WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE STUCK?

POST DavidGordon10 DATE December 7, 11:52

At times, we are all at risk of getting stuck – storms, technical issues, air traffic control failures and so on. Where is the best place to be stuck – and where would be the worst?

When the Iceland volcano erupted in 2010, I was in Porto. This was far from a hardship posting and more of a wonderful extra holiday. For today’s air traffic control fiasco, I am stuck in the Scandinavia lounge at Copenhagen Airport, which is fine for those of us who like Danish food and drinks.

Which city would be the worst to be stranded in? For me, it would probably be somewhere with a high crime rate like Caracas. Which airport would be the worst? Well, it might be Heathrow (LHR)…

TabTraveller December 7, 12:15

The best was the Bahamas during the volcanic chaos – very little sympathy from the office for the enforced eight-day extension to my trip. Got a chance to explore some of the more remote islands on Southern Air. The worst was perhaps Mumbai, which is a shoddy airport at the best of times and even less pleasant at 2am during disruption.

HarryMonk December 7, 12:33

Best airport to be stuck would be Changi. While there are many airports in the third or developing world that are pure hell at the best of times, in the developed world my vote would go to LHR.

1nfrequent December 7, 12:58

During the unexpected snow of November 2010 I was stuck in Orlando. My line manager was actually sympathetic because he was stuck in the Bahamas. It was hell having to entertain myself with the rides for another two days. Absolute hell...

LuganoPirate December 7, 13:32

The best? Male on the Maldives for a week. If confined to an airport, then Zurich. The worst airports to be stuck at would have to be Charles De Gaulle or LHR.

Capetonianm December 7, 18:52

Worst experience: being stuck at Alesund, Norway, one winter in the 1980s, which was a very boring place. The best was being stuck in Bangkok en route to France from Manila. I had a great day and got my expenses paid by the airline.

Millionsofmiles December 7, 13:54

The worst was being stuck at the Atlantis Hotel in Ilha do Sal over Christmas back in the 1970s, while the best was London during the ash cloud when my very generous client put me up at the Cumberland Hotel.

ricker666 December 14, 15:35

The best would be Abu Dhabi, better still if it was going to be for a while since [the theme park] Ferrari World isn’t far away! The worst airport would be LHR – it’s painful going from at the best of times, although I was pleasantly surprised by T5 on a recent trip to New York.

Tallinnman December 14, 17:32

Almost best was at Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados, at the end of the ash cloud crisis. The extra night was all arranged but in the end it was only a 3-4 hour delay spent on the golf club terrace. I wouldn’t rush back to the hotel but the golf club was fantastically well run by a gentleman called “Elvis”…

alexpo1 December 14, 18:21

Best for me was being put up in a five-star hotel in Lima during a 24-hour delay and being upgraded to business back to London. The worst was when my flight was cancelled from El-Aaiún [in the Western Sahara] to Las Palmas [in Gran Canaria]. The next flight didn’t leave for another 48 hours… I liked the place but was ready to leave. That was a long weekend. And how can I forget being stranded in Luxembourg after another cancelled flight on Christmas Eve due to heavy snow. The next flight wasn’t until December 27…

BA4ever December 15, 20:07

I’ve been stuck in a few airports but – thank God – only for hours, never for days. The best was definitely LHR because it had the cleanest loos.

The worst was Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport, because I couldn’t find anywhere to buy a drink near my gate.

I wouldn’t want to get stuck in any airport outside Europe because in many countries cleanliness is not important and there’s nothing that I hate more than dirty loos.

Also, in times of crisis I’d rather be around people who speak one of the languages I speak. I’d probably rather get stuck in LHR because there are good shops, good restaurants, people speak English, loos are cleaned regularly and I know my whereabouts. Plus, it’s located in one of the best cities in the world!