McCarran International Airport

Airport News

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We’re ending the week with a round-up of airport news and activities

Ugly Sweaters in Las Vegas

In Las Vegas, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – the airport formerly known as McCarran International Airport – hosted its annual ugly sweater competition. And this week the airport also officially switched over to its new name, which honors retired Democratic U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid.

Spot an Elf, Win a Gift Card at PVD Airport

Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) is having some fun with the #RIAirportelf and offering airport visitors a chance to win gift cards.

Fresh Art at John Wayne Airport

Behind the Tent – by Wednesday Aja

The newest exhibit at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, CA features photography by Wednesday Aja offering a unique view of the circus.

“Enchanted by the worlds of sequins and makeup, performers, and trapeze artists, Wednesday Aja’s work reveals the magic that transforms for a song – or a circus season – inviting the viewer to come along and get lost in the magic.”

The photographs on exhibit at John Wayne Airport are from Aja’s ‘Troupes and Tribes’ ongoing series exploring themes of custom, costume, and community. Find them (pre-security) on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B, and C and on the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4.

Another Milestone at LaGuardia

Terminal B West Concourse, Courtesy LaGuardia Gateway Partners

The West Concourse of Terminal B  at New York’s LaGuardia Airport has opened. This phase includes the opening of four new gates and triggers the closure of the final gates of the original Central Terminal Building.

In addition to a 350+ seat American Airlines Admiral Club (Phase 1 is open now; the club should be complete by Spring 2022), the West Concourse has a charming children’s play area modeled after New York City.
 

Icelandair’s Holiday Ad. Based on a Trues Story.

Airport Tidbits from Here and There

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Facebook and Instagram may have been down on Monday, but Twitter was there for airports to share news and fun tidbits. Here are some items that caught our attention.

Not vaccinated yet?

Please get with the program so you can travel safely. Many airports around the country make it easy to get the jab.

Airports are celebrating National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month

We love airport freebies. Don’t you?

New airport names; new airline planes

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Alaska Airlines’ new Pride-inspired plane

We are totally loving Alaska Airline’s newly decorated Pride-inspired plane supporting the LGBTQ+ community. It’s the first of its kind in the United States and will be flying throughout the airline’s network for the next year.

Airport name changes

It’s official. T.F. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island is now Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD).

Why did they make the change?

“Of the 376 primary mainland airports in the country as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) only 32, including T. F. Green Airport, did not have the city, region or state in its name,” the airport explains in a statement. And adding the geographical identifier “will better position Rhode Island’s main airport to support the state’s economy and tourism sector.”

Las Vegas’ McCarran Int’l Airport renamed for Harry Reid

Since 1968, the airport in Las Vegas has been named for Nevada’s late U.S. senator, Pat McCarran. He helped get the airport built, but left a legacy of racism and anti-Semitism. But earlier this year, Clark County commissioners in Nevada voted to change the name of the airport to Harry Reid International Airport, to honor the man who served as a Democratic senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017.

The name change isn’t quite official with the FAA just yet. But it looks like it is a pretty darn close because the name change is already being reflected on FAA charts.

New Art Gallery at Indianapolis International Airport

Indianapolis International Airport (IND), which opened in 2008 with $4 million in permanent art, now has an art gallery.

Called the KIND Gallery after the airport’s international airport code, the new gallery will feature rotating temporary art exhibits curated and coordinated in partnership with the Arts Council of Indianapolis.

The first gallery show is titled “Pareidolia.” The term refers to “the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern” and each artist in the show used clouds as their prompt to set their creativity into motion.

Happy Valentine’s Day

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Charles Lindbergh-themed Valentine

Happy Valentine’s Day

We hope your day is filled with flights of fancy. And, of course, chocolate and flowers.

Sadly, this is the first Valentine’s Day in 10 years that Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) won’t have its ambassadors out in the terminal giving carnations to traveling lovebirds.

“Our ambassador program is currently suspended but we hope to get them back soon.  There is hope for Mother’s Day,” says airport spokesman Bryan Long.

Jacksonville Airport

And this year concerns about COVID-19 meant there was no marriage license pop-up desk at McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas.

The culprit? COVID-19.

But many airports did celebrate Valentine’s Day in their own way.

https://twitter.com/PHLAirport/status/1360212538760249345?s=20

If we missed your airport, let us know and we’ll add them to the list.

More ways to mask up at airports

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Courtesy Ashley Chung

More ways to mask up at airports

A few weeks back we celebrated Mask Monday with some fun “Wear your mask” reminders from airports.

Since then, many airports have gotten in touch to show off their branded masks and the creative ways they are reminding travelers to mask up.

Here’s a sampling. Let us know if you have one to add.

Here’s how Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) encourages passengers to mask up.

Here’s a snazzy mask from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

This one, from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, glows in the dark! (You can buy one at Mr. Boxer in the C Concourse)

These are from Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)

This snazzy mask is for sale in the gift shops at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport (ICT)

And the masks below, along with everything else you see pictured, are from Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) and are for sale in the GSP online store.

Have an airport-branded mask to show off? Send it along.

