Flight delayed again -- ah, that feels good

Ricky Yngsdal flies at least twice a month, but lately he has been spending more time in airports than on planes because of the soaring pace of flight delays, cancellations and missed connections.

So how does he cope?

“I eat and shop at the airport,” said the Glendale resident and shipping manager for General Mills Inc.

Other passengers are getting manicures, pedicures, massages, haircuts and even “revitalizing” aromatherapy -- a way of relaxing by breathing in botanical oil scents.

In this year of record-setting air travel delays, many passengers are resigned to getting stuck at the gate longer and more often. And they’re getting a little desperate to find different ways to whittle away their time.

The average passenger now spends 108 minutes at the airport, more than double the amount of so-called “dwell time” passengers in 2000 spent waiting, according to Airport Interviewing & Research Inc., a market research firm.

There is money to be made in having captive consumers with nowhere to go. So fancy restaurants and upscale retailers are setting up kitchens and shops next to slot machines and “oxygen” lounges.

“The sheer number of people at airports is growing exponentially and the time they’re spending at the airport is growing,” said Ira Weinstein, president of Airport Interviewing & Research Inc. “I know of no concessionaire that has gone into the airport and has not done well.”

Brooks Brothers recently opened a store at Sacramento International Airport while Gucci and Sephora now vie for affluent frequent fliers at San Francisco International. At Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport, Le Bodega Winery has wine consultants help passengers discern the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

“Once you get coffee, newspaper and a bite to eat, there is still 30 minutes left, so why not get a manicure?” said Karen Janson, a co-founder of 10 Minute Manicure, which opened its first nail salon last year and now has stores in nine airports. It has plans for six more by next spring, including salons at New York’s John F. Kennedy and Washington, D.C.’s Dulles international airports. The 10-minute manicures cost $15.

Many airports are now more like shopping malls than the typical terminals of a decade ago when cafeterias, newsstands and gift stores were the only distractions for lingering passengers.

At Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport, passengers can feed quarters into more than 1,300 slot machines as they wait to board a plane. There are slot machines at baggage claim too -- for arriving passengers who can’t wait to hit the casinos.

The slots are big moneymakers for McCarran, generating $40 million in annual revenue. It’s enough to help keep airport fees lower for airlines.

“They’re strategically placed, at the departure gates and at baggage claim,” McCarran spokesman Chris Jones said.

Some airports are better than others at offering passengers an array of stores, restaurants and other amenities.

Los Angeles International is considered one of the worst, mainly because of its design: several separate terminals.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is considered one of the best with a huge shopping area and a bevy of eateries beyond security screeners. Passengers can rent DVD players and movies. Children can burn off steam in two play areas, each stocked with a mock airplane and an air traffic control tower. Frequent fliers suggest picking up an airport guide to get your bearings.

The airport also has a guarantee that food and beverages served by its concessions won’t cost more than similar offerings in town. It’s the latest among airports to respond to complaints that airport fare is more expensive than food sold elsewhere.

But author Peter Greenberg, travel editor for NBC’s “Today Show,” says many airports still overcharge for food and Internet connections.

“The good news is that there is more than just mystery hot dogs,” said Greenberg, who hops on airplanes two or three times a week. “But the bad news is that you’re still going to be paying a premium.”

For the best guide to major airports, check out Harriet Baskas’ column at Expedia.com, www.expedia.com/daily/airports/.

The author of “Stuck at Airports” takes you on a hand-held tour of 83 facilities -- most of them in the U.S.

Dallas/Fort Worth, one of the busiest in the world, is “busy around the clock, but if you check the flight schedules you should be able to find a quiet spot in a gate area that’s not going to be used for a while. Or you could stop in at one of the airport chapels, located at gates B28, C15, and E4,” Baskas writes.

The guide is detailed: At the Dallas airport “barbershops are located in terminals B, C, and E. Chair massages and facials are offered at the barbershops in terminals B and E. You can get some exercise by skipping the moving sidewalks and taking the 5- to 10-minute walk between terminals along the elevated skywalks.”

It also has helpful links to each airport’s website, a map of the facility and a ground transportation guide.

Baskas’ guide often leads off with some interesting tidbits about the airport. Ever wonder why ORD is the airport code for Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport? The airport was originally known as Orchard Place.

You’ll also learn that Orange County’s John Wayne Airport has been the backdrop for many films including “Demolition Man” and “Jerry Maguire.” At Seattle-Tacoma International, more than 100 artworks are scattered through the terminals.

The guide also features tips such as “Best souvenir under $10.” If you’re in the market for John Wayne shot glasses and mugs, head to the Orange County airport.

But Baskas found even more unusual cheap goods at Pittsburgh International Airport: Heinz golf balls, ketchup-flavored potato chips or whistles in the shape of tiny ketchup bottles. All that and Pittsburgh too.

How have you been affected by air travel delays? What do you do to kill time at the airport?

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