Alright, so let me tell you about my day at Grand Bahama International Airport, or Freeport Airport as some folks call it. Honestly, it was quite the experience, just wanted to share it step-by-step like I lived it.
First thing I did this morning was grab my backpack and head out the door way too early. Hopped in a taxi – driver knew exactly where I meant when I mumbled “FPO airport,” which was cool. Got there, and honestly? It felt small. Not tiny-small, but more like, cozy-small? Like a regional bus station vibe, but for planes. Doors slid open and bam – that humid Bahamian air hits you immediately. Goodbye air-conditioned taxi!
The Inside Scoop (Literally)
Walked into the main hall and kinda just stood there for a sec, getting my bearings. Didn’t feel crowded yet. Headed straight for the check-in counter. Staff was friendly enough, relaxed island style, took my bag without fuss. Printed my boarding pass – old school dot matrix printer sound and everything. Reminded me of receipts from the corner store back home.
Security next. Now, this was… different. Not your massive US TSA setup. Fewer lanes, fewer people. Felt straightforward. Put my stuff in the bins, walked through the scanner. Guard gave my bag a quick peek, waved me through. No drama, pretty quick actually.
Then came the waiting game. Found a seat near a window. Wanted coffee badly. Spotted a little snack bar tucked in the corner. Got my fix – black and strong. Price? Well, it’s an airport. Paid about what you’d expect. Sat back down and people-watched. Saw families heading out on vacation, couples looking tanned and happy, some business folks looking busy.
The gate area was basic. Chairs lined up, no fancy screens. Just monitors mounted high on the wall showing flight info. Boarding call finally came over the speakers – slightly crackly announcement, but clear enough. Everyone kinda shuffled forward when they called the group. No jet bridge here, folks! Walked down some stairs onto the tarmac. Sun was blazing, felt good for a second. Then you see the stairs up to the plane. Lugged my carry-on up those steps. Crew standing at the top with that welcome smile.
Couple things really stuck out to me:
- The vibe is chill. No high-pressure rush like bigger hubs. Felt… manageable.
- Concrete floors, simple layout. Gets the job done.
- Saw everyone loading baggage right onto the plane belt from carts – manual stuff happening right outside the window.
- AC worked okay inside, but stepping outside for boarding was like walking into a sauna.
- Finding coffee was easy, paying for it stung a little (that airport tax!).
Sat down in my seat, buckled up. Looked out the tiny little window back at the building. Yeah, it’s simple. Yeah, it’s showing its age. But it got me where I needed to go without any major headaches. Smooth process, friendly faces, kinda felt like a throwback to how flying used to be sometimes. Solid little airport for getting in and out of Freeport, that’s for sure. Just pack your patience and maybe a sandwich.
