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
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