Zen Classes in the Airport Lounge

Wednesday 01 August 2007

You can now take the stress and boredom out of waiting at Paris airports by participating in free leisure classes in the departure lounge.

Conscious of their poor image with both international and French passengers, the airport authority at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports have introduced a 'l'école des vacances' for departing passengers.

The classes started at the end of June and will run over each weekend until the middle of August.

A dozen classes have been introduced over the whole period, including those in taï-chi, foreign cultures, massage, skin and beauty care, aromatherapy and nutrition. A quiet room for reading and sleeping has also been provided.

The classes run for about 15 minutes, each provided by a specialist in the field. The investment by the airport is not insubstantial, with over 300 people being employed to organise and run the classes.

Whilst the classes are intended to serve as a means of relaxation, the authorities have also picked up on the growing interest for holiday makers to seek more than just relaxation during their holidays.

A recent study found that 80% of holidaymakers wanted an ‘enriching’ experience out of their summer holiday, notably through increased knowledge, or participation in a new activity.

The airport authority expects around 15 million holidaymakers to pass through their gates this summer.

Many of them may be only too willing to take up the offer of a leisure class, as they try to cope with the frequent disruption caused by striking air traffic controllers at the airports!