Before the Mountains: What Makes an Airport?

We in America take our airports for granted. Many of us live within an hour drive of an airport that has at least a half a dozen different airlines (O’Hare has 55) flying in and out of it on multiple runways that are long enough to land a variety of large planes. Our airports are full of shops, eateries, and usually at least enough chairs for half of the people waiting for your flight to sit down. The buildings are massive structures, and most airport terminals are so large and so spread out that they have trains to link them. If you have ever been to DFW, you understand that you usually spend more time commuting between terminals than you do actually flying on an airplane.

Airports here in the mountains are a little bit different. Actually the only thing they have in common with airports in the US is that occasionally airplanes land and take off at the place called the “airport.” Here are a list of things you may find surprising if you visited the mountain airport that we frequently fly to:

The “road” to the airport is a single lane road. What I mean by “single lane” is that one person can walk at a time. In the case of someone coming the other way, you have to climb up on the side of the hill to allow that person to pass. No car, truck, or even motorcycle has ever visited the airport.
The airport building is a rough wooden structure that is approximately 12 feet wide by 20 feet deep. It has no roof. The “wall” facing the runway is chain link. It is a very, very dusty place.
The runway is dirt, and it is far from flat. Apart from the pits and bumps, it runs uphill at about a 5% grade. When the airplanes start their taxi they are heading away from the “terminal” that has a chain link wall. And the runway is dirt. Loose dirt. If you don’t turn away, your mouth, nose, and eyes will be filled with a pound of dust. Tasty. Since there is no Cinnabon, this is the only way to grab a bite before your flight.
During take off and landing there are usually 20-30 people hanging out on the side of the runway. About five of them work for the airline, and another five are police or military. Everyone else just wants to see the airplane or are trying to fetch their luggage.
After a plane lands the luggage is unceremoniously flopped out of the cargo hold onto the dirt. After the plane takes off again you can go pick it up.
There are two airlines that fly in and out. One flies nine-seat planes, and the other flies 16-seaters. There is no beverage service, but there are three point harnesses for every seat.
There are no chairs in the “terminal.” Or free wifi.