Philadelphia International Airport

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.

Beer bottle clock at Philadelphia Airport

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Beer Bottle Clock

Need to know what time it is?

If you’re at Philadelphia International Airport’s Terminal A-West between now and August, you can consult this 20 foot long clock made of 300 recycled intermeshing beer bottles.The clock is made by Rick Stanley and his son, Vince, who create one-of-a-kind timepieces at Stanley Clockworks near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

“There are three separate dials for hours, minutes, and seconds..The largest gear is five foot in diameter and is largest and only clock to incorporate bottles in its movement…The clock sports only Yuengling Lager bottles. The brewery is the oldest in America and has a strong local following making the bottles simple to obtain. The beer bottles came from three sources: the local recycling center, the local bar, and whatever the clockmaker could contribute.”

Here’s a video of the clock in action:

In addition to this beer-bottle clock, Stanley Clockworks has also built a 24-foot long “Walking Clock” made with a dozen shoes that keep time by marching back and forth over 2,700 miles each year.

Fresh art at Philadelphia and Miami airports

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Next time you’re going to or through Philadelphia International Airport, take a moment to look around at some of the new art on display in the terminals.

Noted American glassblower Michael Schunke has some of his work in Terminal D:

PHL Michael Schunke

James Dupree’s Evolving Elements is in Terminal E:

PHL James Dupree

And Shannon Donovan’s Rest Awhile, a life-size diorama of an old-fashioned sitting room, is in Terminal C.

PHL Shannon Donovan

“There is the appearance that little has changed over the generations,” notes Leah Douglas, PHL’s Director of Exhibitions, “However, Donovan has purposefully infused her interior with odd curiosities such as three-dimensional branches and blossoms that emerge from the floral patterned wallpaper, ceramic cakes and flowering clay hubcap forms that adorn the wall and floor.”

When you’re in Miami International Airport’s North Terminal, take a moment to look at the faces in 100 Latinos Miami.

MIA art exhibit 100 Latinos Miam

The exhibit, by Gate D26, features portraits of Hispanic immigrants living in Miami-Dade County. There are artists, activists, entrepreneurs, athletes, journalists, doctors and professors; all people Verónica Durán chose to include here because “by virtue of their talent and success [they] contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of the region.”

Giant spider webs at Philadelphia Airport

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Philadelphia International Airport presents a marvelous and diverse program of both permanent and changing art exhibitions throughout the terminals.

In keeping with the season, one installation to seek out right now is The Repairer – eight large-scale glass spider webs created by artist Sharyn O’Mara in memory of the artist Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010).

PHL Spiderweb Sharyn O'Mara

Photo credit: Richard McMullin, Philadelphia International Airport

Here’s some background on the installation from the airport website:

Described as a “Grande Dame of American and European art,” Bourgeois is best known for her series of monumental metal spiders – the largest stands more than 30 feet tall. Although primarily a sculptor, Bourgeois also liked to draw. It was another medium to express her fascination with spiders and, in particular, their webs. Bourgeois had said that drawing was similar to a spider’s web: “it’s like the thread…it is a knitting, a spiral.“

Like Bourgeois’ gigantic spiders, O’Mara has fabricated similarly sized glass webs influenced by the late artist’s web drawings. O’Mara’s installation was inspired by Bourgeois, whose parents restored tapestries. Bourgeois once said, “The spider is a repairer. I came from a family of repairers. If you bash into the web of a spider, she doesn’t get mad. She weaves and repairs it.”

Look for Sharyn O’Mara’s The Repairer post-security in Terminal A-West through February 2011.

To see what else there is to do at Philadelphia International Airport, see my guide to Philadelphia International Airport on USAToday.com.

And, in the spirit of Halloween, here are two great cartoons my buddy Bob Rini found and posted on his highly entertaining blog, The Nine Pound Hammer.

This one is a Betty Boop cartoon that was banned in the 1930’s.

And this one is a very early Mickey Mouse cartoon.

Thanks, Bob!
And Happy Halloween.

Ironing things out at Philadelphia International Airport

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Vintage clothes irons on display at Philadelphia Airport

Vintage clothes irons on display at Philadelphia International Airport

A new exhibit at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) might make you a bit self-conscious about your wrinkled travel outfit.

The exhibit features classic, streamlined clothes irons made in the 1930s and 40s, on loan from the collection of Jay Raymond, who has written a book on the subject.

Why irons at the airport?

“Like aircraft, streamlined irons were based on the principles of aerodynamics – they were shaped to enhance the flow of air around them, increasing their ability to move more efficiently. It is their purposeful design and resulting aesthetic that made streamlined irons different from irons that preceded them.”

