Airport Dispatch: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Good morning, Baltimore!
The Baltimore airport may be the most sensical and coherent airport in the country. The departure areas are clearly marked and contained within a traffic-efficient crescent that easily flows passengers to their terminal. The airport is clean and airy. The terminals are largely made up of white floors and walls that manage to not feel confining and sterile like a doctors office, but instead open and calm. There are never crowds or people rushing through BWI. Many people occupy one of several wooden rocking chairs at the floor to ceiling windows that overlook the tarmac and listen to music or read or strike up conversations with the people next to them.
There is no lack of natural light and seating through the concourses—a breath of fresh air after spending time hustling in the oppressive summer heat of the city. The airport is unremarkable in its design: a direct contrast with a city so lively and full of art, culture and sports. The required Maryland seafood establishment, R&R Seafood bar, is full of pleasant and weary travelers—some making themselves at home at the bar as long as they need to wait for a delayed flight.
While slowly drinking light beers and munching on crab dishes, storm clouds roll in. The faint smell of lobster mixed with fish lingers throughout the terminal as a family takes a selfie at a table. Their teen daughter reluctantly pauses her book reading to put on a toothless grin, knowing this is the first of many forced family photos she’s about to encounter on vacation.
I was just at BWI last week. I was mightily impressed by the brand-new restrooms in Terminal D. By far the nicest public facilities I've ever seen!