By Comparison we went through Detroit this year. And you know those surveys they send you and ask you to comment in after the flight? I got one and was asked how much I would be likely to recommend my flight company, and I said "very much". And I here I go.
Folks, I am not getting paid in any goods or money whatsoever for these comments. They are strictly my own and my own feelings. You may have others. That is fine. But going on KLM/Delta through Amsterdam and Detroit is simply much much better than anything else I have ever done. I have done many airports in Europe and several in the US. Heathrow is THE worst in Europe. I will never go through that one again unless I go just to London. And Chicago O Hare is DISGUSTING, HORRENDOUS piece of junk which should be shut down or warned about. C¨mon, three hours in customs line, more than three. No special treatment for families with kids. Not enough sense to open up more customs lines (and this was before inflation and nobody working) and just BAD BAD BAD. If you can avoid O Hare, do so at any costs. I took O Hare because I would have had a five hour layover in Detroit. In retrospect, I would have taken Detroit if I had known how crappy Chicago O Hare is.
By comparison in Detroit this year, the customs line was so very little and they had several customs officers working it and one directing you to a line and courteous customs people. I dont know if they had a special line for families with kids, I didnt see, but you can try. But it went quickly enough without it.
Then finding your baggage and checking it through again. In all the media and even on the airport websites there were warnings that there may be holdups due to lack of workers or expert workers at the airports. They even said on one to get to the airport over 3 hours before your travel. I did from my beginning site and it was a waste. It would have been a waste in Detroit too. We found and checked our bag through to our next destination without ANY worries or troubles. In fact the whole customs, finding your baggage and rechecking thing took about 40 minutes. Compare this with about 5 hours in Chicago, missing our next connection, and paying an exhorbitant amount to stay 6 hours in a hotel. It makes me sick to think about it.
Needless to say we made our connection flight and luckily through a pickup of friends we were at our destination before sundown. This is a transatlantic flight taking like 19 hours. Our flight in the morning left at 8.50am. We got there at 6am which was overkill. The only problem was it was a Saturday so our car rental was closed by the evening so we had to come there on Sunday to pick up our car. This will have to be looked into next year for a better situation, going to the car rental that stays open.
What does this all have to do with being a father with kids?
Well it has to do with the overall travelling with kids. When I book, especially overseas flights, I know I need more time. If I was by myself I know I could get a layover of less than two hours with customs. And one hour with no customs. But with kids you need more time. I am a bit worried if I have less than two hours.
You dont want strange things to happen and you want to be seated together. In general you want to stay together at all times. If they are going to wander off for food or bathroom you have to make sure there is enough time before boarding. And you have to make sure you have enough time going from one end of the airport to the other for your connection. I guess it is mostly a time thing.
O Hare Chicago came up ZERO. 0 per cent I give them. Well maybe 5 per cent. I have nothing good to say about O Hare at all especially travelling with kids. Unless you totally totally have to go through O Hare, even by yourself, but especially with kids for a connecting flight..... book through another airport, even another airline. I would say even if it costs more.
Chicago O Hare airport -------------- ZERO.
Detroit I give in the 90s. Even though I cant think of anything that went wrong, I can never give 100 per cent. But definitely in the 90s. I dont care much about architecture, but even for Detroit, I like their glowing passage way (which unfortunately wasnt working when I passed through it this time, though my daughter did it twice and said it was working the second time).
And in Europe, I have been through many airports, but by far not all (I would like to try the Helsinki airport sometime), but of about 10 I have been in, I would say Amsterdam KLM is the best. Even though they did pull me aside for special security check this time, I have very little against that, except that it did stress me out, but I understand their reasoning. It did in general make me feel stronger that they have a good security check system there. So I also give KLM Amsterdam airport in the high 80s rating. I have been through them several times and mostly as far as I recall without incident. The only problem I believe I might choose differently is the price and timing. Otherwise, all things being equal I would always choose Amsterdam to go to.
With kids a smooth airport experience just dispels your flying travelling stress. And travelling with kids overseas IS stressful.
Again, I disclose that I have received absolutely nothing for this post. Neither monetary compsensation or gifts or presents, nothing for my words and recommendations. Strictly my own.
I didnt listen to any music while writing this post. I did hear a lot of boats on the lake going by.
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