10 things every airport needs

Ever wondered how long you’ve wasted just waiting around at airports: in transit, delayed or just turned up too early? Steve Madgwick has…

But as the waiting is (to a certain extent) inevitable, the peops at Australian Traveller started wondering what new services could Australian airports have that would help melt away those wasted hours constructively (or otherwise). Some airports already have them, some need them and some will likely never get them, but here are 10 services that we think all airports should have!

1. Sleep capsules

Thinly padded waiting lounges or pulling up your own patch of carpet no longer cuts it, we want sleeping pods, like the ones in Abu Dhabi Airport. The by-the-hour chairs have a shutter over the top and, most importantly, fold completely flat.

2. Nail bar

Instead of having to worry about finding someone to buff and polish you at your destination, why not check in and have them done instead of staring at the departures board. Saves you having the “nail file isn’t a weapon" argument going through security too.

3. Showers

First and business class aren’t the only jets setters that deserve a proper freshen-up. We mean real, sparklingly clean showers with proper vestibules where your carry-on won’t get saturated. Fresh towels are a must too (because who carries around a spare Missoni in their hand luggage) so be prepared to pay a few dollars for the experience.

4. Running Track/Gym/golf driving range

All that space and all that plane food means the couple of hours’ delay might be a sound time for a couple of laps around the terminal. In-terminal by-the-minute gym equipment would also be good way to help prevent deep vein thrombosis onset. Obviously, must be used in conjunction with the posh showers mentioned above.

5. Personal cinemas

Sick of staring at the 24 news feed on the terminal television monitors? What about intimate, one-person rooms where you can pay a little spare change for a variety of shows, tailored to your length of wait? Plane coming soon: An episode of The Big Bang. Long delay: Start with one episode of Game of Thrones and work you way through as required.

6. Masseuses

Some airports in Australia already have massage shops, such as Mandarin Massage at Sydney Airport , but we believe that they are must – and the more choice the better value (theoretically at least). Nothing calms you down for a long-haul flight like a good shoulder rub (matched with a nice glass of Sémillon as well).

7. Segways

Last-minute purchase at the other end of the ridiculously long terminal? No problem, jump on your complimentary Segway (stand-up electric scooter). We suggest designated Segway-only lanes to prevent Seg-and-runs.

8. Local produce restaurants

Airports worldwide can feel generic, sterile and lacking in local flavour. We think that Cooper’s Alehouse at Adelaide airport is setting a great example of showcasing truly local products. Restaurants serving regional wines and locally grown produce should be mandatory, perhaps displacing a few of the overpriced multinational takeaways along the way.

9. Funpark for the kids

Some airports, such as Singapore’s Changi, cater for kids, with its four-storey slide, but we think airports should go one step further. Long delay and the kids are screaming? Jump on the in-terminal roller coaster and scare the wait out of them.

10. Hairdresser/barber

We think the guys would feel oh-so practical using their delay time to get a trim from a good ol’ fashioned (reasonably priced) barber. Not sure how women’s hairdresser would go though – a couple of hours is not quite long enough to build up that ‘special’ trust.

Time your visit to Margaret River just right, and you can spend the ultimate weekend wining, dining and exploring the region with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Wine, world-class produce, surf, sun and beaches: it’s an alluring combination. And the reason so many pin the Margaret River region high on their travel hit-lists. There’s drawcard after drawcard to the southwestern corner of Western Australia, and the Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover food and wine festival showcases the best of it over the course of one weekend in November. It’s never been easier to sip, see and savour the Margaret River region.

In partnership with Pair’d Margaret River Region, Range Rover invites you on a seven-day itinerary of refined adventure, where luxury and exploration go hand in hand. It’s the perfect WA road trip, and there’s no better way to do it than in a Range Rover.

Day 1

the pool at Pullman Bunker Bay — Check into Pullman Bunker Bay.

There’s no more popular West Australian road trip route than that between Perth and the Margaret River Region. It’s an easily digestible, three-hour drive, with worthy pit stops along the way.

Make the first of them one hour and 15 minutes in, at Lake Clifton. Here, find a 2000-year-old living thrombolite reef. Drive for a further 40 minutes and chance meeting some of Bunbury’s dolphin population at Koombana Bay.

Pullman Bunker Bay is the final stop, just over three hours south of Perth. This beachfront, five-star resort is the ultimate base for exploring the Margaret River Wine region.

