LaGuardia Airport

Worms at LaGuardia Airport

Environment, , ,

There will be worms. And sunflowers.

Changi -Sunflower garden

Earth Day is coming up – and to spread the word about their green initiatives, the Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, JetBlue Airways and The Port Authority of NY & NJ are hosting a “Choose Green” event on Thursday afternoon with a hands-on composting worm exhibit, courtesy of the Queens Botanical Garden.

Not into worms? There will be coloring and face painting for kids and, for adults who say they’ll “Choose Green,” a chance to enter into a drawing to win two JetBlue tickets and get a free sunflower growing kit.

Not traveling through New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Thursday between noon and 4 pm? You can enter the contest on Twitter. More details here:

The mural at LaGuardia Airport’s Marine Air Terminal

Aviation history, History, , ,

"Flight" James Brooks Marine Air Terminal, Queens NY

In the new book Murals of New York City: The Best of New York’s Public Paintings from Bemelmans to Parrish, Glenn Palmer-Smith includes the story of the WPA-era mural Flight, by James Brooks, in the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport.

Flight was the last and largest mural produced under the auspices of the WPA and is 237 feet long by 12 feet high and, appropriately enough, tells the story of the history of flight.

Here’s Palmer-Smith’s description:

“The narrative flows from the mythology of Icarus and Daedalus to the genius of da Vinci and the Wright brothers. Pre–World War II aerial navigators are shown plotting their routes with paper maps and rulers. The culmination of man’s dream arrives at the golden age of the ‘flying boat,’ when glamorous Pan Am Clipper seaplanes would land on water after a flight from Lisbon, Rio, or any city with a sheltered harbor, and taxi up to the Marine Air Terminal dock.”

In 1952, after being on the wall for just a decade, the mural was painted over. It was the height of the McCarthy era and officials at the Port Authority thought the imagery somehow looked too socialist.

“In particular, these self-appointed art critics took exception to the mural’s suggestion that air travel would be available one day for ordinary people and not just the military and the rich,” notes Palmer-Smith.

Lucky for us, the mural had been sealed in varnish and was eventually discovered, restored and finally rededicated in 1980. It’s now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

(Photo: Photo by Joshua McHugh. From Murals of New York City:The Best of New York’s Public Paintings from Bemelmans to Parrish. Mural: James Brooks, Flight, 1942. All art by James Brooks is © Estate of James Brooks and Charlotte Parks/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY. The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.)

Toe-tapping time at LaGuardia Airport

Airports, Events, Music, ,

The Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport is continuing its free Friday concert series this month in the Central Terminal Building.

The shows take place every Friday from 11:00am – 3:00pm in the center food court, between Gates B and C. Here’s the August line-up:

° August 3 – The Bassenettes Pop Trio
° August 10 – The Dynamic Dixieland Duo
° August 17 – Jesante Latin Music

° August 24 – The Caribbean Talent Mart

And for kids stuck at the airport, there’s a coloring station in the center food court. Find it between Gates B & C, in front of Hudson Booksellers. It’s open from 8am through 8pm until September 4, 2012.

4th of July – in airports

Air Travel, ,

 

Billings Logan International Airport

StuckatTheAirport.com subscriber Katie Jackson got to spend the 4th of July holiday with her family in Montana. She didn’t send in any “Souvenir Sunday” snapshots, but she did send in a “my day in airports” report:

The first airport, LWT (Lewistown Municipal Airport, Montana) is my hometown airport and was the most entertaining. I think they have four seats in their airport & the process took so long that my grandpa who was dropping me off fell asleep in one.

As the only passenger for the morning (seriously—I was the only one on a 19-seater plane)  I had three security/TSA’s devoted to scanning my luggage and patting me down. …The fact that the head TSA had worked for my parents for twenty years didn’t get me past security with a cup of coffee. They are that strict!

I can’t complain about the person sitting next to me as there were none. Nor can I complain about being stuck in a middle or aisle seat as they were all window seats. I could hear the pilots joking about IFR (stands for “I Follow River/Road)—but they got me to Billings (BIL) safely so I can’t complain about that either.

The airport itself was nice although I think it’s a crime to sell things like HoneyBuns in vending machines. I ended the day in LGA—[New York’s LaGuardia Airport] but was not half as amused as I was starting it in LWT.

Thanks, Katie!

Atlanta Airport – and others – get bigger

Airport guides, Airport shops, , ,

The world’s busiest passenger airport is getting bigger.

Today, May 16, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport opens the new $1.4 billion Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, named in honor of the city’s first black mayor.

“The opening of the international terminal is huge for Atlanta,” said the airport’s Aviation General Manager Louis Miller. “It gives international passengers their own terminal with its own entrance, it ends the baggage recheck process for Atlanta–bound passengers, and it enhances the airport’s overall capacity now and for the future.”

The opening of Atlanta airport’s new terminal comes on the heels of some other high-profile — and pricey — terminal openings in 2011, most notably San Francisco International Airport’s $388 million renovated Terminal 2 in April and Sacramento International Airport’s $1 billion new terminal in October.

The airport upgrades don’t stop there. Here are six more projects you may spy next time you fly:

Las Vegas

On June 27, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas will open “T3,” a new high-tech, $2.4 billion terminal that will serve both international and domestic flights.

“Our plans for T3 include self-boarding podiums at all 14 gates, self-service kiosks equipped for customers to print and affix their own baggage tags, and a robust [free] wireless Internet system that will extend out to the ramp and allow customers to log on whether they’re inside the terminal or aboard an aircraft parked at the gate,” said Randall H. Walker, director for the Clark County Department of Aviation.