Look for these cool irons in the Philadelphia International Airport on the C/D walkway, post-security.

vintage irons on display at PHL airport

More cool, classic clothes irons

Fresh airport amenities for summer travel

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In my msnbc.com column this week –Fresh airport amenities make the wait fly by – I offered a run-down of some of the programs and services air travelers can take advantage of this summer.

One amenity that didn’t make it into the story is self-service ice-cream sundae machine at Boston Logan International Airport.

Make-your-own sundae machine at Boston Logan Airport

We all scream for ice-cream at the airport

Using a touchscreen, customers choose a flavor (12 are available) and a mix-in. The machine then prepares and delivers the dessert.  Boston Logan Airport has two  MooBella machines installed: one is at Terminal C at the Back Bay Café (Gates 11-21); the other is at Lean & Green (Gates 40-42).

If you test it out, please send a report – and a photo.

What else is fresh and new at airports this summer?

Philadelphia International Airport offers entertainment this summer

Mimes among the entertainment at PHL this summer

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) now has free wireless and a Passenger Chillin’ Zone with sofas, tables, chairs, ottomans and foliage (Gate D-3). Throughout the summer, PHL is also hosting a Just Plane Fun program with live music, appearances by mascots from local sports teams, contests and other activities.

From now through the end of August, Miami International Airport is throwing weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) parties with a different theme each week. This weekend’s theme is Havana Nights, with domino tables, mojito demonstrations, a DJ, rumba dancing and cigar rolling.  August 20-23 you’ll find a flamenco dance show, Latin food sampling and more.

Observation Deck at Los Angeles International Airport now open

Observation Deck at LAX now open on weekends

At Los Angeles International Airport, the outdoor observation deck on top of the Theme Building in the center of the airport is finally open. Closed since 9/11, and during the building’s $12.3 million renovation and earthquake retrofit, the deck is open weekends, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free telescopes offering great views of arriving and departing aircraft, the airport grounds and the surrounding area. Pink’s, an iconic Hollywood hot dog stand, has also opened a branch in the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

At Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW) in Appleton, Wisconsin, they’re still lining up to get candy from the giant purple machine with flashing lights.

Candy-dispening machine at Outagamie Airport

Willy Wonka candy machine dispenses mixed candy treats

Located pre-security, the Willy Wonka candy machine is one of 25 such machines in the country (there’s one at the Mall of America) and is currently the only one at an airport.

Passengers had so much fun during the special events held at Vancouver International Airport during the 2010 Winter Olympics games that the airport decided to host Take-off Fridays festivals all summer, complete with face painting, DJs spinning music, prize drawings, meal specials and frees samples from a variety of airport shops.

And San Francisco International Airport is presenting You are Hear concerts again this summer. Performances take place every Friday through August 28th between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at three different stages in the airport. This week the line-up includes Quinteto Latino in the International Terminal, Lavay Smith & The Red Hot Skillet Lickers in the United hub and, in Terminal 1, Threeocracy. See the SFO website for the full season schedule.

Enjoy!

Free Wi-Fi & fresh art at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

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Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has kicked off its summer-long “Just Plane Fun” program and well, it looks like fun.

Guy at laptop

Last week, just in time for the busy 4th of July holiday travel weekend, PHL announced that the airport-wide Wi-Fi service would now be free.

Now that’s fun!

This week? Well, there’s not much that can match free Wi-Fi for excitement, but on Wednesday there will a CPR/AED (Automatic external defibrillator) workshop.  And on Thursday and Friday – live music.

For times and locations, see the PHL website.

What’s next? Throughout the summer, travelers are promised art demonstrations, pep rallies with local pro sports teams and team mascots and, our favorite, free stuff.

Last week, the airport also unveiled a new art exhibit honoring the Liberty Bell.

PHL Mayor Nutter art exhibit

(Philadelphia Mayor Nutter was at PHL for the exhibit opening)

Picturing Liberty: Philadelphia’s Legendary Bell includes 50 black and white photographs about the history and legacy of this iconic American item. The exhibit is in Terminal A-East, post-security through June 2011.

Freedom for all Wi-Fi users at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

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Well this is a nice way to kick off the July 4th weekend:

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) now offers free Wi-Fi access to all travelers.

This is especially great news because PHL has long had a somewhat wacky Wi-Fi set-up. The service was free for students all the time and free for everyone else only on the weekends.

So free Wi-Fi for everyone traveling through PHL is a great leap forward!