Happy Friday. We’re ending the week here at Stuck at The Airport with some tidbits that caught our attention, like this #TBT – “Throwback Thursday” – tweet from O’Hare International Airport
In 1955, O’Hare officially opens to commercial air traffic; the airport serves 176,902 passengers in its first year. Photo series on display in T3 (L Stinger) “Evolution of O’Hare” exhibit. #ORD#DidYouKnow#TBTpic.twitter.com/4yMP2tuNUT
All month long, we’re been paying attention to – and learning from – the tweets from St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) highlighting the people featured on the airport’s Black Americans in Flight mural.
STL celebrates Black Americans in Flight during Black History Month. On this date in 1923, Tuskegee Airman Clarence "Lucky" Lester was born. His portrait is located in STL’s Black Americans in Flight mural. The artwork is also online at: https://t.co/wnrLroqfsopic.twitter.com/YjtSNJqKFQ
We’re sad we missed seeing this exhibit at Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Last days to visit the exhibit: “Twenty Years Bold: Wells’Built Museum of African American History & Culture” featuring artworks from the local museum, in celebration of Orlando’s African American Heritage. #BHM 🎨 Located at our Main Terminal, near Checkpoint for Gates 70-129 pic.twitter.com/vagBmtz7HB
And we’re impressed that Delta’s Flight Museum is being used as a mass vaccination site in Georgia.
Our Delta Flight Museum, which opened in 1941 as our first aircraft hangar, is taking on a new challenge as it now houses one of the largest vaccination sites in Georgia. pic.twitter.com/oOCCFHlY8B
Poetry exhibit at Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Flying by? Make sure to check out: “Words In Flight: A Celebration of Orlando Area Poets” exhibit, themed with flight, travel and transformation poems. 📍 Level 3, near the Checkpoint for Gates 70-129 (by the Starbucks) 🗓️ Through September 30th 👉 https://t.co/FMUaduhyGUpic.twitter.com/6XF5DQixI1
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) July 14, 2020
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is displaying it first-every poetry exhibition.
The show features poetry by 13 local writers, including Billy Collins, who is the former two-term Poet Laureate of the United States and the current Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Winter Park Institute.
Words in Flight – A Celebration of Orlando Area Poets includes poems inspired by the theme of flight, travel, and transformation paired with photographs from the airport’s archives.
Look for the exhibit through September 30, 2030 in the MCO Main Terminal, near the Checkpoint for Gates 70-129.
At SFO Airport: Eclectic Taste: Victorian Silver Plate
“Produced in large quantities in England and the United States, silver plate was a hallmark of eclectic décor during the Victorian era (1837-1901).
By the late 1800s, many homes featured extensive collections of silver plate. The most elaborate items were found in the dining room and main parlor, where they served a variety of entertainment functions.
Ownership of silver plate became an indicator of social and economic status, and manufacturers created highly specialized and imaginative designs to meet consumer demand.“
Courtesy SFO Museum
Eclectic Taste: Victorian Silver Plate is located post-security in SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 through December 13, 2020.
5 Things We Love About Orlando International Airport (MCO)
It’s another installment of the “5 Things We Love About…” series on Stuck at The Airport, celebrating some of the services, amenities, and features we love about airports around the world.
We’ll (try to) keep these lists to just five items. But if you want to add a note about a bonus feature you love, please add it in the comment section below.
And if you want to nominate an airport for the series, or sponsor one of the “5 Things We Love About ..” entry in the series, get in touch.
In addition to “The Traveler” (above) by Duane Hanson, MCO’s art collection includes some real treasures, including “Space, Time and Energy” by Jacob Lawrence and a series of four terrazzo “Welcoming Gardens” by Scott Parsons (below) that serve as welcome mats at the airport.
Space, Time and Energy, by Jacob Lawrence
2. MCO’s airport tower
The air traffic control tower at MCO is not only pretty and quite recognizable for its design, at 345 feet it’s one of the tallest ATC towers in the United States.
3. The atrium at Orlando International Airport
The main terminal atrium at Orlando International Airport serves as part of the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. The atrium also features a water fountain, palm trees, high ceilings, and plenty of natural light. All rare amenities at an airport.
4. MCO’s carpet – and matching socks
MCO’s airside carpet is quite photogenic and so popular that the airport has socks to celebrate the carpet. The airport has several other MCO-themed socks as well. You can’t buy them: the airport saves them to use as prizes for online contests and for surprise giveaway events in the terminal.
We don’t even have any of theses socks in our our sock drawer.
5. An aquarium, a giant screen + photo op spots
MCO has a 3,000-gallon food court fish tank containing eels and 40-50 fish. If you’re lucky, you might get to see a fun show when the tank is cleaned.
Cleaning our 3,000 gallon food court fish tank is a big job. This is how we do it. The weekly job ensures the 40-50 fish inside stay happy & healthy. 🐠 pic.twitter.com/qDo8kOOTlE
Other cool attractions we love at Orlando International Airport include the 36-foot-long hi-res video screen outside the Magic of Disney store in the atrium (across from security checkpoint for gates 70-129).
For visitors who didn’t get enough photos at area theme parks, there are photo ops spots outside of several stores, including an astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center shop store and minions and a velociraptor at the Universal Store.
And don’t even get us started on the airport souvenirs.
Stay tuned for more in our “5 Things We Love About ….” series.
Want to nominate an airport or sponsor one of the entries? Leave a note in the comment section and we’ll be in touch.
Airports Council International now estimates a drop of more than 4.6 billion passengers globally for all of 2020.
The airport trade group also estimates that total airport revenues worldwide will drop by more than $97 billion for 2020.
Still, airports are making plans for welcoming back travelers.
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life and we’re prepared for it. Next time you’re passing by, you’ll notice some changes in our facilities and signage in order to provide a healthy and safe environment to all of our customers.
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) May 6, 2020
Orlando International Airport (MCO) says passengers will see new social distancing signs and markers through the airport terminal. Acrylic protective screens are being installed at ticket counters and at retail food and outlets as well. Cleaning crews are also out in force. And passengers are being urged to wear face masks in the airport.
It’s only Monday, but we may already have a nomination for Airport Amenity of the Week.
Especially if you’re a fan of Star Wars and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Passengers traveling through Orlando International Airport (MCO) will find that some of the tram shuttle stations are now decorated to evoke Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the new 14-acre land inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Arriving passengers getting ready to board the shuttles for the airport’s Main Terminal will see life-size depictions of characters and scenes from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
One scene creates a dimensional landscape that feels as if visitors are standing inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. They’ll see the iconic Millennium Falcon and other landmarks from the new amusement park land.
In another scene, it will appear to passengers as if First Order Stormtroopers are waiting to step off the shuttle as the train arrives in the station.
Make way…
There’s more.
At the Magic of Disney store located inside the main terminal in the pre-security West Hall, there’s now a fun new photo op location featuring droids from the Star Wars galaxy.
And when the airport’s second Magic of Disney store reopens on November 22 in the Main Terminal East Hall, an exterior wall will feature a 36-foot-long video screen showing scenes from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Should we just go ahead and make this the Airport Amenity of the Week?
