Perth Airport Western Australia 6105
(08) 9478 8888
http://www.perthairport.com.au
Call me sentimental, but I find Perth Airport charming. Not only that, I think represents well what Perth is: a big place with the soul of a little town, a city that is welcoming, relaxed and human-sized.
The Airport certainly needs to improve, but there are many good things about Perth Airport. Things that people won't appreciate until we get one of those standard humongous airports that feel built for giants, and whose floors are so shiny that you have to wear your sunnies not to get blinded by their glare.
I find especially pleasant that I don't need fifteen minutes of fast walking to move between departure gates -something important if your flight changes gate at the last moment- or to move around in general.
Most of the staff are pleasant, helpful and approachable, not the nosey type you find at other places. Even at Customs, where things can be annoying and slow, most of the staff will great you with a smiley good-day, and treat you with humanity and friendliness while they tripe out your whole suitcase and reveal your oh-not-so-sexy underwear to the world.
Cues at the checking-in counters move always fast. The transport to/from the airport, re taxis, shuttle and public transport is good, although car users have it a bit tricky.
The three things I hate the most are: 1/ The number of chairs in the waiting areas is limited and not very comfortable for long waits. 2/ The coffee and food area is populated by mediocre fast-food chains shops. 3/ The Duty Free area (Duty Free?) has been out of fashion and too expensive since ever.
The airport needs to improve and to grow to attend to the increasing number of flights and of international and domestic visitors. However, I hope that, when that happens, it doesn't lose the cosiness and charm that it has at present, and that feeling I get just after landing, that the Perth Airport is, indeed, an extension of my own place.
(Tourism Australia, I am all yours!)
