Just In Time For Delays Caused By Runway Construction

Pardon the California stereotype, but we didn't make this up. Four years of runway construction at San Francisco International Airport is coincidentally getting underway just as a new "Zen Room" opens, so passengers stressed out over the delays will be able to keep themselves stress-free, centered and stretched, just inside the security checkpoint in Terminal 2.

The San Francisco Examiner reports the construction has prompted the FAA to downgrade SFO from a Level 1 Hub to Level 2, a status defined in International Air Transport Association guidelines, based on the expectation of increased delays. Even without the new potential for delays, the airport has a poor record for delays caused by issues such as frequent fog and dense scheduling of operations by the airlines during peak traffic hours.

The new Level 2 designation officially starts March 25, coinciding with the start of the summer travel season. The only other major US commercial airport with  Level 2 rating is Chicago O'Hare.

Airport Bureau of Planning and Environmental Affairs spokesman John Bergener says the downgrade may be overreacting by the FAA. He tells the Examiner most of the construction will be carried out at night, and even daytime work will leave about 9,000 feet available on the runways.

But enough of this stressful talk. What about the new yoga room?

In its official announcement, airport management says, "Drawing inspiration from contemporary color and light artists, the architects...designed a room enveloped in a calming blue color. A floating wall symbolizes a buoyant spirit and enlightened mind. Large, felt-constructed rocks will be arranged throughout in a nod to the Zen garden spaces of the Japanese tradition.

Melissa Mizell, a director for Gensler Design, which created the design, says it "aims to elevate the passenger experience. The Yoga Room gives modern travelers a space that fosters and supports quiet and reflection. Those aren’t emotions that people typically encounter at the airport."

No kidding. Especially at TSA checkpoints. The room is located in Terminal 2 next to the "Recompose Area," the airport's term for the space provided to put removed articles of clothing back on after screening.

CBS-5 TV notes that while a pre-flight facial or a backrub at the airport spa costs money, using the yoga room will be free, and even a few TSA agents said they might use it.

Tip for travelers: If you're in Terminal 2 and spot a TSO in a standing half-forward bend, avoid the temptation to conduct a retaliatory pat-down.

FMI: www.flysfo.com/web/page/about/news/pressrel/2012/sf1205.html