Posts in the category "Free Stuff":

Several airports around the country have some special treats in store for Valentine’s Day travelers.

At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, there will be fresh, handmade, chocolate covered strawberries from local favorite Amy’s Ice Creams for sale in the baggage claim areas from February 12-14th.

In Ohio, the Akron-Canton Airport has decided that Valentine’s Day should be a customer appreciation day and so they’ll be celebrating there with free free Caribou coffee and Cinnabon minis in the morning and complimentary cupcakes in the afternoon.

The American Red Cross will be on hand to demonstrate CPR techniques (protecting hearts – get it?) and there will be prize drawings all day long. In addition to prizes from hotels, rental car agency, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Akron Aeros, one lucky duck will win a $500 gift card on Frontier Airlines.

And although I don’t have official confirmation yet, it’s a good bet that the ambassadors at Florida’s Jacksonville International Airport will continue their tradition of giving a complimentary carnation to about 1500 arriving passengers.

Categories: Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Holidays
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American Airlines, whose parent company, AMR Corporation, filed for bankruptcy at the end of November, 2011, isn’t going down without a fight.

This week the airline announced that, beginning February 1, main cabin passengers on many international flights will once again be served complimentary beer and wine, a practice discontinued some time ago.

Here’s the deal:

“Customers traveling on American-operated flights between the U.S. and Europe, the U.S. and Asia and / or onboard long-haul flights between the U.S. and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay can choose from a variety of complimentary beer and wine options, in addition to the full selection of nonalcoholic beverages.”

What’s next? Complimentary pillows and blankets?

Categories: Air Travel, Airlines, Food, Free Stuff
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I spend a lot of my time interviewing other people for the stories I write for various outlets and it always feels a bit strange when people turn the tables and ask to interview me.

But probably because this is the hectic holiday travel season, I’ve answered questions posed by Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome, Travergence, Rudy Maxa’s radio show (the podcast should be posted shortly) and, now, the Moodie Report’s Foodie Report. (Go to pages 24 & 25 to hear the audio clips, or read the story below.)

Categories: Air Travel, Airport shops, Airports, Food, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Uncategorized
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The first time I flew into Fort Wayne International Airport I thought my fellow passengers were kidding me when they said: “Make sure you get a free cookie when you get off the plane.”

But they weren’t joking: as I entered the terminal there was indeed someone standing there greeting everyone getting off the plane and handing out free cookies from a little wicker basket.

Turns out they’ve been doing this for more than 10 years. And, so far, volunteers at the airport have handed out more than a million complimentary, locally-baked cookies.

Those volunteers need some off. So most days there’s been no one on duty handing out cookies after 8:30 pm.

Until now.

Airport officials were getting complaints from cookie-loving passengers who arrived at the airport too late to get a snack. So to make sure no one leaves the airport hungry and disappointed, the airport now has a self-serve cookie kiosk.

Categories: Food, Free Stuff
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Thursday evening LAN airlines kicked off a campaign to promote its South American destinations in a really fun way: it surprised about 200 people dining at Nuela restaurant in New York City  with vouchers for free roundtrip tickets to destinations in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, or Argentina.

Lucky them!

And, maybe, lucky you.

Through October 31, the airline will be giving away more tickets to South America via a Twitter contest.

Here’s how to enter

Categories: Contests, Free Stuff
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