A recent trip took me to Warsaw's Chopin Airport. It was the height of the Euro 2012 championship, so I expected it to be mobbed, with lines snaking this way and that, and an extra layer of security checks just to make the whole thing that much hellish. I was greeted by a near-empty terminal. Waiting in line to check in? Nope. Going through security? A breeze. I actually arrived to the airport way to early, and had to burn off some extra time wandering around the building wondering where everyone was.
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| LOT E170s and E190s with a special Euro 2012 livery on their winglets and fuselages. |
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| Getting those visitors off on the right foot. |
In both terminals, it was kind of eerie the way that there were so few people. I have never seen them this empty, except maybe when I had some 6:00 AM flight, and I got to the airport at 4:30.
I had heard about how some 500,000 fans were supposed to come through Warsaw (or something like that, I dunno'). Tourism was supposed to pick up, partly because of the weak zloty, and partly because of the beautification of the country. Well, I saw no immediate effects. We're just about in the middle of the tourist season, and they're just trickling in. I chalk it up to the problems with Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and France (oh yes, they too have problems), but I don't have reams of proof to throw at you. But, there have been several articles noting the downturn in travel within the Euro Zone.
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| No lines or crowds here. |
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| There are a few people milling around, but everything is just about quiet. |
By the way, the traffic in Warsaw isn't too bad, even on game days.
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