Alaska Airlines

Travel tidbits: Friday roundup

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It’s been a busy week at Stuck at the Airport headquarters with some exciting projects in the works and we’ve been setting aside these travel tidbits to share with you for this Friday round-up.

Airport and airline news

(The Dreams We Carry,” by Kipp Kobayashi, in Concourse G at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Airports Commission)

“The Dreams We Carry” at Minneapolis -St. Paul Int’l Airport

Artist Kipp Kobayashi’s “The Dreams We Carry” sculpture is now installed in the two-story Concourse G Rotunda in Terminal 1 — near gates G18-22 — at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).

The 45-foot-wide collection of hanging sculptures interacts with the light and hints at the unique stories represented by the more than 300 suspended objects — from everyday companions like favorite pets, cameras and blue jeans to treasured pieces such as rocking chairs, pianos, guitars, houseplants and a beloved teddy bear.

The choice of objects portrayed represents the items Minnesotans and travelers told the artist they most cherished and would bring on an imaginary one-way trip to a destination of their choice.

Airports helping federal employees working without pay

As the government shutdown drags on, federal workers at U.S. airports must continue to work without pay.

A growing list of airports, airlines and community organizations are doing what they can to help these workers make it through.

The latest: Orlando International Airport (MCO) is gathering non-perishable food, toiletries and baby items in a donation drive that runs through October 24th. And West Virginia Yaeger International Airport (CRW) is holding a donation drive on November 4th.

Alaska Air celebrates new nonstop from Seattle to Seoul

We’re sad they didn’t invite us to the party, but we’re glad to see Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Alaska Airlines kicking off the airline’s new nonstop flight from Seattle to Seoul with a fun, celebrity-studded party.

No airline ticket needed to visit Salt Lake City Int’l Airport 11/4

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is inviting the public to come hang out at the airport on November 8, 2025.

No airline ticket is required. But guests will need to register for one of the 200 available slots ahead of time.

Registration opens October 23 at 9 am.

In addition to taking in the airport’s impressive art installations and doing some shopping and snacking, airport visitors will be able to learn about artist Gordon Huether’s new art installation, “Flight.”

Charleston International Airport Goes Pink

Three “CHS Goes Pink” stations are now installed at pre-security, on the way to baggage claim, at Charleston International Airport (CHS) to surpport the fight against breast cancer.

Airport guests can take selfies at the pink balloon display, leave a note on the Memory Wall and purchase merchandise with the proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

United and Jetblue have a new partnership

More tomorrow….

Travel tidbits from United, Alaska, SEA & R2D2

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Tech glitch hits United Airlines Wednesday night

Big headaches Wednesday night for United Airlines and its passengers due to a major system outage that led to widespread delays and ground stops across the country.

The airline said the issue was related to a technology glitch.

The issue was resolved late in the evening, but it may take days for all travelers on delayed and canceled flights to get to their destinations.

Alaska Airlines announces new flights and a new livery

Alaska Airlines is making news left and right. This week, the carrier announced new routes to London and Reykjavik from Seattle starting in Spring 2026, adding to previously announced new service to Rome, also set to begin in Spring 2026.

The airline also unveiled a new livery for its 787-9 aircraft and announced that by Spring all Dreamliners in its fleet will be flying with this new design.

Already, there’s debate over the new livery.

Some people love it. But others are disappointed because the smiling face of the Inuk man known as “Chester” – which has been a staple on the tail of Alaska Airlines’ aircraft for years – is nowhere to be seen.

What do you think?

Sweet pre-security treats at SEA Airport

There used to be a couple of vending machiens filled with fun and unusual Asian treats in the waiting area outside international arrivals at Seattle-Tacome International Airport.

An equally cool – maybe cooler – concession has taken its place.

All Nippon Airways – ANA – retires its R2-D2 Start Wars livery

ANA (All Nippon Airways) introduced a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with an R2-D2 livery back in September 2015.

After delighting fans and planespottsers with this livery for almost 10 years, the livery was retired on August 6.

Polly want a first class ticket?

We’re hoping this parrot that landed at Dublin Airport has been reunited wiht its family.

Alaska Airlines grounds fleet for 3 hours

Airlines,

Sunday evening turned troublesome for Alaska Airlines and thousands of its passengers when the carrier experienced an IT outage and issued a system-wide ground stop for Alaska Airlines and Horizons Air flights to address the issue.

