Close User Name Password
Login Register
Travel alerts straight to your inbox:
 

Tag: Airports View All Tags

Tags: / / / / /

Berlin Says 'Auf Wiedersehen' to Its Airports In Favor of Newer, Cooler One

Where: Berlin, Germany
February 5, 2010 at 10:45 AM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

MMmm...new airport. Do you know that Berlin has three airports? You're most likely to fly into Tegel, or Schoenefeld if you're on a low-cost European airline, and their modernist Tempelhof one is now just an event space. But come October 2011, a fourth airport will be added into the mix: Berlin-Brandenburg International (BER).

BER is currently under construction, but helping it to move along quickly is the fact that it'll use some of Schoenefeld's infrastructure (it's basically a new airport next to Schoenefeld). Additionally, Tegel Airport wants to close by 2012. Although BER will serve as the main airport in Berlin from its opening, it will only end up with two runways at its completion (one of the runways will be an existing one of Schoenefeld's). It'll only have ten boarding gates, but at least one will be equipped to handle the hot new airplane in town: the Airbus A380. BER seeks to battle it out with Munich airport for the title of Germany's second-best airport, after the behemoth that is Frankfurt am Main International.

A video, after the jump

more ›

Tags: / / / / / /

Hong Kong's Airport Hates Layovers Too, So They Installed Free Playstation 3

Where: Hong Kong - Chek Lap Kok Airport, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
February 4, 2010 at 5:00 PM | by JetSetCD | 1 Comment

Bored at the airport and jealous that Upper Class flyers on Virgin Atlantic have Guitar Hero and Wii Sports to play with in their Gatwick Clubhouse? Well, if you're suffering from a layover at Hong Kong's massive and very modern Chek Lap Kok Airport, then perhaps you'll be interested in a few games on a Playstation 3?

Hong Kong's airport authority has called up Sony to partner on a deal to bring Playstation 3 into HKG, and they've installed 14 PlayStation3 Game Poles near the boarding gates at Terminal 1 and the Coach Station at Terminal 2. Here we'd ask how much does it cost, but we don't even need to—because it's free!.

And of course, Sony wants to get the travelers hooked, so you'll be able to play some of the newest titles including Final Fantasy XIII (which isn't even released in the US yet!), James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Assassin’s Creed 2. We'd recommend Assassin's Creed 2, because the setting is medieval Italy and boy is it a game that's perfect to be sucked into for a few mindless hours in the airport.

Related Stories:
· Free Playstation 3 Games Now at Hong Kong Airport [AsiaTravelTips]
· Snag Some All-You-Can-Eat Ramen on Cathay Pacific [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: the seatback livemap at our seat as we depart HKG on Cathay Pacific]

Tags: / / / /

After 15 Years, Washington-Dulles Airport Has a Working Aerotrain

February 4, 2010 at 1:20 PM | by kjb | 3 Comments

We’re kind of looking forward to our next layover at Washington-Dulles. It’s a little strange to say that, but we want to check out their shiny new underground trains. The AeroTrain has been a work in progress for almost 15 years, but a couple weeks ago construction finished and passengers hopped aboard.

In the past, the airport has been using those mobile lounges things—which we like solely because of their history. However, in practice the old buses didn’t really do too well or offer too much convenience. We’re thinking that most travelers won’t be shedding any tears over their departure, and will be looking forward to gliding to the next concourse at about 40mph.

more ›

Tags: / / / / /

What Does the DOT's New Airline Consumer Site Do, Anyway?

February 4, 2010 at 9:05 AM | by Omri | 0 Comments

We've spent the last week confused about the Department of Transportation's new airline-oriented consumer protection effort. The official title of the revamped site is "Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement," but we're not exactly sure what we're supposed to be doing with it. At first we thought it was a way to suggest TSA improvements. That's what some random pro-TSA travel site said it was for. But that doesn't seem to be right, since there's very little about TSA on the site. Then we thought that maybe they were taking complaints about politicians who are trying to ruin our tourism industry, perhaps from regional travel boards or something. But that doesn't seem to be it either. Their About Us section is certainly no help:

The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, including its Aviation Consumer Protection Division, monitors compliance with and investigates violations of the Department of Transportation’s (Department) aviation economic, consumer protection, and civil rights requirements. The Office also provides legal review and support on aviation economic licensing matters.

more ›

Tags: / / / / / / / / /

Updated! Our Map of Airports Around the World With Free WiFi

February 2, 2010 at 2:53 PM | by JetSetCD | 8 Comments

If you haven't out our comprehensive and ever-updating Airport WiFi Map, you totally should! Thanks to tips from readers and our own traveling, we're adding new airport with internet weekly, and today we've happily got three new additions for it!

· BOS - Boston Logan Airport has offered wireless internet in their terminals for some time, but it was always pay-per-hour. After Google so successfully ran a free WiFi promotion over the holiday however, which included Logan, the airport saw internet usage shoot up remarkably, and so—starting now—they've decided to provide travelers with free WiFi through January 2012.

more ›

Tags: / / / / /

The reLAX Airport Lounge Welcomes All Flyers...For A Price

Where: Los Angeles International Airport [map], Los Angeles, CA, United States
February 2, 2010 at 10:25 AM | by kjb | 0 Comments

We’ve been hot and heavy over airport lounges lately. Unfortunately most of them require first-class tickets or loads of cash to gain access, and this makes us a little sad. One company is looking to bring the comfort and conveniences of the airline lounge to the masses, and they’re starting with a pay-per-access lounge at Los Angeles' LAX Airport.

