What to do during your Stop-over
 

Hello travelers,

I'm working on a business idea which will help you to spend time in a fun and active way during your stop-overs!

I have few quick questions for you ;)
What do you do during your stop-overs?
How long are they? How often are you in stop-over?
Anything you would like to find in the transit area to kill the waiting time?

I hope to receive some tips from you ;)

Palombae ;)

I stopped over in Dubai for 2 days and explored the town.
I stopped over in Iceland for 2 days and did the Blue Lagoon and drove the Golden Circle
I stopped over in Istanbul for 36 hours and walked the city.

Unless there's a night stay, that I've planned, I stay in the airport, listening to music, catching up on email, browsing/catching up on news/FT/etc.

would you like to find activities or in general things to do if you had about 5 hours to wait? not full days!

Can you be a bit more specific about your business proposition? Specifically, what do you expect to be offering? Deep sea fishing excursions? Museum tours? Open-top bus rides? Speed dating with strangers at a nearby restaurant?

Had 8-hour stopover at AMS; took my teenage daughter to Anne Frank's House.

With 5 hours I find a comfortable place to hang out in the airport. It's not worth trying to go somewhere else.

What do you do during your stop-overs?

Depends how long it is. I may be running like Usain Bolt to make another flight, or I could be staying in a hotel to sleep over night. Mostly I have just enough time to walk to the connection at a leisurely pace.

How long are they? How often are you in stop-over?

It seems that these days more and more, and with pretty tight connections at the 30 to 45 minute mark. I used to fly ONLY direct because my route made it easy..but these days I am going to stranger and more far flung places.

Anything you would like to find in the transit area to kill the waiting time?


The lounges seem to take care of most of my needs. I can take a shower and have a nice drink, along with some food, electrical charging and reading material. Although I wouldn't mind seeing more smoking areas in many airports!

Hello :)

What I mean with activities is the possibility to have fitness facilities in the transit area for when you take "short" stopover of about 5 or 6 hours

Thank you

would you like to find something to do? like a gym or some fitness facilities?

Where will you be building a fitness facility in an airport? Do you have experience in this? Who will be funding you? Is this an idea or do you have a serious business plan.

I can tell you that most of the airports I transit have very high retail rents. I think you'd get people interested, but you would have to invest a lot of money upfront for a significant area including the various fitness facilities as well as showers and changing rooms, etc.

Anything more than 6 hours, I get out of the airport into whatever city I'm in. But, yes, a well equipped fitness facility (not just with cardio, but also with weightlifting equipment) would be nice. However, knowing typical airport prices for other items, I'm guessing you'd have to charge more than $10 for using the fitness facility, which is typically where I draw the line.

FYI, stopover = 24+ hours, layover (what I think you meant to ask about) = <24 hours

I'm working on this business idea as a master assignment that will be brought to reality once the master is over and in the mean time we are making all the researches.

If you have any advise or suggestion please write me your email and I will be happy to write to you for more details ;)

Thank you

If you can come up with a product or service that someone is willing to pay for, and make a profit, then go for it!

Of course it's gong to be something no one else has thought of. If it were obvious, everyone would already be doing it.

I get the idea. Not sure if the 5 hour window is a strong target, though. How did you arrive at that time frame - studies, or just an experience? I think most layovers tend to either be just an hour or two, or longer, such as 7+ hours. I am sure there are some, but I would do a study to make sure you are targeting the right timeframe. Assuming you are looking at international layovers, I think you need to study particularly the specific airline, airport, and passengers who would be traveling through. People may not want to have to dig through their luggage for gym clothes, or have to deal with taking a shower. conversely, maybe low stress active exercise might might be ideal for some.

Are you looking for idea in general or specifically related to exercise? I almost never have a long layover, when I do and am not leaving the airport, I would walk around and look at planes, check out shops, have a leisurely meal. On the other hand, if I have lounge access I tend to be captive there. Perhaps an expanded lounge - one that is more than drinks and food, would be ideal. Shopping, video games, a comfortable place to lie down and watch TV or a movie. Keep in mind though that many people who would use a lounge will also likely have hand luggage they are taking with them, so they have to have a place for that.

I think the OP needs to look up the difference between a layover and a stopover. If I have a long layover I usually just want a quiet place to relax, recharge my phone, check emails and have a bite to eat.

Short connection: maybe grab food/drink an airline lounge, read, catch up on emails, etc.

Longer connection: I do like to walk, so I if I'm there 3-4 hours, I'll walk about as far as you can for an hour or so, then do all of my "short connection" stuff. This is obviously limited to some extent by the terminal layout and whether or not it's possible/feasible to go through any security/immigration checkpoints. This is the type of connection where I'd consider using a gym, but it'd definitely need secure luggage storage, showers, soap/shampoo, towels, etc.

Stopover: Definitely go to the city. Airport use would be minimal both arriving and departing. Unlikely that I'd use an airport gym on a stopover.

Yes, if there were a fitness facility in the transit area I would consider using it during layovers of 3+ hours. It'd have to offer the right features and price, of course.

An airport fitness center is an interesting idea but I don't think it would be for me, mainly for logistical reasons. I'm simply not that interested in making sure that my bag is safe, that I have proper workout wear, and that I have time for a shower and that one will be available exactly when I need it.

If I'm in an airport, I'm headed from home to somewhere where I'm going to be very active (and have probably been rushing around preparing for the trip), or I'm headed home from somewhere where I've been very active, or I'm rushing between two places and looking forward to the downtime. Thus, if I have 2-4 hours in an airport, I'm going to go into a lounge and relax. If there's no lounge, I'll walk around a bit and then sit down and relax. If I have more than 4 hours and the proper entry credentials for the country I'm in, I'll exit and explore.

But I don't fly nearly as much as some people here. I could imagine just the right set of business travelers who frequently have 3-hour connections and would like to use the time to work out, especially if the equipment is better than what they'll have in their hotels. But I think it's a very specific niche that would be difficult to cater to, given the costs involved and the need to make the facilities easily accessible to people (if they will be airside, then depending on the airport they may be accessible only to people in a specific terminal).

Seth

palombae I have thought about this too and wondered if a network of people can be connected to give stop-over or layover tours to travelers.

The trip I just took (see trip report) was based off this a little bit and I was lucky enough to have a lot of great FTers help me out and show me around. My number one goal when stopping is always local food followed by walking around than photography.

Good luck with this!

I've always thought the only way for the airport fitness club thing to work is for a well known gym brand (Equinox, Gold's, etc.) to partner with an Airline Club to put locations in their bigger flagship lounges (e.g., AA LAX lounge, DL JFK lounge, etc.).

Could add a tier of membership to the Airline Club pricing and visitor's could also buy a 1 time pass. It allows you to take advantage of the big footprint many airline lounges have, the showers many already have, and provides a natural co-branding / co-promotion opportunity. Plus, it gives the highest likelihood of attracting the Type A frequent flier type who actually sees value in working out while traveling (e.g., they travel frequently enough that they seek out a gym whenever they have time as opposed to the twice a year flier who can't fathom the idea of working out at the airport).

No, I'd hang out in the airport. I've had 6 hrs in Dubai, 8 hrs. in LAX, and others, and find a way to keep busy. Travel, re-entering security, wondering what to do with my carry-on, etc., just doesn't make it worth it.

Something like the Turkish city tour - pre-arranged, they deal with bags, etc., I might do.

When I said I'd consider using an exercise facility while in transit at an airport I assumed that bag storage would be part of it. An individually locked cabinet for my hand luggage. Anything less is a complete non-starter. Ditto proper showering areas, with towels provided.

The OP should check out the Admirals Club in DFW Terminal A. There is some workout equipment in that lounge. I don't believe I have seen workout equipment in any other airport or club. Although it wouldn't surprise me if SIN had something like this in one of the lounges.

Oh, yes, I'm right with you on those. I think the locker security would have to be tighter in an airport than elsewhere, since I'd probably be carrying more valuables and a larger bag than when going to a non-airport gym, and the consequences of having belongings stolen are greater.

Seth

If my stop-over is less than about 5 hours I stay in the airport - otherwise I leave and explore the city.
In the airport - if it's daytime I work. If it's night time I sleep. Both in the lounge. I have no desire to do anything else!

There certainly used to be a gym in SIN (not in a lounge, but a paid public facility). And a swimming pool.

Stop overs are 3 to 5 hours generally. I sit in the lounge, read, shower, eat, go shopping, get a massage if I can, shop some more, read. I never leave the airport.

Pittsburgh had a fitness facility several years ago. It shut down within about 18 months. I believe BWI also opened one recently.

Fitness on the fly: Post-security gym to open at BWI

PERSONAL BUSINESS; Delayed? Take Out Frustration at the Airport Gym

Avoid jet lag: Getting a workout at the airport

Presuming that time and weather were ok, I'd try to find a nearby neighborhood for food/supermarket, and a constitutional. For familiar places/places without a language barrier, I'd be more confident in this decision. For everywhere else, at least I would be well-fed...

more than 8 hours during mtr operating hours in .sg
 

and you will find me losing money at marina bay roulette tables.


then eating curry at tekka makes it all better.

Back in my marathon days, I went for runs during layovers at FRA. Decent trail fairly accessible from airport. LH lounge to store bag and take shower afterward.

Interesting idea for airport fitness facility, but I think doomed by high rental rates air-side. And no one wants to deal with security re-screening for a land-side facility...which are usually available at airport hotels anyway.

There are a couple airports that do this, using local volunteers and expecting the visitor to pay all expenses. I think NRT and ICN are examples. There are also the big group tours organized by the airport, for example at SIN and ICN.