When I was a young kid, my parents would take me to Tampa Airport on weekends to plane spot. We'd just sit there for a couple of hours and watch planes take off and land. Look, a Southwest 737! Another Southwest 737! Oh, and another one! And there's an AirTran 717. And another Southwest 737.…
Continue reading: An Airport Observation Deck That Isn’t Really Worth Visiting…
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While not at the airport itself, the observation deck at the Air and Space Museum a few miles from Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C., is great.
No way were you scouting AirTran 717s as a kid. 🙂
AirTran became an airline 1998 (Post ValuJet)
I love the observation "mountain" in MUC. My ex hated it when I went there on Sundays just to spot planes for some hours
The views from the roof deck at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at LHR are even worse. Good thing that lounge is awesome on the inside 🙂
@Andrew, I believe Lucky was born in the early 90's, so he was still a kid when AirTran started flying 🙂
Manchester UK has a great viewing park. Unfortunately, as someone who does like their peace and quiet, it can get very busy, but still a favourite to visit when we've got a quiet day. There's also a cafe, restaurant and playground for the kids and it houses Concorde G-BOAC, which you can get various tours of.
Bene there and loved it.
But maybe that's because of what I get in FCO, which is... nothing.
Best observation spot is at The Wing, HKG, with a glass of bubbly. Heavies from all over the globe taking off/landing. And mercifully air conditioned.
Zurich Airport offers you a great observation spot too, you even get 'airportscopes' (binoculars) you can look at aircraft with, receiving info on the actual type, destination etc.
Was there in February, I was amazed how even when it was fresh outside it felt like a sauna inside.... Fortunately the runway was close enough to get a view of takeoffs. There were also tablets with flightradar on them. But the heat was really unbearable (and as you said the view on the terminals roof isn't the most appealing ..)
At least you get a pretty good view of Concorde down near BA maintenance
Your Tampa airport story reminds me of plane spotting at any smaller Candian airport.
WestJet 737
AC Dash 8, Embraer 190 and if you are lucky a A320
The real tragedy is that up until about 2003-04, Heathrow had a real, actual outdoor observation deck with a great view of the entire southern end of the airport. It was on top of the former (now demolished) Terminal 2, and while it had been steadily reduced in size over the years, it was open-air and pretty wonderful. I remember watching Concorde depart from up there in 2002, shortly before it was retired.
Of course, like everything at Heathrow (and British airports in general), it couldn't be monetized, so it had to go. And of course the replacement for Terminal 2 has nothing at all for spotters. Surprised this new little observation cabin doesn't have an entrance fee, given how everything else at Heathrow works.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in LHR T3 has a rooftop 'garden' (more patio), not bad views and at least fresh air (albeit with added jet fuel!)
Lucky, I know it would mean leaving your luxury airport bubble, but if you want to see some planes up close at Heathrow, get the tube to Hatton Cross, cross the Great South-West road and walk about 200 yards to the west. There's an open stretch of grass where the planes fly directly overhead if they're landing on the southern runway.
Check out @planespotter.daily on instagram to see what I'm talking about. You could even take a bottle of bubbles and some glasses!
Zurich Observation Deck is the best. Also the Lounges at terminal E have great terraces. Furthermore; you can bike outside the fence besides the landing strips wich is also great for plane spotting.
Years ago I used to go & watch the planes from the top of the queen building on an open roof terrace. You got a really good view and it was a great place to top up your tan in the summer.
Shame in rebuilding they didnt leave something similar!
The roof terrace was closed after 9/11 .
We were up there at the time and the monitors were coming up as flights to the US cancelled.
Security came up and chased us off and then never re-opened.