family travel

New Zealand’s Christchurch Airport lights up

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In New Zealand, the appearance of a group of stars named Ngā mata o te ariki Tāwhirimātea (Matariki) in the winter night sky marks the traditional beginning of the Māori new year.

This year those stars are set to appear on July 14 and New Zealand’s Christchurch International Airport (CHC) is marking the beginning of the Māori new year by lighting up the terminal and the Airways New Zealand tower.

More cool amenities at Christchurch Airport

In addition to some great art inside and around the terminal, which travelers can discover on this handy art trail map, Christchurch Airport has outdoor ping pong tables on its plaza and themed jet bridges.

The Stuck at the Airport team hasn’t seen these themed jet bridges in person – yet – but we love the idea.

According to the airport, each themed jet bridge features floor to ceiling imagery of a special southern landscape, accompanied by the scene’s distinctive sounds and scents. Scents!!!

The themes are updated every so often with new sights, sounds and smells. But current themes include the Mackenzie Night Sky, West Coast, Kaikoura, Abel Tasman, Fiordland, a Canterbury sheep farm, Mackenzie country, Christchurch Adventure Park and a Marlborough vineyard.

Some of the other amenities we’re looking forward to exploring at Christchurch Airport include the coloring wall and the complimentary Mini Explorer Activity Books.

We’re also intrigued by ‘Spitfire Square,‘ which is a short walk from the airport terminal and home to a fitness center, a hair salon and a pharmacy.

Heathrow Airport handing out Holiday Gifts

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Like all airports, London’s Heathrow Airport is very busy for the holidays, with more than three million travelers expected to pass through the terminals in just the last two weeks of December.

But unlike all airports, Heathrow is passing out thousands of gifts to passengers to help them on their merry way.

Throughout December, Heathrow’s team of ‘Little Here to Helpers’ are handing out 10,000 gifts across all four terminals. The gifts are provided by airport tenants, including airlines, shops, bars, and restaurants, and include everything from free flights and lounge access to Chanel perfumes, Pret breakfasts, and designer makeup from World Duty Free.

Want a gift? If you’re traveling through Heathrow look for the smiling folks in Santa hats hanging out near one of the 25 Christmas trees spread across the terminals. Not everyone will get a free gift, of course, but if you head that way, you’ll increase your chances.

Let us know if you score.

But wait, there’s more!

Heathrow also has an advent calendar on its website and on its app. Behind the windows, you’ll find discounts from Heathrow shops, bonus points from Heathrow Rewards, World Duty Free promotions, and deals on festive-inspired food and beverage menus.

Kids Eat Free

Airport meals can get expensive. And if you’re traveling with kids you’ll have to feed them too.

So it’s nice to know that Heathrow’s Kids Eat Free program is still in force.

Through January 3, 2023 participating restaurants at Heathrow Airport will offer once free child’s meal with each adult meal purchased, with a limit of four free kids meals.

This is a great airport amenity and is available during school holidays.

Who left this rat at Norway’s Bergen Airport?

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You may notice the heartwarming news and social media posts about airports working hard to reunite left behind stuffed animals with their rightful owners.

Like the story of 5-year-old Ezekiel, who was reunited with the teddy bear he left behind at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) last month.

Or, the story that likely started the heartwarming “airports goes-all-out-to-reunite stuffed animal with child” trend. Back in 2015, Tampa International Airport took a stuffed tiger named Hobbes on an airport adventure before sending Hobbes home.

We love these stories.

So, when making our way through Norway’s Bergen Airport (BGO) last week at about 5 am we did a double-take when were spotted a stuffed rat taped to a lane post.

It was very early in the morning. But we did notice that Bergen Airport is spotless. So it didn’t seem likely that the stuffed rat was there as a social comment. Nor did it seem like an official guidepost to point travelers to their gates.

So all we could conclude was that this stuffed rat had been left behind by a small child. And that it may soon show up on Bergen Airport’s social media feed in search of its owner.