Day 2

After a leisurely morning breakfast with an ocean view, start your Range Rover and head towards the Dunsborough town centre. Browsing the decidedly coastal-themed goods of the town’s many independent boutiques is a great way to while away the hours, breaking up the sartorial with an artisan gelato snack stop, or some good old-fashioned Australian bakery fare.

Leave room; you’ll need it for the Good Natured Gathering dinner at Wayfinder. Indulge in a four-course feast by chef Felipe Montiel, which uses produce from the winery’s market garden to enhance a selection of sustainably sourced seafood and meat. But food is just the support act. It’s organic wine that’s the star of the show, generously poured and expertly paired to each dish.

Day 3

Settle in for cabernet at Cape Mentelle Winery.

With a grand total of 20 wines from vintage 2022 to try, it’s a good thing Cape Mentelle’s International Cabernet Tasting kicks off early. Make your way to the estate for a 10:00 AM start, where a global selection of wines will be poured blind, before a long lunch by Tiller Dining is served.

Given that the Margaret River is responsible for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s fine wine production, it’s only right to delve into it while in the area.

Continue exploring the region via taste and terroir aboard Alison Maree, a whale-watching catamaran, as you cruise Geographe Bay . Admire the rolling green hills and crisp white beaches of Quindalup in sunset’s golden light, all the while sipping through the Clairault Streicker catalogue and dining on canapes.

For a more substantial dinner, venture into Busselton for a seven-course British x Australian mash-up , courtesy of Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion) and Oliver Kent (Updown Farmhouse, UK). They’ll be putting their rustic yet refined spin on the likes of local marron, wagyu and abalone – championing the simple beauty of the world-class ingredients.

Day 4

Wrap your fingers around a wine glass and wiggle your toes into the sand at Pair’d Beach Club x Range Rover on Meelup Beach. Sit down to an intimate wine session with sommelier Cyndal Petty – or a four-course feast by Aaron Carr of Yarri – and revel in the open-air beach club, bar and restaurant’s laidback coastal vibe. It’s a whole new way to experience one of the region’s most renowned beaches.

Follow up a day in the sun with a casual Italian party at Mr Barvel Wines . Purchase wines –including the elusive, sold-out Nebbia – by the glass and enjoy canapes with the towering Karri forest as a backdrop.

If you’d prefer to keep it local, head to Skigh Wines for the New Wave Gathering , where the region’s independent wine makers and their boundary-pushing wines will be on show. Street-style eats, a DJ and complimentary wine masterclasses complete the experience.

Day 5

pair'd Grand Tasting — Taste your way through Howard Park Wines. (Image: C J Maddock)

Spend the morning at your leisure, driving the winding roads through the Boranup Karri forest in your Range Rover. Soak in the views at Contos Beach, and call into the small cheese, chocolate and preserve producers along the way.

Make your next stop Howard Park Wines for The Grand Tasting presented by Singapore Airlines . Numerous wine labels will be pouring their catalogues over four hours, accompanied by food from chefs Matt Moran and Silvia Colloca, with live opera providing the soundtrack.

Cap off a big weekend with one last hurrah at Busselton Pavilion. Six ‘local legends’ – chefs Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow (Chow’s Table), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Ben Jacob (Lagoon Yallingup), Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddies) and Laura Koentjoro (Banksia Tavern) – will be preparing a dish each. Dance the night away as vinyl spins and the sun sets on another day.

Day 6

Ngilgi Cave western australia — Head underground. (Image: Tourism WA)

After a busy few days of wining and dining, it’s wise to observe a rest day. There’s no easier task than unwinding in the Margaret River Region, also famous for its high concentration of world-class beaches.

Relax on the grassy knoll as you watch the region’s most experienced surfers braving the World Surf League break at Surfer’s Point, or don your own wetsuit and try out one of Gracetown’s more beginner-friendly waves. Swimmers will find their Eden at Meelup Beach, Eagle Bay, or Point Piquet, where the sand is brilliantly white and the water as still as a backyard swimming pool.

Not into sun, sand, and surf? Head underground at Mammoth Cave, just one of the region’s many stalactite-filled caves.

Day 7

Burnt Ends event at Pair'd — Farewell the Margaret River.

Pack up your Range Rover with new favourite wines and newfound memories, ready for the three-hour journey back to Perth.

Prebook your discovery journey through the south-west corner of Western Australia with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Top 10 services all airports must have