Airport anthropology

[fbhjr]

I am still pondering my spending the night in the Philadelphia airport a
week ago.
I’ve been flying several places each year since I was 4 and this is far
from the first time I’ve gotten stuck in an airport for long periods or
overnight.
What makes this one exceptional is how empty the airport was when it
happened.

The other times I’ve been stuck at the airport it has been for big events.
Air traffic controllers strike, blizzards, hurricanes and other things like
that.
When that happens, everyone is stuck.  The whole terminal is standing room
only and everything is disrupted for the airport as well as the folks who
are stuck.

Last week, it was only a small amount of people who got stuck at the
terminal.  Walking around I’d say no more than 2 or 3 dozen folks.  While
that may sound like a lot to fit in a car, in a major airport it is a very
small number.

It was strange to see what makes a prime spot for people to claim.  I’m
very sure that humans have been claiming good spots since before they were
humans.  Water, protection, food, etc.
These days, it seems to be electricity.

Walking through the airport at night, little groups of people were huddled
around power outlets with their phones and other devices plugged in.
I was no different in this.  If I saw a spot with an open outlet I’d stop
and try it.  Sadly as I started this search late, the remaining outlets
were the ones that didn’t work.
I did finally find the perfect one.  Next to some chairs, in a corner, by
an air vent with working power.
I held the spot for two hours until I had to get up to use the bathroom and
found another person there when I got back.
“I’m charging my phone!” he said intently, but at low volume.
“No worries,” I said, and moved on.

The second best areas seemed to be the ones that didn’t have power, but did
allow people to lie down.  Most of the chairs there were in rows with arm
rests between each chair.  So, it was difficult to lie down.  There were a
few real benches or similar spots.  They all had people spread out and
sleeping on them.

I was surprised the security didn’t seem to be a big deal.  It was outside
the secure area of the airport.  It is just off a major highway and has a
subway station between the terminal and the parking garage.  Anyone could
walk right in and look for unguarded things to steal.
Yet, I saw people spread out and asleep with their things scattered around
them.
The bits of sleep I got were with my few things under my feet.
Maybe I’m just paranoid, but a few video camera for the ceiling weren’t
enough to make me feel safe leaving my stuff scattered.

It was very strange how quiet people were.  Even the guy warning me off of
the outlet kept his voice at a whisper.  And, this was the ticket hall for
a major airport.  I’m sure at peak times you wouldn’t be able to hear
people unless they shout.  It reminded me of how people act in a church
when there aren’t many people there.
Although quiet, there was still an aggressiveness there like with the
outlets.
When security opened at 4:30, there were people who cut in line to get to
the front.
Cut in front of all 6 of us who were already there.
It was funny because one of the guards saw it, and opened the entrance rope
at a different place so they wouldn’t be in the front.  I let them go ahead
of me anyhow as they seemed so fired up about it.  Eight people in line and
ninety minutes to get through, not a big problem for me to go last.

I am glad I ditched Rydan, the manufacturing engineer who was on the trip
with me.  He’s not a bad guy or anything, but I really liked walking around
the quiet airport seeing how folks were dealing with being left behind.

Comments

[pallid-regina.livejournal.com]

Unique people watching situations are the most fascinating. We were trapped in an airport overnight once but we had each other so we were a bit more focused on each other, clearly I missed out on good people watching. LOL!