Although most airlines now charge for in-flight snacks and meals, many airlines still serve complimentary soft drinks and water.

Sometimes Coke gets swapped for Pepsi, but in general the beverage offerings seem to stay the same. But starting April 1, 2008 both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air will begin serving complimentary Jones Sodas.

The Seattle-based company is best known for a variety of sodas with wild colors and wacky names. Sadly, the deep dark Chocolate Fudge and bright yellow “Fun” sodas have been retired, but you can still find the Blue Bubblegum and FuFu flavors.

Alaska and Horizon will serve Jones’ tamer offerings: a cola, a lemon-lime soda, and a cream soda.  There’s no mention of whether or not Jones’ popular Whoopass energy-drink will be added to the menu, but we are promised periodical new soda flavors.

So be sure to keep your eyes on the beverage carts, especially around the holidays.  Seasonal Jones offerings have included Turkey and Gravy soda, Creepy Cranberry and Monster Mojito sodas, and a Christmas Ham soda.

Photo courtesy Jones Soda

Tags: Airline amenities, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air
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Most of us are used to paying inflated prices for goods and services out at the airport. But I’m pleased to report that in doing research for an upcoming column I’ve discovered that some airports still offer stuff for free.

For example, like a lot of other mid-sized airports, the General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin lets everyone park their cars free for the first 30 minutes. However, since Milwaukee is the home of Harley-Davidson, motorcycle parking is entirely free.

Don’t have your own Harley? Here’s a cute cut-out one you can have … for free.

Tags: Airport amenities, Airport parking, Free stuff, Milwaukee - General Mitchell International Airport, Uncategorized
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Ever play that game, “What’s worse…”?

While I spent an hour stuck in a dentist’s chair today in Seattle, my friend Sheila was stuck in a slow-moving customer service line at the Atlanta airport.

Her connecting flight between D.C. and Memphis was one of the 275 flights Delta Airlines scrubbed today so it could perform safety inspections on 117 of its planes.

In a series of messages she left on my cell phone, my friend told me that at first she was informed she’d have stay in Atlanta until tomorrow, when seats on an alternate Delta flight might become available.

“Unacceptable,” my friend said. Sweetly, I’m sure. “I’m not leaving until we figure something out.”

And they did. My friend bought a pricey seat on an Air Tran flight.

Now let’s see if getting her refund is going to be like pulling teeth….

Tags: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
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To celebrate spring, and new Northwest Airlines/KLM service between Portland, Oregon and Amsterdam, the folks at Portland International Airport (PDX) are giving away a pair of round-trip tickets from Portland to Amsterdam. Want to win? Entry forms for the Spring Fling are available in the airport and on-line, but only through tomorrow – Friday, March 28^th.

Tags: Free stuff, Portland International Airport
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Sure, airfares are going up (and up), what with fuel surcharges and extra fees for checking baggage. But, on the ground, there are still some airports offering things for free.

I’m gathering a list of the best airport freebies. So far I’ve found free local phone calls (Sioux Gateway Airport), free live entertainment (Austin, Nashville, and others) and free power poles and charging stations (Las Vegas, DFW, LAX and others).

What airport freebies have you encountered lately?

Tags: Airport amenities, Uncategorized
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It should be quite a scene this Sunday (March 30^th) at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport when they celebrate new service to London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol Airports.

For folks arriving from Amsterdam, they’ll be authentic Dutch klompendansers, Dutch coffee, chocolates and a giant windmill cake. For those arriving from Heathrow, it will be English teas and snacks.
The planned entertainment sounds yummy too: a Beatles cover band and impersonators of Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Guardsmen, and Dutch maids.

Tags: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Uncategorized
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It’s my second week as guest contributor for the Airport Check-In column over at USA TODAY.

This week’s topics include new registered traveler lanes at the D.C. airports, new self-select “diamond lanes” at security checkpoints in Boston, Orlando and Spokane, Washington, and the free local and toll-free phone service offered at Iowa’s Sioux Gateway Airport. Yes – free phone calls at an airport!

Sioux Gateway is the small airport that finally embraced its SUX airport code a few months back and is now raking in the bucks selling “Fly SUX” t-shirts, caps and bumper stickers.

Tags: Airport amenities, Sioux Gateway Airport, Uncategorized
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Remember Star Simpson? She’s the MIT student who showed up to meet her boyfriend at Boston’s Logan International Airport last September wearing a black sweatshirt adorned with a plastic circuit board decorated with green LED lights and wires.

Simpson says the outfit was designed to attract attention at a college career fair. Airport police thought it looked like a bomb. They arrested Simpson and charged her with possession of a hoax device.

Simpson’s lawyer has been trying to get the charges dismissed, but last week the case was continued during a hearing at East Boston District Court. The issue will be back in court on May 23^rd.

Whatever happens, I got a kick out of what Simpson wore to the hearing.

According to the Boston Globe, Simpson’s lawyer described the MIT student’s outfit as “Nothing flashy.”

Tags: Boston Logan International Airport, Uncategorized
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Not sure how it will work out, but you’ve got to give a bit of extra credit to the folks at the TSA for their “Tell us how we’re doing in general” blog and, now, for their airport-specific feedback program. The agency rolled out the new program today, complete with a handy hot-linked map, for six airports: Boston, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Dallas-Love Field, and Reagan National.

Tags: TSA
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Traveling to or through Houston’s George Bush International Airport (IAH) today (March 20^th)? Don’t be alarmed if you see Russian Cossacks and Lion Dancers wandering about the terminals.

From 9:30 in the morning until 11 pm at night the airport is celebrating Singapore Airlines’ new service to Moscow and Singapore with music and dance performances by the Linh Son Temple Lion Dancers, the Uzori Russian Dance Ensemble, and others.

Tags: Airport music, George Bush Intercontinental Airport
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