Perhaps you remember Trans World Airlines, maybe even rushing through its sleek but cramped white flight tubes that used to whisk people to their gates. TWA is gone now, along with the harried passengers hustling through its futuristic hub, watching departure and arrival times flicker by on the clattering tiles of the Solari board. Many of the things that made airports so familiar have faded into history. Some are sorely missed — like free luggage carts and less stressful security processes — but others are best left in the past. Here are a few things that you no longer — or soon won’t — see in airports around the country.
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| PAPER TICKETS AND BOARDING PASSES: With mobile check-ins and digital wallets storing boarding passes, paper tickets are rapidly becoming a relic of the past. More often than not, those slips of paper end up as makeshift bookmarks, and the habit is slowly fading. |
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| FULL-SERVICE CHECK-IN COUNTERS: While self-service kiosks once felt like more of a hassle than a help, they’ve become so much more efficient and quick that many airlines are scaling back full-service check-in counters as more passengers embrace these digital alternatives. |
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SLOW SECURITY CHECKPOINTS: Believe it or not, backups at security checkpoints are starting to disappear. With the rapid growth of TSA PreCheck, more passengers are using these lanes, which tend to move faster. Biometric identification at checkpoints has also been a game-changer because TSA personnel no longer have to inspect boarding passes as passengers pass through the metal detector or body imaging device.
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TINY SECURITY BINS AND DISGRUNTLED OFFICERS: As newer automated carry-on baggage screening systems replace older manual systems, security bins have gotten larger to the point where they can fit the entire rollaboard-style bag. These modern systems ensure that bins don’t back up.
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| CONGESTED LOUNGE AREAS: Modern terminal design is addressing hold room congestion as airports look for ways to more comfortably accommodate the rising number of passengers flowing through facilities every year. Hold rooms now provide a variety of seating options like tabletops, workstations and lounge chairs, and provide blended concession seating to ensure passengers can remain at a comfortable distance from their departure gate, even while grabbing a bite to eat. |
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| PAYPHONES: When was the last time you saw a payphone? With nearly everyone carrying a mobile device, payphones have become obsolete, so you won’t be seeing any payphone banks. |
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| SMOKING LOUNGES: Who doesn’t remember the hazy, glass-enclosed smoking areas tucked away near some restrooms at airport terminals? The walls don’t do a very good job containing the fumes, so most airports have long since relegated smokers to designated outdoor areas. |
