Tom Jones is a Bay Area travel writer and author of guides for Lonely Planet and Wilderness Press. His research for "Airports 101" involved no travel–and thankfully no airport limbo time. Downs spoke with the behind-the-scenes people who influence the way we get from point A to point B. "Everything is manipulated, down to the mood of the traveler will experience on a plane."

Blimp My Ride
A century ago giant airships—–blimps and zeppelins and such—–were considered the future of air transport, but with their safety...
Airport Design Gone Wrong
The challenge for airport designers is to consider the complex function of an airport and then cap it off with some truly...
Gates of Heaven
Effective airport designs are often underappreciated, as it is easy to take them for granted when things go smoothly.