The ground stop lasted just a few hours, but it may take days to get all affected passengers to their destinations.

“As we reposition our aircraft and crews, there will most likely be residual impacts to our flights. It will take some time to get our overall operations back to normal,” the airline said in a statement.

As of 4 am EST, Alaska Airlines had not posted a travel advisory on its site for affected travelers, but if you’ve got a flight booked on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air this week, be sure to check on the flight status before leaving home.

In June, Hawaiian Airlines, which became part of Alaska Airlines last September, reported a cybersecurity event that affected some of its IT systems, but no word yet if these incidents are related.

Swank new ways to fly + cool new places to fly to

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This week there was news about new planes with upgraded interiors and a bevy of “let’s go!” new routes.

Earlier this week we shared photos and notes about the new seasonal Edelweiss Air flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Zurich.

Alaska Airlines also announced that flights between Seattle and Rome will begin in May 2026. The carrier points out that the ‘Emerald City; will be connected to the ‘Eternal City’ for the first time.

With Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines recently launched flights to Tokyo Narita and in September will begin flying to Seoul, South Korea.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) celebrated new seasonal nonstop service to Athens Airport (ATH).

American Airlines woos with the ‘premium’ Boeing 787-9 aircraft

And this week, to much hoopla, American Airlines began flying one of its new 787-9P ‘premium’ aircraft, with an inaugural flight on June 5 from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Sadly, the Stuck at The Airport team, sadly, wasn’t on that first flight. But we look forward to hopping on board soon to experience all the new creature comforts.

Here’s a short video of the new interior that the airline shared a few weeks back.

And here’s an important public service announcement

(Image courtesy Clark County Dept of Aviation)

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas and the #WhatsMyName Foundation introduced a safety campaign that is important to remember every time and anywhere you hail a rideshare.

The foundation was created to honor Sami Josephson, a young woman kidnapped and murdered by a fake rideshare driver in 2019. The campaign uses the letters of Sami’s name to spell out the tips that could save your life.

Here are the tips to remember:

S: Stop before you get in a vehicle and go over the safety rules in the app

A: Ask your driver “What’s my name?” to confirm that they are the driver assigned to you. (Don’t say, “Are you ….”)

M: Match the make, model and license plate of the car with the one displayed in your rideshare app.

I – Inform a friend or family member of your ride details. Rideshare apps offer a real-time tracking app. Use it.

Orlando Airport pin exchange + Win a Tokyo trip

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In March 2024, Orlando International Airport (MCO) joined the Pin Trading world with its very own line of collectible “MCO Icons” pins.

Since then, travelers have picked up pins (and pairs of the airport’s snazzy socks) through occasional giveaways and pin exchanges online and onsite.

Here’s another chance to get those goodies.

There’s an MCO Pop-Up Pin Exchange scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, between noon and 2 pm.

Travelers who stop by Level 3 – by the fountain – can trade their enamel pins for pins from the MCO Icons Collection and some new edition pins.

As a nice bonus, extra prizes – including some snazzy new MCO socks – will be awarded to those who spin the prize wheel.

(Note: the pin exchanges is limited to 3 pins per customer, while supplies last).

Win a trip from Seattle to Tokyo

To celebrate the new Alaska Airlines nonstop service between Seattle and Tokyo-Narita, operated by Hawaiian Airlines on Airbus A330-200 aircraft, Seattle’s much-adored Westland Distillery is hosting a digital sweepstakes.

Entries to the Fly West, Land in Tokyo sweepstakes can be made through July 31, 2025.

One grand prize winner will receive two Alaska Air roundtrip vouchers from any major US city to Tokyo, Japan, plus four nights at a premium double-occupancy hotel in Tokyo. The prize also includes $500 for incidentals and ground transportation and a Westland travel kit.

(The sweepstakes is open to all 50 U.S. states plus D.C.; entrants must be 21 or older.)

While you’re waiting to win, you might want to try the new Narita Banana cocktail being offered exclusively at the Alaska Airlines lounge on the N Concourse.

Created in collaboration with Tokyo’s celebrated cocktail bar Tokyo Confidential, the cocktail features Westland’s Flagship American Single Malt, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, rich simple syrup, milk and a pinch of salt.