Cinema beats beds and books to top list of plane passengers’ most wanted airport features.
A CINEMA is the most-wanted airport facility, our global survey of more than 10,000 travellers has revealed.
We asked people what they would most like to see in an airport, with options ranging from a gym to a beach. Worried that their travel plans may prevent them catching the latest blockbusters, a huge 49% of flyers chose a cinema as their dream airport wish, our survey revealed.
‘Sleep pods’ were the second most popular ‘dream airport’ facility, with over a third of respondents voting for a place to lay their heads and catch up on the Zs when flying from A to B, or C.
Despite the rise of e-books, the traditional paperback is clearly still a popular choice among air travellers, as 32% of respondents said they’d love an airport library, making it the third most wanted airport facility. An in-airport library would let holidaymakers immerse themselves in a novel by the pool, then simply return it after landing back home.
A huge 31% of flyers voted for a green outdoor area in their dream airport. A park would no doubt offer a welcome change of environment, especially for those waiting for connecting flights.
Nearly one in three voted for a vanity area offering salon and spa treatments, so they could pamper themselves with last minute massages, manicures and haircuts.
Some of the more unlikely facilities to feature at a dream airport include a gym, with 15% of flyers longing for a last chance at toning their ‘holiday body’ and a karaoke area, with 5% of travellers wishing to kill time and a song.
Top 10 most wanted features:
1. Cinema – 49%
2. Sleep pod – 36%
3. Library – 32%
4. Park – 31%
5. Vanity area – 30%
6. Kids play area – 21%
7. Pool – 20%
8. Gym – 15%
9. Man-made beach – 12%
10. Bikes – 11%
While both males and females were in agreement over their top choice of an airport cinema, there was a greater gender discrepancy with the other most-wanted features. Despite the rise in metrosexual males, a massive 45% of women wanted a vanity area to freshen up compared to just 14% of men and more than 10% of women wanted a personal shopper, compared to just 8% of guys.
Men on the other hand, appear to prefer active entertainment at their dream airport, with a swimming pool voted the fifth most wanted feature, and more than one in 10 guys wanting to tour the airport on complimentary bikes, compared to just 9% of ladies.
Yet flyers may not have to dream for too long. Hong Kong International Airport already boasts a UA IMAX theatre, offering cinema fans a range of IMAX 2D and 3D movies. While the second most popular choice, the sleeping pods facility, has also been introduced at Abu Dhabi Airport for a cost of £8 per hour, offering weary flyers an affordable alternative to a hotel room. Check out our video review of Yotel at Gatwick
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