"Nighty, night: Napping nooks at the airport"

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Column
Nighty, night: Napping nooks at the airport 
You are getting sleepy. Very, very sleepy.
By Harriet Baskas
USA Today


If you travel a lot, you probably don't need hypnosis to make you drowsy.
Chances are your sleep patterns are already off kilter, and you find
yourself nodding off in some uncomfortable places - like the guy in the nice
suit I recently saw slumped over his briefcase in a noisy gate area at
Chicago's O'Hare airport. I wondered how many time zones he'd crossed that
day and whether he'd be mortified to know how entertaining his snoring was
to the group of giggling children seated nearby.

In a way, I envied this man. He obviously needed a nap and was getting it.
I'm often too nervous to nap at the airport. I'm either scared I'll miss my
flight or that I'll drool and look silly. Or else I worry that if I fall
into a deep sleep, someone will make off with my carry-on. 

That's why I'm glad MetroNaps is branching out. The company first opened a
"power napping" center in New York's Empire State Building. Now, British
Columbia's Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has installed three of the
company's specially designed napping "pods." 

The pods are white, ladle-shaped chairs that are partly enclosed to allow
privacy without inducing claustrophobia. Headphones emit soft nature sounds
to help drowsy travelers drift off to sleep. Attendants watch over the
belongings of those in dreamland, who are gently awakened by soft
vibrations. Post-nap peppermints and citrus-scented towelettes are provided,
and nappers can arrange to have food waiting upon wake up. The cost of a
catnap? About $12 for the first 20 minutes and about $4 for each additional
10 minutes. 

MetroNaps plans to plant pods at other airports (and highway rest stops)
around North America, but right now the company has no definite agreements
to announce. In the meantime, here are some places to catch your z's at
other airports:

.Empty gate areas: Not all gate areas get used all of the time. Check the
monitors, find a carpeted corner and stretch out. If you're worried about
someone taking your stuff, use your carry-on as a pillow or slip your arms
or legs through the straps.

.Meditation rooms and chapels: Some of the quietest and loveliest spots for
napping are in airport chapels and meditation rooms. Volunteers at the
airport information desk can point you in the right direction. 

.Baggage claim areas: As with gates, airport baggage claim areas have
downtimes. Just don't fall asleep on a conveyor belt! 

.Self-service business centers: Some airport self-service business centers
are just banks of desks with telephones, data ports and rolling chairs. If
you're lucky, you can find a cubicle with sound-absorbing walls. Put your
carry-on under the desk, scoot in the chair and put your head down. 

.Airline club rooms: Although they're not advertised as such, airline club
rooms are often filled with tired travelers curled up on comfy chairs. If
you're not a member, see if you can purchase a day pass.

.Hotels: Hotels at and near airports often offer discounted rates to
travelers who just need a place to sleep for a few hours during the day.
Often these day rates are set at half the regular overnight rate, but you
may be able to negotiate the price. An added benefit is that the day rate
usually includes access to a hotel's pool and health club facilities. 

.Laptop Lane: Although Laptop Lane is really in the business of renting
fully equipped private mini-offices at nine airports nationwide, some
travelers admit to renting a cubicle for the sole purpose of being able to
nap someplace behind a locked door. You don't have to tell the
cyber-concierge that you're not actually doing work; just ask them to knock
on the door when you need to wake up. Laptop Lane charges $5 for the first
five minutes and 65 cents per minute after that. So a 20-minute nap in a
Laptop Lane cubicle will cost about the same as 20 minutes in a MetroNap
pod. For those accustomed to sleeping at their desks, this may be just the
ticket.

Attached Photo:

Nap time: A man catches some z's on his carry-on luggage in a busy terminal
at Portland International Airport.

nap.jpg