To me Berlin is very marmite. You either love it or hate it. Not much in between. And what shall I say… I don’t love marmite…. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying I hate Berlin. Not really. But it would not make it into my top five of cities (hey here’s an idea for a new blog post… stay tuned). Nor would it be my first (second or third) choice of places to live in Germany. But I am always up for the odd weekend or visit (unlike marmite… that I do loath at all times). So if you are planning a trip to Berlin, let me tell you which airport to pick for Berlin.
Frequent Flyer
With up to a hundred flights a year, I confidently call myself a frequent flyer. I am no stranger to airlines, airports and airport lounges. I know my way around an airport, how to get in and out as efficient as possible and had my share of flights delayed, cancelled or postponed over the years.
Let me share with you my experiences and hacks to make your air travel as smooth and luxurious as possible. Flying for the first time? You might want to start here.
Six flights in seven days – a new record
Doing more than one meeting a week isn’t new. The record here is seven in a week, if I remember rightly, however these were usually done as part of one big tour stretching several days. Going back and forth several times in one week – and actually travelling three countries within that one week – is a novelty… even for me. And not one I am eager to repeat anytime soon I hope.
Flying Club Europe for the first time
Despite flying on a very regular basis, somehow I have never had the luxury of flying Club Europe. Well I did fly Club World last time from New York back to London.
But to be honest, I struggle to see the point of spending extra cash for the upgrade to Club Europe on a 1-2 hour short-haul flight within Europe (neither can I see my client voluntarily splashing out for it).
Which airport is best for London?
Like many major cities, London has more than one airport. Six to be precise. Not all airlines fly to all airports, so depending on your route you might not always have a choice. However sometimes you do, so I thought it would be helpful to learn the pros and cons of London airports. To help you decide which airport is best for London.
How to speed things up at the airport
For some people arriving at the airport is the start of their holiday and they have all the time in the world. Lucky them. For others (like me) it might be the start (or end) of a busy work day. Which is why I like things to run smoothly and efficiently… and why I totally loath those people with absolutely no clue what to do. So don’t be that person.
OK, I grant you, if you are 85 and flying for the very first time, this might all be a little confusing and you need some time to adjust… fair enough.
For everyone else, here is a handy list of how to speed things up at the airport.
How to stay hydrated whilst flying
Ok, let’s not make this sound more scientific than it really is. The trick to staying hydrated whilst flying, or in any situation really, is to drink water… lots of it and on a regular basis. But this is not what I mean.
Most of my flights are short haul, so I don’t have to worry too much about dehydrating really.
But even if my flights are rarely longer than one or two hours, I need some water in between, so I almost always end up buying a bottle at water at the airport… after security obviously, so that the 100ml fluid rule does not apply.