If you’ve ever felt a surge of anxiety when entering an airport, you are not alone. The noise, crowds, and stress of completing all the check-in procedures prior to boarding the flight can lead to overwhelm. Add in the elemental emotions of sadness and excitement—depending on whether you are leaving with a heavy heart or eagerly awaiting your destination—and it becomes apparent that being at ease in such a fluid environment can be difficult.
Airports have a role in making customers' travel experiences as comfortable as possible. Recently, the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi teamed up with the Animal Angels Foundation to offer passengers the opportunity to interact with therapy dogs to ease their discomfort. Travellers can take advantage of this scheme at Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm.
It’s just not Delhi Airport, however, that has implemented such initiatives in a bid to counteract travel anxiety among passengers. Here’s how airports in India and around the world are making the travel experience more comfortable and reassuring.
Neurodivergent individuals, such as those who are on the autism spectrum or have sensory processing disorder (SPD), anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other sensory or mental health conditions, can rest easy at Kempegowda International Airport’s sensory room.
Located in the Terminal 2 building, the room has multiple ambient lighting sources such as a bubble tube, galaxy projector, and LED cubes that offer diverse sensory stimulation, encourage visual tracking, and allow for personalised sensory input.
Research in sensory regulation and occupational therapy indicates that even brief periods (15-30 minutes) in a calming, sensory-friendly environment can significantly alleviate feelings of being overwhelmed and enhance wellbeing.
Travellers departing from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport can take advantage of their “Pawfect” initiative. Under this unique program, nine specially trained therapy dogs roam Terminal 2 from Friday to Sunday (3 pm to 11 pm) to provide passengers with emotional support and companionship. The trained dogs include a golden retriever, a Maltese, a Shih Tzu, a Lhasa Apso, a labrador, and a rescued Siberian husky.
Changi Airport is often rated as one of the best airports in the world. It offers a wealth of experiences for travellers, from climbing spaces to massive art installations scattered all over the building. There’s even a movie theatre in Terminal 3!
Arguably, its best feature is the numerous gardens that invite visitors to immerse themselves in a natural landscape. The Shiseido Forest Valley is a lush green sanctuary with more than 900 trees and palms, and there are plenty of walking trails. The Jewel Rain Vortex is a spectacular 40m waterfall, the world’s tallest, will mesmerise you. There’s also a canopy bridge, a cactus garden, a butterfly garden, a hedge maze, and more at the airport—you will wish you had a longer layover to take it all in!
The yoga rooms at the San Francisco International Airport are located in all three terminals and are devoted to relaxation, self-reflection, and yoga. The facility is free to use, and passengers are given mats to practise mindfulness and relaxation in a soothing environment.
Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands has a spa and meditation centre. A “biohacking orb” in Lounge 2 combines five holistic therapies, providing soothing sounds, gentle vibrations, infrared heat, calming colours, and pleasant scents that will rejuvenate and relax passengers. Guests can choose the “flow and go” setting to enhance focus and mental clarity or “flight mode” for a peaceful and relaxed time.
A meditation centre in Lounge 2 is a non-denominational and interfaith space where passengers can pray, meditate, or just relax in silence. There is also an on-site library for their enjoyment.
