GETTING DE-LAYED
LOCAL AIRPORTS ARE TOP HOOKUP HUBS

From: The New York Post

By LUKAS I. ALPERT

FLY HERE OFTEN? Numerous delays and readily available bars make Newark, JFK and La Guardia airports hot spots for love at first flight.

December 10, 2007 -- Think getting delayed at the airport is a real drag? Think again.

A new survey shows that the metropolitan area's three main airports rank among the top five in the country as places to "make a connection" by scoring a date with a sexy someone while waiting for your plane to take off.

While Philadelphia International Airport comes in first in the nation, Newark International ranks second, JFK third and La Guardia fifth out of the 37 transit hubs ranked.

"There's a different set of rules for meeting people while traveling, and guys and girls know what they can do to make sure their game isn't grounded even when their flight is," said Johnny Jet, editor in chief of the travel Web site johnnyjet.com.

But Jet said different rules apply to playing the field once one crosses through the security checkpoint.

"Since there is no mutual friend to vouch for you, it's always better to just ask for the person's e-mail," he said.

"But don't ask for it in the first 15 minutes of meeting someone, because you can use that time waiting for your flight as an opportunity for them to get to know you."

The survey took into account three main criteria:

* On-time performance of the planes - the longer the delays, the greater chance of hooking up.

* Amenities - like bars - available to travelers

* Prevalence of bad weather, which lengthens down time for travelers.

For example, Philly's airport ranks among the nation's worst for flight delays, with 32 percent of flights not getting out of the gate on time.

But the airport in the "City of Brotherly Love" offers 16 bars, seven lounges and 57 restaurants, giving plenty of opportunity to meet a fellow stranded traveler.

Newark, JFK and La Guardia all rank high with delayed flights, too. They also offer a plethora of places to drink, eat and stare into the eyes of a potential mate.

Not surprisingly, smaller airports, such as Oakland International and Sky Harbor International in Phoenix - which tend to have far better on-time percentages and far fewer amenities for travelers - scored poorly in the ranking.

lukas.alpert@nypost.com