As students return from college and families leave for vacation, airports transform into a diverse hub of personalities and walks of life. Here are 9 people you'll inevitably meet at the airport.
The First Time Traveler
You walk into the airport and head towards the ticket counter. You're half way there when you see this lost individual. You can see from the bewildered look in his eyes that he has no idea what he's doing. He's standing in the middle of the airport on his phone googling how much liquid he can take with him through security. You almost stop to offer help but before you get the chance, he walks away holding onto his ticket and passport for dear life.
The Guy Who Just Can't Get through Security
You're waiting in line to go through security and your eyes wander down the long line of travelers waiting for the dreaded pat down. The beeping of the metal detector catches your attention and you watch as security pulls aside a man. He takes his belt off and places it through the x-ray and walks through the metal detector for the second time. It beeps again and his wallet and keys come out. Pockets are emptied and the wedding band and glasses come off. This continues for another few minutes until he mentions the metal pin in his leg from a motorbiking incident three years ago.
The Over-Packer
You make it through security with your one personal item and carry on and head for your gate. You realize you have ample time before your flight starts boarding and head to the nearest kiosk to get some snacks. You're deciding whether you want candy or chips when you see her. She's wandering through the kiosk and you wince as she knocks over a display with her bulging backpack. She goes to check out and she pulls a purse most likely endorsed by Mary Poppins as she digs around for her wallet. You wonder how she managed to get everything through security and moreover how she hasn't broken under the weight of her belongings.
The Mom About to Lose It
You get to your gate and settle down in a seat to wait for your flight. You begin to people watch to pass the time and you spot a child running through the aisles of the waiting area. Close behind in pursuit is the mother about to lose it. She catches her child and drags her back to the seat when her other toddler decides that imitation is the best form of flattery and runs off in the other direction. Thankfully,her spouse returns from a bathroom break and catches the toddler. The mom heaves a sigh of relief and looks longingly towards the airport bar.
The Mom Who's Given Up
Two hours into the airport ordeal and she's had enough of her child's antics. You watch as she treats herself to a nice glass of wine while her child is temporarily preoccupied by her mother's iPad.
The Guy Who's Flight Has Once More Been Delayed
A man sits down next to you and lets out an exasperated sigh. You lift your head up and he takes it as an cue for conversation. He reveals to you that this is his eleventh hour at the airport and goes on to explain the flaws within the commercial airline industry and his plans to defame said airline company on social media.
The Sleeper
As the guy next to you angrily shoves his earphones in, you notice The Sleeper in the row in front of you. Softly snoring, he has his luggage neatly tucked in between his legs and not even the blaring overhead announcements can make him flinch. He looks rather comfortable and you begin to wonder how long he's been at the airport.
The Attractive Individual You Keep Making Eye Contact With
Eventually, you get bored looking at The Sleeper and your eyes wander around the room once more. They're met with a pleasant surprise in the form of this attractive fellow. They look up from the book they've been reading and your eyes meet. You quickly look away but you keep stealing glances at them. You begin to construct an elaborate love story between the two of you and secretly hope that by some odd trick of fate, you end up sitting next to them on the plane.
The Overly Anxious Boarder
It's finally time to board and they start calling up First class and those travelers with small children to begin boarding. You watch as this individual moves towards the final gate check and you assume they're one of the lucky few who get to board first. However, they never quite make it up to the front and stop a few feet away from the boarding line. You make another assumption that they'd be boarding with the next group but Business, Platinum members, and group A goes by. They finally call group B and you get in line to board. You watch as your line goes right past this overly anxious individual and you can't decide whether or not to commend them for their patience in waiting out the whole boarding process standing.
While the process of traveling can sometimes be a little monotonous, you're thankful for these individuals that add some color to your travel time. They might make you cringe or they might make you laugh but at the very least, they make for a good story. Whether you're heading home or traveling to someplace new, safe travels and enjoy this well deserved break!
