You may notice the heartwarming news and social media posts about airports working hard to reunite left behind stuffed animals with their rightful owners.
Teddy and 5-year-old Ezekiel have been REUNITED! Thank you @SouthwestAir and the 4 million people across the globe who followed along on Teddy's journey. We're so glad he's home! pic.twitter.com/UWv9cI7m8G
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.
— Tampa International Airport ✈️ (@FlyTPA) June 15, 2015
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.
The service is back for the third winter season and means passengers setting out from MKE for warm weather destinations don’t have to lug their bulky winter jackets, scarves, and gloves with them on the plane.
They can instead check these items inside Summerfest Marketplace, which is located pre-security and open 7 days a week, and available for all flights.
The cost to check a coat is a reasonable $2 per day, with a maximum charge of $10 per trip.
Great idea! Maybe other airports will begin offering this service as well.
Whether or not you’re flying during the holidays, it pays to keep up to date with what airports are doing to serve passengers during what is sure to be another unusual season.
Here are some tidbits we’ve already spotted this week.
PIT has its holiday tree up
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) won’t be having its annual Holiday Open House this year. And local choirs and bands won’t be offering holiday performances.
But PIT is setting up a holiday-themed selfie station in the Airside Center Core and hosting distanced (instrument-only) performances by local musicians. And there will be terminal visits from the PIT PAWS airport therapy dog team.
The holiday tree is already there. Here’s a fun time-lapse video of it going up. PIT reports that 20 people worked to raise the 26-foot-tall tree over a span of eight hours and that this year’s tree has 538 ornaments, 42 yards of fabric, and 166 strands of lights.
Take a 360 Virtual Tour of LAX
Missing airports? Us too. So we’re excited as all get out a new virtual 360-degree of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) airfield.
This is the same airfield tour that used to be offered to students, community groups, and others curious about LAX operations before COVID-19 arrived. Now anyone can access the immersive, high-resolution 360-degree video experience online using a smartphone, tablet, computer, or VR headset.
Coat check reopens at MKE
If you’re flying from Milwaukee to Hawaii, Florida, or some other warm spot, you probably won’t need your winter coat when you arrive.
The Coat check program operates in partnership with retail partner Paradies Lagardère and is offered inside the Summerfest Marketplace store, which is located pre-security. Each coat is wrapped in protective plastic and the charge is a very reasonable $2 per day, or $10 per trip.
As far as we know, this is still the only U.S. airport offering this service.
Fresh art at PHX
Sky Curtain,” an artistic weather screen installation, is under construction at the future PHX Sky Train Rental Car Center Station. It features a series of brightly colored steel pipes, running along both sides of the station platform. Learn more on our Facebook page. pic.twitter.com/64c3n0IKUn
SAN Arts Program Fall Resident Artist, Margaret Noble, has released a new month’s of experiences based on the idea of a map. You are encourage to visit https://t.co/Tw7ajVqQrS to view them and ponder, “What are the points on your map? Where do you wish to go?” #SANArtspic.twitter.com/Xbi222QPvG
If we miss one of your favorite amenities at MKE, be sure to leave a note in the comments section below. And if you want to nominate an airport to be featured in the ‘5 Things We Love About…” series, drop a note in that section as well.
5 Things We Love About Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
1. MKE’s Recombobulation Area
The “Recombobulation Area” just past the MKE security checkpoints is a place where passengers can put their coast and shoes back on and get their belongings in order after passing through TSA.
Evidently, the Recombobulation Area has become more than just a thoughtful airport amenity.
“Recombobulation” has become a part of every Wisconsinite’s dictionary, MKE officials tell us. And it was the answer to a question on the popular game show Jeopardy!.
2. Baron’s Beer Garden at MKE
Milwaukee is well-known for its great beers and a brewing history dating back to 1840.
So it makes sense, doesn’t it, that MKE is home to what may be the first beer garden in a U.S. airport.
Located on Concourse C, Baron’s Beer Garden takes inspiration from traditional German beer gardens and the repurposed fire trucks that the Milwaukee County Parks uses for its Traveling Beer Garden program.
In addition to a nice variety of local beers on tap, the beer garden has a full menu and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3. MKE’s Moss Wall
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport makes selfies simple with the MKE Moss Wall.
The wall is real and made up of fern, pillow, and mood moss that has been treated with a safe, non-toxic preservation liquid. So snap away.
4. MKE’s Coat Check service
This is an airport amenity we love and wish was offered at more airports.
MKE is the only major airport in the U.S. to offer a coat check service during the winter. Smart, right? Even smarter: the reasonable rates. Last winter it cost $2/ day to check a coat, with a maximum charge of $10.
The coat check is located inside the Summerfest Marketplace retail shop, which is a tribute to the Summerfest festival, an event billed as the World’s Largest Music Festival.
In addition to Summerfest merchandise and House of Harley-Davidson products, the shop sells goods made by local vendors and many Wisconsin-centric souvenirs.
5. The only used bookstore in an airport
Located in the main terminal area at MKE, Renaissance Books is the only used bookstore we know of in an airport.
(Powell’s Books recently announced the permanent closure of their shop and kiosk at Portland International Airport that offered new and used books.)
And, as you can see from the photo above, Renaissance Books at MKE isn’t a kiosk or a small shop. This is a full-fledged bookstore with dozens of categories and thousands of used and rare books to choose from.
We wouldn’t be surprised if some people missed their flights while poking around this shop.
Bonus: Gallery of Flight
The Mitchell Gallery of Flight is a must-see aviation museum that recently reopened on the south side of the MKE terminal, next to the USO.
You can visit the museum 24-hours a day at the airport and on this virtual tour.
Did we miss one of your favorite spots at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)? Drop us a note in the comments section below and let us know which airport we should visit next.
Despite this recent NYT article documenting how truly awful conditions are right now for airports and the operators of airport concessions, there are some bits of hopeful news.
In addition to snacks and beverages, passengers can build their own souvenir variety 12-pack of Wisconsin-made Leinenkugel’s beer.
MKE also recently celebrated the opening the Bronzeville Crossing retail shop on Concourse C. The shop carries locally crafted goods from the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
Take a quick journey through the neighborhood, listen to music, and shop amazing products from local artisans. pic.twitter.com/w1sUrQRXV9
During this pandemic, airlines have cut back schedules and parked airplanes. As a result, airports around the country have closed concourses due to flight inactivity.
But here’s some good news.
Enough flights have come back on the schedule at San Francisco International that the airport will be reopening a concourse in the International Terminal which has been closed since April 1st.
Boarding Area A, which houses Gates A1 – A15, will reopen on September 1, 2020. The Airport has been operating all international flights on a single concourse since the closure.
#SFO is reopening International Terminal A! After five months of being closed due to reduced flight and passenger activity related #COVID19, Boarding Area A will reopen on September 1.
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) August 17, 2020
13 airports: 1 big virtual music festival
13 airports around the country have put their hearts and efforts together to host a free online music festival Wednesday evening, August 19, starting at 5 p.m. CST.
The show starts at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and then work its way around the country with short sets by stellar local musicians chosen by the participating airports.
Each airport will be running the event on their respective Facebook Live page.
The rundown is below. Note that Kenny Loggins (remember him from Loggins and Messina?) will be capping off the event for the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
