2015 Best and Worst Airports Survey
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Like I want to go around and sleep in airports to help out with this survey. What? Now travel journalist want you to do their job?
I've never actually slept in an airport.
I don't think I ever actually SLEEP in an airport either. Too much commotion going on, always thinking about your bags and no privacy. Kind of like sleep with one eye open kind of thing. I've opted to try to sleep in the airport to connect on an early flight and maybe having to kill some 8 hours or so. Like in Lima for a flight to Cuzco, and like in Guam for a NRT flight in the morning. Best sleep I've gotten in an airport was in NRT but I paid some 8 bucks per hour or so some 15 PLUS years ago or so in some cubical with bathroom and shower and privacy and bed. I lied down some 4-5 hours all freshen up for a IAH flight. If you have at least over an 8 hour layover, best to do a hotel. But for me to do this on Guam, would have had to leave the secured area, and having to come in again, too much a hassle.Quote:
Originally Posted by MRSDS1DONNA
I slept in Paramaribo, Surinam airport but they had locked gate (like malls) and my company was a missionary family. Pretty sure no critters, tho they had access thru gates. That was 40 years ago! Bed was wooden slat bench, so I used my clothing. It was a LONG night.
SIN Changi airport--cleanest if you get stuck. That was about 6-7 hours. Last time there we stayed awake but had club access, so much more comfy. Plus we got to have chat about w/Aussie who was a wee bit tippled. Still a long 9 hours. Slept like babies SIN/NRT.
Due to weather and circumstance I have found myself at DFW a few times
First of all I didn’t actually sleep at the airport, it’s more like quiet wakefulness -
eyes closed but aware of your surroundings, - the people, the floor buffer and that your bag makes a very hard pillow .
DFW gives out cots/blankets/ear plugs and there are Wi-Fi and charging stations
There’s a Hyatt inside T-D and a Pappadeaux’s in T-A.
BTW, Pappadeaux closes at 930pm but there’s a Mexican restaurant that’s open 24-hour.
I’ve also heard there are leather couches landside T-D, but I haven’t seen them as I always stay airside.
I slept in PHL for 4 hours. Started at the Airport Marriott at 12:15am then rested next to US Air BSO office till the 5:30am RDU flight..
I have slept in many airports, sometimes by default, sometimes planned. When I went to HNL for 3 days, I would list for a flight at night and checkin so I could get through security, then sleep in the Japanese garden. I spent 3 days in HNL for $50 and most of that was food. My last night, when I actually got stuck, I spent $10 to sleep in a grass hut on the beach on the north shore.
I've slept in ATL (many times, only once by choice), AGS (when my credit card was missing so I couldn't do a rental car and it was so late at night, I couldn't get anyone to pick me up), I got my best sleep ever in ATH (I never even realized 2 other people came to sleep beside me, SEA twice, AUH (as a confirmed pax with a long layover), SLC more times than I can count, HNL (once when I was stuck, on the next trip, 2 times to save on hotel costs), DTW, MSP. I know I'm forgetting some, these are just what I can think of off the top of my head. I am more of a budget traveler than a comfort one. I can sleep anywhere, I've always been that way, might as well save some money. I also pack light (I can use one backpack for a weeklong trip) so I use my backpack as a pillow, put myself in a corner where access is limited and hide anything important on my person.
Interestingly enough, I'm going to SIN next week, in part just to visit the airport since I've heard so much about it. I am getting a hotel room there though for the night and I'll do a quick tour of the city, not just visit the airport. :)
The only airport sleepovers I can think of are both planned. One in ORD so I could bring a friend back in the morning (NW required you to fly with a friend in most circumstances) and another in SEA so I could catch an early flight to HNL the next day.
Looking back, that ORD one was kind of suicidal. I had to work back in MSP at 11 something that morning, and also had to give my friend a ride home. I ended up flying in to MSP with her, didn't get on the first flight, got on the second, took the shuttle to the parking lot while she waited for her bag, picked her up from the airport, dropped her off at her house, went back to my (parents') place, got a fast shower and change, then got to work. They said we had to swipe 7 minutes before our shift started, I believe it was (looking back, I don't think that was legal!) or else we could get an "on-time tardy" as it was called. I think I clocked in right as my shift started. Told my supervisor sorry, but I was in Chicago earlier today so I had one of those on-time tardies. "You flew in from Chicago today?" (with a look of disbelief) "Yup" "...Don't worry about it."
Oh, I forgot about DFW, they have some comfortable areas and youused to be able to stay in the nonrev lounge overnight with cots and all but not anymore. I also had to do LGA (not by choice, got stuck) and that was the first time I'd been somewhere where you couldn't stay on the secure side (at least at a major airport). I also slept a few hours in DCA, I only got about a 3 hour nap before I had to leave but it was also outside security. The police came 5 minutes before my alarm went off because they thought I was homeless. In LGA, one of the thinfs I didn't like was that they openly let the homeless sleep there and one of them had mental issues. Of course, by this time, I only had about 4 hours left in the night, so definitely not worth the hotel.
There is a night tour of the SIN zoo. It's highly rated but I have not taken it. You can find out more on tripadvisor. Hotels are $$$ in SIN so be careful when choosing a hostel or similar budget digs. If it's your first time in SIN, it might be very toasty and humid, even at night.
Yeah, I really miss my oasis of calm at DFW/ORD/ etc/etc/etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by browneyes142a
Uh-huh. You know Browneyes, you might want to reevaluate your travel wardrobe. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by browneyes142a
It was the sleeping bag and having my jacket over my head, I'm pretty sure, I was cold. ☺
Sleeping in airports - KLM is happy to help!
KLM #happytohelp - Sleeping beauties - YouTube
KLM #happytohelp - Pyjama party - YouTube
You know this won't happen in the USA/. Notice this lady with an accent, probably from Europe. It's not in our make in this country to make anybody comfortable. Just watch a game a football, and that sets the TEMPO.