Doing Airports Right

Traveling by air carries with it many (unfortunately often necessary)  indignities. From intrusive searches to lost baggage and delays it is very easy for flying to become a bit of an ordeal. It is ridiculous that it should be his way. Traveling by air is a luxury, and luxuries should be enjoyed. You are waiting all year for your holiday to come around, why not make the most of every minute of it?

Your holiday experience starts when you get to the airport. Do you think of hard seats and heavy bags and sky high prices? In Journeyfish.com article How To Sleep In An Airport we looked at the rough side of airport life, the weary financially challenged passenger just trying to survive in a hostile uncaring environment. Yeah, you can approach the whole airport experience with that mindset, thousands do, but there is another way.

Modern airports are like shopping centers. Like shopping centers with one important difference: the price. Aside from the duty free the same shops and bar and restaurant chains you can find  all over are there, with a hefty markup. Escape from all of this by getting yourself into a lounge and you will never look back.

Many of the more expensive tickets include lounge access in the price, but you don’t necessarily need to be traveling first class, or even with a particular airline to get in. By paying a small fee you can enjoy a much more relaxing atmosphere, and when you include things like complementary food, drinks, and Internet access it can pretty soon pay for itself.

Of course some airport lounges take things to a whole different level. For instance Etihad passengers waiting in Abu Dhabi whether it is  for flights to London,  or flights to Bangkok can really soak up the luxury. The ‘Diamond First Class Lounge’ at Abu Dhabi international airport includes a fully featured spa, offering treatments including scalp massage, foot detox and facial renewal. In addition to this there is of course fine dining, a Champagne bar and a cigar lounge boasting the finest Cuban and American smokes to enjoy with your vintage cognac!