layovers

A luxurious airport has many posh amenities to keep passengers entertained and relaxed during layovers, and one traveller shared what she did during her eight-hour stay there

While many of us have to grin and bare threadbare airports during long waits for flights, there are a select few that offer passengers a more luxurious experience. Incheon Airport in Seoul, South Korea, is a traveller’s paradise, boasting an array of facilities to keep you relaxed and entertained.

Its Spa on Air provides showers, sauna, and even a sleeping room. There’s also a cinema, ice skating rink, Korean cultural performances, exhibitions, the K-Culture Museum, rest zones, and nap rooms, all within the airport. Lucy Q, a New York content creator who relocated to London in 2023, found herself with an eight-hour stopover at Incheon and decided to indulge in a spa day.

However, Lucy opted not to use the airport’s on-site spa and instead headed over to Cimer Spa in the nearby Paradise City complex.

She chronicled her lavish experience on YouTube, showing off the spa that’s just a free shuttle bus ride away from the airport.

Cimer prides itself on blending traditional Korean jjimjilbang culture with contemporary comforts, featuring a variety of pools and even a tornado slide. It’s a hit among long-haul layover passengers like Lucy, looking to unwind before their next flight.

In her YouTube video, Lucy shared her journey: “From the arrival terminal I took the free Paradise City bus to Paradise City. I went through the hotel and out the other side and you’ll reach the spa.”

Lucy chose to buy the aqua spa ticket, which gave her a access to all pools and saunas over a six-hour period.

Adults can grab this ticket for 60,000 KRW (£32.24), or 70,000 KRW (£37.61) during peak season from July 1 to August 31.

She detailed the process, saying that once you’ve paid your entry fee, you’re given a wristband for access to a locker and all the aquatic attractions.

Lucy commented: “The pool portion of the spa had one main room with a bunch of smaller spa things off it, like this cave pool, the glass infinity pool, different temperature pools with a DJ booth, water slides and so much more.”

The American expat then highlighted a “massive variety of spa rooms” on offer, including an amethyst room, a salt room, and a light therapy room – where she nodded off for an hour or so.

In the locker room, you’re handed traditional bath house robes to wear but Lucy suggests choosing a larger size after finding the medium uncomfortably snug.

There’s even a spot to eat at the spa. While digging into a pizza – the “cheapest thing” available – Lucy observed: “This section is also where they had food. I ordered the cheapest thing on the menu and it was surprisingly really good.”

Wrapping up her review, she noted: “On the roof they have a foot spa, an infinity pool and these interesting coloured baths. There was also a gender segregated nude sauna where you obviously could not film but there were hot and cold pools and it was really nice alternating between the two.”

Lucy concluded her travel tale by expressing she “could not have found a better way to spend a layover”, detailing that her entire experience, which covered both entry and food, came in at a mere $50, amounting to roughly £36.79.

BA has cited security concerns over potential AI-powered location identification as the main reason for the ban, which follows another set of photo rules for staff that was introduced in 2023

British Airways staff have been banned from posting photos during layovers in popular destinations, it has been reported.

The UK’s flag carrier has implemented strict new social media restrictions aimed at stopping cabin crew from sharing layover snaps from their accommodation in locations such as the Maldives, Cape Town and Singapore.

The airline has not implemented the ban in a bid to ruin all of the fun, but instead to mitigate any potential security risks. BA has cited security concerns over potential AI-powered location identification as the main reason for the ban.

It claims that sophisticated computer software could analyze seemingly innocent background details to identify specific hotel locations and crew accommodation patterns, potentially putting the flight staff in jeopardy.

Now, crew members must delete such photos and videos from their personal accounts, even private ones. Aviation A2Z reports that all British Airways members, including pilots and cabin crew, are affected.

Are you a BA staff member with an opinion on the ban? Email us at [email protected]

READ MORE: Major move at holiday hotspot could mean quicker airport queues for Brits

Get Ready With Me videos – in which people film themselves putting on their outfit for the day – filmed in hotel rooms and bathrooms are now banned. Outfit of the Day content showing off BA uniform is also on the scrapheap.

Fun photos taken in hotel pools, at private beaches and in the lobby areas are also now forbidden.

Back in February 2023, BA introduced a raft of new rules that stopped staff from posting videos and pictures while they were “professionally engaged” in their duties. That included workers on security checks, passenger service, and operational activities.

Those rules were designed to clamp down on cabin crew members documenting their lives for TikTok and Instagram followers. A ban on sharing photos of crew sat inside aircraft engines was also brought in.

Staff were unhappy at the time, with the following backlash leading BA to clarify that crew could still share photos in their uniform, so long as they weren’t actively working.

A BA spokesperson said: “The safety of our people is really important to us and as a responsible employer, we’re continuously looking at how we can improve their security.”