Thursday, 18 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Travel

Sharon Stephenson: Privy to private acts

13 May, 2015 05:00 PM3 minutes to read
A recent survey found that airports have become the new Mile High Club. Photo / Thinkstock

A recent survey found that airports have become the new Mile High Club. Photo / Thinkstock

NZ Herald
By Sharon Stephenson

Cubicle coupling in an airport loo is too much for Sharon Stephenson.

There are times in life when swearing seems an entirely appropriate response. Sometimes, it is the only response.

Stumbling across a couple having relations in a toilet at Heathrow's Terminal Three definitely fell into the latter category.

A smidgen of context: I'd been away from home for three weeks, criss-crossing the globe and dutifully filling pages with notes to be moulded into travel stories when I got home. I was tired, it was hot and sticky - the way only London in June can do hot and sticky - and, having lugged an overweight suitcase on three Tube lines, none of which had escalators (how do the disabled get on in this city?), my sanity had almost completed its unravelling.

All I wanted to do was zip across 12 time zones and sink into the welcome embrace of my own bed.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

But Heathrow, always an exercise in stretching patience, had other ideas.

"If Dante had lived today, and spent any time in Heathrow, his circles of hell would probably have looked very different," said the chap in front of me as we waited an eternity to check in. I couldn't have agreed more.

One quick loo stop, I thought, and I would be ready to board. Except my choice of toilet turned out to be the wrong one and as soon as I entered, I heard the distinct sound of coupling coming from the disabled cubicle. Despite coughing loudly to let the inhabitants know that they weren't alone, the tryst continued.

I should have made my way out of there faster than an Exocet missile but my bladder made me stay. So I uttered several bad words, did what I had to do as quickly as possible and got the hell out of Dodge.

Apparently I'm not alone. A recent survey by flight comparison website Jetcost.co.uk of 2520 British people found that airports have become the new Mile High Club, with one in 10 over the age of 18 admitting to doing the wild thing in airports. Of those who had pre-flight sex, 76 per cent opted for a rendezvous in the toilets, and 21 per cent decided to take the risk in storage areas.

When asked why they did it, 32 per cent admitted to being "in the holiday spirit", and 27 per cent said they liked the thrill of not knowing if they would get caught.

Related articles

Travel

Be the perfect passenger

23 Apr 06:16 PM
Travel

Shandelle Battersby: Pre-trip prep

27 Apr 05:00 PM
Travel

Rosalie France: Canine get a witness?

06 May 05:00 PM
Travel

On stealing toiletries

12 May 06:16 PM

Only 12 per cent 'fessed up to having been caught by staff or members of the public.

Antoine Michelat, co-founder of Jetcost.co.uk, reported being shocked by the results. "We're surprised more people haven't been caught in the act. Clearly, intimate acts in airports are even more common than those that take place on planes!"

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

To determine whether it was purely a UK trend, 1000 Europeans were also surveyed. The results showed that the Italians (17 per cent) were the most amorous in airports, followed by the Spanish (14 per cent) and the Germans (8 per cent), with the French lagging behind with only 3 per cent.

Not to be left out, the Americans are also at it, with plainclothes police at the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia, arresting more than 30 people in three months for indecent exposure and public sex acts in the toilets.

Don't say you weren't warned.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

TravelUpdated

Family disgusted by four-hour flight in vomit-covered seats

18 Aug 10:00 AM
Travel

'Moron' tourists hunted down by Venice Mayor after surfing along canal

18 Aug 01:00 AM
Premium
Travel

Tech hacks to make travelling right now less of a headache

18 Aug 12:30 AM
Travel

Very Impressive, Perth: Eleven ways to find luxury on a Western Australian city break

17 Aug 10:26 PM
Travel

Bali is back: Nusa inbound with these top travel deals

17 Aug 08:00 PM

Most Popular

Live: Army evacuating residents near Nelson over slips, high tide fears
New Zealand

Live: Army evacuating residents near Nelson over slips, high tide fears

18 Aug 09:00 AM
Judge changes little boy's name to avoid links to criminal dad
New Zealand|Crime

Judge changes little boy's name to avoid links to criminal dad

18 Aug 08:00 AM
Seally season: Seal chases cat into marine biologist's lounge
New Zealand

Seally season: Seal chases cat into marine biologist's lounge

18 Aug 06:18 AM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP