New York’s Albany International Airport (ALB) and Southwest Airlines are marking 25 years of Southwest service to the Capital Region with art.
A new large-scale sculpture titled Treasure Map, by Hudson Valley artist Ruby Palmer, is now on display in the terminal.
The work was made entirely of aircraft seat leather from Southwest’s Repurpose with Purpose initiative, which promotes sustainability through creative upcycling of retired aircraft seat leather.
A wide variety of objects, including travel gear, have been made with old seat leather, but Treasure Map is the first sculpture to come out of the initiative.
There will be a party to celebrate both the anniversary and new artwork on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM next to the Southwest ticket at Albany International Airport, where Treasure Map is installed.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artist and enter prize drawings to win an original artwork by the artist, plus 25 round-trip tickets to any Southwest destination.
Southwest Airlines is changing its policy for those who may need an extra seat
Southwest Airlines’ new assigned seating policy goes into effect on January 27, 2026 and on that date, the carrier will also be changing its policy for travelers who don’t fit within the armrest of their seat.
Right now, plus-size passengers have the option to pay for an extra seat in advance of their flight, with the option of getting that money back later if the flight isn’t full. They can also request an extra seat at the airport.
Under the carrier’s new policy, passengers may still get a refund, but there is no longer a guarantee that they will.
Currently, Southwest Airlines considers the boundary between seats to be the armrest and encourages passengers who know they’ll need extra space to purchase an extra seat before they travel.
The carrier now refunds the cost of the extra seat after the flight, on request.
Passengers of size who don’t purchase that extra seat beforehand may also discuss their seating needs with a gate agent (or be advised of it…) and be given the extra seat on a complimentary basis if space is available on the flight.
If the flight is full, however, the airline will offer to rebook you on another flight.
Southwest’s ‘passenger of size’ policy on or after January 27, 2026
After January 26, 2026, passengers of size’ are required to purchase an additional seat before the flight.
If you don’t pre-purchase that extra seat and it’s determined at the gate that the extra room is needed, you’ll be charged for it – at the applicable fare on the day of travel – before boarding.
Complimentary extra seats will no longer be made available. And now a refund for the extra seat will only be offered if the flight departs with at least one open space, if both seats were purchased in the same fare class, and if you file that request within 90 days of travel.
End of an era: Southwest Airlines no longer checks bags for free
Passengers checking bags on Southwest Airlines must now do what passengers on other airlines do:
pay for their checked bags.
The carrier’s longstanding and much-loved “two bags fly free” policy ended May 28, 2025.
Now Southwest Airlines passengers who don’t have a Southwest credit card, elite status or a certain class of ticket must pay $35 for the first check bag and $45 for the second.
Checked baggage fees on domestic US airlines
For many travelers, Southwest’s “two bags fly free” policy was the clincher when choosing which airline to fly.
But now those travelers may be looking around for other carriers and trying to figure out the checked bag fees.
So let’s take a look at what current checked bag fees are on most domestic U.S. airlines. Weight and size restrictions apply and are often not the same from airline to airline, so be sure to check.
In many cases, a credit card, cabin class or airline status will allow you to avoid these checked bag fees. And there may be discounts for prepaying your bag fees.
Here are some of the basic baggage fees as of May 28, 2025.
American Airlines: $40 for the 1st bag ($35 if you pay online); $45 for the second bag.
Delta Air Lines: $35 for the 1st bag; and $45 for the second bag.
Frontier Airlines: Pricing for carry-on and checked bags varies by where (i.e. online or at the airport) and when you pay for it. And even by route. It can be confusing. And costly. Be sure to measure and weigh your bags and check the site for options.
Hawaiian Airlines: Interisland: 1st bag: $30, 2nd bag: $40. North America: $40 for the 1st bag, $45 for the 2nd.
JetBlue: $35-$50 for the first bag, $50-$70 for the second. Discounts are applied depending on when you pay for your checked bag.
Airports in the U.S. and abroad are preparing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
Big thanks to @thepraties for bringing the Irish spirit to LAX and performing for our travelers as part of the #LAXPresents Winter & Spring 2025 season! You’ve definitely helped us get into the festive mood! 🍀🎶 pic.twitter.com/39m7r0w0Ab
We can’t wait to welcome tens of thousands of tourists to Ireland over the coming day and a true Céad Míle Fáilte awaits with our buildings – both inside and out – lit up in green, white and orange!
And check out this special livery coming to JetBlue
In February, JetBlue invited customers to vote on which of three special livery designs created by Puerto Rican artists will be painted on a JetBlue Airbus A320 to honor Puerto Rico’s rich culture.
The winner is the design created by Juan Gutierrez, better known as The Stencil Network.
The design embodies the spirit of Puerto Rico and features the proud jíbaro (Puerto Rican farm worker) on the tail and images of Puerto Rico’s fruits and flora on the body. On the plane’s belly is the phrase “Yo Soy Boricua” (I am Puerto Rican).
Look for this colorful plane to be flying this summer.
Southwest Airlines has been in the news lately for the carrier’s decision to end its open seating policy, add premium-style seating and begin flying red-eye flights.
