Layovers occur when traveling between two points that are not directly connected, often due to the hub and spoke model used by airlines. They can be exhausting and frustrating, but sometimes a longer stopover is deliberately planned for exploring a city.
A layover is a break in a journey, often dictated by the traveller’s schedule. The term is most commonly used in the context of air travel, but people using buses, trains and ferries can also experience layovers. As a general rule, most travelers try to avoid layovers, although in some cases a longer stopover will be deliberately planned. A travel itinerary usually details the stopovers included, along with their lengths.
In the most common scenario, a layover occurs because a traveler is traveling between two points that are not directly connected. For example, someone may need to travel between Burlington, Vermont and Los Angeles, California. There are no direct flights between these locations because there is not enough consumer demand, so the passenger must first travel to a larger city, such as New York or Chicago, and then take another flight to Los Angeles.
This is an illustration of the hub and spoke model adopted by many airlines. These airlines have one or more central hubs with a large number of flights each day and route passengers through these hubs instead of providing direct flights. If a passenger needs to travel directly between two hubs, such as London and Los Angeles, no layover would be required. While it can be frustrating for passengers, this system makes transportation much more efficient and can reduce the overall operating costs of an airline or freight forwarding company.
A layover can be quite exhausting and frustrating, especially if a passenger is doing a multi-legged trip. Even domestic travel can sometimes require up to four changes of plane, train or bus, and unfortunate passengers can find themselves making quite long layovers. Typically, passengers stay at the airport or station during a layover, as the time period is usually not long enough to explore the nearby community. Passengers can also be severely penalized for missing the next stage so they want to stay close to the station.
If a passenger knows they will have to make a stopover, a deliberately long stopover could be planned. Typically this type of stopover is overnight, allowing the passenger to book a room and explore the city or visit friends, however briefly. It can be difficult to plan a trip with this type of stopover, especially if traveling by plane, as the passenger will have to go through security twice. Some airlines discourage this behavior for this reason.
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