We’ll check back to see.

Other amenities spotted at Bergen Airport

Besides the stuffed rat, there are some other sights at Bergen Airport that made us smile.

The sign for the bathroom employs the hard-to-miss universal symbols for “gotta go, now.”

And the kids’ play area in the main terminal area has this fun hopscotch board with an airplane, of course, in the top box.

Have you spotted a cool amenity (or a stuffed rat) and an airport? Send us a photo and we’ll try to include it in a future post on Stuck at the Airport.

IAD: 5 Things We Love about Washington Dulles International Airport

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Our “5 Things We Love About…” series celebrates features and amenities at airports around the country and the world.

Today, we are landing at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

We know that right now some of the features we mention might be temporarily unavailable due to health concerns. But we are confident they will be back.

Did we miss your favorite amenity at Dulles International Airport (IAD)? Let us know in the comments section below.

Have an airport you’d like to see featured in the “5 Things We Love About…” series? Make your nomination in the comments section as well.

5 Thing We Love About Dulles International Airport

1. The IAD Main Terminal Building

Opened in 1962 as the country’s first ‘jet-age’ airport, Dulles International Airport is perhaps best-known for architect Eero Saarinen’s iconic curved-roof design for the main terminal.

2. The mobile lounges at IAD

These days, many passengers at IAD move between concourses on the underground AeroTrain, a 3.78-mile underground people mover system.

But IAD’s historic mobile lounges are in still in use.

IAD’s mobile lounges transport international arriving passengers from their arrival gate to the International Arrivals Building. The mobile lounges shuttle passengers between the main terminal and the concourses, and between concourse. And when airplanes are parked on a remote hardstand, the mobile lounges ferry passengers to the main terminal.

3. The historic FAA air traffic control tower at IAD

The original Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Dulles International Airport dates to the airport’s opening in 1962 and remains on-site because of its historical significance to the airport’s design.

A new tower was dedicated in 2007 and is about one mile from the original tower.

4. Kids play area at IAD

What can we say? Sometimes kids have all the fun at the airport.

5. Only airport with Chipotle breakfast

Want a breakfast burrito made by Chipotle? The only place you will find that on the Chipotle menu is at Dulles International Airport.

Bonus: Pat Nixon christens 1st 747

Back on January 15, 1970 then-First Lady Pat Nixon christened the first commercial Boeing 747 during a ceremony at Dulles International Airport.

She also got to sit inside the plane’s cockpit.

White House Photo
White House photo

Take a look at some of the other airports in the “5 Things We Love About...” series.

HOU: 5 Things We Love About Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport

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Our “5 Things We Love About…” series celebrating features and amenities at airports around the country and the world continues today with 5 Things We Love About Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

Keep in mind that some amenities may be temporarily unavailable due to health concerns. We are confident they’ll be back.

If we missed one of your favorite things about Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport, please leave a note in the comments section below.

And take a look at the other airports we’ve included the 5 Things We Love About… series so far.

HOU: 5 Things We Love About Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport

1. The Art At HOU

Houston’s Airport System has one of the largest collections of public art in the state of Texas and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) gets to show off quite a bit of that art.

2. The music at HOU

HOU’s Harmony in the Air program presents live music performances in the Central Concourse Rotunda.

Concerts are scheduled Monday through Saturday and include everything from classical, jazz and pop to international music.

3. Amenities for families at HOU

HOU has a 450-square-foot space-themed play area near Gate A4 with a rocket slide, comet climbing structure, and an interactive light board.

The airport also has two nursing rooms. Each room has AC and USB power outlets, a changing table and nursing glider chairs. Locations: near Gates 4 and 46.

4. NASA exhibit at HOU

Houston is “Space City,” so travelers passing through HOU airport are treated to space-themed exhibits.

5. Souvenirs at HOU

The souvenir shopping at HOU ranges from space-themed items to more traditional Texas-wear.

Did we miss one of your favorite amenities at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)? Add your note in the comments section below.