Sometime it happens to every international traveler. Sooner or later you will be standing in the airport looking at the information screens, waiting for information on your flight. Then it happens, next to the flight name you see the single magical word ‘canceled’.  After that you get to queue up to speak to a representative for the airline. If you can treat them politely and keep from swearing they will get you on the next flight. It is not until the next day, then what do you do?

Airport hotels are some of the most expensive places you can stay, and if a lot of planes have been canceled you may find  that the hotel is booked out. That’s when  you realise that you will be sleeping in the airport. Obviously this is pretty far from ideal. Amazingly there has been a website dedicated to sharing information and tips on sleeping in airports as well as stories of the same since 1996!

There is a lot of useful information to be found on sleepinginairports.net. This ranges from tips as to the best places in airports to get your head down and safety to reviews of particular airports! Some of the things that they suggest are just good solid common sense, for instance make sure you have something to keep you entertained as you while away the long hours in the terminal, others most people would never think of.

The most surprising tip that the have is that you don’t necessarily need to be flying first class or with a particular airline to use the first class lounges they operate. The trick to getting into these lounges is, of course, to pay. The fees that are charged can actually work out as being pretty low when you take into consideration the fact that drinks drinks are sometimes included in the price.

Another top tip is that if you cant find or afford a room you may be able to do something else to get a quite place with a roof over your head to catch a kip.  Go to the car hire place, book yourself something with comfy seats and then relax in the serene and restful environment of the airport car park!