Miami

This summer, Miami International Airport will open a new federal inspection area at the North Terminal that is twice the size of the existing Concourse E facility. In early 2013, the airport hopes to have the entire multibillion dollar North Terminal project completed. “What remains to be opened are three passenger gates and five of the 10 baggage claim carousels in the international arrivals area,” said Greg Chin, communications director for the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department.

A new AirportLink Metrorail extension that will speed connections to downtown Miami is also being built.

San Diego

San Diego International Airport is halfway through a $1 billion sustainable “Green Build” expansion of its Terminal 2 that is scheduled to be completed in August 2013.

“When complete, Terminal 2 will have 10 new gates, a dual-level roadway to separate arriving and departing passengers, a large, bright concessions core and the largest airport USO in the world,” said Katie Jones, spokesperson for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles International Airport is building a new $1.5 billion Tom Bradley International Terminal, which will include new concourse areas and gates that will be able to accommodate the superjumbo Airbus A380 airplanes.
Renovations and upgrades are also underway throughout the rest of the airport.

New York

And in New York, Delta Air Lines is spending more than $160 million to renovate Terminals C and D at LaGuardia Airport and more than $1.2 billion on John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4. The LaGuardia project may be completed by the end of 2013; the JFK project, by spring 2013.

That’s a lot of airport-upgrade activity at a time when the economy remains skittish, fuel prices are still sky-high and airlines continue to scale back schedules.

“Airports are investing in modern infrastructure to ensure that their communities, and the companies in them, can successfully compete in an increasingly global economy,” said Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International -North America, an airport membership organization. “These facilities are an investment in our economic future.”

(My story about airport upgrades first appeared on msnbc.com)

LaGuardia celebrates National Aviation Week with discounts

Shopping, ,

National Aviation Week is next week and LaGuardia Airport promises some special treats. But it looks like the airport’s merchants can’t wait until then.

Their coupon sheet of “holiday” special is out now. You can get yours at the Apple Aide station on the Departures Level, near Gates C, before security or click on the coupons here and download your own.

The deals start now and include a free glass of wine with the purchase of an entree at Todd English’s Figs, 10 percent off a purchase at Life is good, Discover New York, and Duty Free Americas, and a buy one, get one free pretzels at Auntie Anne’s. The discounts are good through August 21, 2011.

Free drinks at Changi; free shades at LGA

Airport shops, Free Stuff, , ,

It’s got the largest slide in an airport, a butterfly garden, free karaoke and movie theaters. Now there’s one more reason to love Singapore’s Changi Airport: free drinks!

Changi Sinagpore Free Drinks

Photo courtesy: Changi Airport Group

“The Mix-it Bar” inside DFS Liquor & Tobacco shops at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 offers complimentary liquor and mixed cocktail drinks. “The brand of liquor featured changes bi-monthly,” says an airport spokesperson, “But over the past few month brands of liquor featured recently included Bacardi, Bombay Gin and Belverdere vodka.”

Worried you’ll have one too many? You may need to wear your sunglasses at the airport.

Sunglass Hut and the Food and Shops at New York’s LaGuardia Airport are hosting a Twitter sunglass contest.

They’ll be giving away two pair of Ray Bay Sunglasses each Friday through March 25.  Here are the rules.

Airports – and an airline – celebrate Valentine’s Day

Food, Free Stuff, Holidays, , , , , ,

If you find yourself at an airport on Valentine’s Day, buy yourself and your sweetie some chocolate. And some flowers.

On Monday, these airports are among those that will be offering a little extra love:

The Food & Shops in the Central Terminal Building at New York’s LaGuardia Airport will be handing out free chocolate kisses.

Volunteers at Florida’s Jacksonville International Airport will be handing out carnations;

At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Amy’s Ice-Cream has a pop-up kiosk in the baggage claim area selling chocolate-covered strawberries (2/12 -2/14);

And passengers on Southwest Airlines can celebrate the day with a complimentary adult beverage on all flights.

Free (chocolate) kisses at LGA

Air Travel, Airport shops, Food, Free Stuff, Holidays, ,

Valentine’s Day is coming up and you know what that means… chocolate!

Between 10 am and 4 pm on Friday February 11th and on Monday February 14th, passengers passing through Food & Shops area of the Central Terminal Building at New York’s LaGuardia Airport will be presented with free (chocolate) kisses.

Last year the airport gave out 8,000 kisses. This year, they’re planning on handing out more than 10,000!

Cupid will also be roaming through the LGA Central Terminal Building on Friday, February 11th from 10 till 4 and anyone who snaps his picture and tweets it to@shoplaguardia will be entered in an hourly drawling to win a set of sterling silver heart earrings from Taxco Sterling.

Do you know of any other special Valentine’s Day events taking place at an airport? Please let us know!

Mother’s Day offers at three airports

Airport shops, Free Stuff, Shopping, ,

Indiana’s South Bend Regional Airport will be celebrating Mother’s Day all weekend by offering all traveling mothers free coffee or tea and a choice of a free coffee mug or a travel sewing kit. There may even be free carnations as well.

The details: Throughout the weekend, traveling moms can stop at the airport’s Visitor Center and/or the Airport Authority information booth to pick out their free gifts.

And for if you’re shopping for your mom (or yourself) at The Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport or at Philadelphia International Airport be sure to save your receipts. If you spend $50 at one airport store, or at a combination of stores, you can get a free $10 gift card for the Body Shop.

The details: Get your $10 gift card at Philadelphia Airport by taking your receipts to The Body Shop in the B/C Connector, or to any of the retailers in the D/E Connector.   At LaGuardia Airport, take your receipts to The Body Shop, on the Departures Level between Gates B & C.

I’m tracking down a few more airport-based Mother’s Day events and offers to tell you about tomorrow. If you know of any, please send them along.