What is a travelator? And why standing still on it is your biggest airport faux pas!

Travelators make airports efficient only when used correctly. Learn the simple etiquette that keeps crowds moving and helps travellers save time!

Travellers rushing through airport terminals make the most of travelators by following the golden rule - stand right, walk left. (Ai generated)

By Neha Ravi Khandelwal

Neha Khandelwal
Content Lead, HT Travel | Travel & Lifestyle Journalist
With over 10 years of content writing experience, Neha Khandelwal is a lifestyle journalist and the Content Lead at HT Travel. She specialises in destinations, hotels, aviation, luggage, travel gear, and practical guides that help readers plan smarter and travel better. Her work combines first-hand experience, expert insights, and extensive research to create stories that are informative, useful, and easy to follow.

Career Journey & Experience
Neha began her writing career as a freelance journalist in 2010 before entering mainstream media with The Times of India in 2022. She later joined Hindustan Times, where she has written extensively across travel, lifestyle, home, and consumer trends. Her professional background extends beyond journalism. Before moving into digital media full-time, she spent nearly a decade in interior design, managing residential projects from concept to execution. She also trained in visual merchandising with Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons and worked with women-led startups across design and operations. These experiences continue to shape her storytelling, especially in how she evaluates hotels, design-led stays, hospitality spaces, and travel experiences.

A naturally curious learner, Neha has completed beginner certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and other creative pursuits. She has read more than 2,000 books, trained in Bharatanatyam for 8 years, and ghostwritten a book on Ladakh tourism.

Subject Expertise
Travel is at the heart of Neha's work. She covers destinations, hotels, airlines, luggage, packing strategies, travel accessories, and emerging travel trends through a mix of reporting, product testing, and conversations with industry experts. A frequent traveller herself, she approaches every trip with a journalist's curiosity and a planner's mindset, focusing on experiences that readers can realistically recreate. From choosing the right cabin bag to decoding hotel openings and destination trends, her writing prioritises practical advice over promotional claims. Her background in interior design also gives her a distinct perspective on architecture, hospitality design, boutique hotels, luxury stays, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

Education & Professional Background
Neha holds a Master's degree in Interior Design. Her early experience in interior design, visual merchandising, and design operations gives her a unique understanding of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience, adding depth to her coverage of hotels, resorts, and travel spaces.

Editorial Philosophy
"As an avid, research-driven traveller, my goal is simple. To answer the questions you actually have before booking a trip. I cut through the promotional noise with honest reporting and expert insights. Making travel planning seamless, smart, and reliable so you always know where to go next."

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I had forty minutes between flights and two terminals to cross. It felt like a marathon inside Delhi’s T3. I was that person sprinting with a trolley bag, dodging slow walkers and scanning gate signs. Then I realised my biggest obstacle wasn’t the distance, it was the travelator. Yet, most travellers treat them like free conveyor belts to nowhere. These walkways are meant to help you walk faster, not serve as moving rest zones. Why spend precious minutes crawling along when you could be halfway to your gate?

There’s a simple etiquette that keeps airports flowing smoothly. If you’ve got hours till your next flight, stand on the right. But if you see someone rushing behind you, let them pass. Airports could be far less chaotic if we all followed this one small rule.

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What exactly is a travelator?

A travelator, or moving walkway, is a long flat belt connecting distant gates. Think of it as an escalator without steps. It’s built to save time and energy, especially when you’re carrying luggage or herding sleepy kids across terminals.

Its purpose is simple. It helps you walk faster, not skip walking altogether. It’s a boost, not a ride.

The core issue: The ‘Stand Still’ blunder

Here’s where it all goes wrong. People step onto the travelator and freeze, standing side by side like they’re posing for a family photo. The entire walkway slows to a crawl, and anyone in a hurry ends up trapped behind them.

The rule is simple. Stand on the right, walk on the left. It’s the unspoken agreement that keeps airports moving. Think of it like traffic. You keep one lane clear for those in a rush and one for those who want to take it slow.

There are two kinds of travellers here. The standers, usually with heavy bags or extra time to spare. And the walkers, sprinting to catch a connection or chasing that boarding call. Both belong on the travelator, but only if they know their side.

The impact that leads to arguments and chaos

Standing across the travelator doesn’t just slow things down. It can cost someone their flight. Those extra minutes behind a wall of still travellers matter more than you’d think. You can see it in the sighs, the shuffling, and the final sharp “excuse me.”

Airports are stressful enough without adding traffic jams to the mix. And it’s not just about patience. Sudden stops or crowding at the end can cause slips and spills. A bit of travelator etiquette saves time, keeps things smooth, and shows you know how to move through an airport without chaos.

How to be a Travelator Pro

• It’s simple once you know the basics.
• Stand on the right if you’re taking it easy. Keep close to the handrail and let others walk past.
• Use the left lane if you’re walking briskly or catching a connection. That’s the fast track.
• Keep your phone in your hand, not your face. And never stop to rummage through your bag on the walkway or right after stepping off it.
• A little spatial awareness and courtesy go a long way in keeping airports calm and everyone on schedule.

So next time you step on one, remember this simple rule. Stand right, walk left. It’s the easiest way to keep the airport flow alive and prove you’re the kind of traveller who gets it.

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