Imagine, going to the airport and experiencing all the frustrating security procedures, only to dine at the P.F. Chang’s near gate B12 and then return home. Or even worse, imagine navigating your way to your gate while dealing with leisurely people who have no sense of urgency, while you have a flight to catch.
Each aspect of this situation is uniquely distressing, yet more airports are attempting to entice locals to visit the shops and restaurants in their terminals, without the hassle of actually flying somewhere. Orlando International Airport has now joined in on this trend, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Orlando launched its program in 2022, and so far, 1,000 individuals have journeyed through the airport without any specific destination.
While these programs aim to “sell the airport as a mall,” airlines have permitted non-ticketed individuals to pass through security if they are accompanying family or friends to their gates. Now, airports hope to attract people who have no other reason to be at the airport. For example, one family obtained a pass at the Orlando airport to familiarize their young child with air travel:
Orlando-based flight attendant Aubrey Hendershot is one of the non-fliers.
She recently spent a day off at the airport with her pilot husband and their 2-year-old son. Their boy is obsessed with planes, and the couple wanted to see how he would handle going through a major airport with the intention of taking him on a longer trip soon.
“It kind of went against my intuition,” says Hendershot. She enjoyed exploring the terminal without the pressure of reaching a gate at a specific time. Hendershot’s son loved watching the planes take off and waving to the ground crew.
“My husband and I have talked about wanting to go back—maybe while we have a babysitter—to sit down and enjoy a beer or a glass of wine,” Hendershot reveals.
It’s somewhat unexpected that an Orlando-based flight attendant, who you’d think would be tired of the Orlando airport, found enjoyment in this experience. The WSJ also interviewed a woman who chooses to dine at the outlet versions of her favorite downtown restaurants in the airport, rather than making the journey to Seattle. While I don’t want to criticize anyone’s preferences, as someone who has traveled extensively, I have yet to have a meal at an airport that made me want to return solely for that meal. In fact, the dining experience at airports is usually worse than anywhere else. And if I’m going to be overcharged for a mediocre glass of wine, I’d rather have my belongings crammed haphazardly at my feet, thank you very much. It’s all about the ambience.
Flying already sucks, but being in the terminal isn’t much better. With epidemic-level flight cancellations and delays, airports can become crowded with exhausted and grumpy passengers. I recently traveled through several major airports, and they were incredibly crowded, noisy, and chaotic due to numerous flight delays. A sports bar my friend and I sought refuge in, in Atlanta on Monday night, had actually run out of burgers, fries, and Coca-Cola. Can you imagine how chaotic Atlanta airport must be to run out of Coke? Who in their right mind considers these good spots for a date night?
But if you absolutely must purchase those duty-free cigarettes, then I suppose, go ahead, enjoy yourself.
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