Ways to Kill Time at Airports

I quite enjoy being at airports. Given the traffic situation in many places like Bengluru, NCR etc. I like to arrive early rather than risk missing my flight. In other countries that I visit, because of unfamiliarity with the immigration norms I try to reach before time. But the best was when we were in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We were asked what would we like to do for three hours in the interim and one of us said; let us go to the airport, we will have fun there! All three of us agreed to spend the extra hours at the KL Airport! We have done a similar thing in Bangalore too.

In my traveling I have had long transit times as well. Recently I had 8 hours at Munich while going to Finland and it was such a nice airport with a free supply of tea and coffee. I have had 23 hour layover too which was not so much fun.

So, here are five ways to kill time at airports.

5. Go for a Walk

I know this sounds a bit bizarre but if you travel frequently your fitness goes completely for a toss. Time zones, lack of sleep and lots food all add to the lack of fitness. I find airports entirely conducive to go for a good long walk. It works even better if someone can watch my hand luggage. But if I am traveling alone I simply lug my back pack and think of it as extra exercise!

4. Free Wifi

There was a time when I would never work at airports. I would either browse through the shops or read a book. Sadly those days didn’t last long. I do not always work at airports but with free wifi becoming more and more common, I do end up writing posts, editing pictures or simply catching up on mails. Ideally, I still do not like to work at the airports, but there have been times when I have been forced to do so. Finding free wifi is a great way to get the work done or simply browse.

3. Food

There was a time when I found all the food at the airports to be overpriced. I still find a lot of it to be overpriced but on scanning I do end up finding something which is reasonably priced as far as the airports go. Usually I settle for tea/coffee. But if I am catching an early morning flight, I have looked for breakfast too. Searching for food and something familiar in a foreign land also made me realize how food is such a integral part of our cultures and how varied it can be!

2. Shopping

I know this one is going to be on everyone’s list! Airports have literally become shopping malls. I usually only shop to finish the remaining foreign currency in my wallet on my return journey. But, sometimes, I find exciting offers that are hard to resist.

I recently discovered that our own Bengaluru Duty Free is an exciting shopping destination for international travelers. A chance to win a Harley Davidson bike, a Gibson guitar, a Volkswagen Polo car, a visit to Jack Daniels Distillery in USA are just a few of the free giveaways that make shopping at Bengaluru Duty Free a fun, exciting and memorable experience. This year during the holiday season shoppers stand a chance to win a trip to any destination on the world map on buying any Pernod Ricard brand of spirits.

In addition to this, Bengaluru Duty Free always has on offer one of the widest varieties of top international brands from all over the world – Liquor, Perfumes, Cosmetics, Chocolates and Electronics at 5%-15% less than popular duty free shopping destinations – Dubai and Singapore. At the moment they have 30% off on selected brands of perfumes and $15 off on cameras.

The fun doesn’t end here. Many a times frequent fliers may not have sufficient time during transit to go through the entire collection and shop. For them, the store offers a chance to pre-order their favorites online at www.bengalurudutyfree.in as per their convenience. A special 5% discount is offered to shoppers booking online. Not just that, the order will be ready for travelers to pick up whenever they are flying. The pre-booked order stays valid for an entire month giving travelers sufficient time to plan.

The Nuance Group that operates the Bengaluru Duty stores is a leading travel retailer with more than 60 locations in 19 countries and territories across the globe. In addition to an extensive portfolio of duty and tax-free stores, brand boutiques and concept stores, the Group also provides in-flight services and operates a wholesale and distribution business, supporting the travel retail sector. For more information visit www.thenuancegroup.com. In India, Nuance Group operates in partnership with Shoppers Stop Limited.

Sometimes shopping can bring in other rewards too!

1. Check if You Can Get Out!

When I was at Munich and I had 8 hours. But the fool that I can be sometimes, it never occurred to me that I was through with immigration and I could have gone out in the city instead of waiting at the airport for my connecting flight to Helsinki. To a traveler nothing compares to exploring a new place. So, when at an airport check out if there is a provision for getting out. That way you get to see a new city as a bonus.