Just when travelers thought they had run out of things to complain about at the airport, their fading laptops and cellphones have signaled yet another problem: a shortage of power outlets.
Airport concourses, particularly older ones, were never known for their abundance of electrical sockets. But a convergence of factors — including new wireless Internet access in terminals, stricter airport security measures and the proliferation of power-hungry gadgets — has added to the deficit of outlets. Airports are rushing to add new ones.
Savvy air travelers rely on their instincts to sniff out the nearest power. “The easiest way to find a power outlet is to think like the cleaning lady,� said Robert Cowen, a frequent traveler who also publishes a Web site for travelers. “Where do they plug in the vacuum cleaner? The answer to that is where you’ll find a power plug. Very often, it’s in a pillar or behind a row of seats on the wall.�
Photo by grendelkhan.
John on June 11th, 2007 at 12:49 am
That is funny. Older restaurants that are retrofitted with WiFi are also interesting places to find an outlet. I desparately searched around a deli in Toledo for an outlet, none to be found on the base of the walls - but when I looked up, there was a spare outlet in the ceiling where the neon “open” window sign was plugged in. I had to stand on a chair to plug in, but it worked!