The air traveler's dilemma: catch your flight or grab a drink?

We’ve all been there - hungry and thirsty at an airport just minutes before the flight boards. Do you rush to buy a snack and drink, risking missing the flight? Or get on the plane hoping the snacks don’t run out before they get to your row? It’s a risk/benefit analysis all frequent travelers must contemplate: 

How hungry are you?

If you’re really hungry or thirsty, you’ll probably take your chances trying to buy something before the flight. With traditional stores, you're likely to face long lines - especially during rush hour. So, there’s a good chance you’ll miss your flight by waiting or be forced to run out of the store with nothing to avoid missing your flight.

How short is the flight?

Perhaps you're hungry but expecting a quick flight so you board the plane without grabbing a snack. No problem as long as everything goes to plan. But backed-up runways or unexpected issues can delay takeoff by hours and turbulence can cancel in-flight service altogether, so there’s no guarantee you’ll get to eat or drink during your flight. 

Making matters worse:

As summer travel season approaches, two trends are making these options even less appealing:

• This year’s summer’s travel demand is already breaking records, so travelers can expect airports (and airport shops) to be more crowded than ever
• The FAA is expecting a 45% increase in flight delays this summer at some airports, so travelers will spend more time waiting than flying  

Checkout-free eliminates this dilemma 

With checkout-free shopping, you can grab what you want without risking missing your flight. There’s no checkout line, so you can be in and out in about a minute, no matter how crowded the store. It’s great for family shopping, too. Tap a credit card to enter as a family, let everyone take what they want, and zip out. There are no lines, no scanning, and no stopping. Plus with Zippin, there’s no sign-up or app required to shop the store, just smooth sailing through the store and onto the plane. See how Zippin is helping airport retailers better serve customers and grow their business with checkout-free technology.