PITTSBURGH, Feb. 2 — Michael Weller had unexpectedly sped through security at Pittsburgh International Airport. With three hours before his flight, he headed straight to the Soxx Shop, wedged between Timberland and the Gap and across from Nine West, Clinique and the Tie Rack.

"I have an obsession with socks," said Mr. Weller, 50, browsing through the racks of socks decorated with hearts, baseballs, tools, musical instruments and 12 breeds of dog. In the past he would have hurried to his gate. But now Mr. Weller, a mental health services coordinator who was flying to Tampa, Fla., for his father's 80th birthday, could afford a leisurely search for what he called the therapy sock, emblazoned with a psychiatrist's couch.

Mr. Weller was indulging in what experts in the airport retail trade refer to as dwell time. With the increased security measures that have been in place since Sept. 11 requiring them to arrive earlier, passengers at airports have a lot more dwell time these days.

Pittsburgh, with more than 100 shops, restaurants and bars, has what many travelers consider some of the best airport shopping in the country. Figuring out what to do with the extra dwell time does not seem to be a problem here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/04/national/04AIRP.html