Reno-Tahoe International Airport

More airports offering food, other support for federal workers during shutdown

Airports, ,

We shared information a few days ago about how Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and others are joining with community groups to offer food and other support to TSA officers, air traffic controllers and other federal workers who aren’t getting paychecks during the government shutdown but are still expected to show up for work at airports.

Now more airports are joining the list.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) is working with United Way Suncoast and Feeding Tampa Bay to gather resources for the airport’s approximately 1,100 federal employees from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Support includes a food pantry and assistance with childcare, utilities and transportation.

The assistance (called Operation Bald Eagle II) is set to begin next week to align with when those federal employees will start missing money out of their paycheck, the airport told us. Two weeks later, they would miss their first full paycheck should the government shutdown continue.

And Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) announced today that it is partnering with local social service groups, the Children’s Cabinet and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, to assist federal workers working without pay, including TSA, Customs and Border Protection and Federal Aviation Administration staff.

An assigned rep from the Children’s Cabinet will help provide affected federal employees (those with children or not) with resources such as food, diapers and household items. The Food Bank of Northern Nevada is making its pantry program and other food resources available to affected federal workers.

We’ll update this list as more information becomes available.

Reno-Tahoe Int’l Airport ready for Burning Man

Events,

Thousands of the 70,000 to 80,000 people attending the Burning Man 2025 festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert will arrive and depart via Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).

And, as it has in the past, the airport is ready for the Burning Man visitors.

The airport partners with Air Playa Info to host a welcome table in the airport terminal lobby to assist with travel questions, including transportation via the Burner Express Bus and via Burner Express Air.

RNO Airport’s depARTures Gallery is also presenting a Burning Man-themed exhibition.

“Tiny Titans: The Power of the Maquette” provides a glimpse into the creative process of two Burning Man artists, Mark Rivera and Turburam Sandagdorj (a.k.a. STuro), through models of the concepts that turn into the giant installations that get built out on the Playa.

Travel tidbits from an airport near you

Events, , , ,

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) welcomes Burners

Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is getting ready to welcome the Burners that fly in for the Burning Man Festival and head out to the Black Rock Desert.

American Airlines has added a special nonstop flight between RNO and LAX from August 23 to September 3 to accommodate all the Burners.

And RNO airport has kicked off a new exhibit in its depARTures Gallery.

Beyond Blackrock: A Global Burning Man Showcase spotlights five Burning Man events from around the world, including New Zealand’s “Kiwiburn”, Washington D.C.’s “Catharsis on the Mall”, South Africa’s “AfrikaBurn”, Argentina’s “Fuego Austral” and Texas’ “Burning Flipside & Freezerburn”.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) hosting augmented reality game

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport (OAK) is joining with a handful of Bay Area organizations to host an augmented reality game for passengers.

The Bay Area Explorer 5.0 Campaign runs through September 7 and presents players with “Missions” designed to teach players about local history, culture, ecosystems, and safety.

In addition to OAK Airport, participating organizations include U.S Fish and Wildlife – Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the National Park Service – San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Santa Clara County Parks, California State Parks-Seacliff State Beach, Oakland Zoo, BART, Madera County, City of Morgan Hill, Sacramento County Parks, and the City of San Jose. 

Scavenger hunt for prizes at SJC Airport

And San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is celebrating National Aviation Week with a the return of the QR Scavenger Hunt throughout its terminals from now through September 9.

Prizes include airport parking vouchers, lounge passes and airport swag.

Airport Arrivals: Burning Man +Beyoncé

Events, , , ,

Reno-Tahoe International Airport loves the Burners

Burning Man 2023 is underway in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. And about 20,000 of the 80,000 or so attendees make their way to the event through Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).

The airport is an old hand at welcoming and sending off the festival goers.

So, when the party is over, on September 4, the airport will be ready with plastic bags to wrap dust-encrusted luggage and other checked items to make sure playa dust doesn’t get tracked through the terminal and muck up the baggage systems. There will also be donation sites for camping gear Burners don’t want to take home and the bikes Burners brought or bought to get around the playa.

Photo op: Beyonce’s “BeyHive” at San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport

Beyoncé will be performing at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA on August 30 and San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC), which is just five miles from the stadium is ready with a special event for Queen Bey’s ‘BeyHive,’ as her fans are known.

“XO” is one of the singer’s hit song titles, and it is also the name of a new art installation at the airport created by Bay Area artists Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg for the Burning Man Festival, and dedicated at SJC earlier this year.

The structure is comprised of two 12-foot-tall aluminum letters, perforated with bird cutouts symbolizing flight, and is illuminated with color at night. 

To welcome Beyoncé fans flying in for the concert, SJC airport will be hosting an event for fans to get free professional photos taken in front of its “XO” public art sculpture. 

The event will take place on the Airport’s Terminal B curbside beginning at 7:00 PM on August 29th.

The commemorative color photos will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis by a professional photographer and will be available on the spot along with other fun giveaways from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., or while supplies last.  

(XO images courtesy of San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport and City of San Jose)

Reno Airport dishes out the compliments

Holidays, , ,
Courtesy Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Here’s a hopeful sign that airports are getting their groove back.

On Monday, National Compliment Day, the Kindness Takes Flight team at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) brought back its Free Compliments Campaign.

From a kiosk in the main terminal and via “compliment balloons” spread throughout the airport, passengers and airport visitors received free compliments such as “That color is perfect for you,” “I bet you sweat glitter,” and “You are glowing,”

The plan was to continue the nice-fest “until the complement of compliments is exhausted,” said airport spokeswoman Annie Turner.

You can read more about the plans for the day and the bonus benefits of giving and receiving compliments in the story our compliments correspondent wrote the Points Guy.

But this isn’t the only holiday RNO does right. On National Chocolate Cake Day, volunteers often hand out complimentary chocolate cupcakes. On National Popcorn Day (a high holy day at StuckatTheAirport.com), travelers get free popcorn. And on National Dog Day, traveling pups often receive milk bones.

RNO also has fun on May the Fourth