Newark-Liberty International Airport

Cleansing the palate after a wild weekend

Air Travel, ,

Between following the fallout from that kiss that forced the shutdown of Newark-Liberty International Airport (EWR), various airport power outages, airplane wheel collapses, and the numerous cases of “unruly passengers” that caused several pilots to turn their planes around and go back to the airport last week, we’ve gotten a real case of whiplash here at Stuck at the Airport headquarters.

So today we’re going to cleanse our palate and look at pictures.

These images come courtesy of Daniel Incandela. He’s a huge airport fan, the Director of New Media at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and – as you can see – a great photographer.

We’ve only met on-line, but I can see from his profile that, on top of everything else he does, he’s a new dad.  So, it’s even more impressive to note that he’s kicking off the New Year by rolling out a new blog.

Daniel says he’s going to feature a regular series of posts profiling people and blogs he’s discovered while out and about in the world and on the Internet.

I believe him because his first post is all about StuckatTheAirport.com.  (I told you he’s an airport fan.)

Good luck, Daniel! Thanks for the kind words. And the great pictures.

Bad day to be flying to or from Newark Liberty International Airport

Closings, Security, , ,

Just nine days after a failed terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound plane, and on the day that the TSA issues yet another new set of security directives for flights to the United States, comes news of a lock-down in Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Sunday evening, January 3, 2010, a man walked into a secure area at the airport, triggering a terminal-wide lockdown, grounding outgoing planes and forcing thousands of passengers to wait hours for re-screening.  The Star Ledger’s article about the incident has a great slide-show showing scenes of how miserable passengers were during the ensuing re-screening process, but this YouTube video shows that there were a few light moments.

Airport security: what’s with people?

Events, Guns, Safety, Security, ,

gun

According this New York Post article,  last Friday, on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Port Authority officials at New York’s La Guardia airport arrested a 40-year old man who was catching a Delta flight to Atlanta while packing a fully loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun in his carry-on bag.

Security officials reported that the man said he “simply forgot” the weapon was in his bag.

Scary? Yes. Surprising? Probably not for the folks who work security at those airports. The article includes a description of some of the other stuff snagged at the security checkpoints at New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports,  and at the Newark Liberty International Airport.

“The tonnage at Newark this year has included 12,302 flammable objects; and 43 travelers were stopped for trying to carry explosives.

At JFK, 1,328 tools were intercepted, and at La Guardia, 9,365 knives and blades were discovered in clothing and in carry-on bags.

Since January, 122 passengers at all three airports were stopped for carrying ammunition and gunpowder as they tried to board planes; 338 passengers were armed with bats, clubs and bludgeons; and travelers carried 1,602 knives and blades longer than three inches.”

Airport pub crawl: sure path to jet-lag AND a hangover

Bars, , , , , , , ,

Jet-lag (when you’re “internally desychronized”) is no fun. It’s vexing when you’ve arrived in a new city at 6 a.m. and can’t keep your eyes open.  It’s maddening when it jostles you awake at 3 in the morning.

There are plenty of jet-lag remedies floating around out there. Some work. Others work only if you say a special chant.   One way to insure jet-lag, as well as a hangover: an airport pub crawl that includes some – or all – of the spots in this Forbes Traveler article: America’s Best Airport Bars.

Recommended spots include:  Vino Volo wine bars in Washington, D.C, Seattle, Detroit and other cities;  Cibi Bistro and Wine Bar at PHL,  DEN’s New Belgium Hub Bar & Grill, the Woodford Reserve Bar & Grill at the Louisville, Kentucky Airport, re:vive at JFK’s Terminal 5,  Laurelwood Brewing Company pubs at PDX, and the Shipyard Brewing Company at Maine’s Portland Int’l Jetport.

Also on the list: the Sweetwater Draft House at ATL, the Heineken Lounge at EWR,  and Squatters Pub and the Wasatch Brew Pub, both at the Salt Lake City airport.

Drink up, but bring aspirin.

beer-mug

Porter Airlines arrives at Chicago Midway

Free Stuff, Wi-Fi, , , ,

Greetings from Toronto, where travelers heading to Montreal, Newark, Chicago – and soon several other U.S. cities – are discovering they can skip the trek out to Toronto Pearson International Airport. Instead, an increasing number of folks are taking the short (really short; three minutes max) free ferry ride to Toronto City Centre Airport (TCCA), located on an island just off downtown Toronto.

TCCA is served by regional carrier Porter Airlines, which offers travelers a free downtown shuttle to the terminal dock, free ferry rides to the terminal, and a bevy of complimentary amenities inside the terminal, including a lounge stocked with free wireless internet access, complimentary coffee/tea/soft drinks, and a business center with multiple workstations.

Passengers are allowed to check two bags for free and in-flight service on the 70-seat turboprop airplanes includes complimentary drinks (including beer and wine), small meals and/or snacks.

In addition to a variety of Canadian destinations, Porter serves Newark Liberty International Airport and, as of this past Wednesday (Nov 12) Chicago’s Midway International Airport. They have plans to expand to other U.S. cities, so stay tuned.

It’s all very put together. Right down to the pillbox hats worn by the female flight attendants, whose uniforms were designed by Pink Tartan, a well-known Toronto and New York based fashion brand.

(Photo courtesy: Porter Airlines)

No whining: Vino Volo now at San Antonio International Airport

Food, Restaurants, ,

Vino Volo, which has been steadily opening soothing wine-tasting restaurants at airports around the country, officially opens another one today (November 12th) at San Antonio International Airport (SAT).

Coming soon: a second branch at Philadelphia International Airport and a new branch at Newark Liberty airport.

Power up at Newark-Liberty International Airport (EWR)

Cell Phones, Power Outlets, , , ,

Goods news for gadget-toting travelers:

There are now 50 free 4-outlet charging stations scattered through Terminals A, B, and C at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

The charging stations are courtesy of Samsung Mobile, which sponsors similar power charging stations at five other major airports (so far): John F. Kennedy International Airport (54), Los Angeles International Airport (51) LaGuardia International Airport (12), Orlando International Airport (18), and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (22). In addition, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has eight Samsung Mobile Travel Centers, which also offer couches and other amenities.

Power charging stations (both free and pay-per-charge), desks with working power outlets, and banks of seats with built in outlets seem to be popping up at more and more airports these days. But don’t leave your extension cord home just yet: during high traffic times a spot at the charging station is harder to get than a seat in the sports bar during a playoff game.