The Car Park Masquerading as an Airport-A Lesson in Human Relations

The Car Park Masquerading as an Airport

A Lesson in Human Relations

The only justification to go to this place is to:

Ø  Go somewhere else,

Ø  To drop of someone who is going somewhere else,

Ø  To pick up someone who is going somewhere else,

For those reasons it is a necessarily transient place, a place where the customers want to spend as little time as possible, and where the staff’s priority is to ensure that this is so.

Well most staff, the coffee, food and retail outlets know that spending as little time as possible in the place is not always possible for its customers so they cash in on this and charge accordingly. Where else can they go! They also know that human nature being as it is last minute thought fullness and thankyou’s can be priced accordingly.

The airport knows it is the only viable exit point in this big city and also charges accordingly. They know they have a huge monopoly and want to make the most of what the government has gifted them. Thus their car park is one of the biggest in the city and also the most expensive, one third of their revenue is earned through it. They are on a winner here, Monopolies are like that.

What else is the “arriver” or “arrivee” to do, walk into town, catch a bus on the clogged “Free Ways” or maybe arrange for a car park shuttle or family or friend to pick them up which many do so the monopoly makes it hard, but it is only a little percentage anyway?

Governments do not care, the Federal government is rid of the responsibility to run a messy airport and also picks up a nice rental fee. The State government is also absolved and has little financial interest in fixing up the transport mess despite promising for years to do just that. Laisse Faire is great everyone wins except those pesky people who transit through the place.

But more than this because no one has an interest in any one else really except to move them on. Human relationships which are often based largely on self-interest cease to function in the normal way. Thus:

Speech is stilted and clichés abound,

Smiles are fake, shallow and transitory,

The coffee is universally bad,

The food is fast and easy,

The signage is glaring, obvious and bright,

The seats are not built for comfort but speed,

The colour scheme does not so much welcome you but encourages you to restlessness and movement.

The place is stark, angular and vicious.

The loudspeaker system is full of speakers of urgency, notification and demand.

Uniformed staff are dressed conservatively and practically but above all are dressed for efficiency.

“Them and us” is the prevailing attitude not stated but crying out at you.

The lighting does not reflect the passing of the day but the timelessness of a transient artificial sub world.

Movement is the key and all is urgent when even it is not.

(There is an exception here- in the Airline Clubs and lounges which are hoping for repeat business)

The patrons of this place have no interest in establishing even the basic contact. It is a transient world after all and so individuals and groups act like little bits of flotsam moving in a fast running stream. Sometimes they bump off each other but mostly they maintain “their space” and are indignant when it is invaded.

This of course only breaks down when there is a crisis, common cause or enemy such as;

Long, Long Delay,

Breakdown of a system,

Cancelation.

Then they unite as passengers and attack the common enemy or maleficent force doing this to “Them”. (Airline, Computer system, terrorist, or late fellow traveller) when the crisis is over people revert to their former status.

Next time you go to an airport look at the place and the people and think on what it means. It may be more interesting than the destination you are going to or leaving!

But then most of the best journeys reside within.

 

 

John Condliffe

4.7.15

PS: John travelled extensively for 4.5 years doing locums all around Australia. He also spent quite a number of years looking after Exchange Students.  This required quite a large amount of time in and around airports.

John and Maureen took their daughter to the airport yesterday. She made her trip and transit through the place successfully.

Maureen and Janice