free airport Wi-Fi

Tidbits for travelers: LAX views, Orlando news, & KCI cruise

Airports, Architecture, Events, Festivals, Free Stuff, free Wi-Fi, Fun Stuff, Layover, Observation Decks, Openings, Wi-Fi, , , , , , ,

Here’s great news for anyone who finds themselves stuck at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on the weekend.

The Observation Deck at the top of the Theme Building, which has been closed since 9/11, will finally re-open to the public this Saturday.

(A view of the old version of the observation deck; courtesy LAX. New version: under wraps!)

There will be a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday morning (June 21, 2010) but the official public hours of the deck will be Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Go take a look through the new telescopes and enjoy the view!

Orlando Airport getting Google-ized?


According to this story in the Orlando Sentinel, the Orlando International Airport (MCO) is in discussion with Google for a two-year deal in which Google would pay the airport more than $100,000 a year to sponsor the existing (free) airport Wi-Fi and provide a variety of other amenities, including free Internet kiosks for passengers traveling without laptops and phone booths at the international gates offering free long distance calling.

Sounds like Google is talking to other airports about this same sort of ‘experiment,’ but no word yet on where.

And this sounds like fun:

(courtesy Hot Rod)

This Saturday (June 19th, 2010) Kansas City International Airport will be hosting its fourth KCI Cruise. Not a sailing ship cruise, but the sort of cruise where hundreds – in this case up to 500 – owners of classic, muscle and special-interest automobiles gather in a parking lot to show off their cool cars.

The event runs from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. (weather permitting; wouldn’t want anything to happen to those cars!) and money raised from the sales of donated food and prizes will go to area charities. The prizes are nothing to sneeze at. They’ll be giving away Frontier Airlines tickets, Chiefs and Royals tickets, Justin Bieber concert tickets (!), hotel stays and more. For more details and for directions to the event, see the KCI Cruise page on the Kansas City International Airport website.

Tidbits for travelers: SNA gets free Wi-Fi; travelers get great art

Architecture, Art, Fashion, free Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi, , , , , ,

Today the folks at John Wayne International Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California announced a partnership with FreeFi Networks to provide free wireless internet access at the airport.

You’ll need need to watch a short commercial before getting to that free Wi-Fi service, but that’s a small price to pay for a service most of us would rather not be without when we’re stuck at the airport.  Thanks, SNA!

And there are several new art exhibits at a few airports around the country:

At Miami International Airport (MIA), photos by architect and award-winning photographer James Palma are on display in the mia Central Terminal Gallery, just past the security checkpoint on Concourse E. The 20 photographs in the exhibition were winners chosen by the National American Institute of Architects over 10 years.

At Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), a new art exhibit up through August 12, 2010 explores the theme of twilight with works from the Multicultural Artists Partnership of Austin. One nice example is Kay Hughes’ “View with Song Bird.”

And the summer installment of the art showcase at Nashville International Airport (BNA) has opened, with works by more than a half dozen local artists, including Pieces from the Past by Mike Andrews

And quilts by the The Zuri Quilting Guild of Nashville, Tennesse.


Greetings from Changi Airport: butterflies and free coffee

Art, Assistance, Entertainment, Exhibits, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, Massages, Sleeping, Wi-Fi, , , ,

I had loads of fun touring Singapore’s Changi Airport today and wanted to share a few photos of the some of the fun, unusual, and very useful amenities this airport offers.

In addition to free wireless Internet access and more than 500 free Internet terminals, Changi Airport has five lovely and restful gardens, including a cactus garden, a fern garden, a sunflower garden, an orchid garden and, my favorite, a butterfly garden:

Changi butterflies

There are napping areas throughout the airport, including some lounge chairs that include alarm clocks (!)  and I found these ladies enjoying some of the airport’s complimentary foot and leg massage machines.

Changi leg massage

And, in case you’re not quite awake, I guess, this giant coffee cup is around to remind travelers that on Monday mornings through mid-February, there’s free coffee for everyone.

Changi - free coffee