Sometimes, the secrets of a smoother journey, and perhaps even healthier relationships, are divisions between couples on the security line. His most recent Sunday The era British journalist Huw Oliver coined the term Airport divorce– A simple strategy he says that before the plane flies, you can change your trip with important others to stay calm, calm and harmonious from the chaotic ones.
Newly engaged Oliver admits that he and his fiancé are not strangers traveling through tensions. “At the airport, you turn into an unrecognizable being, like a werewolf,” Oliver writes of himself and his fiancé, Molwena. Sunday Times.
She prefers to slowly browse tax-free before boarding, but his nerve-jangling habit is half-run when boarding is called, with a clear view of the departure committee, seeing potential gate changes, and preparing for that nasty half-walk. Does it sound familiar? Rather than ignite the arguments, the couple tested a new tactic of “airport divorce.” They split after security and reunite only after being tied to their seats.
“My fiancé was more for that than I do,” Oliver says far away. And it worked. He admits that he shared some prominent looks with each other throughout the terminal, but time proved useful. “If you’ve already spent a holiday together, or if you arrive at the airport two hours earlier, there’s not much to talk about. It gives you a break,” he says, especially from each other’s travel quirks.
The instinct to create a little distance is not uncommon. According to a 2023 British Airways survey, Oliver cited in his column, 54% of respondents said they were adopting a whole new personality at the airport. It can be due to increased stress: Journal of Travel Medicine and Journal of Air Transport Management Travelers have shown that they tend to experience an increased anxiety at airports, especially in airports with poor lighting, airflow and organization. According to licensed clinical expert Anne M. Appelle, the resulting mood changes are often frustrating for partners, but rather typical response to situations.
“Airports are stressful. They’re basically pressure cookers,” Appel says. “You’re competing against the clock, standing on endless lines. You have little control over what happens next. You add additional stimuli like noise and crowds, and add the fact that most people are already tired by the time they arrive at the airport.
Relying on competing tactics to cope with this stress often throws couples into tail spins. “What appears to be a small preference – sitting and sitting are actually linked to deeper values like freedom and security, which are hard to hurry and compromise, and can return to the most natural trends and dig into the heels,” says Appel. She sees strong possibilities in the “airport divorce” strategy. Although not this catchy name, she was previously recommended by clients.
“Air divorce is fantastic,” Appel says. “Genius is to exchange the unity that is forced for planned autonomy. Each partner gets the control they long for an environment designed to take it away.”
However, airport divorces may not be the solution for all duos. Appel says travelling together could potentially ground if one or more partners experience anxiety. “Being with you gives you a sense of safety that helps you regulate your stress levels,” advises the counselor. “It also allows more confident travelers to model calmness and give them a sense of security.”
If you’re interested in trying to temporarily remove it from your partner, Appel says the key is structure. “There must be a clear agreement on what is mutually agreed in advance, such as meeting times at the gate. That’s not about being apart. It’s about managing unnecessary stress and nuisance, causing conflict, allowing each partner to show up as relaxed as possible at the start of the holiday.”
Veteran travel agency Jonathan Alder also sees the benefits of this approach. He and his eight-year husband have carried out airport divorces on many trips.
“He likes to wander around the store. I want to park myself on my laptop and stay away,” says Alder. They developed routines to avoid micromanaging each other’s time. A quick goodbye after security before each of them goes their own way. “I text him where I sit, but in many cases we don’t board together,” adds Alder.
From a logistical perspective, Alder says the real trick is the timing of your split. He advised that after checking the package, if it was necessary to redistribute the weight, and after passing security together, both should be kept down until they ensure TSA screening. Next, whether you’re the type who prefers to line up early with gate lice or take a leisurely walk on the plane, make sure you both have access to your tickets to avoid any last-minute anxiety.
Call it the only kind of divorce keep Marriage – at least until your package is charged.
