Airports are more important than they seem for the following reasons. When you enter a country the airport is the shop window. The airport is your first impression of the competence, organisation, infrastructure and engineering of that country. If the trolleys have wonky wheels (as used to be the case at Heathrwo, London) this does not say much for the engineering of the country.
When you leave a country, the airport is your final impression. If the airport is bad then this can over-ride whatever other good impressions you may have formed during your visit to the country.
In the course of my extensive travels I have visited over seventy-five airports in all countries: rich, poor, developed and emerging. I have to say that Moscow airport is the worst organised. That is not to say 'disorganised' but badly organised. Why?
I have recently returned from a visit to Moscow. On entering the country there was an hour long queue to get through passport control. Why? On leaving it is even worse. First a queue, with X-ray machines, to go through customs - this is before check-in. When you get through you are told it is the wrong queue so you go to another queue. Then there is another queue to go through another X-ray machine. Finally you can check in. Then there is a ninety minute queue to go through passport control. Then there is no indicator for gate locations which are different from those shown on the ticket. Finally you discover the gate and there is another X-ray machine and security control.
With regard the passport control you could have more people doing it or make the process simpler. The UK has now abolished control on leaving the country, the U.S.A. has not had such control for a long time. Why is there a need for exit control?
A dedicated team of 'simplifiers' could re-organise your airport for you. It is very, very necessary.
Edward de Bono nmt
26th August 2001
Buenos Aires
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