April Fools

Recap: April Fool’s pranks from airports and airlines

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In case you missed these, here are some of the April Fool’s pranks cooked up by airports and airlines this year. If I missed one your favorites, please let me know and I’ll try to add it.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airpot has some great amenities, so it may not have seemed odd to tell travelers that an aircraft viewing area – with a pool – would soon open:

Here’s how the airport described what was in store.

“The space – located near Terminal 2-Humphrey – will bring aviation enthusiasts even closer to the action, while having access to amenities like rentable floaties, private changing rooms, an old-fashioned concessions stand and a full-service bar. While open to anyone interested in a unique experience, we expect travelers with longer layovers will choose to enjoy some pool time as well, and get a taste of Minnesota summers.”

Admission will be a very reasonable $15 a day. Drinks, treats and floaty rentals are additional. If the pool is successful, the airport plans to install a larger pool near Terminal 1-Lindbergh in 2019.”

At Orlando International Airport, this already very real-looking sculpture by artist Duane Hanson seemed to come alive on April 1 and re-located to various spots around the terminal:

Denver International Airport, which has dogs – and one cat – in its Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS), shared (fake) news about adding Norbert the turtle to the team:

Not to be outdone, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport posted a photo of its new airport therapy animal, Aquino the Chameleon,

Southwest announced it own version of Alexa:

Emirates shared news of a transparent lounge coming to its 777x planes, starting in 2020:

Virgin Australia announced in-flight spin classes:

Hong Kong Airlines posted this fun news about its newest in-flight amenity:

Jetstar Airways promised on-board karaoke:

Thomas Cook showed off its newest aircraft:

And Swoop Airlines, the low budget carrier from Canada’s WestJet, let travelers know that it  planned to charge travelers by the minute for time spent in the airplane lavs. Toilet paper?  That will be an extra charge.

 

Westjet & others celebrate April Fools’ Day

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In the spirit of the April Fools’ Day holiday, yesterday Virgin America shared its “new” logo.

Today, WestJet and others join the fun with RALFH – a replacement for airplane food carts:

Cheapflights brings up Hipster Air , an airline “for those who badly want to be in the know – but who don’t want others to know it. It guarantees that no airline will try so hard to not look like it is trying so hard.”

Hipster air

And Seattle’s Museum of Flight once again rolls out a unique April Fools exhibit. This year – it’s the Sopwith Camel airplane flown by World War I flying ace, Snoopy.

Museum of Flight snoopy

“The famous aircraft has never been seen in public, and until recently, historians have believed it among the thousands of fighter aircraft lost forever in combat over France nearly one hundred years ago,” the museum said in a statement that refers to the aircraft as “one of the greatest finds of the century.”

More fun to follow…

Travel tidbits for April 1

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So much “news” today – April 1 …

WetJet has introduced Smart Seats – which let you take a seat in the airport and board the plane in that same seat..

Richard Branson announced that the Virgin Group’s U.S. operations will be moving to Branson, Missouri

There’s a report out of Florida that the Transportation Security Administration is testing a new program to help seniors make their way through airport security. The program is dubbed “Moses.”

“Unlike PreCheck, TSA-MOSES requires no pre-registration. Travelers 65 or older should look for a large wooden cane with a curved handle near checkpoints, signifying a MOSES representative is available to guide them through security.”

And – finally – Denver International Airport has revealed all the details about the long whispered-about bunker underneath the airport grounds.

DIA BUNKER

More April 1 news to come…

Area 51 items at the Museum of Flight – maybe

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Area 51 warning sign

Area 51 Warning Sign –

Seattle’s Museum of Flight, which brought us an exhibit of Wonder Woman’s invisible plane just about this time last year, has cooked up another special exhibit set to open on April 1.

Due to the heavily redacted press release, it’s difficult to tell exactly what will be on display, but it appears that some never-before-seen items relating to Area 51 just might be on view.

Or not.

Museum of Flight Area 51