I just read about this new service, Boarding, which helps stranded travelers connect with each other. To access the service, all you need is a public Twitter account.

To use the service, all you need to do is send a tweet that uses the hashtag #boarding and the airport code of where you are currently stranded. (Usually, this is a 3 letter code that defines the airport. You can get a list of airport codes here)

Anyway, so when you send a tweet like #boarding BWI, that means you’re stranded at Baltimore Washington International Airport. You’ll get a reply message that lists up to 100 other people who have tweeted the same thing within the past few hours.

Once you get this reply, you can @ message any of the people who might be in the area and suggest a spontaneous tweetup for coffee and conversation.

I think this sounds like a lot of fun, and I plan to try it the next time I’m in an airport longer than I’d like to be.

Have you used the service? What did you think?

My Twitter name on an Oregon beach- thanks to @billwillardjr and his lovely wife @roriwillard — 2 very dear people!

Isn’t this cool? (and environmentally friendly, too!)