The secret tricks airports use on you

THEY are subtle, but there are some interesting design tricks airports use to get you to go wherever they want. Do you think you can spot them?

AIRPORTS can be stressful and chaotic places at times, so the last thing you need added into the mix is confusion about how to get to your gate when you’re already running late.

The designers of airport terminals are well aware of this and have been implementing some subtle tricks to get passengers headed in the right direction. Which is basically wherever the airport wants you to end up; whether it be at your gate, or they may funnel you towards a shop in a bid to get you to splash some cash.

This is a technique called “wayfinding”, and it involves much more than just whacking up some directional signs, Gizmodo reports.

It’s such an important consideration these days that the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service even has a document outlining the best practices for wayfinding at the nation’s international airports.

This usually involves the use of architectural clues such as visually breaking up the airport into zones using lighting or objects, or by varying the width of spaces.

Lights will guide you ... to the gate, at Melbourne Airport. Picture: eGuide Travel

Other elements such as installing noticeable landmarks or other distinguishable features, having prominent floor features (such as tiles with different shapes and colours) and a wide, open ceiling structure also can impact the look of the airport and thus how easily passengers can move through it.

What’s more, the longer a passenger can see and move in a straight line, the better.

The ceiling says go straight! There’s also a long straight visual line at Chicago O’Hare Airport, US. Picture: Doc Searls

Sometimes, the ticket desks are even slanted or curved to indicate where you should go next.

Curved check-in desks at Fukuoka Airport, Japan. Picture: David McKelvey

Check out this curved ceiling — a similar shape to the floor layout.

Terminal 3 at Indira Gandi Airport, New Delhi. Picture: Rajkumar12220

It turns out that making signs bland can actually make them stand out amid a lot of bright colours, another technique used at some airports.

Basic signs at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport. Picture: Geoff Livingston

Most travellers won’t even realise they’ve been following such cues.

Dark grey lines say go to the left after you’ve checked in. Picture: MIKI Yoshihito

Check out the tiles at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Picture: Terrykimura

Brisbane Airport is straight up. Picture: Phillip Capper

Colour everywhere.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport was the first to begin wayfinding efforts back in 1990.