Philadelphia International Airport

Restaurant Week at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

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PHL RestWeek

Restaurant Week – when choice dining spots throughout a city offer two or three course set-price meals – has become a popular event around around the country.

It’s also a ‘thing’ at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), which is hosting its third annual Restaurant Week through Oct. 28, 2013.

On the menu: pre-selected, three-course meals for $20 per person. (Some restrictions apply; see restaurant menus for details.)

Participating restaurants include:

• Cantina Laredo (Terminal E)
• Chickie’s & Pete’s (Terminal A West, Terminals C, D & E)
• Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar (Terminals A West & B)
• Jack Duggan’s Pub & Restaurant (Terminal A East)
• Jet Rock Bar & Grill (Concourses B & D)
• Legal Sea Foods (B/C Connector)
• Local Tavern (Concourse F)
• Re:Vive Bar (Concourse F)
• Sky Asian Bistro (Concourse C)
• Vino Volo (Terminal A West, B/C & D/E Connectors)

Yum!

Restaurant Week – in an airport

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Many cities host a Restaurant Week or two during the year when special two or three course menus are offered for a set price at a wide variety of dining venues throughout town. It’s a great opportunity to test out a restaurant that may be out of your price range the rest of the year and a great excuse to go ahead and eat that dessert because, well, it’s included…

The Philadelphia Marketplace at Philadelphia International Airport has embraced the concept and is hosting its 2nd annual Restaurant Week at the airport October 22 – 29th.

During Restaurant Week at PHL, you’ll be able to have a pre-selected, three-course menus for $20 per person at one of these (and perhaps some other) airport restaurants:

· Cantina Laredo (Terminal E)

· Chickie’s and Pete’s (Terminal A West & Terminals C, D & E)

· Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar (Terminals A West & B)

· Jack Duggan’s Bar (Terminal A East)

· Jet Rock Bar & Grill (Terminals B & D)

· Legal Sea Foods (B/C Connector)

· Sky Asian Bistro (Terminal C)

· Vino Volo (Terminal A West and B/C & D/E Connectors)

Some of the menus are listed on the PHL Markeplace website (look under promotions).

When travel gives you lemons, drink free airport lemonade

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To help travelers relax, many airports offer some form of summertime entertainment. For example, San Francisco International Airport has a You Are Hear summer concert series, Dulles International Airport hosts a Jazz Series and Vancouver International Airport offers DJs, live entertainment, free samples of treats and sweets, and $10 lunch specials all summer long during its popular, pre-security Take-Off Fridays celebrations.

Philadelphia International Airport’s summer-long Just Plane Fun program has been treating travelers to everything from free makeovers to live music and a chance to chill out and relax in one of the airport’s two Chillin’ Zones, which are outfitted with sofas, tables and plants.

Now Philadelphia International Airport is going a step further and offering complimentary cool beverages, serving 600 to 700 passengers daily.

“We were thinking of what we could do for people before they get to the security checkpoint, because there’s not much retail before security and all our entertainment is post-security,” said airport spokeswoman Victoria Lupica.

“It’s been a very warm summer and we know that people waiting in line can’t take a beverage with them through the security line,” said Lupica, “So we decided to offer passengers a refreshing complimentary glass of lemonade or iced tea. They can sip that in line and then dump the cup before going through the checkpoint.”

Lupica says the airport staff is monitoring the checkpoint lines, noting the busiest times in each terminal and dispatching the five rolling carts to areas where lines are longest.

“This isn’t something we’re going to stop doing when summer is over,” said Lupica. “When the weather turns cool, we plan to offer travelers hot chocolate to keep them warm and toasty.”

(My story about Philadelphia International Airport’s complimentary lemonade program first appeared on NBC News Travel.)

(Photo courtesy Philadelphia International Airport)

Chillin’ out at Philadelphia and Seattle International airports

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It may not be so bad to get stuck at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) this summer.

The airport has kicked off its summer-long “Just Plane Fun” program, which includes a full-schedule of special events, live entertainment, food and beverage samplings, artist demonstrations and children’s activities.

Coming up next week: instant giveaways, art demonstrations, beauty makeovers, a sushi-making class and more. See the full list on the PHL website.

There are also two locations of the popular “Chillin’ Room” – areas with sofas and tables where travelers can hang out, get work done and wait for their flights.

 

Look for the Chillin’ Room now in Terminal A-East, across from the Information Counter and in the Terminal D/E Connector, between the Life is Good and Mindworks stores, but keep in mind that plans are for the Chillin’ Room to be moved to various locations around the airport throughout the summer.

You’ll also find a spot where you can chill out – quietly – at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The airport has turned an empty gate area – B4 – into an official Quiet Zone where overhead announcements and TV monitors are turned off

Quiet Zone at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

There are signs asking passengers to keep the area as a quiet zone for working, reading and relaxing and soon there may be water features and other amenities added, but for now
“cellphones are not banned,” said SEA spokesperson Perry Cooper, “and we expect a natural self-policing and sense of respect for the area.”

Tidbits for travelers: restaurant week at Philadelphia Airport

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Cities have them, so why not airports?

From now through October 29th, seven restaurants at Philadelphia International Airport are offering three-course, prix fixe menus for $25 as part of the airport’s Restaurant Week.

