In 1949, the first commercial flight that landed at San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) carried two pilots, seven passengers … and 2,550 baby chickens.
For the airport’s 75th anniversary – in 2024 – SJC introduced a modern flock of baby chick characters.
And now Ernie + Friends are featured on a new digital platform spotlighting the airport’s services.
Ernie’s Runway allows users to design and dress up their very own SJC Baby Chicks with more than one million different travel-themed outfits, accessories and backdrops, then save and share their creations and enter contests to win prizes.
Give it a try with SJC’s Summer Sweepstakes, where prizes include Ernie plushies, SJC socks and other fund items.
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
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.
On Feb. 1, 1949, San José Municipal Airport opened its runways to commercial air service with an official dedication ceremony.
The first arriving flight carried seven human passengers and 2,550 baby chickens.
The inflatable baby chicken complements other festive decorations including over 1,000 baby chicken window clings and four 7-foot-tall standees installed throughout the terminals.
In addition to the 10-foot inflatable chick, SJC has decorated the terminal with more than 1,000 baby chicken window clings and four 7-foot-tall standing chicks.
Passengers and airport visitors who snap a photo with a baby chick and post it on social media using #sjc75 and #PicWithABabyChick tags will be entered to win a commemorative SJC 75th anniversary swag pack. (We hear there may be socks…)
(Deadline: Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Limit one post per social media platform.)
Located in Terminal B, across from Gate 19, the restaurant is serving up a Signature Mac along with a wide variety of customizable mac and cheese dishes with cheddar cheese sauce, 5-cheese white sauce, grilled chicken, smoked bacon, and BBQ pulled pork.
The menu also includes Grilled Mac + Cheese Sandwiches, Breakfast Mac + Cheese Burritos, and a full bar.
First, we spotted these very comfy chairs right by the baggage claim carousels.
Then, once through security, we made our way down a hallway filled with useful – and tempting – vending machines.
We’ve seen the Fuel Rod machine that dispenses handy fully-charged chargers in quite a few airports. But the machine that’s ” a carwash for glasses and jewelry,” and the one that dispenses tins filled with licorice aren’t as common. Yet.
And how’s this for service?
We saw a gate agent sprint off towards the security checkpoint and wondered what was up. In just a few minutes she came running back with a young man in tow who would have missed his flight had she not rushed over and hustled him to the front of the security checkpoint line.
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)
