Some Clues Announce Themselves

Air travel can be overwhelming. As if hunting for tickets wasn't its own fun, you then have to go to the airport. Long lines, people walking aimlessly, announcements barked over the loudspeaker in a variety of languages.... Your average airport is a mess of distraction that borders on sensory overload. You don't dare tune out for survival, though, lest you risk missing an announcement about your flight or someone driving a cart mows you down.

This is why frequent travellers keep their eyes and ears open for tips and guidance to improve the signal to noise ratio. Anything to tell them what's going on without making them fish around for it.

Sometimes we swap war stories with friends, other times we pick up a tip in a magazine. Once in a rare while, though, the information practically announces itself. Such as this gate number from a recent voyage:

(Still don't get it? Say it aloud.)

Before you ask, yes, my flight was indeed delayed. But I knew it would be the minute I saw the gate number, so no worries.

My gate number told me something else: that I'd have to sprint over Hell's half-acre to go from the local Admiral's Club to the boarding area. Because those two were about as far apart as they could get without being in separate terminals. I'm not sure who planned this, but at least the delayed flight gave me time to cool off and catch my breath after some unanticipated exercise.