First Impressions: Munich International Airport

Munich International Airport, Germany

 Terminal 2 of the Munich International Airport offers all travelers free coffee, tea and newspapers. Does any airport in the States do that?

 Terminal 2 of Munich International Airport is spotless. The gates, the transit areas, the restrooms – clean. No spills, no trash, no frayed surfaces.

 Rows of Lufthansa planes in the carrier’s dramatic blue, white and gold livery.

 The terminal relies on modern lines to suggest its prosperousness. The new East Asian airports, by contrast, tend to rely on high ceilings enclosing massive spaces.

 An international airport is an ambassador, the first experience visitors have in a country. Munich airport communicates that Germany is a country of order and wealth with a taste for art and design. LAX tells visitors that the United States is dirty, understaffed and designed by a low bidder who knew someone on the City Council.