Airport songs for safety

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Like other airports around the country, Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) is keeping the facilities clean.

The airport is also using signs and floor stickers to encourage passengers to remember to keep their distance and wear face coverings.

Now, SJC is also getting even more creative with getting those messages out.

The airport has enlisted Santa Cruz-based singer/songwriter artist Nick Gallant to write and record three original songs to remind passengers and employees what they can and should do to keep things safe.

The ditties are catchy.

And you’ll have plenty of time to learn them by heart. Each song is being played throughout the Airport’s terminal buildings once an hour on a 20-minute cycle.

Give a listen:

FlySJC · SJC Go Somewhere Safely

Why play safety songs in an airport?

“By now our travelers and employees know what they need to do to keep each other safe while traveling,” said SJC Assistant Director of Aviation Judy Ross, “So the challenge for us was to find a unique, engaging way to remind everyone to stay vigilant.”

Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) isn’t the first to have safety songs to remind passengers to pay attention to the rules.

Way back in 2011, Montana’s Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) was running a video of a local band named The Singing Sons of Beaches to remind passengers of the rules and routines required at the TSA checkpoint.

The “bonus reminders” aren’t always songs.

Over the years McCarran International Airport Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas has enlisted celebrities to create instructional reminder videos as well.

https://youtu.be/syA2jqxxGRM
https://youtu.be/rMRm57QONFE
https://youtu.be/7p7LKLFMg14
https://youtu.be/hFhUHO41ya0

LAS has the airport amenity of the week

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McCarran International Airport (LAS) has lots going for it.

Besides being in Las Vegas.

McCarran has a liquor store in the bag claim area. It has an aviation museum in the terminal. It has vending machines that dispense everything from cupcakes and Legos, to artist-made souvenirs and – sign of the times – hand sanitizers and masks.

McCarran International Airport also has about 1200 slot machines.

But those have been shut down for weeks along with all the casinos in town.

But now that the city’s lockdown has been lifted, the slot machines at LAS airport are turned back on.

So we will declare this our Airport Amenity of the Week!

Lego vending machine at the airport in Las Vegas

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A new vending machine at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas is a cool treat for Lego fans or anyone needing a fun last-minute gift.

Located post-security, just beyond the A/B gates, the vending has been in place for just a few weeks and is the first Lego vending machine in an airport.

Stock will surely change over time, but right now the set choices include Star Wars, Frozen, Duplo and others.

LAS airport has some other fun vending machines scattered about, including a Kylie Jenner cosmetics machine (in the D & E Gates), Sprinkles cupcake machines (in the C, D and E Gates) and a SouveNear machine filled with art and gifts made by local artists (in the C Gate area).

Travel Tidbits

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McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas welcomed its record 50 millionth passenger of 2019 on Thursday.

Allegiant flight #91 from San Antonio, Texas was chosen as the ceremonial flight commemorating this milestone. And to mark the event, LAS airport went out all for the celebration.

Upon arrival at the gate, passengers were treated to a true Las Vegas VIP welcome including a water cannon salute, gift bags and showgirls.

Passengers from the flight were then escorted to the Terminal 1 Baggage Claim. The entertainment there included Viva Las Vegas dancing showgirls, the Raiders organization and the Vegas Golden Knights in-arena crew.

Even better: one lucky passenger won the jackpot when she was chosen as the honorary 50 millionth passenger. In addition to the celebratory activities of the afternoon, she received a bonus Las Vegas themed prize pack.

Thursday morning StuckatTheAirport.com shared holiday travel tips with the Weather Channel hosts.

We talked about the Santa Paws event at Los Angeles International Airport. We alerted travelers to the reindeers and the holiday parades at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. And we shared details about the free ice-skating at Denver International Airport.

Shortly after the show appearance, we received a note from a new fan. He suggested we make Nick Lowe’s song, “Christmas at the airport,” our official song for this time of year.

Thanks, Ray!

Travel Tidbits from an airport near you

Airport shops, Shopping, , , , ,

Earlier this week, we told you about a new Prince-themed store that opened recently at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Here are some more new shops to look for at the airports in Sacaremento and Las Vegas.

The folks at SouveNEAR, who place vending machines filled with work made by local artists at airports, are expanding their network.

Created to be “an indie craft fair in a box,” SouveNEAR fills these vending machines with an eclectic collection of art prints and originals, T-shirts and apparel, handmade jewelry, gourmet food items and other travel-sized mementos. Prices range from $5.00-$50.00. 

Right now they’ve got their art-filled machines in multiple locations at Kansas City International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Oakland International Airport and Cincinatti-Northern Kentucky International Airport.

In September you’ll be able to shop for local art from SouveNEAR machines in Sacramento International Airport (SMF) an in Las Vegas at McCarran International Airport (LAS).

Sacramento International Airport also has a new shop called The Well in Terminal A selling locally-sourced gifts in a “hydration-focused” environment.

In addition to selling gifts and gourmet foods from Northern Califorinia, the shop has a self-serve water bar and stocks a variety of reusable drinking bottles.