Adelaide Airport Disfunction

 

Well we are home safe and sound although KB is very tired.
The honeymoon was fantastic and Adelaide put on some brilliant weather. It only rained for 1 day and even then it didn't put a damper on things.

If I have anything to complain about it is Adelaide International Airport!
Those that run it should be taken out the back and shot. Coming in was not to bad although there was very little signage to tell you anything.
Had it not been that I had lived here and been to the airport before it could have been worse. Even I was disappointed with the way the place was set out. I can only assume there is work being done but once more I repeat there was no information. as for the help desk which was hidden in some obscure place no one was there. Not even a sign saying be back in 10mins!

Having told KB what a wonderful place Adelaide was, her first experience was to see a line of people waiting for a taxi, we counted 80 people before we decided to catch the bus. As for signage to say where the taxi stand was, nope didn't see a single thing. We had to use our eyes. Even looking for some airport personal to ask nope they were all on a tea-break!

Now we can and did forgive the taxi stand which by the way was approximately 200m from the Airport on the ground floor not the upper deck which we went to first because that's where you caught a taxi when I was last here. Once more no signage to say where the stand had gone!
It was coming home we encountered the flaws that firmly lay at the feet of those in control of Adelaide airport.
Checking in to Air New Zealand. We looked at the big board that had departures and saw nothing for Auckland or Air New Zealand.
Big signs for Qantas, Virgin, Cathay and REX.
REX are you serious? Air New Zealand, none ........... Oh unless you go outside on the upper deck which is being renovated or upgrade or something. We did see a lot of people out there in hi-viz vests wandering around aimlessly.

 

Back to the ground floor to the help desk where once more we found it unattended. A few minutes standing there like lost souls a woman did appear and happily told us the Air New Zealand check in was up stairs on the left. Was that my left or hers? Hers.
Back up stairs to her left nothing. We checked the big board again.still nothing.

We start slowly walking to the left or southern side of the check in area watching some people checking in at 28-32 check in desks ..... well what do you know Air New Zealand check in desks. We check in and move on through.
We head through customs and through duty free and head to Gate 20 which you can not get to because the doors are locked. It isn't like anyone is cleaning the place and once more there is no signage to even give a brief "This door will be open at whatever" Still no one to ask for help or answer any questions.

There are no clocks on the walls so one can check the time. There is only 1 toilet that is quite a walk from gate 20.
If you are that tight to have only one toilet for international passengers put it in the middle.
I feel really sorry for people who haven't been here before. Signage is poor and customer service on the floor none existent. You shouldn't run an airport like that!
The staff we did deal with at check in, customs and boarding were outstanding.

Adelaide is still a wonderful city. There are just certain places that need to get their act together and the airport is one. It is the first face people see as visitors and on this occasion it was not pretty.
As soon as we arrived and disembarked at Auckland Airport we just started looking around when an airport staff member asked if we required assistance. A polite "No thank you" with a smile.
A nudge from KB. "I told you Auckland was better than Adelaide!" just summed it all up.


Whitesnakes do it better ........... When ya know what I'm saying!