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SLEEP IN AN AIRPORT TIPS

SLEEP IN AN AIRPORT TIPS

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Always have a backup plan

SLEEP IN AN AIRPORT TIPS - This is the most important tip for anyone who voluntarily sleeps in airports. Some airport officials are not totally supportive of the airport sleeping idea. Although you won’t be kicked out of a large majority of the airports listed on this site, you will be asked why you are there, why you are not in a hotel like a normal person and they will ask for proof that you are flying out the next day. So BE PREPARED to answer those questions and present your outbound airline ticket! They seem to not appreciate us using the airport as our personal hotels — go figure!?!? Our airport guides provide you with information such as the availability of airport lounges, WiFi, transit hotels, 24-hour food options, showers and much more at over 800 airports around the world. And you can also read airport reviews from travellers just like you.

Be prepared

When reports of an upcoming snowstorm, hurricane or erupting Icelandic volcano are in the news a few days before your trip, you really have no excuse but to go to the airport prepared for a longer than expected airport stay. Here are some recommended items for your airport survival kit:
A cheap inflatable raft • eye shades (or sunglasses) • ear plugs • bottled water and snacks • Entertainment: personal music device, laptop, books, magazines, travel diary • headphones • alarm clock • tissue/toilet paper • disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer • An airline blanket and/or pillow (borrowed - NOT STOLEN!!!) or a sleeping bag.
Final Tip: If you are travelling solo take a pen and some post-it notes. Write a "Wake me at 5:00 AM" note and stick a few on yourself and the seats around you -- it works. People will wake you.

Be safe

Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers. Make sure they are actual travellers and not homeless people – it is sometimes hard to tell in certain airports. While there have never been any reports of attacks against airport sleepers, there have been a few bum fondlings. A few ipods and laptops have also gone missing! Be smart and be safe!

Get there early

If you are staying at a busy airport overnight, you’ll have to get there early if you want a good spot, especially during the summer season (peak airport sleeping season). Airports such as London’s Stansted are so popular they can look like refugee camps on an average night. Many people complain of limited seating when they arrive at 10PM.

Scope it out

Finding a good spot may be your biggest challenge. If the situation looks dismal, explore the airport and various terminals. Take the terminal shuttles and go terminal hopping. Even if you are flying out of terminal A, you may discover that terminal C has better accommodation. In airports where there is an international and a domestic terminal, you may discover that the domestic terminal closes at night. Don’t panic, head over to the international terminal as it may remain open. Consider seating, temperature, announcements and people traffic when finding the best place to spend the night. You may need to be creative such as sleeping behind ticket counters, under and behind seats, in wheelchairs and on luggage conveyor belts. Your best source of info will be security, airport and airline staff. If you are nice, these people will likely direct you to a nice spot!

Just park it!

Whether you are stuck in the airport overnight or choose to be there voluntarily, there may be a chance that you will be uncomfortable and unhappy with your surroundings in the terminal. If you are travelling on a budget and do not want to pay for a room at one of the airport hotels, head over to the car rentals hall to find out the cost of a car rental and (assuming you can keep the car in the lot at no cost) sleep in the car. The great part about this is that you can recline on padded seats and there will be no annoying security announcements or rattling luggage carts whipping past your head throughout the night. On the negative side, car horns and screeching tires may jolt you from your slumber. Sure the car rental staff may look into your car wondering if you’ve had a stroke and the bathroom may be an issue depending on the location of the nearest toilet, but hey, you’re saving money here! Very important – remember to check the drop-off hours to ensure a staff member will be there when you “drop-off” the car before your flight the next morning! This is easier at larger airports.

Protect your bags

A major concern when sleeping in the airport is obviously getting robbed while you sleep! If you can’t keep your bags in the left luggage office overnight (check our airport guides to find out if your airport has one), you’ll need to come up with a way to make sure someone can’t access your bags. How you do this really depends on where and how you sleep, so there is no right answer. In my experience, I have always slept with zippers facing either myself, the ground or the wall. This makes gaining access more difficult and potentially noisy. There have been times when I have slept with my arm or leg over or on top of the large bag, so that if it moves, I will wake. Some people have chained their bag to their leg. I’ve never had to go that far, simply because I’m generally a light sleeper and usually wake up if I sense someone near me.

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Source : http://www.sleepinginairports.net/tips.htm

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