Each member of the travelling party has found his and her own way of keeping themselves occupied during a long airport stopover. Some are travellers in search of a culture fix, others keen to catch up with a friend, and others simply waiting to get home to take a shower or a nap.
Some have brought their hobbies, taking advantage of waiting hours in the airport to complete unfinished projects. Others took time to take in the sights and sounds of the airport, content to people watch and update their Facebook page about their temporary hosts.
But for many, the biggest challenge is trying to keep themselves entertained for so long. Whether it’s in airports in North America, Europe, Asia or elsewhere, here are a few of our favourite suggestions for the ultimate people watching trip, while you wait for your flight to board:
- Mooching around the airport
A personal fave of mine, the bazaar is a hard thing to miss, if you happen to be heading to an airport and want a little bit of fun in your travels.
Housed in many airports around the world, this great little corner of the airport allows you to bring along a friend, a laptop, and a picnic, then pull up a chair, get your friend to talk to you, and snack on some fresh fruit. It’s the perfect way to pass the time if you’re really not sure what to do while you’re waiting in an airport.
You can find it in Melbourne Airport, (Melbourne Airport’s New Pavilion), Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, (Terminal 2), Frankfurt Airport, (Terminal 1), Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, (Terminal 2), Incheon International Airport, (Terminal 3), Seoul Gimpo International Airport, (Terminal 1), and many more.
- The area just outside security
After passing through security, but before finding your gate, there are several great places to hang out before your plane leaves. You can drop your bags off at the curb if you’re running to make your gate before boarding, or you can take a seat in the food court if you just need a little break and to get your bearings. There’s a great spot just outside of security in Edmonton’s City Centre Airport (Edmonton International Airport), if you’re flying to Edmonton from outside of Canada, for example.
Alternatively, in Zurich’s airport (ZRH), you can enjoy views of the Alps as you wait for your flight, while in Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport, (Gimpo International Airport) you can cool off in the E-mart indoor mall, have a snack, and spend a little time in the garden.
- In the indoor skydiving court at Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport
Finally, there’s something to look at, but unlike the birds-eye views that you can enjoy from the baggage claim, you won’t get dizzy.
Just be sure to wear shoes that are easy to slip off when you’re done!
So ultimately it’s about how the individual finds a way to kill some time, be it with new online casinos to explore with the free airport Wi-Fi or engaging with the immediate environment they find themselves in.