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The Surprising—and Sneaky—Reason Why Airports Are Carpeted

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Mental Floss

1 Mar 2022

The queues at the check-in, security and immigration may be long and tire most travellers, physically and mentally. Just before you board the aircraft, you probably have that extra 45 mins - 1 hr that you would like to spend relaxed and calm your nerves. The time between when a passenger clears security and boards their plane is called “dwell time.” This is when the passengers are at a loose end and most likely to spend.


That’s pretty much why so many airports installed carpeting in the first place. If you’re feeling cozy and relaxed while you wait, there’s a better chance you’ll end up exploring the terminal and shelling out cash in a store or two.


According to a survey, satisfied passengers are twice as likely to shop, and they spend about 7 percent more money on retail items and 10 percent more on duty-free items.


It's apparently enough of a boost to outweigh the obvious drawbacks of carpeting, which is more difficult to clean than hard flooring and probably slows down luggage-laden travelers. It also has the added benefit of giving everyone a break from the sound of our suitcases rolling across the floor.

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