free stuff

Heathrow Airport’s Commemorative Coronation Luggage Tag

Heathrow Airport welcomed plenty of VIPs and tourists to town for the Coronation of King Charles III. 

And to mark the occasion, Heathrow Airport commissioned London-based artist Morag Myerscough to design a commemorative luggage tag that is being handed out to travelers through May 10.

“Instinctively I knew a bold color-filled, joyful, positive approach to the luggage tag to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and the start of a new era was going to be my approach,” said Myerscough. “I marked the day with ‘CR III 2023’ and on the reverse depicting an abstract gateway to echo how Heathrow is the gateway to the UK and the world, welcoming people to start their adventures there and now to celebrate a new monarch.”

The tags are printed on the high-quality, recycled card by ‘the Royals’ favorite stationer’ Barnard & Westwood. This is the fine printing and bookbinding company that held a Royal Warrant under both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales, printing the orders of service for royal events such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding.  

In addition to the luggage tags, Heathrow has been celebrating the King’s Coronation with live music, Coronation-themed cupcakes and Walker’s shortbreads, and special dishes in some of the restaurants. Look for the King’s Blini at the Caviar House & Prunier, Coronation Chicken at Pilot’s Bar & Kitchen, and the King Charles Burger at Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen.

And head to Terminal 5 for the special Union Jack lighting that also celebrates the Coronation.

(Photos courtesy Kieran Cleeves/PA Wire)

Alaska Airlines has a deal for Kraken Fans

In some cities, it’s all about the basketball playoffs right now.

But in Seattle, hopes are pinned on the professional ice-hockey team known as the Seattle Kraken.

The Seattle Kraken will play against the Dallas Stars in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. And to celebrate, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is offering special fares to Dallas as well as sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets to Game 2 in Dallas.

Here’s the deal: through May 5, Alaska Airlines is offering

*$99 tickets each way between Seattle and Dallas – to either Dallas Love Field (DAL) or Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW);

*Priority boarding for any guests sporting Kraken gear at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport:

*And a chance to win two roundtrip tickets to Dallas and a pair of tickets to Game 2 of the second round of playoffs. Enter by retweeting the @SeattleKraken “I want to fly away” tweet.

(Official sweepstakes rules here.)

Alaska Airlines is the official airline sponsor of the Kraken, and they’ve even added another flight to Dallas from Seattle on May 2 with flight number #9232 in honor of the NHL’s 32nd franchise.

Holiday travelers will find busy airports, but with plenty of free things to do

(This is a slightly different version of a story we prepared for NBC News)

Over this holiday, the Transportation Security Administration is expecting to screen a near pre-pandemic number of passengers.

Many travelers will be visiting an airport for the first time in almost two years but will be pleased to find a wide range of free services and amenities at the ready to help ease the journey. 

Security Checkpoint Reservations

Travelers who haven’t paid for expedited security lane access with a TSA PreCheck or CLEAR membership may still be able to skip the long lines. A handful of airports now host free programs that allow travelers to reserve a time slot for going through the security checkpoint during the busiest hours. Look for the SEA Spot Saver Program, the LAX Fast Lane, DFW’s Fast Pass Pilot Program, Newark Liberty International’s Virtual Lane, and Orlando International Airport’s Reservation Lane, operated by CLEAR.   

Gate Passes

A handful of airports offer free gate passes to non-ticketed visitors who want to meet an arriving passenger, see someone off at the gate, or spend baggage-free time dining, shopping, or plane spotting in the terminal. Pass seekers apply online ahead of their visit and, if approved by TSA, go through standard security screening. Airports currently offering gate passes include  Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY), Bishop International (FNT) in Flint, MI, and California’s John Wayne Airport. The gate pass programs at Pittsburgh International and Tampa International airports are still on hold due to the pandemic.

Holiday Entertainment  

Many airports have brought back free live concerts, performances, and other forms of entertainment just in time for the holiday season. For example, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) has a bright red mailbox set up to collect letters to Santa and promises a personalized response to anyone who includes their address.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has a robust holiday performance series underway, and the 25-foot-tall water feature in Terminal B at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is rotating in a holiday-themed show with its signature program

Movies and Games

At Dallas Forth International Airport (DFW) there’s a new, free interactive gaming experience at gate D-18 featuring a 40-foot-long media wall with a touchless tracking sensor.

The free 22-seat Hollywood Theatre Microcinema at Portland International Airport (PDX) has reopened, showing short films by Pacific Northwest filmmakers. (The films can also be viewed online). The free Video Arts gallery in the International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has reopened as well, showing four new films a month every 20 minutes or less in the gallery and online. Free short films are also screened at the See 18 Film Screen Room (by Gate C18) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).

Free books and short stories

Reading is a great way to pass the time when traveling and a handful of airports offer passengers free reading material.

In Houston, there are two free Little Libraries at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and three inside Hobby Airport (HOU). Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has a book exchange corner in Terminal A West and a machine that dispenses short stories between Terminals D and E. Oakland International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, and Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) in Madison, WI, have short story dispensers too. And at San Jose International Airport (SJC), anyone can access the Pop-Up Library to download and access eBooks from the San Jose Public Library for free.

Free Airport Museums

In addition to permanent and changing art and history exhibits, airports in San Francisco, Miami, Phoenix, Albany, NY, and many other cities have free on-site museums and professional museum programs. For example, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is home to the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum, with its main exhibit up above baggage claim, and Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) recently reopened the Mitchell Gallery of Flight, a free aviation museum open 24/7 in the pre-security area.

More free airport amenities

Look around and you’ll find plenty of other free things to do at airports this season.

Free yoga rooms are available at airports in Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, and Miami. American Heart Association kiosks offering free training in lifesaving, hands-only CPR are operating again at many airports. And cute as a button teams of therapy dogs are out in force in dozens of airports this season offering stress-busting visits and accepting free pats and hugs.

Free foam glider & free outdoor movies at Lincoln Airport (LNK)

This red Arrow Sport, one of only one of six known to still be in existence, was built by the Arrow Aircraft Company, of Havelock, Nebraska and now hangs in the terminal at Lincoln Airport (LNK) in Nebraska.

If you stop by the airport’s customer service desk, they will give you a free red foam glider plane in honor of the Arrow Sport.

LNK is also celebrating Halloween with free movies and a costume contest.

On Thursday, October 14, and Friday, October 15, LNK will be featuring the movie Hocus Pocus at its outdoor movie event. There will also be a Halloween costume contest.

Something happening at your airport? Let us know.

Airport Tidbits from Here and There

Facebook and Instagram may have been down on Monday, but Twitter was there for airports to share news and fun tidbits. Here are some items that caught our attention.

Not vaccinated yet?

Please get with the program so you can travel safely. Many airports around the country make it easy to get the jab.

Airports are celebrating National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month

We love airport freebies. Don’t you?