This morning, (Friday, August 29), the folks at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) conducted a little test.

In an effort to rid the airport’s property of invasive plants, airport officials invited a herd of goats (and three sheep) over for lunch. No need to cook up anything special: the herd was happy eat its way through Scotch broom and other invasive plant species.

The Port of Seattle, which operates the airport, is testing this environmentally friendly way to protect and improve its property. The goats are owned by a local business, Goat Trimmers, which puts rescued sheep and goats to work. Sounds like a perfect match!

(Photos courtesy: Goat Trimmers)

Tags: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
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As summer winds down, the bad news about air travel just keeps piling up.

Airlines are announcing system-wide route cuts while hiking fees for everything from checking bags to serving snacks and water. And while fuel prices are finally dipping, airfares are not — nor are the irritations associated with flying.

(Column illustration by Kim Carney, MSNBC.com)

But while many of us may be planning on sticking close to home this Labor Day weekend and beyond – plenty of folks will be cruising the Internet looking for reasonable – or acceptable – fares for the next set of holidays. So in my Well-Mannered Traveler column posted today on MSNBC.com, I offer up a wee bit of help and, hopefully, some fresh tips.

Feel free to add some of your own here.

Tags: Airports
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Fridays have been very festive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) this summer, thanks to the airport’s “You are Hear” concert series.

But now that the summer is ending; so is the music. The last concert takes place this Friday (August 29) between 11 am and 3 pm on three stages throughout the airport (two stages are pre-security; one is post-security).

The line-up for this final event includes Quinteto Latino (Latin classical music), modern cellist Zoe Keating, and “Special Guests TBA.”

SFO is a big place. Here’s a map of the stage locations

Tags: Airport music, San Francisco International Airport
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O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is hosting a photo exhibition of large-scale images from the book “A River Through Illinois,” by photographer Daniel Overturf and writer Gary Marx. The hard-to-miss images are in the west corridor of International Terminal 5, beyond security.

Included are several seven-and-eight foot long panoramic river views and portraits of people who hang out and work along the Illinois Waterway: bridge tenders, river captains, sportsmen and others.

(Photos courtesy Daniel Overturf, Gary Marx, and O’Hare International Airport)

“Several of the images depict places most people have never been — three hundred feet below the city into Chicago’s “Deep Tunnel” and into the wheelhouse of a towboat pushing a quarter-mile clutch of barges.”

Tags: Airport art, O'Hare International Airport
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After a six year “intermission,” classical music concerts by woodwind and string quartets from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra are coming back to Memphis International Airport (MEM).

Performances begin this Friday, August 29^th and will return just about every month through next May.

The Friday “mini concerts” will take place from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. in the passenger connector near the Blue Note Café and from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the southeast corner of concourse B.

Concert dates announced so far are: August 29, September 26, October 10, November 14 and, in 2009, January 2, February 27, March 20, and May 1.

No word yet when Elvis is coming back to the airport. Or to this planet. But thankfully, there’s an entire store devoted to Elvis music and memorabilia at the airport.

Tags: Airport amenities, Airport music, Memphis International Airport
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Sure airports need to find new ways to boost income; but please don’t take down the art.

According to this article in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution by Moni Basu, officials at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) are considering taking down an iconic piece of the airport’s eclectic art collection to make room for advertising.

(Source: the artist’s Web site)

“Four Walls for Atlanta Hartsfield Airport,” a neon work by Stephen Antonakos, was one of 14 public artworks specifically commissioned for the airport. Now, one airport official told the paper, proposals are being considered to use that space for “advertising that showcases the city or is in some way educational, such as ads that promote energy conservation.”

It will be sad if the neon piece gets replaced by ads. But there will still be plenty of art to see at ATL. The airport owns and displays about 275 other works of art and has discussed creating “a mini-museum about Atlanta in the walkway between Concourses A and B and a rain forest display between Concourses B and C.”

Tags: Airport art, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
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The New York Times has a great slideshow celebrating the earliest days of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Built on “six square miles of swampy sand, part of it the site of a once-fashionable golf course…” in its first few years the airport welcomed everyone from Gregory Peck and Pope Paul VI to, of course, the Beatles!’

(Photo: The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey)

There are more photos here – including Jimmy Durante and Sammy Davis Jr.

Tags: Airport history, JFK Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport
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Goods news for gadget-toting travelers:

There are now 50 free 4-outlet charging stations scattered through Terminals A, B, and C at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

The charging stations are courtesy of Samsung Mobile, which sponsors similar power charging stations at five other major airports (so far): John F. Kennedy International Airport (54), Los Angeles International Airport (51) LaGuardia International Airport (12), Orlando International Airport (18), and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (22). In addition, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has eight Samsung Mobile Travel Centers, which also offer couches and other amenities.

Power charging stations (both free and pay-per-charge), desks with working power outlets, and banks of seats with built in outlets seem to be popping up at more and more airports these days. But don’t leave your extension cord home just yet: during high traffic times a spot at the charging station is harder to get than a seat in the sports bar during a playoff game.

Tags: Airport amenities, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport, Newark-Liberty International Airport, Orlando International Airport
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Three new terminals and at least one fresh new airport are set to open in the United States this fall. With all the news about airlines cutting flights and eliminating service, let’s hope someone will get to enjoy these new facilities.

The new 26-gate North Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) opens for business on September 17^th. Before airplanes start pulling up to the gates, the airport is hosting a free open house (Sept. 6^th) with music, dance, games, a scavenger hunt, and prizes that include “a plane load of gas in gas cards,” airline tickets, and a trip to Disney world. The day before that party (Sept 5) there will be a charity preview event inside the terminal to benefit five local non-profit groups. On tap: dinner, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Quartet and live entertainment.

(DTW North Terminal: courtesy DTW)

Opening elsewhere this fall:

Oct 1: JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK);

Oct 26: Terminal 2 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU); and

Nov 11, the new Indianapolis International Airport (IND), just down the road from the old one.

Tags: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, JFK Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, new terminal
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Alaska is turning 50 in 2009 and Alaska Airlines is getting ready to celebrate by inviting kids who live in the 49th state to enter artwork for a “Paint the Plane” contest.

Students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade (including public, private and home schools) can enter. The student with the winning design, as well as a finalist from each grade level, will get a trip for four to Disneyland Resort.

The contest deadline is October 18th. But even if you’re not a kid in Alaska, you might still have fun downloading one of the three blank plane templates playing around with a design.

Tags: Alaska Airlines, Free stuff, Kid stuff
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