“Clean” and “airport” the two words don’t seem to go hand-in-hand (at least in my experience). In my past life (pre-kids), my job required me to travel quite a bit. Subsequently, I have spent many, many hours in airports from Newark to Honolulu. I can honestly say that none of them would qualify as “clean.” “Tolerable,” perhaps, but definitely not “clean.”
I don’t have to tell you how miserable it is to disembark from a six-hour flight and enter a restroom that reeks of vomit. Or what a pain it is to have to not only dodge other passengers on the way to baggage claim, but puddles of spilled lattes and patches of ketchup as well. Which is why I was elated to hear that America’s airports are embarking on a “Get Clean” campaign.
Across the U.S., airport staff members say they struggle with the task of keeping their terminals clean, especially during the summer months, which are typically the busiest of the year. Airport officials say problem areas include constantly crowded bathrooms and food courts.
A recent report reveals the problem is worst at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (an airport I have flown in and out of numerous times). The airport sees the most passengers in the world–86 million travelers pass through its concourses each year—and you can tell. There are stains on the carpet and a few decades’ worth of dents and scratches from rolling suitcases and baggage carts on the walls of the 26-year-old airport’s halls.
Airport officials tell a local Atlanta newspaper that under the new “Get Clean” campaign, the carpets will be replaced with scuff-resistant tile floors by the end of December and columns throughout the airport are being protected by steel or other sturdy materials so they won’t be susceptible to dents or dings. The makeover will also include “public service announcements to encourage passengers to throw away trash and all employees will be asked to pick up any trash they find in hallways, even if it’s not their job.”
The paper reports that the new upgrades will cost about $6 million, which includes the installation of new marble flooring and walling, new ceilings, windows and stainless steel column covers.
But the state of cleanliness is not only an issue at the Atlanta airport; other major U.S. airports are undergoing renovations as well:
Denver International Airport—the outdoorsy nature of the Denver area prompted airport officials to use sturdy materials like granite or terrazzo tile near airport ticket counters and other heavily trafficked common areas.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport – the world’s busiest in terms of flights – has a rotating custodial staff that constantly cleans restrooms. (I will admit that I have experienced rather decent bathrooms—in terms of cleanliness-at O’Hare, but I would say that the bathrooms in the United Airlines terminal are cleaner than the ones in the American Airlines terminal.) Airport officials say their approach is “we clean all day, everyday.” Which, in my opinion, is quite a daunting task given that the airport sees about 250,000 passengers daily during the busy summer months.
But, if you figure that an airport is the first place you see when you travel to a given city and it’s the last place you see as you are departing, it would stand to reason that these airports would want to “clean up.”
What airport do you consider the dirtiest? What airport do you consider the cleanest?