SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, January 26, 2012 (Mercury News): In a quintessentially Californian move that could provoke a groan from some in the red states — officials inaugurated a public yoga studio Thursday for passengers at San Francisco International Airport, possibly the world’s first inside an airport. After the official opening for the 150-square foot former storage closet Airport Director John Martin, a yogi of 18 years who performed a sun salutation pose to mark the occasion, had a word for those who’s eyes roll at the concept. “Maybe this is exactly the place they need to de-stress,” said Martin, standing a few feet from the dimly lit, silent, blue room.
The Yoga Room, as it’s called, is located beyond the security check point in Terminal 2, and so is only open to flyers. There’s no teacher or TV inside, just a few chairs and some yoga mats. It cost between $15-20,000 to build and was born of the idea from a visitor to the terminal, said Martin. As the rules, which prohibit shoes and turned-on electronic devices, show it’s a rather self-service operation. “Silence is appreciated,” the rules remind.
The room’s already been open for two weeks and at least six people made use of it during the roughly 45 minutes reporters were on the scene Thursday morning. Andrea Chenu from Redwood City popped in for a few poses before her flight to Florida. “I think anything that makes traveling easier is a good thing,” she said. “You avoid road rage in the sky.”
Her thoughts were shared by most of the folks who walked past, slowing the roll of their luggage to take a look. Dean Lukin of Kotzebue, Alaska, who said he’d only left his home state four times, smiled when he saw it. “Well everyone’s different,” he added. “I think it’s cool.”
As to the claims that SFO was home to the world’s first airport yoga studio, well that’s a bit of a maybe. Airport officials based their belief on the lack of a internationally recognized symbol for yoga rooms. Nearly everything in the airport has a universal pictogram in order to communicate with people from anywhere: a picture of a suitcase stands for baggage claim and a martini glass means bar. Into the yoga symbol vacuum stepped the officials from SFO. They crafted a black and white, Buddha-looking pictogram that’s posted above the frosted glass wall and door to yoga studio. “We’re almost certain its the only (airport yoga) room in the world,” said Martin.