The men whisper, in a kind of awe, the exact departure times, the ports of call - Brindisi, Venice - the transit times, the names of the ships.

BBC: Greece asylum: Journey through a broken system

"Because of this strike, we have gained the support of many political allies in the city, in the state, " Michael Cordiello, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181, said on a conference call to members.

WSJ: School Bus Strike Ends

But if you've had your fill of security checks, Space Mountain-size ticketing lines and the general cattle-call atmosphere of major airports, smaller air-transit hubs are packed with sweet surprises and can make for a less stressful and, dare we say it, far more pleasurable trip.

WSJ: Instant-Upgrade Airports

By the same token, the yearning for government spending on "infrastructure" to stimulate economic activity creates an opening for the new president to push the kind of green projects that fit his call for a transition to alternative energy sources, including new kinds of mass-transit systems.

WSJ: In Crisis, Opportunity for Barack Obama