One of the most frustrating things about flying off for vacations, especially if they are International, is that you must arrive at the airport either 2 or 3 hours before your flight. After checking-in and passing through security you are left with nothing to do but wait for your flight, waiting in airports can often be incredibly boring, especially if you are delayed. Delayed flights are a real pain and if the flight is over 3 hours late, you could be entitled to compensation . To alleviate this boredom if you are delayed, waiting for your flight or have a long layover here are some ways that you can pass your time in the airport.
Shopping
For all you shopaholics out there the airport is a great place to get some retail therapy, especially in the larger International airports, many of which are like shopping centers. I was recently in London Heathrow’s terminal 5 and honestly nearly missed my flight because I was wandering round the huge array of shops. There are often great promotions on in these stores and despite popular belief, they are not always more expensive than the high street. Duty Free is also a great place to pass some time picking up presents, alcohol, cigarettes or beauty products at great prices.
Gaming
What better way to spend your time than sitting back and investing your time playing some games on your mobile phone, laptop or tablet I generally use a website called Poki which offers a huge range of titles from strategy, action, adventure, sports and arcade-style games, and the best bit, they’re absolutely free. It’s amazing how quickly the time passes when you start playing an addictive game of which there are several on their site. Usually I feel guilty when I’m gaming, that I should be doing something more useful with my time but in the airport it’s guilt free because I literally have nothing else to do. Gaming has also been made easier in airports since they put charging units in almost all airports meaning that you no longer need to worry about battery drainage.
Hit the Gym
It may seem a little strange but hitting the gym during your wait time is now a possibility as many airport hotels offer day-passes to their gym. You will have to do this before check-in as most of the airport hotels are outside arrivals but it’s a great way to kill some time and get some energy for your upcoming journey. The best part of hitting the gym is that you’ll be able to take a refreshing shower afterwards and change your clothes, perfect if you are in the middle of a layover.
Plane Watching
You don’t have to be a plane enthusiast to enjoy watching the air traffic coming in and out of the airport and it’s a great way to pass some time. Many airports have viewing platforms up on the roof for you to get the best experience and the windows in airports are usually huge which means you’ll get a great view of the jets. Try making this a little more interesting if your with kids by trying to spot as many airlines as you can, check online for a list and see which ones you can tick off during your wait.