Denver International Airport

Fresh art at Denver Int’l Airport

Art,

The newest piece of art at Denver International Airport is hard to miss: the vibrantly-painted papier-mâché sculpture by Óscar Becerra Morais is 14 feet tall and sits in the center of the Jeppesen Terminal.

DEN ART

Traditional Cartoneria – Monumental Alebrije Xolotl will be on display in the airport through the spring and is the first monumental alebrije that has ever been on display in the United States.

Here’s more information about the sculpture:

“Xólotl: Dios Perro showcases Artist Óscar Becerra Mora mastery of the traditional Mexican art process of Cartoneria, cardboard-making. The Dog God Xólotl (pronounced Sho-lotel) pays homage to the Aztec culture and was charged with guarding the sun as it passed through the underworld. It is said that he helped his brother, Quetzalcóatl, in the creation of humankind. One of Xólotl’s defining qualities is his ability to transform into other figures such as objects, plants and animals. Xólotl: Dios Perro is the artist’s expression of the Aztec myth, which stimulates the imagination.”

Fines set for having pot at Colorado airports

Rules, Smoking, , , ,

den sign

While it is now legal to possess and purchase marijuana in Colorado, anyone who brings pot to either of the state’s two busiest airports – Denver International and Colorado Springs – now risks the chance of being fined.

On Wednesday, Denver International Airport held a public hearing to formalize a policy it rolled out earlier in the month prohibiting the possession, use and consumption of marijuana for everyone – travelers, meters and greeters and workers – on airport property.

At the same time, DIA officials announced a set of “administrative citations,” or fines that would be issued as part of that policy: $150 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and up to $999 for a third offense and beyond.

“This is really a last resort for us though,” said DIA spokeswoman Stacey Stegman. “Our primary goal is for people to comply with federal law,” which states that it is illegal to bring marijuana past security or transport it across state lines. See DIA’s new signage below, and then read on.

Stegman said that, as at other airports, if a TSA officer discovers marijuana, local law enforcement is called. “Law enforcement would look at the circumstances and determine what to do—depending upon intent, age, quantity, etc.”

If someone over age 21 is found at DIA airport with a small amount of pot, they’d likely be asked to put it in their vehicle, have someone take it away from the airport or asked to throw it away in a checkpoint trash receptacle. (DIA’s receptacles have lids with small holes, so Stegman isn’t worried about discarded marijuana being retrieved by others.) Those who decline these options would be asked to leave the airport and, before a citation would be given “other options would be explored,” said Stegman.

Signs outlining the rules will be posted at Denver International Airport within seven days, at which time airport and local authorities will begin enforcing the policy.

Starting Friday, January 10, pot is also prohibited throughout Colorado Springs Airport. According to a report in The Gazette, officials have warned the public that possession of pot at the airport could be punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 – and jail time.

Those found with marijuana at the Colorado Springs Airport will have the option to give it up voluntarily, without penalty, by putting it in their cars, giving it to someone to take away from the airport or depositing it in an “amnesty box” to be destroyed.

(My story about pot fine at Colorado Airports first appeared on the Runway Girl Network)

Root Down opens at Denver Int’l Airport

Food, , ,
28 AUG 2013: The grand opening of Root Down in Concourse C at Denver International Airport in Denver, CO. Justin Tafoya/Rich Clarkson and Associates

Courtesy Denver International Airport – Root Down opening

Heading to or through Denver International Airport?

Be sure to check out the newest restaurant to open there: Root Down – on Concourse C.

A branch of a popular local restaurant of the same name, Root Down DIA uses lots of locally sourced ingredients and has plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options on the menu.

The decor is also a big draw: there’s a chandelier made of globes (see above), repurposed basketball court flooring, a living wall of herbs and liquor racks made from vintage luggage.

No missing the ads at Denver Int’l Airport

Advertising,

DEN MAYOR VIDEO TOWER

From here on there will be no missing the advertising at Denver International Airport.

On Wednesday, April 3, the airport unveiled four, 26-foot diagonal digital video towers from Clear Channel in the Jeppesen Terminal. For now, these are the largest such displays at any airport in the country.  

The airport hopes to reap $95 million in advertising from the video towers over the next ten years.
Airport officials say that non-airline revenue will ultimately benefit travelers because it lowers the fees the airport will have to charge airlines and some of the savings may be passed along to travelers in the form increased flight service and lower fares.

