On Christmas day, travelers were met with antlered flight attendants on airplanes and gate agents dressed like elves at airports. All quite fun and festive, but most airports had shut down the official live holiday entertainment for the day.

(Courtesy: Golden Gate Bell Ringers)

Scheduled music and theatrical performances should start back up this weekend at many airports and continue through New Year’s Eve. Check your airport Web site for details.

In the meantime, here’s what’s on the bill at San Francisco International Airport in the You are Hear program next Wednesday, New Year’s Eve , between 11 am and 2 pm.

International Terminal: Golden Gate Bell Ringers

Terminal 1: Zoe Keating

Terminal 3: Marc and The Casuals with Special Guest Tommy Guerrero

Categories: Art
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If you end up staring at the walls at some airport on your way home from your holiday gathering this year, consider using some of that down time to really stare at those walls.

(Courtesy: David Williams)

As David Williams discovered while hanging around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) recently, there are some cool-looking fossils in the limestone used to build the wall of the food court in Concourse A.   He says eagle-eyed travelers will probably find fossils in other parts of the airport – and in other airports – as well.

Williams in the author of the soon-to-be-published Stories in Stone: Travels through Urban Geology and writes more about these fossils on his blog.

Categories: Art
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If you have an extra $3.5 million hanging around and you’re wondering what to get for that special frequent flier this year, consider snapping up the Aerocar Model One Flying Automobile.

Invented by Moulton Taylor in Longview, Washington in 1949, the Aerocar was a “roadable” airplane certified for use as both a plane and an automobile.  The coolest feature: if you’re driving the Aerocar you can tow its wings and tail like a trailer. Then, if traffic gets bad, you can transform the vehicle from a car to an airplane in about 15 minutes.

One prototype and four Aerocars were produced. One was destroyed.  Two are in permanent museum collections. This is one of two aerocars in private ownership – and it’s for sale.

If no one ponies up $3.5 million to buy you the aerocar that’s for sale, you can visit this Taylor Aerocar III at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

(Courtesy Seattle’s Museum of Flight)

Categories: History
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It’s been a bad week for air travel and I’m sure everyone who’s been very, very good this year is worried that Santa will get stuck at the airport along with all those other folks who’s flights have been canceled.

Your friends and family may not be able to get a flight in time for Christmas, but Santa should be OK.  At least that’s the message the folks at NORAD and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport are putting out there.

NORAD says today is your last chance to send an email to Santa because Santa and the elves will be too busy tomorrow packing for their big Christmas eve trip.  The DFW Santa Tracker is offering some entertaining fun ‘n games and links to seasonal sites offering recipes, more games, music and other activities.

Categories: Holidays
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The Luxaholics folks are making sure their readers are in the know about airports and air travel.

Last week they asked for my tips on making a coach seat more cushy and first-class-like.

This week, they’ve asked me to share a few tips on airport dining. I did my best, suggesting wine bars such as Vino Volo (various locations), the new One Flew South outpost at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and a slew of others.  Moments after I sent along my tips (and walked out the door to the airport armed with a bag of leftovers from my fridge) this great article about airport dining by Matt Gross appeared in the New York Times.

Categories: Food, Restaurants
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