Why should airports do anything for the goons who bring small children on a plane ride? We parents are asking for trouble just by setting foot in the airport, and now we also want play areas. First we expect preferential treatment like early boarding, and now THIS.
To be clear, I'm not complaining that airports don't always have fantastic play areas and kid friendly zones. It's true that, by choosing to fly with tots, I'm signing up for a certain amount of misery. However, given the choice, sometimes I'd be willing to pay another $10 on my ticket if it means I'll be routed through a fun place where my kids can get their wiggles out, rather than a yucky, smoke-filled airport with no seating and dirty floors. It's hard to find enough information to make these decisions, however, so I started a blog to help my fellow travelers. Please let me know what you think!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Frankfurt Airport (Germany)-- 1.5 stars

Frankfurt fared poorly from the kids' point of view-- at least, when you're flying out of Terminal 2.  True, there IS a play area, and it's not a terrible one.  However, the location is not good-- it's outside of security, at the food court.  Nervous parents have to go through security even earlier than do other passengers, because, frankly, everything takes us 10 times as long even though we only have a few little extra people with us.  Once you're through security in Frankfurt, it's Auf Wiedersehen, playtime.  Read on for my standard review:

Are there one or more play areas?  Yes.  It's a climbing style "rocket ship" with some balls, and it's located by MacDonald's outside security.  According to the website there is also a play area in Terminal 1, by the gates, but we did not travel through there this time.

Is there one in every terminal, after passport control? no

Is the play area conveniently located? nope, not if you're planning on flying!

Is there information about the play areas available online? yes, at http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/cms/default/rubrik/24/24889.children.html

Are maps clearly labeled to make finding the play areas easy? n/a.  I asked one of the shop attendants if there was a play area in terminal 2 and she said no. 

Are there one or more nursing areas?  not that I saw.

Description:  The play area is in the center of the food court.  There was a space ship for climbing up and sliding down, as well as a steep wide incline that served as a general slide.  This was not entirely safe for smaller guys, as 5-6 kids would slide down it at the same time (it's that wide.)  They careened into each other fairly regularly.
The place was packed when we were there, mainly I think because it's right by the food court.  Not a bad play area in and of itself, but with so many kids there, so little supervision (most parents were getting food or eating it), and the necessity of leaving to go through security, I found it less than ideal.

Sorry, no pictures this time.  Send me some if you've got them!  My next review will be of the airport in Saint Louis.  Brace yourselves!

1 comment:

  1. Good news, 7 new kids play areas were opened in the transit area of Frankfurt Airport. I didn't see them yet but i'm very excited. Last time we went there my kids were bored to death.

    http://www.bieker.ag/en/company/news/article/spielwelten.html

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