So, it’s a good time to look at another Southwest Airlines seating story. This one is all about what the airline has been doing with old aircraft seat leather.
After a seat refresh in 2014, Southwest Airlines had 43 acres of surplus seat leather. Rather than throw it in the landfill, the airline created the Repurpose with Purpose program.
The ongoing program not only recycles and repurposes Southwest Airlines’ old seat leather, but it also provides employment, skills training and other community benefits.
Through October 2024 an exhibit at Denver International Airport (DEN) displays some of the diverse and creative items being made.
Look for the exhibit at DEN Airport on Concourse C, Mezzanine (upper level), and at Baggage Claim 1, East Side.
Here are some travel tidbits from the Stuck at the Airport inbox to help you ease into the week, including music and travel advice, contests for travel adventures and, of course, airport news.
Hello Kitty Day coming to Oracle Park
EVA Air is teaming up with the San Francisco Giants to host Hello Kitty Day at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
As part of Hello Kitty Day, the first 15,000 fans to enter Oracle Park on May 11 will each receive a Hello Kitty Bucket Hat. On that day, EVA President, Clay Sun, will throw out the first pitch while Hello Kitty and the Giants Mascot Lou Seal mug on the field.
For planespotters: EVA’s Hello Kitty “Shining Star Jet” is flying between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) in Taipei, Taiwan. The Boeing 777-300ER is flying two days a week, on Fridays and Sundays, now through May 26. It will then shift to Sundays only, from June 2 to June 23.
Musical Travel Guides for Europe, courtesy of Air Canada
Air Canada asked three Québec artists – Charlotte Cardin, Alexandra Stréliski and Sarahmée – to create music playlists to go with their favorite European cities.
And Alexandra Stréliski shares her faves in Amsterdam.
The playlists are available on the Air Canada website and Spotify. Give a listen.
Airline Satisfaction Study: Niceness wins.
J.D. Power’s 2024 North American Satisfaction study is out and concludes that investments some airlines have been making in trying to improve the overall flight experience with friendly, attentive service are paying off.
“The big takeaway from this year’s study is the power of people to positively influence the overall flight experience,” said Michael Taylor, J. D. Power senior managing director of travel, hospitality, retail and customer service. “Airlines investing in staff training and recruitment are finding ways to overcome the negative effects of crowded gates and planes simply by being nice to their customers.”
The North America Airline Satisfaction Study measures performance in seven categories: airline staff; digital tools; ease of travel; level of trust; on-board experience; pre/post-flight experience; and value for price paid. Scores are tallied on a 1,000-point scale.
Here are the top lines in Customer Satisfaction, but segment.
First/Business: Delta Air Lines ranks highest with a score of 743. JetBlue Airways (736) ranks second.
Premium Economy segment: Delta Air Lines ranks highest for a second consecutive year, with a score of 716. Alaska Airlines (687) ranks second and American Airlines (684) ranks third.
Economy/Basic Economy: Southwest Airlines ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the economy/basic economy segment for a third consecutive year, with a score of 685. Delta Air Lines (651) ranks second and Allegiant Air (633) ranks third.
How to see the eclipse from a Southwest Airlines flight
Much of the United States will be able to see a total or partial eclipse on April 8, 2024.
But wouldn’t it be great to see the eclipse from the air?
Some lucky ducks will get that opportunity. Including the winners of a “Solarbration” sweepstakes hosted by Southwest Airlines and Omni Hotels & Resorts.
Entering is free and the two winners will each get a prize package for two that includes air travel on a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas or Austin that is predicted to be in the direct path of the eclipse. Winners will also get to stay in an eclipse-themed Omni Hotels & Resorts hotel room. If you don’t live in one of Dallas or Austin, Southwest says it will get you there too. (See the rules and restrictions)
Qantas has a Leap Day Sale sale running for 24 hours – from 12:01 am to 11:59 pm PST on February 29, 2024.
The sale offers $250 off round-trip economy cabin flights to Australia and New Zealand from the carrier’s U.S. gateways. Some restrictions and blackout days apply. To take advantage, enter the code ‘LEAPDAY’ in the ‘have a promo code?’ prompt at the top of the flight search results page. This could help you save on these flights:
Between the storms in many regions of the country and the grounding of all Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft for inspection, there are a lot of flight cancellations, schedule disruptions, and airline travel alerts.
Here are links to the current travel advisories and waivers (as of early Tuesday, January 9, 2024) in effect for some of the major airlines. Be sure to check your airline’s website for the latest updates on these advisories,
Alaska Airlines
On its website, Alaska Airlines is advising travelers that due to Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft inspections and winter weather in the Northeast, they are offering a flexible travel policy for travelers who want to change or cancel their flights. Original travel dates include January 9.
American Airlines
American Airlines has a travel alert for close to 60 cities that may be affected by severe weather in the Eastern US and Canada. The airline will waive your change fee if you traveling in any fare class and are scheduled to fly January 9-10 and can travel instead January 9 – 15. See here for more details on American Airlines’ travel advisory.
