LOS ANGELES -- The Gate Escape is giving travelers a reason to
relish their time at the Los Angeles Airport.
The facility, which bills itself as "a full-service cyberport
and office productivity center" is located in terminal 8.
There are 29 semiprivate stations with flat-screen monitors in
this cybersetting. Patrons have access to the Internet and can surf
more than 100 satellite television channels, play computer games,
make phone calls, print documents and take care of other tasks.
Concierge service also is available.
Some of the other tasks travelers can take care of are: sending
and receiving faxes, shipping overnight documents, making
photocopies or buying last-minute office supplies, including
envelopes and floppy and Zip disks.
However, one item the Gate Escape doesn't sell is stamps.
Customers choose the block of time they want to spend in the
center, and a "color bar" pops up on their screen to alert them
when their time is almost up.
Food and drinks also are not available but are permitted.
The Gate Escape is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The rate is
$5 for the first 15 minutes, and discounts are available for groups
and students. Travelers with long layovers are offered an
extended-stay discount.
"Customers have come from all walks of life," according to
Charles Meister, president and chief executive officer of the Gate
Escape. "Our client is much wider than the narrow demographic of a
business traveler, but we are meeting the needs of a business
traveler."
In fact, Meister said many of the visitors who come in are
families. "Saturdays and Sundays could be family day at the
airport," he joked.
For this market, the Gate Escape created a family plan, where
kids pay half price.
Meister said sports is another draw and, when football season
starts, the Gate Escape will offer football packages.
He said the company is looking to work with agents and
operators.
Feedback on the center has been positive, according to the
executive, and the firm is looking to fill some customer requests.
For example, the computers are equipped with DVD players, but the
Gate Escape does not carry DVDs. The company is trying to add
them.
Other requests have been made for conference space, which is
another area that the company is exploring.
The Gate Escape also is eyeing other airport locations, but for
now, additional ones are scheduled to open only at Los Angeles
Airport. Two will debut by the fall in terminal 7 and at the Tom
Bradley International Terminal. Three others are set to open at
terminals 3 and 4 in 2002.
For more information, call (866) THE GATE or visit www.thegateescape.com.