Events

Lambert St. Louis Int’l Airport celebrates travelers

Events,

STL Airport

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) has enlisted a yellow jellybean-looking character to help kick off a week of  customer appreciation events as part of National Tourism Week, May 1-7.

The yellow bean will be available for selfies at an interactive display window in the Terminal 1 baggage claim and there will be a special event each day, including free snow cones on Tuesday and a Budweiser Clydesdale on Thursday. (A horse in the airport? I’ll ask for photos…)

Here’s the schedule:

Monday, May 2: Two Pedros Band | Concourse C | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 3: Free Snow Cones by Southwest Airlines | Gates E14 & E16 | 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Dave & Greg band w/ Tim McCready | Concourse A | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Fredbird | Terminal 2 | 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 4: Looney Tunes characters from Six Flags St. Louis | T1 & T2 | 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Kara Baldus Trio feat. Regi Drake | Terminal 2 | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, May 5: Budweiser Clydesdale | Terminal 2 | 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Johnny Chase Duo | Concourse C | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday, May 6: Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers | Terminal 2 | 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

SxSW concerts at Austin’s Airport

Events, Music, ,

AUS SXSW
(Photo of Austin’s Charlie Belle band courtesy Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport)

The famed South by Southwest (SxSW) music festival is underway in Austin and for those flying into town the fun starts right at the airport.

In addition to the 21 regularly scheduled live shows already on tap at Austin Bergstrom International Airport this week, there are a several sanctioned SxSW showcases featuring Austin performers.

The official added shows are designed to welcome SxSW attendees to town and send them off in style – and all take place post-security.

So don’t rush to baggage claim when you land.

Here’s the schedule:

Monday., March 14

Suzanna Choffel (Indie Soul/Jazzy Pop) – 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

Charlie Belle (Alternapop) – 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Tues., March 15

Jai Malano (Modern Blues Vocalist) – 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

Faye & The Fayettes (Smart Soul-Pop) – 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

Mon., March 21

Jackie Venson (Indie Blues Guitarist & Singer) – 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Carson McHone (Alt-Country/Americana Songwriter) – 3 p.m.-5 p.m.

Travel Tidbits from Phoenix and O’Hare Airports

Art, Events, Food, , ,

Fresh art at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 

PHX WOOD SCULPTURE 1

Giant wood sculptures by Phoenix artist Mitch Fry, made from a multitude of small pieces, are now on display in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as part of the Phoenix Airport Museum’s exhibition titled, Form Matters.

Look for this exhibition in Terminal 4 in the Gallery on level 3 through July 10. (Hours: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.)

HMSHost _ Channel Your Inner Chef

Something’s cooking at Chicago O’Hare Airport 

The second annual Channel Your Inner Chef cooking competition take place March 22 in front of a live audience inside Terminal 2 at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

Hosted by HMSHost and the Chicago Department of Aviation, the competition pits five finalists against each other in a 30-minute timed cook-off with the challenge of creating an original recipe from a bounty of ingredients revealed to them only at the start of the event.

Top prize is the chance for the winning chef to have his or her dish featured on the menu of an HMSHost-operated restaurant at O’Hare, two round-trip airline tickets for a flight within the continental U.S. and a VIP trip for two to attend the James Beard Awards Gala on May 2, 2016 in Chicago.

The cook-off will be held post-security in O’Hare’s Terminal 2 and will also feature live music and a secondary stage with cooking demonstrations and sample dishes from HMSHost-operated restaurants at O’Hare.

 

Alaska Airline’s eclipse trip

Aviation history, Events, ,
Alakas Airlines ecllipse

Photo courtesy Alaska Airlines

 

Here’s a great eclipse photo and (below) a video taken from an Alaska Airlines plane during the total solar eclipse on March 8.

To get those photos – and make a planeload of eclipse chasers happy – Alaska Airlines actually changed the path and the timing of Flight 870 from Anchorage to Honolulu so that it would intersect the “path of totality” – the darkest shadow of the moon as it passes over the Earth – at the exact right time.

I think it was definitely worth the trouble!

Video courtesy Mike Kentrianakis / American Astronomical Society.

Want to see a total solar eclipse? There’s one coming up in August 2017 that will sweep across the United States. Start planning now with tips offered on the eclipse2017.org website.

Fashion show on an airport runway? Yes.

Airports, Events, Fashion, , ,

Helsinki match made in HEL

A while back, Helsinki Airport and Finnair turned an airport runway into a skatepark.

That worked out so well, they’re doing it again:

On May 24, Finnair and Helsinki Airport (HEL) will host Runway 2 – a fashion show featuring work by top designers from around the world presented on an airport runway.

The event is a Match Made in HEL and will feature the work of yet-to-be announced fashion designers from China, Korea, Japan, the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Sounds like great fun. Especially if the planes landing and taking off that day use the other runway…

Bay area airports gear up for Super Bowl 50

Events, Sports, ,

Mineta San Jose International Airport ready for Super Bowl 50 fans_edited

No matter which teams end up playing in Super Bowl 50 on February 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, airports in the Bay Area are ready for all those sports fans to arrive – and depart.

Here’s what some of the area airports have in store:

Officials at San Francisco International Airport are gearing up for a steady stream of arriving traffic in the days leading up to the Super Bowl and for a big crush of travelers on the Monday following the game.

“For the departure activity, we’re working with the TSA and airlines to open ticket counters and security checkpoints much earlier than usual,” said airport spokesman Doug Yakel, “and many airlines are actually planning to remain open 24 hours from Sunday into Monday to keep customers moving.”

The “5-4-3-2-1” campaign, should help move things along on departure day. The campaign encourages travelers to check out of their hotels 5 hours before their scheduled departure flight, to return their rental cars 4 hours before their flights and to check in at their airline ticket counters 3 hours before their flights. SFO is urging Super Bowl fans to get through the security checkpoints at least 2 hours before their flights and be waiting at their departure gates a least an hour before the scheduled departure time.

Other airports in the area are promoting the 5-4-3-2-1 campaign as well.

SFO MUSEUM FOOTBALL HELMET

That means, of course, that a lot of passengers may be spending more time than usual at the airport and SFO is ready for that with an exhibit of artifacts from the NFL Hall of Fame (in Terminal 3) and a planned program of live music in all the terminals.

SFO has also set aside 150 parking spaces for private and corporate aircraft activity.

Pop-up Super Bowl shop at Oakland International Airport_edited

Oakland International Airport already has a pop-up shop selling Super Bowl memorabilia inside the terminal and is bracing for full flights during the week of the Super Bowl but, right now, has no additional commercial game-related flights scheduled for that week.

“What we are anticipating is an increase in corporate flights and are expecting to have the most private jet activity in the region, given that we have the most physical space for aircraft parking,” said OAK spokesperson Keonnis Taylor.

https://twitter.com/FlySJC/status/687321521841254400https://twitter.com/FlySJC/status/687321521841254400

Mineta San Jose International Airport, “the gateway to The Big Game,” has spent months been planning for a significant increase in Super Bowl 50-related travelers and aircraft, including the arrival of the two Super Bowl team planes, currently scheduled on Sunday, January 31, and up to 10 commercial-sized aircraft transporting NFL family and friends, which are likely to land on February 4, said SJC spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes.
Some airlines will likely add commercial flights to accommodate increased demand, once the two teams playing have been decided, but SJC is also planning to accommodate what may be up to 150 private aircraft.

Passengers will find super-sized NFL graphics inside and outside of the terminals and in the Rental Car center, an increased presence by the San Jose Police Department and extended TSA checkpoint hours and personnel on Game Night through Tuesday after the game.

A helpful Game Week Travel page on the SJC website offers everything from tips on ground transportation options to a reminder from the TSA to pack Super Bowl 50 souvenir program in carry-ons only, “due to the program’s hologram feature.”

(My story about Bay Area airports gearing up for Super Bowl 50 first appeared on USA TODAY )

 

 

Love stamp dedicated at Dallas Love Field

Events, , , ,

LOVE STAMP

A first-day of issue ceremony for the 2016 Forever Love Stamp is taking place today at, appropriately enough – Dallas Love Field Airport.

(A great reminder to get some Valentines to mail out this year…}

This Forever stamp heart design was created by artist Yulia Brodskaya, who made the heart using the ancient art of quilling – also called paper filigree— which involves rolling and shaping narrow strips of paper, laying them on their edges, and gluing them in place to form intricate designs.

Airport amenities to be thankful for

Entertainment, Events, Exercise, ground transporation, , ,

My At the Airport column on USA TODAY each December is a round-up of some of the best new amenities airports have introduced through the year.

Here are some of the highlights from 2015.

SFO airplane cocktail shaker

 

Taming transportation

During 2015, a wave of airports around the country, including those in Chicago, Las Vegas, Louisville, Sacramento, San Diego and Washington, D.C. (both DCA and IAD) hammered out deals with ride-hailing services such as Uber/UberX, Lyft, Sidecar and Wingz to legally pick up and drop off passengers at the terminals.

Look for that trend to continue in 2016.

Helping others

Following the lead of airports in Denver and Columbus, Ohio, in January 2015 — when all the Super Bowl fans were flocking to town — Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport put out spare change collection boxes to begin raising money for the on-site USO hospitality center. In April, Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) in Allentown, Pa., added change collection stations to raise funds for a variety of local charities.

Helping moms

During 2015 many airports made space for properly equipped lactation stations for nursing mothers. Chicago O’Hare International Airport now has three Mother’s Rooms, while lactation stations and nursing rooms have been added at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport, Jacksonville International, Spokane International, Newark Liberty, JFK, LaGuardia, Pittsburgh International, Boise Airport and others.

