I’m writing this post from the Houston Intercontinental Airport on a Friday afternoon. My flight home has been delayed about an hour, so here I am - sitting in front of a pint of Guinness and sinking into one of those times of reflection. As my eyes shift back and forth between the settling of my beer and the superregional college baseball scores, I start to feel the buzz around me. I hear random strangers striking up conversation. I see people interacting with each other rather than their laptops. I notice smiles and courteous acts of kindness throughout this hectic collection of chaos. That’s when I realized I had an idea for one of our non-sales blog posts. That’s when I pulled out my laptop and began typing.
Friday afternoons at major airports are different than any other time of the week. There’s an energy source throughout the concourses, restaurants, and airline lounges that lift our spirits and seem to connect us. It almost feels like we were all on a mission together during the week, and now it’s time to celebrate. Even though airports seem busier and more hectic on Friday afternoons, the mood is lighter and the people are more human. We smile. We say “excuse me”. We talk … with each other … in person … without checking our phones every 21 seconds.
Sure, it’s the end of the week, and Fridays are different everywhere; but the airport seems to take that emotional phenomenon to the next level. Most of us were in a few airports earlier in the week, leaving home or commuting between cities we don’t call home. We rushed through security and booked it straight to our gates. We powered up our phones and laptops before boarding. And we kept our eyes focused on our screens – computer, phone, or tablet – believing we didn’t have time to focus on the people around us. We did our thing, and now it’s time to head home. I believe that’s the biggest difference. Throughout the week, most travelers are going away from home, but on Friday, we’re all heading home! It reminds me of Christmas time. A random Tuesday on December 21st is much more enjoyable than one in April.
So here I am, about a third of the way through my Guinness, and trying to remember some “Friday at the airport” memories. I typically return home on Wednesday or Thursday, so this afternoon is sort of a treat for me and I’m having fun thinking back through the last 23 years of travel.
One of my fondest memories happened in December of 1994. I had been traveling for business for only a few months, and I was sitting in the Charlotte airport after my final trip of the year. I wasn’t heading home on that Friday, but meeting a ton of friends in Atlanta for the SEC Football Championship between Florida and Alabama (which was won by the Gators). I sat in a bar called Cheers that’s no longer there, and just relaxed, looking forward to the weekend and the next month or so of holidays. It was a great moment of satisfaction that will stick with me forever - I even remember the beer I ordered: Sam Adams Honey Porter.
Another Friday afternoon was spent in the Laguardia US Air Club. I missed my flight and was waiting on standby. It was February of 1999 or 2000. I don’t remember the year, but remember it was February because I knew my chances of catching a standby flight from NYC to Orlando was minimal. Feeling that special Friday afternoon energy inspired me to change my flight to Sunday, and stay in New York for the weekend. If you don’t know me, I’m about as spontaneous as a clock. I don’t do anything that’s not planned, so this was a huge step for me. An uncomfortable step which led to an amazing and memorable weekend. Those memories would not have happened if my mindset was shifted by the energy level on that lounge.
The last “Friday afternoon at the airport” story I’ll share is from the Munich airport, on a layover between Dubai and London in 2010. I was feeling sorry for myself on the flight because I had been gone for a week and had another one ahead of me. My wife and I had just gotten married a few months earlier and I was always gone. Not to mention the Orlando Magic were killing it through the first two rounds of the playoffs, and my friend Cliff would text me photos of the games from my seat he was filling. After landing in Munich, I headed to the Lufthansa lounge to relax and catch up on work during my three-hour layover. And there it was … the Friday afternoon airport buzz. This time it was being manifested in French, German, and multiple other languages. My spirits were picked up quickly. By the time I boarded my flight, I realized how lucky I was to have the opportunity to travel. (I also knew that I wouldn’t be doing it globally for too much longer because I had Vector Firm about 80% built, but that’s a different post.)
So, I’ve been done with my Guinness for about five minutes and need to find our new gate. Apparently, something happened to our original plane and United decided to put us on another plane. We’re now about two hours late. I’d be really annoyed if this happened on Tuesday or Wednesday, but no today. Today, it’s Friday afternoon and I’m at the airport. I’m surrounded by too much energy, and in too good of a mood to get annoyed.
