Best Buy airport kiosks: Rip off or godsend?

by Grant Martin on

America-sized vending machines are the new big things at the nation’s airports, giant robots that help you pick out the last second headphones or digital camera that you forgot to bring on the road.

If they’re anything like the airport Burger King, however, then consumers should be concerned about the markup. Like the restaurant, it’s always possible that airport retailers can inflate the price of their goods because they have a monopoly on the local market, squeezing passengers for more cash and gouging for a few extra dollars.

Concerned, Gadling Labs took a quick survey of the Las Vegas airport Best Buy Kiosk and then did a comparison with the current online prices. What we found was that prices were identical between the airport and the online store, from headphones to cameras to HD video devices. Here are a few examples:

Sony Bloggie Touch: ($199|$199) (LAS|Online)
Bose OE Audio Headphones: ($179|$179) (LAS|Online)
Skullcandy Skullcrusher Headphones ($69|$69) (LAS|Online)

What does this mean? That Best Buy is charging passing airport customers the same price that it charges its customers elsewhere. Way to go Best Buy — it’s the classy thing to do.

Video of the Day: Airport time lapse

by Mike Barish on

We’re always fascinated by the happenings at airports that we don’t always get to see. That’s why we’re captivated by this time lapse video (with bonus tilt shift effect) shot at Aeroportul Internaţional Chişinău in Chişinău, Moldova. Myriad trucks and buses roll by, passengers board planes, luggage is loaded and people go about their day in this video that makes mundane airport life really seem quite beautiful.

For people who work at an airport, these events are everyday occurrences. For the rest of us, however, they are curiosities at which we marvel through windows as we wait for our own flights to board. Airports are neat places depending on your perspective.

Bahrain plans major airport expansion

by McLean Robbins on

Bahrain International Airport (BIA) will begin a new expansion program that is expected to increase the airport’s capacity by 50 percent.

“The plans we are initiating for an expanded international airport are essential to Bahrain‘s continued development, not only in providing businesses in Bahrain with the access they demand for the future, but also in bolstering the growing aviation and logistics industry in the kingdom,” said Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chairman of the Bahrain Airport Company.

The entire expansion program is expected to take four years and add 40,000 square meters, five new gates and forty check-in counters, boosting the airport capacity from 9 million to 13.5 million passengers, reported Arabian Business News. This project – which will help drive business investment and infrastructure development – follows recent investment in housing, water and education following the lifting of the State of National Safety by His Majesty King Hamad.

Seeing international airports expand is always a positive sign for travelers, as it means increased flight numbers and lower prices.

[Flickr via Jacobs Creative Bees]

UK strike slows down ports and airports

by Sean McLachlan on

UK airports and ports are experiencing delays as many customs and immigration officials are on a one-day strike.

The UK Border Agency is one of several UK public sector unions on strike over plans to change pensions, a move they say will have employees working longer, paying more into the system, and getting less out of it when they retire.

Some Border Agency workers started early, at 6pm yesterday, and most airports and ports are reporting some delays. These delays aren’t as bad as were expected, however, because qualified managers have stepped in to fulfill the absent workers’ duties and not all workers are on strike. Still, if you’re flying into the UK today, don’t expect to be relaxing in your hotel an hour after you land.

Passengers leaving the UK will not be affected because they don’t go through customs. Airport security workers are not on strike.

Other government facilities such as schools, courts, and offices are also closed or giving limited service.

[Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

Strike to cause delays at UK ports and airports tomorrow

by Sean McLachlan on

A massive public sector strike planned for tomorrow in the UK will slow down travel in ports and airports.

An estimated 750,000 public sector workers will go on a one-day strike in protest over proposed changes to pensions, and this will include thousands of customs and immigration officials. UK ports and airports will remain open but passengers should expect delays.

Most schools and many other government buildings will be closed tomorrow. Strike organizers complain that the new public sector pension scheme will make employees work longer, put more money into the system, but get less when they retire.

[Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons]