- Airport layovers can be the most gruesome leg of a journey. But airports are increasingly getting wise to the needs of their passengers, offering a range of amenities from swimming pools to yoga studios and even a golf course.
Last year, Dallas Fort
Worth International Airport decided it wanted to become "the healthiest
airport in the country, if not the world," according to spokeswoman
Cynthia Vega. They started by ensuring every one of their restaurants
had a low-fat, "healthy heart" option. Next, they introduced a 700-meter
walking path and opened a yoga studio free for passengers to use.
"You know what it's like
being trapped in the airport. You can only eat so much food or read so
many magazines," says Vega. "There is an inherent stress that goes along
with traveling. This is a good way to shake it off."
Increasingly, airports
are becoming more and more defined by their amenities. Hong Kong
International is known by many golfers for its nine-hole course,
visitors to Seoul can take a spin on the ice skating rink at Incheon
Airport, while travelers can take in an art exhibit or a classical piano
lesson while on layover in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.
Arguably, Singapore's
Changi Airport spearheaded the trend back in the mid-1990s, when it
introduced a rooftop swimming pool and free internet terminals. In
recent years, Changi has continued to innovate, implementing a 24-hour
complimentary movie theater, free gaming rooms as well as foot massage
and napping stations. Two of their more off-beat recent additions
include the world's largest kinetic sculpture and an indoor slide.
"Passengers' demands have
changed considerably over the years," notes Ivan Tan, a spokesman for
Changi. "The airport is no longer an inconsequential stop along the way,
but a destination on its own."
Though the modern airport
is often compared to a shopping mall, Curtis Fentress, the architect
who designed Incheon Airport and is currently overseeing the $1.5
billion modernization of Los Angeles Airport, finds it would be more
accurate to view it as a mini city.
"While it's true there
is more shopping than ever in today's airports, there's also more
dining, more entertainment, and more culture," he says. "For those who
travel constantly, airports are the new hometown."
Delta Airlines have been
particularly keen to upgrade the airport experience at their terminals.
To date, they've invested $1.2 billion in their new terminal at New
York's JFK airport (set to open in May), and $160 million to spruce up
their LaGuardia presence.
According to Gail
Grimmett, the senior vice president for Delta in New York, their aim is
to make traveling more comfortable, but also, to provide a taste of the
city beyond the airport walls. To accomplish this, Delta threw out all
the fast food outlets that are often de rigueur, and replaced them with
restaurants helmed by the New York City culinary elite, including alumni
from such notable city venues as Balthazar, Morimoto and the Brooklyn
Brewery.
"We wanted to provide a true New York experience," she explains.
The airline has also
been a leader in using technology to upgrade the passenger experience.
At both their LaGuardia and JFK terminals, Delta has introduced iPads at
departure gates and in a handful of restaurants. Passengers can use the
devices to read the paper, or order food and retail goods directly to
their seats.
"When you walk through
the airport, the whole vibe is different," notes Grimmett. "Even on days
when it's raining, or flights are delayed, there's such a sense of
serenity, because we've given people what they want while their waiting:
good food, a comfortable place to sit, and the ability to plug in and
do work." Grimmett notes that since adding these features, Delta's
customer satisfaction scores "have skyrocketed."
Of course, it was only a
matter of time before other airports followed suit. Dallas Fort Worth
was one of the first airports to create a mobile app that can help users
find a parking space, check out the nearest concessions, and use GPS to
map the closest stores and food outlets.
"We're a really user-friendly airport, which is a challenge, given we're huge; we're the size of Manhattan," says Vega.
The upgraded experience
is just as beneficial for the airports, whose income is increasingly
made up of cash pulled in from retail, food and any other source not
directly related to flight. Fentress figures that within a few years,
"the majority of airport revenue will be non-aeronautical."
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