The best ways to kill time at airports
By Daisy Carrington, for CNN • Updated 1st July 2014
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Last year at airports across the world 18% of flights were delayed, leaving millions of passengers stuck with a lot of time on their hands.
Most of us can kill time at airports with a bit of shopping or the distractions provided by our smartphones, but some instead choose to get creative.
Richard Dunn is a case in point. Earlier this month, he found himself stuck overnight as Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport, and decided to pass the time by shooting a music video of himself lip-synching the Celine Dion cover of "All by Myself." Shortly after posting it on Vimeo, the video went viral.
We asked our readers to submit images of them killing time, and found that pre-boarding, they can get pretty quirky.
Make a game of it
Earlier this month, Daniel Wiersema, from Austin, Texas, was traveling with fellow members of the American Outlaws, a soccer fan club that travels to matches worldwide to show support for the USA. He was one of 530 members who flew to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
At George HW Bush International Airport, however, he and his fellow fans found they had time to kill before boarding.
Guy channels Celine Dion while stranded at airport. Jeanne Moos talks to the man who took over a terminal "All By Myself."
A man had a huge surprise planned for his girlfriend who was waiting for him at a Missouri airport. KHSB reports.
CNN's Richard Quest attempts the daunting task of landing at Atlanta International Airport in a flight simulator.
"Myself and about eight others began passing a ball around, and it broke into a full out game," he recalls.
Do you have a photo or video demonstrating how you kill time at the airport? Share them with CNN iReport and it may be added to the gallery above.
Be a fly on the wall
Sometimes, people-watching provides its own rewards. Training consultant Nick Holyoake found this to be true while waiting around at arrivals at London's Stansted Airport. He happened to notice a woman who, despite her bright yellow dress and smiley face balloon, looked "sad and solitary", he says.
"She looked like she made such an effort for someone who was either late or never coming," Holyoake hypothesizes.
"The paradox between the bright yellow of her hopefulness and the reality that all was most likely not going smoothly grabbed me."
When he noticed her cover her face with the balloon, he couldn't help but snap a picture.
Hit the lounge
Some travelers, meanwhile, found themselves actually relishing their flight delays. Freddy Sherman, a luxury travel blogger, was so pleased with the amenities at Istanbul Ataturk Airport's CIP Lounge that he was loathe to board his flight. In addition to a spacious billiards area, the lounge also sports a golf simulator.
"I travel frequently and have experienced a lot of airport lounges, but this one constantly amazes me with all the things to see, do and eat," he says.
"I actually wanted my plane to be delayed so I could spend more time there."
