It is not uncommon to get trapped at an Airport due to a host of reasons. Flights can get delayed due to poor weather conditions, technical snags, natural disasters, terrorist activities or any other reason. In such situations, one needs to maintain calm and make use of the long wait time as creatively and fruitfully as possible. Layovers are usually unexpected, and your ability to handle something unplanned successfully also speaks about your coping skills. Most people usually get annoyed but anger doesn’t get you anything, it only makes the situation more difficult. With a little thinking, the long hours of wait at the airport can be turned into something very pleasant.
Here are a few tips to suggest what you can do during an airport layover instead of being irritated, bored or angry:
What to and how to do?
- A lot depends on how you perceive the circumstances. If you want, you can think a layover to be a favorable occurrence that gives you the opportunity to move around and explore. You can look at it positively – as a bonus that allows you to see things you have never seen before and know more about new people.
- The best way to handle layovers is to be fully loaded with all necessary supplies as well as your laptop to get some of your work done. Instead of getting bored or wasting your time playing useless games, you can create reports, study or even chalk out a plan to handle something which you have to take on as soon as you get back to normal life.
- Some people like to take a short nap to eliminate stress. If you are tired, you can quickly take a nap and get up energized.
- It is always a good idea to carry your gym gear, especially if you are a fitness freak. You can hit the gym in the airport and work out. This will definitely not only help you kill time but also keep you in a better state to handle stress.
- Though it is good to carry-on stuff that can help you catch up with things that interest you during layovers, but make sure not to carry-on too much luggage so that you can move around freely. Carrying too much luggage can also create security problems in case you want to move out of the airport to explore the city and again come back
Explore airport and city
It is best not to waste your time dozing off or just looking around blankly. Since you have to be in the airport for some time, it is a great idea to see what things are available in the place. Checking out your surroundings should not be a problem unless you reach the gate. There are plenty of shops in the Airport which have many exciting items. You can pick up a gift for a friend or souvenir for a loved one. If you are a book lover, you can as well buy a book to spend the rest of the time easily.
If all this is not good enough for you, why not explore the city you are in, as it is possible that you may never get the opportunity to see this place in future. If you have good amount of time, visit the local landmarks or places of tourist interest or even indulge in the local cuisine. Ensure not to be too late and get back well on time as you will have to go through security checking, especially if you’re going to take an international flight.
Join the VIP club
VIP clubs are a big relief to passengers stranded at an Airport. The VIP lounges are comfortable, luxurious and complete with varied amenities such as food and drink. Most reputed airlines have VIP clubs at all big airports. If you are on a business trip and need to catch up with some immediate work, these clubs can help you with the environment they provide. The memberships to such facilities are usually quite expensive and can be hundreds of dollars per annum. This facility will be useful for you, if you travel frequently. For frequent flyer members, the passes may also be available to VIP clubs for a small fee.
Even though layovers can be unexpected, it is always better to be ready for such a situation. With proper planning, you can make it productive or a pleasant addition to your vacation. Well, after all, it may not be possible to be enthusiastic about layovers, yet they can be made tolerable.