Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Airport Arrivals: Burning Man +Beyoncé

Reno-Tahoe International Airport loves the Burners

Burning Man 2023 is underway in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. And about 20,000 of the 80,000 or so attendees make their way to the event through Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).

The airport is an old hand at welcoming and sending off the festival goers.

So, when the party is over, on September 4, the airport will be ready with plastic bags to wrap dust-encrusted luggage and other checked items to make sure playa dust doesn’t get tracked through the terminal and muck up the baggage systems. There will also be donation sites for camping gear Burners don’t want to take home and the bikes Burners brought or bought to get around the playa.

Photo op: Beyonce’s “BeyHive” at San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport

Beyoncé will be performing at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA on August 30 and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC), which is just five miles from the stadium is ready with a special event for Queen Bey’s ‘BeyHive,’ as her fans are known.

XO” is one of the singer’s hit song titles, and it is also the name of a new art installation at the airport created by Bay Area artists Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg for the Burning Man Festival, and dedicated at SJC earlier this year.

The structure is comprised of two 12-foot-tall aluminum letters, perforated with bird cutouts symbolizing flight, and is illuminated with color at night. 

To welcome Beyoncé fans flying in for the concert, SJC airport will be hosting an event for fans to get free professional photos taken in front of its “XO” public art sculpture. 

The event will take place on the Airport’s Terminal B curbside beginning at 7:00 PM on August 29th.

The commemorative color photos will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis by a professional photographer and will be available on the spot along with other fun giveaways from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., or while supplies last.  

(XO images courtesy of San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport and City of San Jose)

Reno Airport dishes out the compliments

Courtesy Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Here’s a hopeful sign that airports are getting their groove back.

On Monday, National Compliment Day, the Kindness Takes Flight team at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) brought back its Free Compliments Campaign.

From a kiosk in the main terminal and via “compliment balloons” spread throughout the airport, passengers and airport visitors received free compliments such as “That color is perfect for you,” “I bet you sweat glitter,” and “You are glowing,”

The plan was to continue the nice-fest “until the complement of compliments is exhausted,” said airport spokeswoman Annie Turner.

You can read more about the plans for the day and the bonus benefits of giving and receiving compliments in the story our compliments correspondent wrote the Points Guy.

But this isn’t the only holiday RNO does right. On National Chocolate Cake Day, volunteers often hand out complimentary chocolate cupcakes. On National Popcorn Day (a high holy day at StuckatTheAirport.com), travelers get free popcorn. And on National Dog Day, traveling pups often receive milk bones.

RNO also has fun on May the Fourth

Airport news from here and there

MKE’s Coat Check service, holiday decor, & Santa sightings

Check your winter coat at MKE

One of the smartest, best, and most reasonably-priced seasonal airport amenities has returned for a third winter to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE): coat check service.

Offered in partnership with Paradies Lagardère inside the pre-security Summerfest
Marketplace, the service allows travelers heading to warm clime the option of checking their winter coats for just $2/day or $10 a trip. The service is available 7 days a week and will be offering through at least the beginning of winter.

Santa, elves, and more holiday fun at airports

Like many other travelers, we had to cancel our holiday flights due to COVID-19 concerns. But we’re still keeping an eye on all the fun things airports are rolling out to celebrate the season.

Here are few things we spotted on Wednesday.

And look at these snaps shared by Washington’s IAD & DCA Airports

Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) have done a great job of lighting and decorating the terminals. Thanks so much for sharing the slide show.

Airports & Airlines Having Holiday Fun

It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas in airports and in the air. Here are some of the fun holiday items we spotted today.

Alaska Airlines’ Holiday Perks

Alaska Airlines has a new special-edition aircraft in the skies decorated with snowflakes, the words “Merrier Together,” and those festive red Starbucks holiday cups.

Through December 12, passengers on 50 of this aircraft’s flights will receive reusable holiday cups and some bonus treats. The airline will also be offsetting the carbon impacts of these flights.

On National Ugly Sweater Day – December 17 – the airline will be offering early boarding to any passengers wearing an ugly sweater.

Holidays take flight at Alaska Airlines

And throughout December, passengers wearing ugly sweaters may purchase a day pass to any of the airline’s eight lounges around the country for $25, which is 50% off the regular price. The lounges are located in Anchorage (ANC), New York (JFK), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), and Seattle (SEA).

An Elf is Roaming Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Festive Selfie Spot at ATL

And Check out the SFO Wag Brigade

Fresh art at LAX, RNO, and SFO Airports

Here at Stuck at the Airport, we’re big fans of the art and history exhibits passengers can enjoy while waiting for their planes. And we’re delighted to see that – pandemic or not – airport art programs are marching forward.

At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) there’s a new LA Scenes group exhibition in Terminal 1.

And, in conjunction with the National Arts Program, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority is hosting the 13th annual Employee Art Show.

The colorful exhibition showcases 132 pieces by 88 airport artists drawn from tenants and vendors, staff, family, and
retirees of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.

This show began in 2007 and includes works ranging from paintings, works on paper, photography, mixed media, sculptures, and crafts.

Look for this show in RNO’s depARTures Galler, located post-security in the C concourse through August 4, 2021