Airport Check-in
Harriet Baskas, Special for USA TODAY, 3/17/2008 and 3/24/2008 (excerpted)
PITTSBURGH: Welcome to the neighborhood
For years, Fred Rogers taped his Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood public television program in Pittsburgh, and this week, the City of Bridges is celebrating "Won't You Be My Neighbor Days."
Travelers can join the festivities by visiting the Mr. Rogers exhibit at Pittsburgh International Airport. Located in Concourse C by Gate 51, the exhibit includes one of the star's signature sweaters, a pair of his sneakers and several puppets and figurines from the Neighborhood of Make Believe, including King Friday, Queen Sara, Prince Tuesday, Henrietta Pussycat and X the Owl.
Fred Rogers, who died of cancer in 2003, would have turned 80 on Thursday, which is also the last day of the festival. This year, his birthday is being promoted as "Sweater Day," with event organizers urging everyone to wear a cardigan to honor Mr. Rogers.
NEW YORK: Delta adds New York-Tel Aviv route
Delta Air Lines has launched service between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv, Israel. Flights are on 767-300ER aircraft with up to 215 seats, and feature a special kosher menu onboard.
Delta already serves Tel Aviv from its hub in Atlanta.
The carrier is continuing its international expansion at JFK. Earlier this year, Delta added service to airports in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama, with plans to have a total of 15 new overseas destinations by the end of 2008.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Airports get registered flier lanes
After a brief test run, New York-based Verified Identity Pass officially opened registered traveler lanes last Wednesday at Reagan Washington National and Dulles International airports for passengers with Clear passes.
Travelers in the program pay an annual $100 fee and an additional $28 TSA prescreening fee for the privilege of bypassing standard security checkpoint lines.
This brings to 16 the number of airports with registered traveler lanes.
BOSTON: Security lanes take cue from ski resorts
In February, the Transportation Security Administration began testing a self-select security lane process at airports in Salt Lake City and Denver. The "diamond lane" system, modeled on signage used at ski resorts, has been so successful in speeding up the checkpoint process at test airports that the TSA is expanding the program.
Last week, airports in Boston, Orlando and Spokane, Wash., opened their own diamond lanes. The TSA expects to add at least three more airports to the list by the end of April.
The self-select system streamlines the process by letting passengers choose a security lane based on a self-assessed level of need and knowledge. The black diamond expert lanes welcome frequent travelers, while the green family lane accommodates travelers with children, elderly passengers or anyone requiring extra assistance.
PORTLAND, ORE.: Service to Amsterdam coming up
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and celebrants dressed in traditional Dutch attire will be on hand at Portland International Saturday to help launch Northwest Airlines/KLM service between Portland and Amsterdam.
Flights are on Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with 32 lie-flat seats in business class, 211 economy seats and on-demand in-flight entertainment in both cabins.
As part of the airport's annual Spring Fling celebration, travelers can enter a contest at the airport or online to win a pair of round-trip tickets from Portland to Amsterdam.
SIOUX CITY, IOWA: Airport lets callers use phones for free
Last fall, Iowa's Sioux Gateway Airport gave up trying to jettison the SUX airport identifier code and embraced it. T-shirts, caps and, now, coffee mugs, luggage tags and bumper stickers sport the "Fly SUX" slogan. There was even a Valentine's Day "Luv SUX" T-shirt.
"People have been buying this stuff online, at a downtown store and at the gift shop in the airport," says airport director Rick McElroy, who adds that the airport allows 30 minutes of free parking to accommodate shoppers.
Now, the airport has removed all seven of its leased payphones and replaced them with four phones that let callers make free local and toll-free calls.
"No one was really using the pay phones anyway," McElroy says. "These days, most people use their cellphones. But now people are using the free phones for local calls instead of burning up their cell minutes."