How healthy is your airport? Phoenix tops list

ByABC News
December 8, 2008, 11:48 AM

— -- Phoenix Sky Harbor is America's healthiest airport, according to Health magazine. In ranking 10 airports, the magazine looked for amenities and services that promote healthy living and lower passenger stress.

The criteria included food, relaxation zones, walking paths, music, lighting, environmental programs and safety technology.

Industry data and a panel of experts were used in compiling the list.

Phoenix Sky Harbor was cited for its "healthful" restaurants, video-paging system, two pet parks and clean bathrooms.

Other airports on the list, in order, and the amenities cited by the rankings:

Baltimore/Washington (soft music and lighting, a spa and a hiking path near the airport).

Chicago O'Hare (healthy restaurant food, children's play areas and the fitness facility in its on-site Hilton Hotel).

Detroit Metropolitan ("storm-ready" police officers and employees who are trained as bad-weather spotters, healthy restaurant food).

Denver (solar energy panels, recycling of de-icing fluids, an art collection, free Wi-Fi and healthy restaurant food).

Ronald Reagan Washington National (an art collection, a walking and biking trail).

Dallas/Fort Worth (children's play areas, hybrid/CNG vehicles, healthy restaurant food).

Boston Logan (environmental initiatives, CNG shuttle buses).

Portland, Ore. (a paved bicycle and walking path, covered bicycle parking, local musicians playing in the terminals).

Philadelphia (a health clinic, free Wi-Fi on weekends).

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES: Closure in St. Louis

In a cost-cutting move, Lambert-St. Louis will indefinitely close a 12-gate section of Concourse D. The gates are vacant, the leases having already expired. Lambert will build walls at either end of the section.

The move is projected to save Lambert about $900,000 a year in electricity, escalator maintenance, trash removal and cleaning services. It's part of a $2.7 million budget reduction to help Lambert "better position itself in the wake of a nationwide downturn in airline passenger activity," the airport says.