Super Bowl

Airline perks for Seahawks and Patriots fans

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Sunday was a big day for football fans (especially fans of the Seattle Seawhawks and the New England Patriots, of course) and airlines are helping get the celebrations for Super Bowl XLIX underway.

To celebrate the Seahawks win, Alaska Airlines is offering a free drink to everyone on a flight leaving Seattle on Monday, January 19:

For those who want to make quick plans to go the game, JetBlue is adding extra flights between Boston and Phoenix. In addition to the regular schedule of flights (already sold out), JetBlue is adding a flight leaving Boston on January 30, 2015 at 8:20 a.m. (arriving at 12:24 p.m.) and returning on February 2, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. (arriving at 6:10 p.m).

Sunday evening, Alaska Airlines teased about another special Super Bowl treat:

And early Monday Alaska Airlines announced a re-run of last year’s sweepstakes offering Mileage Plan members a chance to fly from Seattle to Phoenix on a special charter on Feb. 1.

“Russell Wilson’s Fan Flight II – For Strong Against Cancer,” a four-day sweepstakes is taking place on Alaska Airlines’ Facebook page.

Fifty-six prize winners will receive two round-trip tickets for an ‘inflight tailgate party’ from Seattle to Phoenix on its “Go Russell 737-900ER” aircraft. Winners will also get two nights of hotel accommodations, admission to an exclusive game day party and transportation to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and their hotel.

(I was able to tag along last year and it was a heap-of-fun!)

The sweepstakes is open to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members who are residents of Washington, Oregon and Alaska and winners will be notified by phone and email beginning on Friday, Jan. 23 at 8 a.m. PT. (Last year, winners told me they had a short window to answer the notification, so on Friday, be sure to check your email and voice mail right away.)

The airline is also adding extra flights between Seattle and Phoenix:

On Jan. 30 flights will head from Seattle to Phoenix at 1:30 p.m. and 5:55 p.m. and on February 2nd from Phoenix to Seattle at 5:55 p.m. and 10:25 p.m.

Twitter throwdown for Seattle & Green Bay Airports

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Giant Super Bowl Football

As you might imagine, excitement is rising in cities that still have football teams in the running for this year’s Super Bowl.

And as Sunday’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers gets closer, hometown pride is in strong evidence on the Internet, where Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Green Bay’s Austin Straubel  International Airport are engaged in a good-natured Twitter throwdown that includes smack talk and a bet that involves cheese, coffee and team jerseys.

Here’s some of what played out on Thursday.

Both airports took a time-out Thursday night and will no doubt be back on the field on Friday. Stay tuned.

(Disclaimer: I live in Seattle. So, Go Seahawks!)

Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l Airport ready for Super Bowl

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PHX SUPER BOWL CLOCK

At the end of January, about 100,000 football fans will be heading to the Phoenix area for Super Bowl XLIX and a wide range of related festivities.

Most all of them will be arriving and departing from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ,where the busiest day will be the day after the Super Bowl, February 2nd.

Is the airport ready for the big game? You bet.

This will be the Phoenix area’s third Super Bowl (games were held there in 1996 and 2008) and planning has been underway for months. Airport officials have been working closely with the Super Bowl Host Committee, airlines, the TSA, car rental companies and other partners to make sure everything is in place.

To accommodate the influx of football fans, restaurants inside the airport will increase their hours and the number of available taxis will be increased by approximately 50 percent.

Sky Harbor will also have increased customer service staff at the ready to welcome visitors. In addition to the 400 volunteer ‘Navigators’ at Sky Harbor, PHX will have about 200 Super Bowl volunteers on hand to answer questions.

Then there are the security preparations.

PHX is coordinating with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Phoenix Police Department and other public safety partners to make sure there’s increased law enforcement presence around the airport, including firefighters from the two Phoenix Fire stations located at Sky Harbor who will be patrolling the terminals on bikes.

(My story about PHX getting ready for the Super Bowl first appeared on USA Today in a slightly different version.)

Alaska Airlines hosts Russell’s 12th Fan Airlift

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go_russell sm

Courtesy Alaska Airlines

 

There are plenty of tailgate parties going on for Super Bowl Sunday, but perhaps only one that took place 35,000 feet in the air.

63,000 residents of Oregon, Alaska and Washington entered a contest hosted by Alaska Airlines and Seattle NFL quarterback Russell Wilson for a chance to win two seats on a party plane headed to New York, two nights lodging in the city and a viewing party in midtown Manhattan.

The 56 winners and their guests got to fly to New York on Saturday on a flight dubbed Russell’s 12th Fan Airlift. Along for the ride: the winners of a mileage auction for five pairs of first class seats that, with the airline’s mileage match, means that six million miles will be donated to Seattle Children’s Hospital.

I got to go along for the ride:

Here are some photos from the trip:

ALASKA 1

Before boarding, everyone got t-shirts and a chance to have a photo snapped with a variety of props. This was the favorite.

The props came out during the flight as well:

alaska 3

Meals in-flight included a snack back with Skittles and a Volume 12 chocolate bar and breakfast served by Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden:

ALASK AIRLINES CEO SERVING BREAKFAST (courtesy Alaska Air)

And, after a trivia contest, drawings were held for two pair of Super Bowl tickets. Here’s one of the lucky winners:

Alaskas 2

Football fun at Newark Liberty Airport

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football

Newark Liberty International is pretty excited about all the people who will be passing through for the Super Bowl and has lined up a full schedule of special events in the terminals and discount offers in the shops.

Here are some of the highlights:

Terminal A

Live Music on Level 1 & Food Court 9am – 7pm from January 27 – February 3rd by various local New Jersey musicians.

Fan Zone on Level 3 with Football Toss, Foosball Tables, Massage Chairs, Hi Boy Table & Interactive games

Beer Gardens Gates A10-18, A 20-28 & A 30-39

Terminal B

Live Music on Level 2, 3 & in the Food Court 9am – 7pm from January 27- February 3rd, by various local New Jersey musicians from NJPAC

Fan Zone on Level 3 with Football Toss, Foosball Tables, Massage Chairs, Hi Boy Table, Charging Stations & interactive game

There will be also pop-up shops with official Super Bowl licensed merchandise and many shops will be offering discounts for those wearing football jerseys.  For hungry fans, the food courts in both the A and B Terminals will be open for 24 hours on Sunday Feb 2 into Monday Feb 3.

In Terminal C, there’s a full schedule of food sampling, entertainment and events as well as a Football Frenzy photo booth in C1 food court on the 31st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a green screen so passengers can choose from one of three football related backgrounds. Here’s a link to the Terminal C events.