Flightster

Stuck in an airport? Lucky you.

• by Bobby Laurie
• on December 17th, 2010
• 5 Comments

This time of the year is supposed to be the happiest of them all. With the holidays upon us decorations are going up, gifts are being purchased, pies and cakes are being baked, and families are preparing to be reunited for celebration. This holiday season millions of travelers will take to the air to visit friends and family but with the strange weather we’ve been experiencing, fewer flights and fuller planes delays are to be expected. But, that’s okay.

Airports and airlines are becoming more and more equipped to handle delayed passengers. There was a time when your flight was delayed and you would just sit in your tiny black leather airport waiting area seat hoping you would hear the click of the public address system announcing an update for your flights departure time.. but that’s no longer the case.

In recent years airports have been working hard to install free Wi-Fi for travelers. In the past Wi-Fi was only made available for a fee or for free to airline club members. Strangely enough most of the country’s larger airports such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York’s JFK still charge for internet access or don’t offer it at all. San Francisco, for example, used to primarily be a “T-Mobile” hotspot requiring a $6-9 fee before accessing the internet, but in a move for the better, each traveler is now allowed 45 minutes of free internet access. I would prefer more than just 45 minutes for my layover times there, but 45 minutes is better than nothing when you’re delayed. Offering travelers internet access provides them the ability to check their own flight status, keep up to date on the weather and keep them occupied during their “airport appreciation time” playing games or getting some work done. If you’re traveling this holiday season and you’re curious whether or not your airport is a free Wi-Fi hotspot, have no fear.. Flightster is here! Here’s a list of airports and the type of internet they provide whether free or paid from TravelPost.

If internet isn’t available, you can always use your cell phone. Who doesn’t have a ‘smart phone’ these days with 3G internet access included? Airlines such as American, US Airways, Southwest, and Continental all have mobile versions of their websites so their passengers can quickly obtain information (and in some cases even check-in for their flight) from their phones.

For those travelers who don’t wish to have the most updated information or have so much time to kill in an airport that they have already drained the battery levels in their laptops and phones, why not check out your airports directory? Many airports have in-house museums with content being provided from their city’s larger institutions. Not an airline enthusiast? That’s okay too! Not all of the exhibits are airline themed. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport houses the largest airport museum collection in the United States. Their exhibits are provided by the Phoenix Art Museum and range from art and sculptures to some of the first sketches by Hanna Barbara. San Francisco International Airport’s museum is currently displaying a history for flight attendant uniforms and the progression they’ve endured and through out the halls of all of their terminals smaller exhibits can be found. All airport museums (to my knowledge) across the country are free to access.

Traveling with kids? Some air carriers such as Southwest Airlines have children’s areas set up behind some of their gate podiums. LCD screens are affixed to the backside of the podium usually channeled into the Cartoon Network and a little table along with chairs are installed for coloring, games or watching the television. Airports are slowly becoming more kid friendly as well airports such as Orlando, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, and Las Vegas have child’s play areas with slides and jungle gyms to help your child get out their extra energy before boarding.

Eating is another way to help pass the time in airports. Who doesn’t love to eat? Airports used to be a playground of fast food locations and quick “grab and go” food carts, but recently quality restaurants have been popping up across the country. Los Angeles for example, Terminal 1, houses one of the best airport bakery’s “La Brea” which has fresh made sandwiches and soups, San Francisco has a great place called “Amoura” which offers much of the same but with a Mediterranean flair.

So, I say, if you’re stuck in an airport this holiday season that you haven’t been in much for any length of time, lucky you. There’s a lot to do.

Bobby Laurie

Bobby Laurie, author of the book Planely Speaking and television travel correspondent, currently works as a Flight Attendant at a low-cost airline and as a freelance journalist. After graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Technology with a degree in Mass Media Communication, Bobby combined his passion for both journalism and travel by writing about the travel industry through his insider knowledge and personal experiences. You can read Bobby's blog about being a flight attendant and the airline industry by visiting UpUpAndAGay.com.