Philadelphia International Airport has added workout equipment to terminal waiting areas and shopping zones, in order for travelers to exercise and improve their well-being before take off.
The airport recently swapped regular rocking chairs with stationary exercise bikes, as part of its "Just Plane Fun" customer appreciation program, reports NBC News. This trend will further promote an active lifestyle and, hopefully, get travelers out of their seats.
Passengers can work out to relieve stress, or simply to burn some calories and feel good before they are sedentary for the duration of a long flight.
Rich Hebert, a frequent traveler and the Ceo of Smooth Fitness, helped to donate exercise equipment to the airport for their summer program. Every two weeks, new shipments of low-impact machines will be scattered around the terminals, with hopes of attracting passengers' attention, according to NBC News.
"It's easy to stiffen up on short or long flights, but even light cardio exercise that doesn't work up a sweat can help travelers stay loose," Hebert said.
Apparently, frequent travelers are noticing the equipment and taking full advantage of it. 62-year-old Tom Currie, who had a three-hour layover on his way from San Diego to Rome, was searching for an outlet to charge his cell phone when he noticed the work-out bikes positioned close by.
"...The bikes are right next to the outlets, so I figured this was a good way to get some exercise instead of sitting around," stated Currie. This is the reaction that Philadelphia International Airport aims for; they hope that there will be a trickling effect and more passengers will utilize these resources to benefit their health and relax their bodies.
The airport now contains 30 exercise bikes because of the overwhelmingly positive response from the public. They hope to gather enough funds to make fitness platforms permanent.
James Tyrrell, deputy director of aviation, said, "Traveling to and through airports is stressful for many people, and our job is to make that experience less stressful and more enjoyable. This exercise equipment helps us meet that goal. And so far, response in social media and elsewhere has been off the hook," NBC News states.
