Desserte Dessert Desert Désert

As I walked along with Jean-Yves I asked him about the word "désert" that I thought I had seen pointing the way to the airport. He soon worked out that I was confused.
Ah no, he explained, the désert you saw was "desserte" and he emphasised the "ss". Apparently he can hear the difference. If I listened hard, and he emphasised a lot, I thought I could too.
He explained the different sorts of d(e/é)s(s)ert(e) you can have, and how it could also be taken to "de-sertir" - but I did not find that explanation in the dictionary. Here are some of the definitions I did find as well as Jean-Yves'.

Desserte
A table on which one puts a desservi or clearing away
Meat given to the deserving
An access point for passengers 

Desert
from de-sertir and by that extension, to remove from.

Désert
Nothing there

Dessert
The latter (sweet) part of a meal

So now I know that this sign does not describe a remote place near the airport that people would, inexplicably, want to go to. With the extra "s" and final "e", and in association with transport, it has a quite different meaning.
All very complex, explained Jean-Yves. I don't know why, he added. I do, I said. It is done deliberately to confuse foreigners!
I am sure I am right.