You know those moving walkways in airports? They seem unnecessary . . . until you try one. And then they're either a great way to walk twice as fast, or to park yourself and move without walking at all.
But according to a new report, moving walkways may be on the way out at airports . . . because the kiosks they pass by are LOSING BUSINESS.
Airports make money in two main ways: The fees related to airplanes . . . and other revenue opportunities, primarily retail and concessions.
The goal of an airport operator is NOT to get you to your gate as quickly as possible. It's to monetize your journey as much as possible. Moving walkways are bad for business, because they don’t have many exit points . . . and it reduces foot traffic for businesses.
Not only that, but the walkways are also a DIVIDER . . . separating the people walking on one side from getting to shops on the other side.
Then, there's also the cost of maintenance.
And the design also makes them inefficient to USE, with them not being very wide, while trying to accommodate walkers AND standers . . . baggage . . . as well as people with mobility issues who need extra space and time.
Supposedly these factors have led to new terminals NOT installing moving walkways, and some existing facilities ripping theirs out.