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Six US Airports for Stalking the Airbus A380

Korean Air and Lufthansa A380s snuggle up at JFK Terminal 1

Look, if you're an airport and you want to have the superjumbo Airbus A380 flying in and out, you can't just be like "hey, airlines, bring that big thang on over." Nope. Instead certain preparations must be made to accommodate an airliner of the A380's size and heft. To effectively manage each plane's 500+ passenger load, more jetways are needed, plus support vehicles to reach the upper deck. In some cases, airport runway indicator lights may need to be moved and the tarmac reinforced.

In other words, A380s can't just fly anywhere and, although the massive planes have been in the air since Singapore Airlines took delivery of the very first in 2007, not all that many airports around the world are treated to them. At least some of those are the United States...

US airports where you'll find A380s:

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Cat Cora's Second Airport Restaurant is Now Cooking at Houston-IAH

If you’re looking for a great layover lunch—or dinner—during your holiday travels be sure to check out one of the latest options at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Iron Chef star and all around celeb chef Cat Cora recently opened up a new restaurant in Terminal E at IAH—it’s near E10. Cat Cora’s Kitchen is intended to actually provide you with an enjoyable airport meal, and if travelers like this new outpost as much as the version out in SFO—check out the Yelp reviews—this should be quite an addition to the airport.

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Watch the Skies for United's Eco Plane, Already Flying on Biofuels

Huge news. Yesterday marked the first time a US airline used biofuel in a commercial flight. No, it wasn't Alaska Airlines even though they are trying; it was United, and they flew their eco-friendly 737-800 from Continental's's former home base, Houston, to the United home base of Chicago.

For the #avgeeks: The biofuel is algae-based and includes 60 percent petroleum fuel and 40 percent biofuel produced by a company named Solazyme.

The eco-consciousness isn't limited to what goes in the tank, either. United flight attendants now push lighter serving carts and pilots traded in their 38-pound flight bags for more weight-conscious iPads (already loaded with their in-flight navigation charts and aircraft manuals). Furthermore, United makes it easy for plane spotters to identify the Mother Earth-friendly aircraft by its green winglets and 'eco-skies' written towards the front of the fuselage.

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Three Excellent French Brasseries Found Inside Airports

Cafe Rouge at LHR T4.

What food do you reach for before hopping on a plane? For many, it's hearty (burgers, pizza, pasta), snacky (chips, candy, chocolate) or healthy (sushi, salads, granola), but what about Frenchy? Don't walk through your next airport terminal so quickly, or else you may miss some of the most interesting airport cuisine out there. Yep—we're talking about French Brasseries.

It's rare to find them, but when you do, we recommend stopping in for some Moulet et Frites, frogs legs, or just a simple Café au lait. Here's three great French Brasseries found at major airports:

· Cafe Rouge at London-Heathrow Terminal 4
Reminiscent of the classic Orient Express trains, Cafe Rouge at T4 is lengthy but thin, with clean lines and subtle art deco touches. Like a proper brasserie, its position makes it ideal for people watching, a sport made all the more intriguing by the fact that you're still before security. Someone awaiting your arrival could always pop up here for a Croque Monsieur and eavesdropping on tearful farewells. Plus, it's open from 5am clear until 10pm. Honorary mention: Chez Gerard in Heathrow's Terminal 3.

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Lady Gaga Dons a Straitjacket for Her Flight into Houston

In what's quickly becoming a weekly edition of "what crazy costume Lady Gaga wore on a plane today," we report that the infamously fashion-bold singer made her way into Houston International Airport in a straitjacket.

Well, it wasn't your typical straitjacket, but a custom-made, cowl-neck straitjacket dress designed for Gaga by stylist Asher Levine. The Daily Mail UK reports that yet again, Gaga found it difficult to walk in her high heels as the dressed cinched closely around her knees. And yet it seems like just yesterday that she was having that deep vein thrombosis scare onboard another flight.

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Continental Begins to Fulfill Our Self-Boarding Fantasies

A Continental turnstile ad in the NYC subway

While American Airlines looks toward a more convenient, tech-friendly future with the introduction of their iPhone app and mobile boarding passes, another US airline is going a step further to trial self-boarding.

USAToday just announced that Continental has begun using turnstiles at selected boarding gates at Houston International Airport. What this mean is that, instead of waiting in a long line for one or two gate agents to scan your boarding pass and wave you into the jetbridge to board the plane, you can join one of a few lines that lead to a turnstile where you scan your boarding pass on your own and process to the plane.

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The WiFi Offerings at Houston Airport

This is a sign we encountered just outside the Continental Presidential Lounge in George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (IAH). See, this sign is misleading because while the airport has Wi-Fi Service, it's not quite as easy as advertised. Why's that? Oh yeah, that's because you gotta pay to use it.

Through the Sprint PCS Service you can pay $9.95 for 24 hours or you can get on the Sprint monthly plan for $49.95 a month. Yikes. We tried hijacking a network from the Presidential Lounge but it was a no-go. an airport would you?

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· Airport WiFi coverage [Jaunted]