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18 airportbusiness August/September 2014 AIRPORT AMENITIES REVIEW By Ronnie L. Garrett WHEN the stress of travel rears its ugly head, travelers need a place to rest, relax and recharge. For a growing number of airports this respite takes shape as a yoga room that provides travelers with a tranquil space to escape terminal mayhem. Nearly a year ago, Burlington International Airport joined O'Hare International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Dallas- Fort Worth International Airport in offering yoga rooms for travelers to get into their downward-facing dog or receive a needed dose of inner peace away from the turbulence of travel. "At Burlington International we are always trying to create a better experience for the traveling public," says Aviation Director Gene Richards. "Airports are stressful places, so we're trying to offer different amenities to reduce that stress. We already offer things as simple as free luggage carts, free WiFi and charging stations. The yoga room fit well into our philosophy." The yoga room offers a relaxed and mellow vibe, with its grassy-green and tangerine-colored walls, sustainable bamboo floors, soft lighting and sheer white privacy curtains. "The space is very temple like," Richards says, adding that he often goes there himself to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy airport. Richards says Burlington must toe the line on its budget, meaning this amenity could not have a high price tag. Through partnerships with the community, the airport created this sooth- ing sanctuary at no cost. Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga of Burlington agreed to outfit and maintain the space, while a local flooring expert installed the floor and a glass professional added privacy glass. "It didn't take a lot of arm twisting to get their support. It was something they believed in," he says. "I think partnerships are really important to the community; these things don't have to be built on your back." Janet Carscadden, owner of Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga, reports they want- ed to help create a space that offered a respite from travel. She explains moving through the poses of yoga diffuses the tension that can build while traveling. "When you're trying to think about where your right foot and your left goes, you're not thinking about whether your luggage is going to make it," she explains. The traveler's oasis has been well received by the airport's customers. The space is in use daily by both customers and airport employees. Rest, Relax and Recharge Burlington International Airport's yoga room helps passengers escape the turbulence of travel