Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Alamy Stock Photo

Opinion Why everyone needs an Airport Dad in their lives

Niamh O’Reilly looks at the hard work of all the ‘Airport Dads’ in our lives and finds we’d be lost without them.

TRAVELLING THROUGH AN airport, even at the best of times, can be stressful. Doing it during the busy summer months with children in tow can be a whole new level of challenging.

From the never-ending queues for every part of the airport process, to the dreaded bag checks, inevitable delays, or even missing your flight or forgetting your passport, it can be about as much fun as root canal treatment without anaesthetic.

That is, unless you have an ‘Airport Dad’ in your family or group. If you don’t have one, then I highly recommend you recruit one into your life, pronto.

If you’ve spent any time on social media platforms like TikTok recently, you’ll likely have come across the many funny videos of ‘Airport Dads.’ Often taken by the father’s teenage or adult children, they are dedicated to both slagging and celebrating these overly fastidious individuals, who organise everything about the family airport experience to the millionth degree.

Some of the traits of the ‘Airport Dad’ can include, but are not limited to, putting the fully packed suitcases in the hall or car the night before, Googling the best route to get to the airport for the time of day, taking into account weather and roadworks, plus potential delays due to road crashes. They automatically assume the role of the master of documents, printing off multiple copies of said travel documents and putting them in a folder only they are allowed to carry or touch.

Always prepared

The words “just in case” will be their mantra for the entire day. They will likely have everyone arrive at the airport several hours earlier than required. They will not let anyone in the family or group hold their own passports or boarding passes, as they cannot be trusted and will regularly check and recheck said documents.

If you ever have trouble spotting an ‘Airport Dad’, just look for the person who is never not walking slightly in front of their family or group, but will not be talking to them either. Instead, they tend to scan the horizon with a resting git face on, looking out for any and all potential problems, sort of like The Terminator, and they’ll do it while silently judging and throwing shade at all their other fellow travellers.

travel-insurance-smiling-arabic-family-with-daughter-walking-with-suitcases-at-airport Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

By the way, don’t offer to help an ‘Airport Dad’, as they will most likely rebuff your suggestion as ludicrous, roll their eyes, or simply ignore you. You see, they are the only ones qualified for this very important job and cannot possibly accept inferior assistance, “just in case” it all goes belly up.

‘Airport Dads’ are, of course, the default bag guardians and take charge of ensuring all the group’s bags are not overweight and checked in properly. They will often take the bags from the slowest family members in a huff and speed them along to hurry up the process of getting into the next queue. They will likely be stressing over liquids and then roll their eyes when their kids forget said liquids in their bag and have to get frisked at security. Once security is done, most people relax, but not ‘Airport Dads.’ Instead, they’ll be stressing over the passports again and looking at ways to get ahead of or avoid the next big queue of people.

digitally-generated-black-airport-departures-board-for-asia Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Checking the all-important departures board will become an obsession, and they will insist everyone get to the gate super early “just in case.” They’ll likely run to the top of the boarding queue to ensure you are one of the first to board the plane.

The fun doesn’t end on the plane. No. ‘Airport Dad’ may well sanitise the seats, armrests, and table trays before the family sits down, and oh yes, and those boarding cards and passports will be checked sporadically through the flight, you know “just in case.”

Phew.

If that sounds exhausting, then that’s because it is. I should know because I’ve somehow fallen into the role of ‘Airport Dad’ in our family on our last trip through the airport. While ‘Airport Dad’ may have been born out of fathers taking on the role, anyone can be an ‘Airport Dad.’ Male, female, young, old, family group or friend group, it doesn’t matter; what does matter is that you need one.

schiphol-passengers-walk-toward-their-gate-in-lounge-1-the-shopping-and-hospitality-area-after-the-security-check-at-schiphol-airport-most-european-vacation-flights-depart-from-this-terminal-an Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Growing up, I was never the ‘Airport Dad’ type. My father filled the role with ease. So much so, we still refer to him Clark, as in Chevy Chase’s character from the National Lampoon films. The man organising the hell out of everything to make sure everyone had the best vacation or jolliest Christmas of their lives, whether they wanted to or not.

TikTok wasn’t around on the times he ‘Airport Dad’ed’ us around the world on our holidays, but I really wish it had because the videos would have been epic. Instead, we still recall the many, many funny instances where he Clarke Griswald ’ed it, and while it still makes us smile, it’s only now I realise it was probably pretty stressful for him while we giggled or rolled our eyes behind his back.

oct-12-2001-hollywood-ca-usa-l-r-actors-anthony-michael-hall-as-russell-rusty-griswold-chevy-chase-as-clark-wilhelm-griswold-jr-beverly-dangelo-as-ellen-griswold-dana-barron-as-audrey Niamh's dad was just like Clark Griswald from National Lampoons... Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Now I’m a mum; however, I’ve somehow fallen into the role, and it’s not such fun when you’re the one in charge. I didn’t volunteer willingly, by the way, but I feel as though I’m taking one for the team by trying to take the stress out of the experience of airports and air travel for my young kids, especially at a time when air rage, bad behaviour and just general travel stress seems to be higher than ever in airports and airplanes.

Essentially, I just want to ensure they get from point A to point B with the least amount of fuss. The funny thing is though, being the ‘Airport Dad,’ often results in lots of fussing and unintended stress; plus, lots of being the butt of the joke, which you’ve just got to embrace as an ‘Airport Dad,” because like all unsung heroes you won’t be appreciated in your time.

Still fussing and slagging aside, I’d like to thank all the ‘Airport Dads’ in my life and all the others out there for shepherding us through our many travels; we’d be lost without you.

Niamh O’Reilly is a freelance writer and wrangler of two small boys, who is winging her way through motherhood, her forties and her eyeliner. 

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
29 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds