Paradies Lagardère, which operates restaurants in many North American airports, is once again offering free meals to U.S. military personnel through its Treat Our Troops program.
Between Memorial Day and July 4th, active or retired U.S. military may receive a free menu item and a non-alcoholic beverage in these participating airport restaurant and shops.
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) – Blue Ridge Tavern
Long Beach Airport (LGB) – The Boathouse, Long Beach Marche, 4th Street Vine
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) – Ruta Maya Coffee, ThunderCloud Subs
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) – Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Core Brewing Co., CNBC Arkansas Traveler, Jammin’ Java, Say Si Bon! Gourmet Market, Smokewood American Grill
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – Abacus, Hickory, Whitetail Bistro
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) – Bar Symon, Bottega dei Sapori
Denver International Airport (DEN) – Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Big Bowl, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, The Magic Pan, Say Si Bon! TravelMart, Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – Big Bowl, The Magic Pan, Say Si Bon! Gourmet Market, Washington Pour Bar, Wow Bao, U Street Pub
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – Pei Wei Asian Diner
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) – Sweet Auburn Market
Active and retired U.S. military service personnel just need to show their military identification when ordering or checking out and receive one menu item such as an entrée, sandwich, appetizer or salad, and a non-alcoholic beverage.
BWI has this nice new playground equipment at the Thomas A. Dixon Jr. Aircraft Observation Area and park, which is part of the BWI Trail network, a 12.5 mile scenic trail that encircles the airport.
BWI also recently added three new specialty shops: Sock it to You, a locally owned shop in Concourse C selling, you guessed it, novelty socks; Victoria’s Secret Beauty, selling makeup, fragrances and select lingerie; and Marhsall Rousso’s, offering women’s fashions and accessories.
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) had a ribbon cutting event for the grand opening of Pork & Pickle (fun to say, right?), a modern gastropub and bbq concept from HMSHost.
The restaurant smokes it meats on-site and the menu includes smoked pork spare ribs, smoked beef brisket, smoked paprika BBQ turkey breast, ‘dirty chips’ (made with BBQ trimmings), and the restaurant’s signature ‘pork & pickle’ pulled pork sandwich with bread & butter pickles.
This is Alaska, so there’s also Alaskan hot smoked salmon salad and Alaskan cod & chips on the menu and a nice variety of local and regional beers.
Not going to Alaska anytime soon? There’s also a Pork & Pickle in Kansas City International Airport, in Terminal B.
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.
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.
Did you spot a cool new amenity at an airport during 2015 that I didn’t mention?
Here’s an easy way to help out a good cause when you’re at an airport.
Airport restaurant and concession operator Paradies is raising funds to feed hungry children in America through the Dine Out for No Kid Hungry® program.
Throughout September, Paradies will donate 25 cents for every cup of coffee sold in its food and beverage and retail venues at 40 participating locations across 18 airports.
Don’t drink coffee?
Throughout the year Paradies donates 25 percent of every kid’s meal served in the airport restaurants listed below to the No Kid Hungry program as well.
Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (Bentonville, AR): Smokewood American Grill
Long Beach Airport (Long Beach, CA): The Boathouse (formerly McKenna’s) – South Terminal
Asheville Regional Airport (Asheville, NC): Blue Ridge Tavern + Trading Post – post-security
Pittsburgh International Airport (Pittsburgh, PA): Bar Symon – Center Core, by Concourse C
Denver International Airport (Denver, CO): Big Bowl
As part of a day-long tour of Heathrow Airport on Friday that included visits to the VIP lounge and the Air Traffic Control Tower (details next week, I promise), I had a chance to have lunch in Terminal 5 at Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food.
In addition to “Plane Fast” menus that come in 25 minute (2 course) and 35 minute (3-course) versions, there is an option to order picnics to go:
The 3 course meals (here’s the menu) come packed inside this insulated carrier and for £12.95 (about US $20) seem like a fair deal, considering you get to keep the sturdy carrier.
My meal was still fresh and intact (no spills, no oozing) after being carried through the airport for several hours and then for the ride back to town on the Heathrow Express and the Tube, so I assume they work out well for travelers who pick them up just prior to boarding a flight.
The restaurant’s general manager, Elton Keka, told me about one regular traveler who takes a few meals home with her each week. She’s ended up with quite a few of those handy carriers and recently returned more than two-dozen of them to the restaurant for future use.