The reLAX lounge—clever—is located in the Tom Bradley Terminal, welcoming passengers to swing by for a little visit. The place is located next to the Daily Grill on the departure level, so think about stopping by on your next trip out of the area. Once inside the lounge you’ll be enjoying complimentary coffee, tea, juice, and soda. There will be cookies and fresh fruit as well, and you'll be enjoying it all while listening to the best mix of easy listening music—their words, not ours. Of course there will be free WiFi as well, so you can get some work done while watching airplanes come and go through the lounge's large windows.

more ›

Tags: / / / /

Whoops! TSA Lets No-Fly List Passenger Fly, Discovers Huge Mix-up

February 1, 2010 at 3:42 PM | by Omri | 1 Comment

This is one of those airport security stories where you don't really know where to begin. A passenger with his name on the no-fly list was allowed to board a Continental Airlines flight from Newark to Bogota, Colombia. This is Mistake number 1.

After takeoff, the plane was diverted to Florida, where officials discovered that the problematic passenger wasn't problematic at all because he had a different birthdate than the potential no-fly-listed terrorist. This is Mistake number 2.

Of course the TSA is launching an investigation, because at this point they still have no idea how the wholehuge mix-up happened. This is Mistake number 3. Everyone feel safe yet?

more ›

Tags: / / / / / / / / /

Inside the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at London's Heathrow Airport

Where: London-Heathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom
February 1, 2010 at 10:05 AM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

You know when you're flying in economy class and you're walking through the terminal clutching your carry-on luggage and a Cinnabon, desperately seeking out a WiFi signal or comfortable seating, when...you pass a pair of sliding doors that briefly open to reveal what looks like a hidden wonderland within the airport? When this happens to us, our heart melts a little in agony that the experience of a first class lounge is so unattainable at that moment—but it wasn't last week, when Virgin Atlantic invited us into the holy grail of airline lounges: their Upper Class Clubhouse at London's Heathrow Airport.

What can we say about the place, except that it made our wildest airport dreams come true? The fact that free WiFi, complimentary Bumble & Bumble salon appointments, a pool table, an outdoor deck and even a HOT TUB exist in one place at an airport means we're going to need several hours to fully absorb it all, and thus we arrived nice and early.

After the jump, tons of pictures and more about that hot tub...

more ›

Tags: / / / / /

Fort Lauderdale Airport is Ready For Some Football

January 28, 2010 at 5:20 PM | by juliana | 0 Comments

This is what greeted us when we landed in Fort Lauderdale in the Virgin America terminal on Tuesday night—Super Bowl banners!

The Super Bowl is not for another week more, but more football fans are expected to flood the Fort Lauderdale-Miami areas this weekend as well as the NFL Pro Bowl takes place here on Sunday.

Related Stories:
· The Cheapest Flights to the Super Bowl for Colts and Saints Fans [Jaunted]
· Te Top Five Most Outlandish NFL Playoff Packages [Jaunted]
· Super Bowl travel coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: / / / / / /

Twitter Joke Gets UK Man Arrested, Banned From Airport For Life

January 27, 2010 at 4:30 PM | by Omri | 2 Comments

It is thought that there are over 200 indigenous terrorist cells operating in Britain. So we're sure British citizens will be heartened to know that their anti-terrorism forces are chasing and prosecuting frustrated hipsters for posting nonsense to Twitter. Or whatever the opposite of "heartened" is.

At the beginning of January, the heavy snow storms were taking their toll on the Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster, UK. Like many other airports in Europe it was having trouble getting planes off the ground, and cancellations were rampant. Local resident Paul Chambers, who was set to fly out of the airport to Ireland on January 15, got a little frustrated and tweeted "Robin Hood airport is closed... You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!" He didn't at-reply the airport or anything. He just posted it to his stream. Fast forward a few weeks and he's been suspended from his job, banned from Robin Hood airport for life, and is facing trial.

more ›

Tags: / / / / / /

Scranton's Airport Should Just Rename Itself 'Dunder Mifflin Airport'

January 27, 2010 at 10:39 AM | by kjb | 0 Comments

If you have any business meetings with Michael Scott scheduled this spring, you’ll be pleased to see some of the renovations done to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, which desperately needs a name update itself. Officials have given the green light to open up the wallet to fund a couple rehab projects, and they’re looking to get things ready for a new restaurant. They already have ensured that there’s free WiFi for all throughout the Joseph M. McDade Terminal Building, so the new upgrades are just icing on the cake.

Midtown Sundries—they’ve got locations in North Carolina and Florida—is set to open at the airport this March. Despite their name they sell food and drinks, not stuff like toiletries and cosmetics. The restaurant looks like the typical steak, burger, and sandwich place, and they have big kid beverages, so it will definitely be a good option to drink away any flight delays.

more ›

Tags: / / / / / / / /

Dogs Finally Have a Place To Conduct Their Business at Airports

January 26, 2010 at 11:30 AM | by cmb | 1 Comment

Jet-setting pups just got some good news, and this time we don't mean Pet Airways. Dog parks are being set up at airports all over the country. A new mandate by the Department of Transportation requires airlines to set up relief areas for Seeing Eye Dogs and other service animals. Since the mandate went into effect last year, airlines have been working to either add or upgrade dog parks at airports across the U.S.

One such airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport recently opened a 1,000-square-foot dog park on the south end of the ground transportation center. While another, JFK in NYC, has a patch of natural grass (complete with its own fire hydrant) that was installed by American Airlines.

more ›