The Perpetual Tourist

I used to be a very lucky traveler. In all my frequent flying, I was rarely delayed by more than a few minutes and hardly ever ran into any major hassles at any airports. Then the economy shat the bed — and in this analogy, the airline industry might as well be the bed.

Having cut personnel tremendously to deal with rising operational costs, the airlines are ill prepared to deal with the problems that once only created minor delays, but now cause flight cancellations and much longer delays, leaving more and more passengers stranded in airports.

In most cases, if an airline cancels your flight, they’ll put you in a hotel room near the airport for the night — assuming the rooms aren’t all taken by other disgruntled passengers. All too often, you’re going to find yourself forced to camp out in an airport overnight — maybe it’s because your next flight will take off at 5:30am, or because there just isn’t anywhere else to go. In any case, when you fly, you should be prepared to sleep in an airport.

If you end up stranded and can’t get a hotel room, the first thing you should do is ask the airline staff about lounges. Those swanky private rooms that usually require special memberships often have comfy furniture that’s perfect for someone looking to catch a little shuteye. If you don’t have a membership, a little politeness goes a long way — the airline knows they’re the reason you’re stuck, so as long as you don’t scream at the person who can help you, they’ll usually bend the rules to keep you as satisfied as possible.

When that doesn’t work, your next step is to just find the most comfortable space you can. Don’t just go to the gate and wait there — chances are, you can find a better place to plant. Try the arrivals lounge, which tends to have better furniture than the departure area. If that fails, simply look for a quiet corner without as much foot traffic. Pull some chairs together to make an almost-comfortable bed for yourself, or curl up on the floor if you must.

Our travel itinerary may not include an overnight layover, but anyone who flies should be prepared. There are a few small items you can pack in your carry-on luggage that will make airport snoozing much more comfortable for you:

• disinfectant wipes — it’s always a good idea to wipe down any furniture that gets used by dozens of people every day before you collect all their germs, whether you’re spending the night or just a few minutes.
• inflatable pool float — when deflated, these don’t take up much space in your bag, and can be easily inflated for a much nicer “bed” than the floor or airport chairs, and they provide a buffer between you and the germ-infested floor.
• earplugs or headphones — there are constant announcements in airports, and inevitably a screaming child or two. If you don’t want to wake up every two minutes, make sure you have a way to block out the noise.
• wear layers — you never know what the temperature will be like inside the airport. If it’s too cold, you’ll never get comfy enough to sleep without something to keep you warm. If it’s too hot, you can always take your sweater off and use it as a pillow.
• entertainment — in the event that you simply cannot get comfortable enough for sleep, you’ll need something to keep you from dying of boredom while you wait through the night. Books, puzzles, a portable DVD player — don’t neglect to pack these things just because you thought you were only going to be flying for three hours or so. You never know…

www.sleepinginairports.net

No one wants to sleep in an airport, but it only takes a little extra space in your luggage to prepare for an unexpected campout, and packing a few cautionary items can be the difference between a decent night’s sleep and the most boring, uncomfortable night of your life.

For extensive reading on airport sleeping, visit The Guide To Sleeping In Airports.