It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas in airports and in the air. Here are some of the fun holiday items we spotted today.
Alaska Airlines’ Holiday Perks
Alaska Airlines has a new special-edition aircraft in the skies decorated with snowflakes, the words “Merrier Together,” and those festive red Starbucks holiday cups.
Through December 12, passengers on 50 of this aircraft’s flights will receive reusable holiday cups and some bonus treats. The airline will also be offsetting the carbon impacts of these flights.
On National Ugly Sweater Day – December 17 – the airline will be offering early boarding to any passengers wearing an ugly sweater.
Holidays take flight at Alaska Airlines
And throughout December, passengers wearing ugly sweaters may purchase a day pass to any of the airline’s eight lounges around the country for $25, which is 50% off the regular price. The lounges are located in Anchorage (ANC), New York (JFK), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), and Seattle (SEA).
An Elf is Roaming Reno-Tahoe International Airport
We’re decking the halls and fa la la-ing throughout the terminals here at #ATLAirport 🎄 If you're traveling ✈️through #ATL this holiday season, grab a selfie or picture in front of our tree located in the Domestic Atrium 🤳📸 pic.twitter.com/yTXjtpDFsc
The holidays are around the corner and we’re looking forward to seeing how airports around the country – and the world – will celebrate the season.
TSA’s Canine Calendar for 2022 is available for download.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🎵 Today, we’re rolling out our paw-some TSA Canine Calendar! Enjoy 12 months of treats with pictures, facts & other bits of fun from Alona & her friends. Download your 2022 TSA Canine Calendar today! https://t.co/ot8tZQYbqT#CyberMondaypic.twitter.com/V4tDo1R92w
Do you have any Ikea products in your house? It’s likely you do. And it’s also likely you didn’t know that the funny names they give chairs, sofas, toilet brushes and other items come from real places in Sweden.
It was quite a Monday for some airports around the country. The day started out like this at Denver International Airport
Who else caught the dramatic sunrise in Denver today? Talk about drama! 🌄 Thanks to IG: denverdave1968 for capturing the beautiful colors over the airfield at DEN! pic.twitter.com/rd3wYBjUh0
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced that the SFO Wag Brigade, a team of certified stress-relief animals, is back on duty in the terminals after a 20-month absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The San Francisco SPCA certifies all participating animals through their Animal Assisted Therapy (ATT) Program. And, prior to returning to SFO, all Wag Brigade animals were recertified. We hope that means LiLou the airport therapy pig that used to visit SFO about once a month will return soon too.
Good news — the #SFOWagBrigade is back at the airport!!! Tristan is rolling out in Terminal 3 this morning — ready for smiles, pets, and to make your heart melt. 💙 🐾 pic.twitter.com/KVxA0BJJG6
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) October 18, 2021
Fire at DFW, No Water at CLT Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) had to deal with a water main break nearby today.
The City of Charlotte has experienced a water main break in the vicinity of the Airport. There is little to no water pressure in the terminal at this time. The Airport is in contact with Charlotte Water to assess the situation.
And at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), there was a fire in one of the parking garages.
🚨 Customer Alert: There is a small fire located in our Terminal D garage. Customers are being asked not to access the garage at this time and the parking lot is temporarily closed for incoming or outgoing traffic.
We will have more information here once we receive it.
🚨 Fire Update: The fire is under control in the Terminal D garage and there are no injuries. It is available for drop-off traffic ONLY, but we are still asking customers to avoid the garage. Additional details follow in this thread ⬇️
Several vehicles sustained damage from the fire. Our DFW Team is providing claim forms on site for anyone whose vehicle was damaged, and we will also add those forms to https://t.co/GhrbmhxCv8 tonight. We will also be reaching out to owners of damaged vehicles proactively.
5 Things We Love About Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA)
We’re back with another episode in our “5 Things We Love About…” series highlighting features and amenities at airports about the country and the world.
Without a doubt, Fort Wayne International Airport has one of the best airport amenities we’ve encountered: free cookies for all arriving passengers.
On our first visit to FWA, a seatmate told us that we’d get a cookie on arrival. We thought they were making a joke. But it turned out they were not kidding at all.
The cookies are baked at Ellison Bakery, just across the street from the airport. And FWA has been handing out these delightful welcome snacks for more than 20 years.
The cookies are clearly a hit: in June 2020 the airport handed out its “3 Millionth Cookie” and debuted a new style of cookie. Now, instead of one cookie, every arriving passenger at Fort Wayne International Airport is welcomed with a package that’s filled with several miniature cookies. The flavors include Birthday Cake and Chocolate Chip and several other varieties are rotated in.
2. Local brands at FWA
FWA puts an emphasis on local brands in the airport. Chapman’s Brewing Company out of Angola, Indiana serves a touch of Northeast Indiana with locally brewed beer on tap. And Conjure Coffee brings a sampling of Fort Wayne’s local coffee scene to FWA.
3. Customer service at FWA
We told you about the cookies that the Hospitality Hosts hand out to passengers at FWA. In any airport, that would check the box for customer service.
But FWA doesn’t stop there. The airport’s Customer Service Agents (CSAs) also provide complimentary curbside luggage service, wheelchair assistance, a parking lot shuttle, and other services.
4. Hospitality PAWS
Hospitality PAWS is FWA’s certified therapy dog program.
All the pups are highly trained and certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and show up with their trainers at select times during the week.
5. More to come at FWA
Project Gateway is FWA’s expansion and improvement project. On the agenda: the Parking Lot Rehabilitation Project, East and West Terminal Apron Improvement Project, and the FWA West Terminal Building Expansion. That last piece will add additional gates, a new Mother’s Room, an upgraded Children’s Play Area, and expanded ticketing area, a modernized exterior façade, and more.
Did we miss your favorite feature of Fort Wayne International Airport? Let us know in the comments section below. And feel free to nominate the next airport to be featured in the “5 Things We Love About…” series.
On Monday, a Burning Man art exhibition and therapy dogs dressed in costumes will welcome arriving burners.
Local volunteers and airport docents
(perhaps in costumes as well) will be on site to help with information about
and directions to the Playa.
And airport shops will be stocked with Burning Man essentials such as water, snacks, camping equipment and apparel.
The airport is also prepping for when the Burners leave.
Everything that comes back from the festival site will be covered with dust from the Playa that can ruin the baggage systems. So airlines are ready with rolls of large plastic bags to cover suitcases and anything else Burners will need to check in and take home.
