Airports should be like high streets

[NowWotsit]

Whys it just shopping- thus old school model they havent updated in decades?

If we are milling around in your police state style world for a few hours, why not give us a coworking space, hair salons, cinemas, a pool, GP, etc

Because it wouldn't make as much money?

What, full of empty units and vape shops?

That's a great idea op! Places like WHS are the most busy. The extravagant shops are usually empty. I don't get my nails done but I'm sure that would be popular. Any beauty salon style offerings.

Why are you milling about for a few hours?! I wouldn’t get my hair cut by a random in an airport! Maybe get my nails done but many airports do have nail salons…

I would pay extra to be able to bypass all of these places altogether and get straight to departure gate.

Yes, why there aren’t hairdressers and GPs is pretty obvious, cinemas will just involve even more people checking in and then mysteriously going AWOL before boarding, and pools would involve people trying to take even more hand luggage on planes, only this time including wet swimsuits etc.

What about a spa?
Or a huge ikea?

If I'm going on holiday I won't be working so no need for a co-working space (appreciate business travellers may be different).

A GP? How would that work? Like a walk-in centre? Surely if you are travelling you would clear up any health niggles before hand.

A cinema? Just how early are you getting to the airport? And same as a PP says, I wouldn't want my hair doing by some random in the airport.

And if your cut is a disaster but you can’t stay and dispute it/have it corrected because your flight is boarding, what are you going to do? Book another flight after you get home just so you can go back and have the stylist fix it?

I would absolutely get a hair wash/blow dry and a massage while waiting around at the airport if the facility were available, or my nails done. I wouldn’t use a cinema, doctor or get a long hair appt like cut or colour.

Most airports have a spa, but it's just for very rich people.

That’s what I thought! Pound shops?

What a great idea.👍

Would your new Billy bookcase be classed as hand luggage?

All you need is Boots, Wetherspoons and some comfy seating.

I think you go to different airports and use them differently to me.

I'm quite happy to arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before take off (or even less if it's a small airport I know well - coming back from the Isle of Man, 30/40 mins before take off time is more than enough to park up, drop off hire car keys, go through security, get a pint or coffee and cake, browse the (tiny) shop and wait at the gate ready to board) and at most get a drink, look at the books in WH Smith and buy food for the plane then sit and read my book at the gate wondering why everyone else is queuing up for a plane that hasn't arrived from it's inbound flight and we won't be let on for the best part of an hour.

Much as I love a spa, it wouldn't be very relaxing clock watching before a flight and how would Ikea work? You couldn't buy anything except a small item or two.

What the fuck would you buy at a huge ikea you would take on a package holiday to Tenerife?!

I’ve had my hair washed and blow dried before somewhere in the Middle East (Doha maybe) while waiting for a connecting flight. I had 4 or 5 hours to kill and felt disgusting. I can’t remember how much it cost but I remember enjoying it.

I do think there's an argument for a softplay. I'd pay a tenner each for that when I had toddlers.

Eh? They’re trying to make money and manage loads of people. Not give you options for mooching about because you’re bored.
What would you honestly want to buy that you can’t currently?

Just how early are you getting to the airport that you would have time to fit all of this in? The night before?

It wouldn't work for the most part. I get to the airport three hours before my flight. After I have checked my case in and gone through security there's usually only a couple of hours before the departure time. Factor in getting to the gate etc. and that can take away another 20 - 30 minutes. Where would the time be for having a spa, or going to watch a film?

Ridiculous.

Or what about proper bookshops or a nail bar

Check the votes. Im not the crazy one here...

I definitely think there should be a soft play at the airport or some kind of child friendly activity!

There are nail bars. And a ‘proper’ book shop would have to deal with the fact that much of its stock simply isn’t going to shift to people heading on a work trip or on holiday.

But you did suggest a huge IKEA.
How would that work?