Some restrictions apply (of course…) but here are the participating restaurants.

  • Cantina Laredo (Concourse E)
  • Chickie’s and Pete’s (Terminal A West & Concourses C & E)
  • Cibo Bistro & Wine Bar (Concourses A & B)
  • Jack Duggan’s Bar (Concourse A East)
  • Jet Rock Bar & Grill (Concourses B & D)
  • Legal Sea Foods (B/C Connector)
  • Vino Volo (B/C & D/E Connector)

Cool shoe-making demo at Philadelphia Airport

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The “Just Plane Fun” continues at Philadelphia International Airport next week.

On Monday, it’s live Cajun music. On Tuesday, it’s wine-tasting. Beauty make-overs for women and skin consultations for men courtesy of the Body Shop are on the menu for Wednesday, and on Thursday Lenny Wilson – who makes some pretty incredible-looking shoes out of plant materials – will be on hand to demonstrate his art.

For specific times for these events and more information – including details on a raffle to win airline tickets and other prizes – see the PHL website.

 

 

More ‘plane fun’ at Philadelphia Airport

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The Philadelphia International Airport is having a summer-long customer appreciation festival.

Throughout the summer, passengers can hang out in the Chillin’ Zone by Gate D-4 –

And each week there’s a fresh line-up of events. Here’s what coming up next.

On Friday, July 29, Swing Shift will be strolling through the airport playing Dixieland, blues and swing from 3:30p pm to 5:30 pm.

On Monday, mascots from McDonald’s and Jamba Juice will be wandering the airport handing out treat coupons from 11 am until 1 pm.

On Tuesday, August 2, its doo-wop music by Memory Lane from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm, and  on Wednesday, August 3 travelers can stop by the Terminal B/C food court stage between 3 pm and 5 pm for beauty makeovers from The Body Shop.

On Thursday, August 4, the PGA Tour Shop will be hosting a putting competition from 4 pm to 5 pm at the Terminal B/C Food Court Stage and on Friday, August 5 the Paula Jazz Quartet
takes the Terminal B/C Food Court Stage from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.

Tidbits for travelers: airfare tax holiday (sort of) & fresh airport art

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A little bit of this and that for a summer Monday:

Tax holiday on airline tickets – sort of

The U.S. government’s failure to reauthorize the budget for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), means that domestic airlines can’t charge some federal excise taxes on flights until the issue is worked out.

For a while there over the weekend, it looked like travelers would be getting a holiday from several taxes (the 7.5% tax on domestic transportation, the $3.70 domestic segment tax and the $16.30 international arrival/departure tax), but it turned out only some airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines (surprise!) and Virgin America are passing along the savings.

 

The other airlines? They raised their bases fares so that, in many cases, anyone seeking to buy a ticket would pay what they would have before the FAA shutdown.

Sneaky!

Elsewhere…

If you’re traveling through John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA before September 12, 2011, look for paintings by Steve Metzger on the departure (upper) level near the security screening areas and on the arrival (lower) level near baggage carousels 1 and 4.

Courtesy Steve Metzger

A professor at Fullerton College and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Metzger’s paintings from photos depict “metaphoric icons of the passage of time.” Here’s a link to more images from the Metzger exhibition.

And, on Thursday, July 28, 2011, passengers at Philadelphia International Airport will be able to watch woodworker Roosevelt Bassett turn discarded wood lathe into purses and hats.

Part of the airport’s series of artist demonstrations, Bassett will be at work from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the Terminal B-C Food Court.

If you’re not passing through the PHL on Thursday, don’t worry. There’s an exhibition of Bassett’s wood handbags in Terminal B.

Chillin’ Zone at PHL

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Philadelphia International Airport is working hard to entertain travelers this summer with the Just Plane Fun program.

There’s the Chillin’ Zone – a living-room style set-up with cushioned chairs and sofas at the Terminal C intersection.

During this holiday weekend – through July 5th – many shops in the B/C and D/E Connectors will be holding sales.

Participating merchants include: Afaze, Brooks Brothers, PA Market, PGA Tour, Radio Road, XspresSpa, Jack Georges, Bose, Brookstone, Harley Davidson, Borders, The Body Shop, Crocs, Taxco Sterling, Tech Showcase, In Motion, Hallmark and Lids.

And there’s a week’s worth of entertainment planned including music by the Patriotic Players, a “chowder fishing” contest, art projects with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a golf putting competition, make-overs and product demonstrations.

See the full list at the PHL website.

Party at Philadelphia International Airport

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Philadelphia International Airport is kicking off its summer-long Just Plane Fun customer appreciation program on Tuesday, June 21, 2011.

 

Tuesday’s event will include Philadelphia-themed activities including a Mummers-style string band, costumed characters, beauty makeovers, a pottery demonstration and a putting contest. Tastykakes, soft pretzels and other popular Philadelphia-style foods will be distributed.

Sound like fun? The program will continue through September 9th and include live entertainment, children’s activities, art demonstrations, pep rallies and special presentations by local pro sports teams and raffles for prizes.

And what’s a party without beer?

While you’re at PHL, be sure to go see the Beer Bottle Clock from Stanley Clockworks in Terminal A-West.