Best airports when stranded by weather delay, bumped from flight
This week’s downpours and delays at Palm Beach International Airport and other local airports got me thinking. If I were a business traveler stranded at an airport, which one would I prefer?
It’s a good question, as airport strandings are routine.
Could be a weather delay. Could be you got bumped from an overbooked flight. Could be your flight got canceled by a pilot slowdown. Could be you missed a connecting flight.
In which case, the airport you’re at could make the difference between keeping your sanity or becoming a YouTube sensation because you captured a brawl on your iPhone camera or you became the star of someone else’s iPhone video as you were dragged around by security types.
Here is my top three list of airports I wouldn’t mind terribly getting stuck at:
Let’s start with the fact that San Francisco International Airport is just 13 miles from city by the bay. That alone is enticing to volunteer giving up a seat on a flight. The Bay area transit system will get you from SFO to San Francisco’s financial district in under an hour.
That could be enough time to get to the city, have a meal (hopefully at a North Beach Italian place) and get back to the airport before your seat is granted to someone else. While planning a flight to Seattle, I seriously considered an option with a five-hour layover at SFO simply to get time in San Fran.
But let’s say you can’t leave the airport. SFO has dozens of eateries to choose from. Getting stranded is bad, getting stranded at an airport with little more than fast food hamburgers and doughnuts is even more unbearable. If you’re into shopping, or just want to walk around stores, there’s a bunch of them. Including one called California Lifestyle with pretty unique stuff.
I’m not much of a shopper, but stores do distract and help kill time.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., is on the growing list of regional hubs where lots of people — especially business travelers — are making connections.
A CLT feature is a public art program — the airport’s website claims there are 20. I particularly like Postcards from North Carolina (as a former N.C. resident and student) and the First in Flight Mobile.
The airport has plenty of restaurants and shops. Again, as a former N.C. resident, this is one airport that, for nostalgic reasons I’lll admit, I’ll do some shopping if I have the chance.
Third choice, JAX
Jacksonville International Airport isn’t one you’re likely to get to, but it’s one of the best small destination airports I’ve come across. Mostly on my way to visit my son at Florida State University. Yes, it has shops and it has stores. But I like the atrium area, especially, with the most comfortable chairs and rockers you’ll find at any airport.
Pull out a book, grab a coffee at the nearby Starbucks and time will fly. Even if your plane isn’t.
I’ll throw one other one: DCA. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, like SFO, it has a Metro that gets you to D.C pretty fast.
Because, there’s nothing better than airport you don’t have to stranded in.
Article derived from myPalmBeachPost.