Would You Live in an Airport for a Year?

The UK's Daily Mail reports:

Anthropologist Dr Damian O'Doherty, 42, is living for up to 18 hours a day for the next 12 months in terminals and departure lounges, observing passengers' and workers' habits. The exercise is expected to cost around £40,000.

I love airports. Really, I find it fascinating to just sit and people watch for a bit, but is a year pushing it? Dr. O'Doherty, who will be living at Manchester, says that "'I've been researching airports for five years and I just thought this would be the opportunity to experience airport life for myself."

But of course, some oppose the idea as the government is bankrolling it. One observer remarked, "If the department wanted to find out how people interact in an airport, all they needed to do was to rent the Tom Hanks film. Surely that would be better than squandering tens of thousands of pounds getting someone to research it for a year." He is referring to the 2004 film The Terminal, where Tom Hanks plays a man who is forced to live in JFK after his passport is deemed invalid due to a revolution in his country. Dr. O'Doherty, however, will be able to go home each evening to visit his family.

What do you think? Great social experiment, or waste of government funds?

Tip of the hat to Airline Reporter.