The 2016 Rio Olympics get underway today and Philadelphia International Airport is encouraging passengers to share in the excitement by entering the PHL 2016 Wii Olympics.
The airport has set up a special area post-Security in the Terminal D-E corridor where adults and children can play Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on a 60-inch HD LED monitor.
The Nintendo video game will be available weekdays from August 5 to 19, noon until 2:00 p.m.
After competing in tennis, swimming and other sports, all gold, silver and bronze winners can step on the airport’s medal platform and pose for a selfie.
Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and Alexander Hamilton (characters…) are getting ready to hand out 13-star Colonial flags and otherwise entertain passengers when Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) welcomes the delegates, party officials, journalists and spectators traveling to the city for the Democratic National Convention (DNC), taking place July 25-28.
“Many of these folks will be traveling by air to Philadelphia for the convention, and the airport will be their first impression of the City. We want to make sure it’s a positive one,” said Airport CEO Chellie Cameron.
Beginning Friday, July 22, airport staff will fan through the terminals to greet and assist delegates. And volunteers from the DNC Host Committee and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) will be in the baggage claim areas to help convention attendees.
Inside the airport, visitors will be hear The Sound of Philadelphia – a playlist of popular songs by Philadelphia’s own legendary producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
In the baggage claim areas on Saturday and Sunday, July 23-24, visitors will be treated to complimentary Philadelphia-centric Tastykakes and soft pretzels while Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and Alexander Hamilton hand out Colonial flags.
There’s more:
There will be a pop-up movie theater in the B/C bag claim, courtesy of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and History Making Productions, showing short documentaries about the city’s cultural and innovative history;
Shops and restaurants will have special sales and DNC merchandise for purchase;
The airport’s landscape is getting a tidying up and taxis are being offered a free wash in advance of the convention;
And, to get ready for the departure of attendees on Friday, July 29, the Transportation Security Administration will have extra screeners on duty.
And don’t forget the art:
An exhibition – Philadelphia’s History of Presidential Conventions, 1848-Present (in Terminal A-East) highlights the 12 Presidential conventions the city has hosted. The 11th took place in 2000 when Philadelphia was the site of the Republican National Convention
Philadelphia International Airport has kicked off another summer of its customer appreciation program, called Just Plane Fun, which will present live entertainment, magicians, caricature artists, beauty makeovers and demonstrations and fun activities to passengers right through to Labor Day.
There’s plenty to do at PHL even when the Mummers, the magicians and the makeover artists aren’t on duty: PHL has a robust arts and culture program that currently lists almost two dozen permanent and temporary exhibitions around the airport.
Courtesy City of Philadelphia
Right now, for example, in anticipation of the Democratic National Convention is being held in Philadelphia July 25-28, the airport is presenting an exhibition about the city’s long history of hosting presidential conventions.
The exhibit, Philadelphia’s Presidential Convention History 1848-2016, is in Terminal A-East and will be on display through June 2017.
Thousands of people heading to Philadelphia for this weekend’s Papal Visit will be passing through Philadelphia International Airport.
The airport is ready with a special web page of helpful travel information, extra services and, on Monday, September 28, a free Papal Visit luggage tag for anyone who spends $25 or more in participating retail shops.
While Pope Francis’s arrival and departure at the airport are not public events, keep in mind he’s due to arrive at Atlantic Aviation at about 9:30 p.m. today (Saturday, September 26) and depart at 8 p.m. on Sunday, September 27.
The Pope will surely have a car service to meet him when he arrives, but everyone else should consider taking the SEPTA train into town. Especially because on Saturday and Sunday your special One Day Papal Pass for travel on the Airport Rail Line will also be a souvenir.
On view: beautiful and exotic wind instruments from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Central and North America, which are a part of The Sheldon’s Hartenberger 2,500 piece World Music Collection.
And in the Terminal C-D link, Philadelphia International Airport is commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the start of its commercial air service with a new exhibit looking back at the airport’s transformation into a major hub airport.
Kenneth Aston, Philadelphia International Airport.
