Plane Delayed? Strap On The Skates

When your plane departure is delayed by winter fog, snow, or ice, the hours of waiting can become unbearable. Italy's Malpensa airport near Milan believes it has found a seasonal solution: ice skating. It has opened a rink for restless passengers just outside its main terminal building. "We hope they will have a nice time," said an airport executive recently. He declined to say whether the ice rink will be replaced by a swimming pool if, as expected, flight delays continue into the summer. Meanwhile, Malpensa's impatient travelers, who often spend half a day -- or a night -- waiting for no-show planes, might soon be tempted to hand in their air tickets and skate to their destinations.