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Souvenir Sunday at Copenhagen International Airport

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Each Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com is Souvenir Sunday – a day to take a look at some of the inexpensive and offbeat things you might find yourself buying – or thinking of buying – when you’re hanging around the airport.

This week’s treats come from Copenhagen International Airport, which began offering free Wi-Fi to travelers the first week in December (yay!) and where I found almost too many tempting and offbeat things to buy.

Here’s just a sampling:

In addition to jars of herring and what seemed liked a dozen varieties of black licorice, the gourmet food store at the airport sells packages of Danish-style hollowed-out-in-the-center hot dog rolls.

Viking statuettes are quite popular –

But, of course, so is candy. And in amongst the choices in the duty free shop was this Haribo offering of candy larvae.

Even though the package says “Kids and grown-ups love it so,” I left the larvae behind and instead chose to bring home this Lego airplane.

Souvenir Sunday at Tan Son Nhat Int’l Airport in Ho Chi Minh City

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It’s Souvenir Sunday, the day StuckatTheAirport.com takes a moment to look at some of the fun, inexpensive and locally-themed items travelers can find when stuck at the airport.

This week’s souvenir comes from Jon Douglas, who was kind enough to snap a photo of these traditional Vietnamese hats he found for sale at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh City.

Traditional Vietnamese hats at Ho Chi Minh City Airport

Do you poke around the shops when you’re stuck at the airport? If you see something that’s “of” the city or region and bit offbeat, please snap a photo and send it along. As a thank-you, you’ll receive a travel-related souvenir in the mail,

Souvenir Sunday at SFO

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It’s Souvenir Sunday – when we take a a look at some of the souvenirs you can pick up when you’re stuck at the airport.

This week’s souvenirs come from San Francisco International Airport, where the Brookstone store has modern-day versions of Pan Am travel items;

Where several newsstands carry flight attendant-themed doll sets;

And where a new shop called Destination Green offers these cute pink (‘green’) cars that Barbie might covet.

Helpful freebies for travelers heading to Thanksgiving

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Holiday travel can get mighty hectic. And if something goes wrong this Wednesday- the day before Thanksgiving and the notorious “busiest travel day of the year” – an inconvenience can turn into a disaster.

So it’s nice to know that the travel insurance and assistance company Travel Guard North America will be offering emergency travel assistance services free to all U.S. travelers on Wednesday, November 23.

The company’s services include flight rebooking, hotel booking, emergency cash coordination and message relay, as well as emergency medical assistance such as referrals, access to air ambulances, medical providers and more.
It’s a service I hope you won’t need to use. But if you do, here’s the number: (866) 644-6811.

And on Wednesday, if you manage to avoid travel emergencies and find yourself on a plane equipped with GoGo in-flight Wi-Fi, you’ll be able to jump online –free – for 30 minutes of shopping courtesy of a Fly & Buy promotion with Nordstrom’s, Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon and other retail companies. The promotion runs through January 2, 2012, but for the Wednesday’s kick-off some companies will be throwing in extras.

Home store Hayneedle.com is entering each customer in a Fly & Buy contest to win a $5,000.00 shopping spree and also handing out in-flight shopping vouchers in several terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Barcodes offer discounts at DFW

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If you’re traveling to or through the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) anytime before now and mid-January, keep your smartphone handy.

It could save you some money on parking, dining and shopping.

The airport has rolled out a holiday campaign that offers coupons and special offers for nearby concessions to anyone who uses the Microsoft Tag app to scan what looks to be highly visible barcodes that will be posted in the parking garages, the Skylink cars and otherwise scattered around the airport.

There’s more information here, including a link to download the app.

If you try it out, let me know what you find. And buy.

Making the most of America’s busiest airports – part 3

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Here’s part 3 of my recent Bing Travel slide show about how to make the best of America’s busiest airports. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.



San Francisco International
In the winter, delays can mount at San Francisco International Airport because of rain, wind and, yes, fog. That will leave you plenty of time to enjoy airport amenities that include free Wi-Fi, an aquarium, fun and educational kids’ play areas, spa services at four XpresSpa locations, and a museum program that presents up to 20 exhibitions around the airport at any one time.

Defeat the delay: Most airport eateries are branches of well-loved local restaurants, cafés and bars; the best concentration is in the pre-security area of the International Terminal.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International
All three terminals at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport offer free Wi-Fi, a branch of the popular Paradise Bakery and plenty of permanent and changing museum exhibitions.

Defeat the delay: Take the free 10-minute airport shuttle bus to the Metro light-rail stop. From there you can head into town or walk across the street to the Pueblo Grande Museum.

Charlotte-Douglas, North Carolina
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport was the first airport in the country to provide rocking chairs in the terminal, an amenity we’re thankful that many other airports have adopted. Additional stress-reduction services at the North Carolina airport include free-Wi-Fi, piano concerts in the atrium and the Terminal Getaway Spa, where the menu includes massages, manicures, pedicures and reflexology and oxygen treatments.

Defeat the delay: The Queen’s Courtyard, in front of the CLT terminal, has a 15-foot statue of Queen Charlotte and a 40-foot reflecting pool.

Miami International
The 12th-busiest U.S. airport for total passengers, Miami International Airport is finishing up a major expansion and overhaul. Spend a delay getting a massage or a spray-on tan at the Jetsetter Spa, visiting the art galleries and public art installations, recharging with Cuban coffee or visiting one of 20 new restaurants.

Defeat the delay: The on-site Miami International Airport Hotel has a sushi bar in the lobby and a fine-dining restaurant offering panoramic views of airport runways and the Miami skyline.

Orlando International
Once they discover the art installations, the 3,000-gallon aquarium, the entertaining water fountain and the theme-park style character statues, kids — and many adults — will find themselves wishing for long delays at Florida’s Orlando International Airport.

Defeat the delay: Grab some freeze-dried ice cream from one of the Kennedy Space Center shops and spend a delay playing video games at the King of Kong arcade.

Make the best of America’s busiest airports – part 2

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Here’s part 2 of the recent slide show I put together for Bing Travel highlighting some of the best amenities at the country’s busiest airports. (Part 1, which includes the airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas/Fort Worth can be found here.)

No. 5: Denver International Airport
Some travelers are still smarting from Christmas 2006, when a blizzard closed Denver International Airport for 22 hours, stranding more than 3,000 passengers. The airport’s snow-removal skills have vastly improved, but weather-related delays can still happen. Wait those out with free Wi-Fi or a self-guided tour of the art collection (brochures are available at any information booth).

Defeat the delay: If any planes are moving, watch them on the active taxiway that runs beneath the glass and steel pedestrian bridge linking the A gates to the main terminal. (That bridge also leads to security checkpoint lines reliably shorter than those in the main terminal.)

No. 6: John F. Kennedy International Airport

When winter weather hits, all of the always-busy New York-area airports — LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International and John F. Kennedy International — quickly become zoos. At JFK, seven separate terminals mean delayed travelers must make do with services at hand. That’s not a problem in JetBlue’s amenity-rich T5, which offers free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal and more than 40 shops and restaurants, including Deep Blue Sushi — all after you go through security. Elsewhere, it’s a post-security challenge. Your best bet is Terminal 4, which has the most pre-security options, including public art by Alexander Calder and a retail hall with shops and restaurants, such as the Palm Bar and Grill.

Defeat the delay: When planes are grounded, the AirTrain from JFK to the New York City subways usually keeps running. The trip to the city might take an hour, but will cost less than $10 and can be its own adventure.

No. 7: George Bush Intercontinental Airport
At Houston’s Bush Intercontinental, delayed passengers can view space-related exhibits on loan from NASA and shop for their own space-themed souvenirs at a branch of NASA’s Space Trader store. There’s also a revolving steakhouse restaurant, CK’s, at the Houston Airport Marriott located in the center of the terminal complex, and an interterminal train below the terminals designed in 1981 by the Walt Disney Co.

Defeat the delay: It may be an airport, but you can still get a taste of Texas. Three Stelzig Ranch shops offer boots, hats and other Texas-style accessories, while Texas Trail Boss Jerky sells beef, pork, turkey and bison jerky.

No. 8: Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
In addition to free Wi-Fi and complimentary recharge work stations, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas offers delayed travelers entertainment in the form of the Howard Cannon Aviation Museum, art exhibits, an aviation-themed kid’s play area, an interactive Dance Heads video booth and bars serving oxygen cocktails.

Defeat the delay: McCarran also has approximately 1,200 slot machines. And, as the saying goes, you can’t win if you don’t play.

Part 3 tomorrow…

Making the best of America’s busiest airports

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I had great fun putting together a slide show for Bing Travel about how to make the best of some of America’s Busiest Airports. Here’s a rundown of some of the tips I shared. More tomorrow..

No. 1: Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta

Serving more than 90 million passengers annually, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport holds tight to the title of world’s busiest passenger airport. ATL also offers travelers an extensive art collection, a piano bar and dining options that include the upscale One Flew South, serving sushi and global fare made with local ingredients.

Defeat the delay: For $30, you can spend an hour napping, working, watching TV or just chilling out in a private room at Minute Suites, by gate B15.


No. 2: Chicago O’Hare
Winter storms packing snow, sleet and ice often ground holiday travelers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, second on the list. Wait out delays watching kids play pilot at the Kids on the Fly play area, grab a snack at Garrett Popcorn or take in the greenery at O’Hare’s vertical, aeroponic garden in Terminal 3.

Defeat the delay: The Hilton Chicago O’Hare, accessible from ORD Terminal 2, offers $15 day passes to its full-service health club, which has showers, a steam room, a sauna and a pool.


No. 3: Los Angeles International
Nine terminals, some with limited amenities, make Los Angeles International Airport a tough place to wait out a delay. If you’ve exhausted the options in your terminal at LAX, head over to the Tom Bradley International Terminal, where a pre-security food court offers a branch of Pink’s, the iconic Hollywood hot-dog shop, and the reLAX pay-to-use day lounge.

Defeat the delay: The LAX Theme Building, a separate building in the center of the airport, is home to an observation deck, open weekends only, and the space-age Encounter Restaurant, which serves lunch, dinner, cocktails and great views daily.

No. 4: Dallas/Fort Worth International
You betcha it snows in Texas, but Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is prepared for delayed travelers, with 60 free power poles, an impressive public art collection (Terminal D) and free, living-room-style theaters (Terminal D, mezzanines) with large-screen TVs and leather chairs with individual headphone controls.

Defeat the delay: Taste Texas wines and more at the airport branch of nearby La Bodega Winery (Terminal D).

More tomorrow…

Pan Am paraphernalia

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ABC’s Pan Am TV show kicks debuts on Sunday, September 25th, and everyone seems to be trying to get in on the action.

Among them is Brookstone, which has rolled out more than 50 Pan Am-branded travel accessories from luggage and gym bags to watches and t-shirts. My favorites: this teeny-tiny Pan Am Explorer Bag that’s just 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 3.5, but which costs a whopping $43.

And this cute $23 coin purse.

More here and more, I’m sure, to come.

LaGuardia celebrates National Aviation Week with discounts

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National Aviation Week is next week and LaGuardia Airport promises some special treats. But it looks like the airport’s merchants can’t wait until then.

Their coupon sheet of “holiday” special is out now. You can get yours at the Apple Aide station on the Departures Level, near Gates C, before security or click on the coupons here and download your own.

The deals start now and include a free glass of wine with the purchase of an entree at Todd English’s Figs, 10 percent off a purchase at Life is good, Discover New York, and Duty Free Americas, and a buy one, get one free pretzels at Auntie Anne’s. The discounts are good through August 21, 2011.