In addition to the four giant LED video towers, the plan is to install more big (but not AS big) LCD screens throughout the airport.

Here’s a video that shows what you’ll see.

Lights out at airports for Earth Hour

Events, ,

LAX earth hour

On Saturday, thousands of cities, towns, homes, hotels and landmarks around the world will turn off their lights for one hour, at 8:30 p.m. local time, as part of Earth Hour to make a statement about climate change.

Participating sites include the Kremlin and Red Square in Russia, the Sydney Opera House, the Brandenburg Gate, the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Niagara Falls and several airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where the 100-foot-tall LAX Gateway pylons that illuminate the main entrance will light solid green one hour before Earth Hour and be turned off from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

DIA Earth Hour

Denver International Airport will also be participating in Earth Hour on Saturday by turning off the illuminated DIA sign along Pena Boulevard, the illuminated sign marking the Jeppesen Terminal and the lights on the base of the “Mustang” statue.

Other airports around the world planning to turn the lights off for Earth Hour include Changi Airport in Singapore and the Samoa Airport

Fresh art at Denver International Airport

Art, ,

DEN_Relax

Electroland, a California-based team of artists who create objects, interactive experiences and large-scale public art has landed a welcome work at Denver International Airport.

Relax is a 1,300-square-foot display made up of five illuminated panels at the east end of the A gates in the lower level.

There are five different images and features: the lighted “Relax” wall (above), a giant picture of a tropical beach scene with moving water, a corridor with floor-to-ceiling mirrors on both sides and clouds with changing colors and the words “arrival” and “departure.”

Denver Airport deletes smoking lounges

Smoking, ,

LUCKY STRIKE, GIRL IN RED

Denver International Airport is making good on its plan to close down the smoking lounges.

Since May, when the city’s mayor held a press conference to announce the plan, three of the four smoking lounges at the Denver airport have closed. The fourth lounge, Timberline, located on on Concourse C, will shut down when its lease expires in 2018.

The lounges that closed this past year include two Aviator’s Lounge locations (one was in the Jeppesen Terminal; the other was on the B Concourse. The Jeppesen Terminal lounge will become a Jamba Juice, the B Concourse lounge will re-open as the barbecue restaurant called the Aviator’s Sports Bar and the third lounge, which is located inside of Mesa Verde Restaurant and Bar on the A Concourse, was remodeled.

Here’s a link to other airports that are smoke-free.

Travel Tidbits: Crú A Wine Bar at Denver Airport

Food, Free Stuff,

CRU Wine Bar DEN

 

Passing through Denver International Airport earlier this week I noticed a restaurant in the B Gate area that had an under-construction storefront but was full of people. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the new airport venue: Crú A Wine Bar and, while they were waiting for the liquor license to come through, they were inviting passersby in for complimentary meals off menu.

We tasted the oatmeal and the breakfast tortilla and took a look at menus that include a wide variety of appetizers, individual-sized pizzas, cheese plates, sandwiches and desserts designed to accompany wine they’ll be serving by the glass, the bottle and in tasting flights.

DEN CRU MEAL

The manager welcoming travelers in for the complimentary meals told me that he hoped they’d have the official opening – and the license – by December 26th, but Denver International Airport sent out a release saying Crú A Wine Bar was open, so it seems like the paperwork is now in order.

Free domestic & international phone calls at Denver Int’l Airport

Layover, ,

(Photo courtesy: credit: Denver International Airport/Kevin Andrews)

Here’s an early holiday gift for travelers: free domestic and international phone calling from Denver International Airport.

According to a release issued this morning, the free service will be ad-supported, offered by RMT Free Phone and will be available at more than 200 land-line phones throughout Jeppesen Terminal and all three concourses.

The phones will allow free unlimited domestic calls. International calls will be free for the first 10 minutes. Beyond that: it will be $0.25 per minute and 15 percent tax.

What’s the catch? To support the service, the phones have high definition 17-inch LCD screens that will show digital advertising and run over Voice over IP.

“This new technology allows advertisers to promote their products airport-wide with 15-second digital advertisements and offers customers digital coupons via QR codes as well as opt-in SMS-advertising,” according to the release.

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…