This is my opinion of these airports. I have not been to all, and I will say
if I have or have not, but based on what I hear and so on.
1. LHR (not yet, only to STN, noticed that British customs agents ask a lot
of questions to vacationing students, even yanks with blue passports comming
in on FR with obvious Western US accents). I have not been there, but it seems
like it would be a bit of a mess. Only 2 runways at one of the world's top
airports and that weird terminal layout. I do watch Airport religiously (and I
hear they might do one on LAX, just like Airline will be out of LAX, yay!!).
2. MEX: I have not been there either, but the city has something called
fecal snow that you can imagine and it is over crowded to all hell. Also, you
can only drive there 2-3 days a week
3. FRA: Mixed emotions here. I have been to FRA almost as many times as I
have been to LAS or BUR (maybe even more). Somethings I really like, like the
design inside and that mechanical board that I have been in love with since
my first trip there in 1986. Also, all the LH yellow and the relative speed of
the check in lines is great. I have even flown US out of Terminal 2 (D and E
gates) and that one is nice too. Let us not forget that FRA has the best
viewing deck in the world, bar none. Transportation links are flawless (though I
wish the S-Bahn ran every 5 insted of 10-15)
That said, FRA terminal 1, after the ticketing area sucks. Some of this
is brought on by the US (at least on my last trip) as they insist that PAX are
wanded and bags rescanned, even though they have already gone through
machines set much more sensitively than even those at LAS (trust me). Also, the food
selection absolutely sucks. If you want more than Bretzel or Wurst und Bier,
you have to go to the charter sales area and eat at the crappy little bistro,
or you have to go underground and hope the restaurant is not closed.
Finally, there is the sheer size of Lufti's main gate area, Terminal 1 Concourse A.
This thing must be long enough to house that 4th runway they are building.
You have to walk at least a mile to get to your gate (and my flight is always
way back). It is really cool taxiing out, as you can see the reflection of the
airplane in the shiny metal of the building.
4. SVO: Not been there, but I know 3 things. The only way to get through
security lines in less than 2-3 hours is to pay a company to "pre-clear" you.
They place is dank, dark and dirty. Finally, as BA (and quite possibly soon
LH) have shown, you can get great service out of Domdedovo Airport, which has
its own rail link and a much better setup.
5. CDG: I have been here and can attest to the maddening escalators. I
actually like the architecture, though the place is so damn dark and dirty
inside. I am however, in love with the beauty of all the blue lights on the field
and they way they look at night. That place is so beautiful in the dark, with
the planes lined up on the tarmac and those blues up, damn. Also, this
article fails to recognize that CDG has a great RER link to Paris and a TGV station
that can take you many other places in France (often faster than a connecting
flight)