Free Wi-Fi coming to Nashville International Airport (BNA). Sort of.

Sometime before the end of the year, Nashville International Airport (BNA) will install two of what will eventually be 14 complimentary charging stations.

The airport will also begin offering travelers free wireless internet access in the food courts, the meeter/greeter waiting areas and in some restaurants.

But only the first twenty minutes will be free.

Airport spokesperson Emily Richard says 20 minutes is based on “expert assessment of actual usage reports.” Meaning, I suppose, that most people log on, send a few emails and are on their way. For everyone else: “The pay model remains,” says Richard, for those needing more time or “requiring the security features of a virtual private network.”

But here’s an interesting twist: according to a memo sent out by the airport, members of BNA’s Frequent Parker Program and valet parking customers will get 15 minutes of free Wi-Fi to use access anywhere in the terminal.

Not sure if that’s instead of the complimentary 20 minutes or in addition to it, but it’s all a step in the right direction.

Want to go to Israel?

Their joke contest is over. Now EL AL is running a haiku contest on Facebook. The most creative haiku will get a pair of free roundtrip tickets to Israel.  The deadline is October 22^nd.

Here’s where to find more information on EL AL’s Haiku Contest.

Good luck!

Categories: Air Travel, Contests, free Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi
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Despite the van driver’s assurance that we’d get stuck in rush hour traffic, I arrived at Pittsburgh International Airport yesterday with plenty of time to poke around before my flight.

Good thing. Because in addition to the free internet access, there really are plenty of reasons to appreciate spending time at this airport.

Here are just five of them:

The dinosaur

The shopping.  Plenty of it – and a shoe store. Enough said

The mobile by Alexander Calder in the center core.  This is a great art treasure to have at the airport.

The shrine to Mr. Rogers, who filmed his long-running running TV show in Pittsburgh.

And, just across the way, a wall covered in Andy Warhol self-portrait wallpaper, along with several pieces of his artwork.

Categories: Airport shops, Celebrities, Exhibits, free Wi-Fi, Fun Stuff, Layover, Shopping, Wi-Fi
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I spent the day walking the aisles of the exhibition hall at the annual conference of  ACI-NA: Airports Council International – North America, being held this week in Pittsburgh.

I’ll be writing a column for USA TODAY on some of the intriguing services and amenities on the horizon for travelers, but wanted to share a few tidbits from the day.

The folks from the upscale Graycliff Cigar Company have set up two cigar lounges at Nashville International Airport and are in talks to expand the idea to several other airports.  The company, which also markets gourmet coffee and fancy watches, has a cigar maker on duty here making cigars from several kinds of tobacco.

Graycliff cigar maker at ACI-NA

And here’s a factoid I learned today:

Airport shops run by the Hudson Group sell more than 100,000 rayon, Pashima-style scarves a year.

Laura Samuels of the Hudson Group with scarves

More tomorrow….

Categories: Air Travel, Airport shops, Airports, Exhibits, Fashion, Layover, Shopping, Smoking
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Spotted these self-serve surprises at Heathrow Airport.

Categories: Airport shops, Shopping
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There’s never enough time to do everything I want to do in London, but on my most recent visit I managed to squeeze in quite a lot in just three days.

Activities were wedged in between a meal seasoned with performances by contortionists and flame-embellished dancers at a West End cabaret bar named Circus, Afternoon Tea at The Langham’s Palm Court and whiskey tasting (before and after dinner) with the whiskey sommelier at The Athenaeum Hotel.

Forks-down highlights included a visit to the funky top floor apartment Jimi Hendrix lived in from 1968-1970 (more about honoring Hendrix here); a Fat Tire Bike Tour past iconic monuments, memorials and palaces (more about that here), and walking tours of upscale, low-key Primrose Hill and East London, which is brimming with hip art galleries and stores chock-full of clothing by up-and-coming designers.

Hendrix fan waiting to tour Jimi Hendrix's London flat

I couldn’t afford to buy anything in any in-city shops, so that left souvenir shopping at Heathrow Airport.

Souvenir Sunday was coming up – the day Stuck at the Airport looks at fun, inexpensive items for sale at airports – so I focused on items selling for under £10, which right now equals about $16.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Giant Princess Diana postcard

Heathrow Airport Souvenir - post box banks

And of course:

Meet the (scary-looking) Beatles. That's not really Ringo is it?

If you find a great souvenir while Stuck at the Airport, please take a photo and send it along. Your souvenir may be featured on a future edition of Souvenir Sunday.

[Note, my trip to London was part of a research trip for several articles in progress unrelated to whiskey, cabarets and shopping and was hosted by Air New Zealand, Visit London and The Athanaeum.  Thank-you.]

Categories: Air Travel, Airport shops, Airports, Celebrities, Entertainment, Exhibits, Fashion, Food, History, Hotels, Restaurants, Shopping, Souvenir Sunday, Souvenirs, Uncategorized
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