Airlines say they have to build in delays so schedules reflect reality, especially at congested airports in the Northeast and at big, crowded hub airports.

WSJ: Flight Times Grow As Airlines Pad Schedules

On weekends and school holidays the waves fill with locals honing their skills, but the scene is lighthearted, friendly and is spread out over such a big space that it feels fun and social rather than crowded.

BBC: Learning to surf in the land of giants

In the past, they were crowded out by big property companies and banks.

CNN: TWO BULLS IN THE ASIAN SHOP

It looks, feels and smells like a rugby pub, and sure enough it was getting crowded with big, striped-shirt mates at shortly after noon.

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With such a crowded calendar, they have the resources to compete in big states like Florida and Michigan and to recover quickly from a setback in Iowa or New Hampshire.

CNN: Early 2008 political calendar beginning to look overbooked

The trading area used to be so crowded that it was hard to even get in and out of the pit, especially on big days such as when the monthly U.S. jobs report came out.

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Food Genius entered the crowded market of dish recommendation apps last year, using big data to revolutionize the way people discover restaurants and dishes.

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