Airports
We took my in-laws back to the airport today after a great few days together over Christmas.
Because they are massive worriers, we ended up getting to the airport six hours before their departure. They’d received an automated email from RyanAir saying they needed to be there a minimum of three hours in advance, and of course they wanted to build in an exorbitant amount of extra buffer just in case.
As we accompanied them through the check-in process at the airport, I couldn’t help but think the whole air travel game continues to be more chaotic, stressful and complicated than it ought to be. There are still massive lines to use poorly designed bag drop terminals, and then more massive lines to get through security. You clutch your passport with the constant fear of losing it. Everything feels rushed, despite being hours until takeoff.
We need an Uber moment - a “one click” user experience that simplifies it massively. We’ve made good strides with mobile check-in and boarding passes, faster security and so on, but I’m convinced there’s more to be done. It needs a fundamental rethink from the ground up.