pet-therapy

Best new airport amenities from 2016

People love to complain about all the time they must spend in airports on their way to someplace else.

But, more and more, many airports have turned into darn fine places to hang out in thanks to the addition of art and history exhibits, appealing restaurants and shops and a wide array of welcome amenities.

During 2015, for example, many airports worked out their differences with ride-hailing services such as Lyft, Uber and Wingz and added lactation stations for nursing mothers.

This week and next, StuckatTheAirport.com will run down some of the best new amenities airports added during 2016.

Today: animals at the airport

During 2016, indoor pet potties popped up at hundreds of airports thanks to a Department of Transportation ruling that requires airports to create at least one relief area on the sterile side of each terminal to accommodate service animals.  Traveling pets and the many working dogs at airports get to use the pet lavs without going back out through security as well.

And while it’s no longer rare to have teams of certified pet-therapy dogs and their handlers roaming terminals to engage with passengers and ease the stress of travel, this year several airports welcomed their first non-canine team members.

Miniature therapy horses from Seven Oaks Farm now visit Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport two or three times a month and both San Francisco International Airport and New York’s Albany International Airport have certified therapy pigs on their teams.