Heading to Austin? Look for these cool cows now grazing at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
The cows are part of Cow Parade Austin , a popular public art event that places artist-decorated cows in cities around the world.
Some of the cows end up as permanent parts of the landscape while others are auctioned off to raise funds for local charities.
Bing Travel wanted to know what’s up with airport pat-downs. Here’s what I found out for an article posted earlier this week.
What’s up with airport pat-downs?
News stories about airport security checks involving small children undergoing full pat downs, an elderly woman’s adult diaper being inspected and, most recently, some women of color having their natural hairdos scrutinized may have you wondering what you’ll encounter at the airport as you head back to school or work after summer vacation.
At most airports, it will be business as what has become usual: shoes off; laptops, liquids and IDs out; pockets emptied; a walk through a metal detector or scanner; and, if something’s amiss, arms stretched wide for an enhanced pat down.
While the modern-day pat down might make both the passenger and the Transportation Security Administration officer conducting the procedure uncomfortable, “At the end of the day, the comfort I am concerned with is the comfort of knowing I can turn on the evening news and find that no aircraft was compromised or went down because I did my job effectively,” said Valyria Lewis, a TSA officer at Memphis International Airport who is president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 555, covering Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
But the airport checkpoint experience is ever-evolving. Now a new set of changes is making its way through the system.
The TSA is testing programs at a few airports, installing new technology at few dozen airports and implementing new policies systemwide that might streamline the experience for some travelers and make it more or less of a hassle for others. Here is some of what’s in store:
Getting to know you
It’s still a bit surprising, but usually refreshing, when a TSA officer checking IDs breaks the “Just show me your papers” demeanor to ask a question about your day or to share a tidbit from theirs. The seconds-long pleasantry may be just that, but engaging you and drawing you out may also be part of what the TSA calls its “ongoing risk-based, multilayered security strategy.”
Right now, as part of that strategy, the TSA is testing an expanded behavior-detection pilot program at Boston’s Logan International Airport. If your Boston-originating flight takes you through the security checkpoint at Terminal A, you’ll be part of the test automatically. In what the TSA calls “casual greeting conversations” and others have dubbed “chat downs,” specially trained behavior-detection officers are asking each passenger a few extra questions as they go through the ID check.
They’re not all that interested in your answers, but in your behavior.
The TSA says some passengers may get selected for a longer, but “still limited” chat and that the results of this test will determine if the program spreads to other airports.
Kid-friendly checkpoints
TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein says a pilot program to test new screening procedures for children 12 and younger is under way at six airports: Boston; Atlanta; Miami; Orlando, Fla.; Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport; and Denver.
Why those airports? “The pilot sites were selected based on airports that had a higher volume of travelers in the desired age range to allow for a better overall sample during testing,” Farbstein said.
What will change?
Until now, children or adults who triggered an alarm at a screening machine were subject to a pat down. Under the new kid-friendlier screening procedure, children will be allowed to go back through the metal detector or the advanced imaging technology machine for “do-overs” to clear an alarm. Also, kids will be allowed to leave their shoes on.
The TSA still can require kids to remove their shoes or undergo a pat down if something seems amiss, but if the test works out, the program will spread to other airports.
Modest scanners
In a move to return modesty to passengers, the TSA is installing new, less-invasive software on the millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology machines — the so-called “naked scanners” — at 40 airports.
Instead of creating revealing, passenger-specific images, the machines will now produce a generic outline of a person while still showing if any items are concealed under clothing. If something shows up on the scanner, passengers would undergo an extra pat down on the specific area in question, for example, their wrist.
TSA officials say that upgraded software is already in place in Las Vegas; Atlanta; Baltimore; Tampa, Fla.; and many other airports. There are 241 machines with this software being installed throughout the U.S.; all are expected to be in place by fall.
Trusted traveler program
The TSA is scheduled to roll out yet one more test program this fall. This one is an identity-based, preflight screening program that may lead to a widespread “trusted traveler” program that could expedite the checkpoint experience for those willing to share some additional information about themselves with the government.
Participants in the first phase of the test will include several airports and a select group of passengers.
The pool of participants will include some travelers who already are part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler programs such as Global Entry, Sentri and Nexus. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airports, the test will include some members of Delta Air Lines’ frequent-flier program. At Miami International and Dallas/Fort Worth International airports, the test will include some frequent fliers from American Airlines.
If the program works out, the TSA plans to include other airports and other airlines, including United, Southwest, JetBlue, US Airways, Alaska and Hawaiian.
Will this make a difference?
You might or might not experience one of the new programs in your next trip to the airport, but the bottom line for the TSA remains catching “bad guys” and finding objects or materials that might be used to take down a plane.
So, security-wise, will these new programs make a difference?
“It can be hard to tell,” said Jeff Price, an aviation security expert and associate professor at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. “The TSA doesn’t release statistics on what it catches. But the [Government Accountability Office] will likely do a report at some point, and the public portion of that should give us a pretty good idea.”
Have you come across these giant pinball games in an airport yet?
Earlier this summer, Courtyard by Marriott put 7 foot, 9-screen digital pinball games at some U.S. airports.
The games will be live through the fall and are located at:
• Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport: Concourse A, Gate 19
• Denver International Airport: Concourse B West, Gate 26
• Miami International Airport: Terminal D, Gate D-23
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: Central Terminal Entrance, Post Security
• San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 3, Gate 85.
Courtyard has also set up comfy lobby-like zones in Philadelphia International and Charlotte Douglas International airports. In September, the lobby zones will pop up at BWI, Houston Bush International and Phoenix Sky Harbor airports.
Well, here’s an airport moving in the right direction.
Washington’s Spokane International Airport, which serves about 3 million passengers a year, is now offering travelers free Wi-Fi (well, for 20 minutes..) inside the Terminal Building and, starting in September, will be providing baggage carts at no charge.
“In today’s climate, people are unhappy with the pricing models of air travel companies and are suffering from declines in customer service,” said airport director Lawrence Krauter.
“This is just the beginning of our commitment to explore new ways to provide greater customer satisfaction at Spokane International Airport.”
Just the beginning? Wonder what will come next? Maybe a circus, like the one offered each year at Dusseldorf International Airport. Or a miniature golf course, like they have at Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport.
After all, this is the airport that serves as the gateway for the Spokane Fantasy Flight to the North Pole each December for 60 kids and their elf escorts – so you know they know how to have a good time.
Alligator, by Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Courtesy Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Promised gift from Carl and Marian Mullis
“All Creatures Great and Small,” an exhibit from the Georgia Museum of Art’s permanent collection and the collection of Carl Mullis, is on view at the T Gates at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport through Summer 2012.
Minnie Adkins & Large Red Fox
The exhibit features art depicting animals created by well-known, self-taught American artists such as Howard Finster and Mose Tolliver and by Michael Crocker, Willie Jinks, R.A. Miller and O.L. Samuels.
Here’s a great documentary made by the museum about many of the artists.
Georgia Museum of Art presents All Creatures Great and Small from Georgia Museum of Art on Vimeo.