JetBlue has also issued travel alerts for winter weather in the Midwest and the Northeastern US.
In the Midwest, the airline will waive change/cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling through January 9 to or from Chicago (ORD), Detroit (DTW), Kansas City (MCI), Milwaukee (MKE), and Minneapolis – St. Paul (MSP). The travel alert covers about 15 airports in the Northeast. Customers may rebook their flights through January 13.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has travel alerts posted for the Midwest and the East Coast.
United Airlines
For those scheduled to fly on a Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane, United Airlines offers these options:
You can reschedule your trip and have the change fees and fare differences waived. Your new flight must be a United flight departing by January 18, 2024. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked. Trips rebooked after January 18, 2024, will still have the change fee waived, but there may be a fare difference. Cancelling and getting a full refund is also an option.
T-Mobile Customer? Enter this Delta Air Lines contest
Are you a T-Mobile customer who doesn’t pay much attention to T-Mobile Tuesdays?
That’s the day customers can score discounts and prizes on a special T-Mobile app.
And whether or not you take advantage of the offers, October 10 will be a good day to check it out.
On October 10, T-Mobile and Delta Air Lines will give away more than $300,000 in airline gift cards in a T-Mobile Tuesday campaign.
Enter for a chance to win $500, $10,000, or even $25,000 in Delta gift cards. And use your prize on Delta flights, Delta Vacation packages, upgrades, in-flight meals, Delta merch, etc.
To celebrate the new “Trolls Band Together” film from DreamWorks Animation, Southwest Airlines is flying a Boeing 737-700 aircraft covered in Troll characters.
And it’s not just on the outside of the plane. The design continues inside the plane too, with Trolls-themed images on some of the cabin window shades.
Ahead of the film’s release on November 17, Southwest’s inflight entertainment system is showing chapters of the blockbuster musical franchise, “Trolls” and “Trolls World Tour.”
Keep an eye out, too, for pop-ups at airports and onboard flights for Trolls-themed merchandise giveaways and other surprises.
In the meantime, Trolls fans should enter a Southwest Airlines sweepstakes for a Trolls-theme LA Getaway to Los Angeles.
The prize includes round-trip tickets on Southwest to LAX for the winner and three guests. The package also includes a hotel room for 2 nights, two $500 Visa gift cards, movie tickets and swag bags. Enter the Southwest Airlines Trolls sweepstakes here by October 19, 2023.
KLM unveils its newest Delft blue miniature house
Each year on its birthday – October 7 – KLM Royal Dutch Airlines unveils a new Delftware miniature in the shape of a Dutch house or building with a special meaning or place in history.
The tradition began in the 1950s. Each little house is filled with Bols Jenever (a Dutch gin) and gifted to passengers traveling in KLM’s business class cabins on intercontinental flights.
This year, in honor of KLM’s 104 birthday, the featured building is the train station in Valkenburg, about a three-hour train ride from Amsterdam.
Fully restored in 2005, this castle-like building was designed by architect Jacob Enschedéand began operation in 1853. KLM says it chose to add the station to its collection partly to celebrate the role railways play in the accessibility of the Netherlands.
Past homes and buildings in KLM’s Delftware miniatures series have depicted everything from the home of Dutch exotic dancer and spy Mata Hari to the Anne Frank House and the Heineken Brewery.
After a week of widespread cancellations and disarray in operations, many Southwest Airlines passengers are still stuck at airports around the country waiting for standby seats. Or in hotels waiting for confirmation of a flight home.
If you’re following social media and watching TV, you’ve also likely seen stories of people renting cars – sometimes with strangers – to get where they need to go.
The airline says it’s doing its best to put things right. And late Wednesday, Southwest Airlines Chief Commercial Officer, Ryan Green, took to social media to offer (more) apologies; a pledge to do “everything we can” to make things up to customers, and something more useful: fresh details about some added tools and resources that might help travelers get refunds, flight reservations, and their baggage.
We’ve let our Customers and Employees down, and we pledge to do everything we can to make it right. If you still need assistance rearranging your travel, getting a refund, or tracking down your luggage, please visit https://t.co/II3YgdPy7J. pic.twitter.com/64Fdt8jJPn
Airports also are beginning to get answers and action from Southwest Airlines. Take a look at this Twitter thread from Chicago’s Midway Airport, where Southwest Airlines is the largest carrier. In addition to trying to accommodate thousands of stranded passengers, the airport has had to store and secure an incredible amount of baggage.
In the meantime, most other airlines are capping fares on many routes to accommodate those who are rebooking themselves on non-Southwest Airlines flights. But since this is still the busy holiday season, those seats are hard to come by too.
For those of you who may be stuck at an airport or know someone whose holiday plans were ruined by weather and airline meltdowns we know you’ll understand the joy this man experienced – and expressed – once he was reunited with this bag at Midway Airport.
After two canceled Southwest flights, Patrick Keane was finally reunited with his bag at Midway, and he let the entire airport know how it felt. @cbschicagopic.twitter.com/aB2vZmRySP
