Sydney Airport has earned itself the undesirable title of the most stressful airport in Oceania, according to a new study.
The title was awarded by travel blog Hawaiian Islands, which said it analysed Google reviews for over 500 airports around the world in its research.
Travel blog Hawaiian Islands found that 59 per cent of Sydney Airport’s Google reviews indicated stress of some type.
When heaped into a group with airports in South East Asia and Oceania, Sydney ranked second, only behind Vietnam’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
It wasn’t only Sydney being named and shamed: Melbourne Airport ranked fourth, Perth fifth and Brisbane 10th.
The blog says that many reviews indicated frustration over long delays.
“According to data from FlightAware compiled by CNN Travel, 34.2 per cent of flights scheduled between May 26 and July 19, 2022, at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport were delayed – the ninth most of any airport in the world,” the blog states.
Customers complained about poor signage, the surcharge for public transport to and from the airport, additional airport taxes and the airport curfew, the blog wrote.
Finder editor-in-chief Angus Kidman said the process of getting through Sydney Airport can sometimes be “messy”.
He acknowledged that the airport had the challenge of having multiple disconnected terminals, that are linked with public transport.
“It’s not always the easiest place to go through if you’re making a transfer, or if you’re travelling,” Mr Kidman said.
The airport has made several changes since the start of the pandemic, which can also cause confusion.
“If you’re not familiar with the airport, you might go ‘hang on, this isn’t working the way I remember it from before the pandemic’, because there have been some alterations. So, it can be messy.”
He also said that clearer signage at the airport’s security points would definitely make travellers feel less stressed.
“I’m enough of a tragic traveller that I think I’m now aware of those things, and I feel very prepared going through that queue. But it’s unpleasant. There’s no signage, and there are just people trying to yell out and explain the rules,” he said.
A Sydney Airport media spokesperson assured The New Daily that the majority of its travellers have been passing through the airport’s security checkpoints in less than 10 minutes.
They also said they would have more staff during the Christmas period.
With more than half of Sydney Airport’s travellers feeling anxious in their terminals, The New Daily has compiled some simple tips that will help you keep your cool during the silly season.
1. Plan ahead
The first tip, of course, is to make sure you leave yourself enough time to get through security, and onto the plane.
Sydney Airport still recommends allowing three hours for international trips, and two hours for domestic flights.
Mr Kidman agreed with Sydney Airport’s assessment on time.
“My number one tip is just give yourself that time at the airport. Don’t assume you can do it all at the last minute.”
He also recommended giving yourself sufficient time between transfers, if your trip has multiple legs.
“Give yourself a lot of time for those interchanges. Don’t plan a complicated day where you change flights twice, and then think you’re going to a show at the end of the day, because something will get delayed.”
2. Carry-on is king
When it comes to peak-time travel, carry-on is king, Mr Kidman says.
“If you can get away with just taking carry-on, it will make life less stressful. You won’t have to spend time dropping your bags off and you won’t have to spend time picking them up,” he said.
But make sure you’re following the airline’s weight restrictions.
“So if you’re breaking those rules, potentially you’ll either end up having to pay extra or they’ll end up sending you back to the hold,” he said.
Another tip to make sure your Christmas plans go to, well, plan, is to pack your presents in your carry-on so they don’t get lost.
But a Sydney Airport spokesperson advised that it’s best to leave them unwrapped, and wrap them at the other end.
They said that, should security need to inspect any of those items, they would need to be unwrapped on the spot.
3. Keep your phone charged
Mobile phones have become the holders of almost all our important flight information.
With phones now responsible for ID and boarding passes, and with the airline texting its passengers flight updates, your phone dying before you reach the gate would be a disaster.
Mr Kidman advised that customers arrive at the terminal with their phones fully charged.
And if your phone has a temperamental battery, bring a portable charger or power bank.
And don’t relying on finding a power port at the airport.
“The competition to get power outlets [is strong], especially at smaller airports … they don’t all have lots and lots of power outlets around,” he said.
“You’ll sometimes [find] an angry crowd of people hanging around the two places where the cleaners plug in the vacuum cleaners because they want to get their phones charged.”
4. Dress the part
For a smooth trip through the security checkpoint, Mr Kidman advised wearing sensible, hassle-free outfits.
“I’m amazed by the number of people going through security who are wearing huge amounts of jewellery and metallic boots, because all that stuff’s going to have to get removed,” he said.
“So think about that. When you’re dressing for the plane, I would dress for comfort. Don’t dress for bling, because bling is just gonna slow you down.”
5. Keep your cool
Lastly, Mr Kidman advised keeping calm, which will help both yourself and those around you.
“Be aware that it is going to be a busy period. Everyone’s in the same boat, and getting angry and yelling at people is not going to make the situation better,” he said.
“You’re going to feel worse, and you’re going to make everyone else at the airport worse as well.”
