At La Guardia, iPads Help Make The Wait Go Faster
What’s the Latest Development?
Travelers flying Delta Air Lines who pass through New York’s La Guardia Airport now have access to iPads mounted in the waiting areas that enable them to order items — food, newspapers, and so on — from vendors in the airport and have them delivered to their seat. They can also surf the Internet, check e-mail, and play games, all of which help to pass the time and alleviate the “gate anxiety” that prevents some passengers from exploring and spending money in the terminals’ retail areas.
What’s the Big Idea?
La Guardia is one of several airports trying different things in order to “put the romance of travel back into the passenger experience,” says airport architect Curtis Fentress. The mounted iPads are part of a major terminal renovation that includes bringing retail and food shops into the gate areas themselves, and changing the traditional plastic seating to bar-height stools placed in front of countertops with outlets and USB ports. One result of the changes, says airport restaurant executive Rick Blatstein, is that the average La Guardia traveler flying Delta is spending $3 to $5 more than they would at other airports.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com
