find in any U.S. airport. Check out that cold herring salad plate – cost – about $1.



In Poland, the passport control officers carry sidearms, and the female officers’ uniforms entail skirts and pumps with two-inch heels. Talk about your action flick fantasy – chicks in heels with guns! (Sorry, but you can understand my reluctance to try to snap a picture.)

I did take a picture of the arrival and departure monitors, however. I love the word "odlot" for outbound flight.



I'm guessing that "Lot" in Polish means "fly" or "flight" (too lazy to dig out my Polish-English dictionary) -- hence their national airline, "Lot" -- and "od" means "out" or something.

I previously mentioned how, at Krakow International, we waited on a bus on the runway for about 5-10 minutes to take us to the plane. What I didn't mention was that they kindly allow you to keep an eye on your luggage while you wait.


Photo taken from runway bus, Krakow.

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