Traveller"s sleeping pods

What can you do if the duration of your transit does not justify getting a airport hotel room? Abu Dhabi has the solution.

TIRED passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi International Airport can now get some shut-eye before catching their next flight in sleeping pods which convert into flat beds and slide fully shut.

Ten Finnish-designed pods have been rolled out across Terminals 1 and 3, where passengers in transit can cocoon themselves in the self-contained armchairs and catch a quick snooze.

The pods feature a sliding shade that enclose users in their own private space and shut out the din of rolling suitcases, foot traffic, airport announcements and fluorescent lights.

Plans for upgrades are also in the works to include Internet access, secure storage for luggage, and charging stations for laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Another 35 chairs are on order to be installed later this year. Chairs can be rented out for Dhs45 (RM41) an hour.

Though the airport is billing it as a world-first, Dubai Airport launched a similar concept back in 2011 with their “SnoozeCubes”, which were self-contained, sound-proof, lie-flat units also offering weary passengers a bit of respite.

These are just some of the innovations coming out of award-winning airports that aim to take the stress out of travelling. Singapore Changi Airport, which topped Skytrax’s World’s Best Airport Awards this year, features tropical rooftop gardens, movie theatres, free foot massages and free tours into the city for transits longer than five hours. – AFP RelaxNews

 

Traveller"s sleeping pods