Soothing stress, helping health

More airports are adding pet therapy programs to help fliers deal with the stress of traveling.

In September, Sacramento International Airport introduced the Boarding Area Relaxation Corps, (B.A.R.C.), which welcomes pet therapy dogs and their handlers to the airport twice a week, while in October, Denver International Airport introduced the Canine Airport Therapy Squad, referred to as C.A.T.S.

Other stress-reducing and health-inducing amenities we noted during 2015 included the beach oasis — complete with Adirondack chairs, umbrellas and artificial turf — set up inside Philadelphia International Airport during snowy February, and the healthy eating campaign at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport that handed out free fruit for travelers, along with prizes.

Complimentary treadmill desks were installed this year at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and, at JFK Terminal 5, JetBlue opened a rooftop lounge complete with dog walk, and created a farm out in front of the terminal where a wide variety of herbs and vegetables are now growing.

Fuel for the flight

Healthy airport dining options — both sit-down and take-away — are on the rise  and, in addition to the many upgraded great restaurants (and bars) rolled out this year, we saw the introduction of several free apps, including Grab and AirGrub, that allow travelers to order ahead, skip the line and streamline the task of purchasing a meal inside the airport to take to the gate or onto the plane.

Unique amenities, events and milestones

While SFO and DEN airports offer a mobile car-washing service in their airport parking lots (fees range from $24.95 to $49.95), travelers who park in the garages or in the outside parking lot at Spokane International Airport can get their cars washed for free. (Technically introduced at the end of 2014, I learned about this unique amenity in early 2015 and hope it catches on.)

In addition to being named the Grand Marshal of the Starlight Parade for the Portland Rose Festival, during 2015 the quirky carpet being replaced at Portland International Airport continued its reign as a social media darling, leading passengers to take a closer look at airport flooring nationwide.

To help with the year-long celebration marking the 20th anniversary of Denver International Airport, the Colorado Lottery created a special edition $2 scratch ticket game featuring four iconic images of the airport and, picking up on the newest old-fashioned craze, this year Dallas Love Field has a giant coloring wall in the terminal. Whenever the picture gets filled in, all they have to do is wipe the surface clean and start over.

Dallas Love Field _coloring wall

 

Did you spot a cool new amenity at an airport during 2015 that I didn’t mention?

Please share your fave in the comments below.

More holiday events at airports

Airports, Events, Holidays,

Flying somewhere for the holidays? You’ll find lots of entertainment, and even free gifts and prizes, at some airports.

SEA FROSTY the Snowman

Through December 24 at JFK International Airport’s Terminal 7, travelers whose flights are delayed can win prizes through the “Delight my Delay” campaign.

HMS Host is also hosting an “Instant Stocking Stuffer Sweepstakes” for customers of its airport restaurants. Through December 31, 2015, travelers who make a purchase at an HMSHost restaurant in the U.S. and Canada can text a code found on their purchase receipt to be entered to win prizes that include round-trip airfare for two.

Elsewhere, travelers in Chicago will find free hot cocoa being served at Midway Airport and, at O’Hare Airport, a holiday photo booth with plenty of props.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is handing out complimentary Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards to travelers in the parking lots and terminals and complimentary Starbucks to airport valet customers (both while supplies last).

At Seattle Tacoma International Airport, Frosty the Snowman, elves, fairies and other costumed characters are roving the terminals to spread cheer and at Denver International Airport, those waiting for arriving passengers can listen to live music and relax in in lounge seating and cabaret tables in the center of the Great Hall.

More holiday events at airports

Airports, Events, Holidays,

Vienna Airport santa

Lots of airports are working hard this year to make holiday travel a bit less stressful, fun and, in many cases, rewarding.

LGA PRESENT PATROL

The Food & Shops program at LaGuardia Airport has enlisted the help of the “LGA Snow Bros:” five high-energy holiday elves who will ride into stores and into food courts in Terminal B on their holiday sleigh to surprise random passengers by paying for their store purchases or giving them presents.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport CLE will have carolers around the terminal and visits from Browns’ mascot Chomps.

OHARE music xmas

Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports also have a full schedule of entertainment and surprises in store for passengers:

On Thursday, December 10 and Friday, December 11 from 2 to 5 p.m., passengers at O’Hare International Terminal 5 could have a chance encounter with a “Merry Maker” and receive a surprise courtesy of Westfield.

And on Friday, December 11 from 9 a.m. to noon, HMSHost Holiday Elves will visit restaurants in O’Hare’s domestic terminals and give away gifts to customers.

At both Dulles International and Reagan National airports, there will be performances by local schools and professional ensembles, strolling Santas & entertainers, photo booths & an opportunity to get a free gift if you spend $100 in one day in the airport shops.

More holiday events at airports soon..