Amsterdam Airport

If you have had the opportunity to travel out of your country of residence, then you appreciate the importance of a well functioning airport. Almost every passenger that goes through an airport terminal has a story to tell. For some, those stories are not pleasant and have been the source of great misery and distress. For others the story is that of exemplary service that they received at the hands of the airport staff.

These experiences are not unique to one airport. In fact, some of these experiences have been at some of the largest and busiest airports in the world. The complaints often range from loss of luggage to the lack of good customer service. Most of the international airports have therefore taken adequate steps to see that they improve their service provision, keeping in mind that there will always be a customer who is not satisfied with the service. The trick, most have discovered, is how well they deal with the complaints that have been raised.

However, even in this maze of global airports handling thousands of travelers a day, some airports stand out of the crowd. One such airport is the Amsterdam Airport. It is the largest and busiest airport in the Netherlands and is Europe's third largest airport. It carries a great deal of transit cargo business and is said to be the 14th largest cargo tonnage airport in the world. The airport also receives a great deal of international passenger traffic and is ranked third in the world after the likes of London's Heathrow airport and Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

The Amsterdam airport has five main runways. There is an additional airstrip that is usually designated for general aviation aircrafts. The latest of these run ways was completed in 2003 and is called the Polderbaan. The architecture of the airport is quite unique since the entire airport is built as one giant terminal. The terminal structure further divides into three main departure halls that later converge into one unit once airside. The airport is working to improve the services that it offers to its clients by building another terminal between the runways that would increase their number of recognized terminals from the one terminal system that is in place now.

The cost of landing and parking at the airport has been deemed prohibitive by some of the budget airlines. For that reason, they often prefer to land at smaller airports such as Rotterdam and Eindhoven. However most of the budget airlines cannot afford to avoid the Amsterdam airport. For this reason they have found it useful to use the low cost H-pier which gives them a cost effective platform for delivering their services. Despite the huge amount of traffic that goes through it everyday, Amsterdam airport continues to be the home base for the Dutch Royal Airlines.

The Amsterdam airport did not start as an airport though. It was opened in 1916 as a military base with a small cluster of barracks. The military base had an open field along side it that acted as both a platform and a runway. By December of 1920 some civilian airlines had started using the airport. In fact, in anticipation of the projected industry that would arise from the use of that airport by civilian air crafts, some aircraft manufacturers set up a factory near the airport.

The Amsterdam airport has been developed over time with the traveler in mind. It has large shopping arenas that act as a source of additional revenue for the airport. These shopping arenas are a major attraction for all travelers. This is especially the case for transit passengers. As a matter of strategy, the airport has opened a plaza that can be accessed before getting to the airport customs. This has made it an attractive shopping option since it is accessible by both traveling and non-traveling shoppers.

In addition to the multiplicity of shopping arenas, the Amsterdam airport also offers some personalized services. The airport has its own mortuary where the dead can be held in transit before being released to their desired flight destination. On a happier note, the airport also has a marriage booth. Since October of 2006, couples can get married and be on their way to their honeymoon immediately.

For people fascinated by the aviation industry, the Amsterdam airport has an excellent viewing area at the rooftop. This area is christened the Panoramaterras. It offers spectacular views of the airport air strips and all landmarks can be viewed from here. The viewing area is however not open to transit passengers. Luckily, the viewing area is open to the public. Entrance to this area is free and all views are generally from the airport's land side.

The Amsterdam airport also offers some spotting areas where one can be able to take in the action at the airport. Such sites are especially common along the newly constructed airstrip called the Polderbaan. To cater to a growing international audience, the airport has opened a fast foods restaurant on the north end to offer its passengers greater variety in service. The Amsterdam airport is landmark of history and a valuable link in international travel.

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