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I have to admit, I didn’t think this story would have a happy ending. But, today on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin, I was pleased to be able to report that Jack the cat, at large at John F. Kennedy International Airport since escaping from his cage in the American Airlines baggage claim area two months ago, has been found.

The cat got loose in the airline baggage center at JFK on Aug. 25, after Karen Pasco checked Jack and another cat in as cargo. A day later, parts of the airport were shut down in preparation for Tropical Storm Irene.

Since then, more than 18,000 Facebook fans of Jack the Cat is Lost in AA Baggage at JFK have been following search efforts that have included at least two Jack the Cat Awareness days, a pet Amber Alert and the hiring of a pet detective.

“He was found when he fell through a ceiling tile at Terminal 8 and was discovered by Customs employees who turned him over to American Airlines,” said Pasco. “He’s in critical condition after being who knows where in the terminal for the last 2 months. He’s being administered fluids, has low blood pressure and is dealing with the effects of prolonged malnutrition. While the prognosis is good overall, he’s not out of the woods yet.”

American Airlines announced the news that Jack had been found on Facebook:

“American Airlines is happy to announce that Jack the Cat has been found safe and well at JFK airport. American’s team of airport employees have been focused on the search effort since Jack escaped on August 25, 2011. Jack was found in the customs room and was immediately taken by team members to a local veterinarian. The vet has advised that Jack is doing well at present.”

Pascoe is in California, but Bonnie Folz, a New York-based search coordinator, saw Jack shortly after he was found. “It was great to know it’s him and to know he’s safe,” she said. “He looked fabulous to me. His eyes are big and beautiful and bright, although he’s lost some weight and he needs some grooming. He’s on IV and is having some tests to make sure he’s OK.”

American Airlines said once Jack is ready to travel, the airline will fly him to California to be reunited with his owner.

In a report of the incident filed with the Department of Transportation and included in the Air Travel Consumer Report issued this month, American Airlines reported that, “The clerk responsible for transporting the kennels to the FIS area loaded one kennel on top of another, and while the kennels were stationary and waiting to be loaded on the aircraft, the kennel positioned on the top fell to the ground. The impact of the fall caused the kennel to separate and the cat escaped.”

Categories: Animals, Pets
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Here’s a fun – and funny – airport amenity that you’ll only find at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas: a Dance Heads Video Booth

Located near Gate D-5, this booth looks like a photo booth, but is actually a video booth that lets you pick from one of 45 songs (Elvis – of course – Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, James Brown and others) then superimposes your face over animated videos of dancers. Then it makes a recording. For $10, you get a DVD copy of the “performance.” Extra copies, $10 as well.

If you try it out, be sure to send a copy along to StuckatTheAirport.com.

Categories: Airports, Environment, Music
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Jaeger Mah has just 10 more days to spend inside Vancouver International Airport. He’s spent 70 days there so far and he’s looking forward to being able to do his laundry when he wants to and being able to buy fresh fruit at non-inflated prices.

This past summer, Mah won a contest to be an in-residence citizen reporter at YVR. And, armed with a video camera and a few dozen bold Hawaiian shirts, he moved into the airport in mid-August.

His assignment: to spend 80 days – and nights – on-site, chronicling life at the airport via regular video reports, blog entries and on Facebook and Twitter.
Mah got a room at the on-site Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel and $50 a day in “YVR bucks” for snacks and meals. He’ll also be paid about $15,000 when he moves out.

I spoke with Mah before he started his adventure and checked back with him yesterday to see how it’s all turned out.

He told me about spending a day with a veteran pilot as he prepared for a flight to Tokyo. About attending liquor tasting at the duty free store and getting to ride along with the airport emergency crew. During his time at the airport he’s visited the on-site dentist (“Turns out I have five cavities,”), learned how to de-ice airplanes and spent an evening with his dad at the airport’s Flying Beaver Pub, where they play a “Name that tune” game every Saturday night.

As his live-in assignment winds down, Mah says he’s going to miss all the friends he’s made at the airport. But he knows he’ll be back soon: Mah and his girlfriend have tickets to fly to Maui at the end of November. “I can’t wait to fly,” said Mah, “Because now I know everything that goes into flying. I know what the flight crews are doing, how the airplanes are prepped, how they push planes back from the gate and what the pilots have done to get ready to fly.”

Day 68 – De-icing Crew from Live@YVR on Vimeo.

Categories: Airports, Fun Stuff
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It’s only Monday and we may already have our airport amenity of the week.

California’s Oakland International Airport (OAK) is offering free parking for passengers flying from the airport midweek between Thanksgiving Day and the December holidays.

To get the deal, which can save you up to $66, you just need to fill out an on-line form and download the coupon from the OAK website.

That’s not the only thing you can get for free at the OAK airport.

The airport website also has a coupon good for free rental clubs at Metropolitan Golf Links, located on airport property.

Categories: Golf, Parking
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It’s hard to read travel stories about exotic places like, say, Chicago, if you can’t quite swing the cash for airfare and a swanky hotel.

That’s why, even though I never win, I’m in favor of entering contests that award – someone – free travel.

Because I learned early on that you can’t win if you don’t play.

The upscale Radisson Blu Aqua, Chicago open its doors on November 1 and to celebrate the first Radisson Blu in the U.S., Club Carlson is having an Ultimate Getaway Giveaway.

Each week during the eight week sweepstakes, which runs December 16, Club Carlson members will have an opportunity to win a two-night stay at the new Radisson Blu Aqua, Chicago, airfare for two and $2,500 in spending cash. One grand prize winner will receive a five-night getaway at any Carlson hotel worldwide, airfare for two and $10,000 in spending cash.

You’ll need to be Club Carlson member to enter, but membership in that club is free.

In Victoria, B.C., home to one of my favorite museums – the Royal B.C. Museum –  the Hotel Grand Pacific has rolled out a “pay what you want” promotion.

From October 27 through November 11, the hotel is asking prospective guests to visit the contest site, answer some questions about what they’re looking for in a hotel and make an offer for a night’s stay.

Ten rooms for each night between October 28 and December 23 will be available at a “Pay What You Want” rate, on a first come, first served basis.

Good luck! And if you win, please send a souvenir.

Categories: Contests, Hotels
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