The flight is delayed again -- ah, that feels good

Ricky Yngsdal flies at least twice a month, but lately he has been spending more time in airports than on planes because of the soaring pace of flight delays, cancellations and missed connections.

So how does he cope?

"I eat and shop at the airport," said the Glendale resident and shipping manager for General Mills Inc.

Other passengers are getting manicures, pedicures, massages, haircuts and even "revitalizing" aromatherapy, a way of relaxing by breathing in botanical oil scents.

In this year of record-setting air travel delays, many passengers are resigned to getting stuck at the gate longer and more often. And they're getting a little desperate to find different ways to whittle away their time.

The average passenger now spends 108 minutes at the airport, more than double the amount of so-called dwell-time passengers in 2000 spent waiting, according to Airport Interviewing & Research Inc., a market research firm.

There is money to be made in having captive consumers with nowhere to go. So fancy restaurants and upscale retailers are setting up kitchens and shops next to slot machines and "oxygen" lounges.

"The sheer number of people at airports is growing exponentially and the time they're spending at the airport is growing," said Ira Weinstein, president of Airport Interviewing & Research. "I know of no concessionaire that has gone into the airport and has not done well."

Brooks Brothers is opening a store at Sacramento International Airport, and Gucci and Sephora now vie for affluent frequent fliers at San Francisco International. At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Le Bodega Winery has wine consultants help passengers discern the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

"Once you get coffee, newspaper and a bite to eat, there is still 30 minutes left, so why not get a manicure?" said Karen Janson, a co-founder of 10 Minute Manicure, which opened its first nail salon last year and now has stores in nine airports. It has plans for six more by next spring, including salons at New York's John F. Kennedy and Washington's Dulles international airports. The 10-minute manicures cost $15.

Susan Maroko, a staff representative for the United Steel Workers union and a frequent traveler, is a big fan of 10 Minute Manicure after recently getting her nails done while waiting for a flight out of Hartford, Conn., that had been delayed about an hour and a half.