As summer is coming to an end (*tear*) and many are preparing to travel back to school as well as cram in some last minute international (or domestic) vacays, it is likely that you will find yourself in an airport. Although airports often get a bad rep with the $8 bottles of water, sub par food, and lengthy TSA security wait times, they are perfect for one of my favorite pastimes: people watching.
Airports are filled with a hodgepodge of people and personalities traveling to different destinations. Here is a compilation of some of the different characters you may encounter at the airport.
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1. The Serial Flyer
This group of travelers have so many frequent flyer miles they could travel around the world ... three times and still have some to spare for a quick vacation in Hawaii. These are the people who fly so often they could write you a manual with all the tips/ tricks. They have traveling to a tee and often travel so light leaves you wondering what they could ever fit in their small carryon. Honestly, they know what they are doing so when you encounter this type of traveler, take notes.
Meanwhile, the rest of us find ourselves looking more like this:
2. The Business Professional
This group of travelers can also find themselves with the Serial Flyer category except these men and women travel solely for business. They usually stick out like a sore thumb because they travel in a suit and tie (even on red eyes). While we've got mad respect for their ability to look so put together while we are rocking our sweatpants and ratty t-shirts, these flyers can also be a nuisance. If they are on a work trip (which they most likely are) they are more prone to be on a conference call or loudly typing on their Macbook Airs when you are trying to get catch some z's.
3. The Family with Young Screaming Children
Enough said. It seems like karmic retribution for every bad thing that we have ever done that on every flight there seems to be a crying baby or loud children accompanied by stressed out parents merely trying to stay afloat. While I am not condemning these parents for wishing to travel with their family, a crying baby do not make red eyes any easier (and make it more likely for you to consider forgoing having kids ... ever).
4. The Unaccompanied Minor Flying Alone for the First Time
Another easy to spot out group of travelers. These flyers are distinguished by their young age as well as hyper vigilant demeanor as their parents have already scared them about anything bad that can potentially happen in an airport. They also tend to stay close to the flight attendant and wear their Disney inspired backpacks and identification lanyards in front of them.
5. The Newlyweds
These travelers are distinguished by their corny Bride/Groom t-shirts with/without their faces on it and are all over each other in a post wedding bliss often off to an exotic destination.
6. The Bad Flyer
This is the kind of person that is scared of anything having to do with flying and (if of age) typically combat this by running to the nearest airport bar and being comforted by their good friend Johnny Walker. These are also the kind of people who purchase mixed drinks on the flight without a drink coupon.
7. The Overenthusiastic College Student
These are the student travelers who plague the airport from August-October. They are super easy to find because they are almost always sporting their school's gear head to toe. They want everyone on the flight to know that they are in fact enrolled in college and proud of it. (Those affiliated with Greek life take it one step farther and wear their house's letters in pursuit of finding their sisters/brothers at the airport).
To some, airports are a necessary evil. To others, it's a place to make new friends and traveling companions. Regardless how you view them, I can assure you will never find a lack of diversity at an airport. Happy travels!
