Here are some travel tidbits from the Stuck at the Airport inbox to help you ease into the week, including music and travel advice, contests for travel adventures and, of course, airport news. Hello Kitty Day coming to Oracle Park EVA Air is teaming up with the San Francisco Giants to host Hello Kitty Day at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Saturday, May 11, 2024. As part of Hello Kitty Day, the first 15,000 fans to enter Oracle Park on May 11 will each receive a Hello Kitty Bucket Hat. On that day, EVA President, Clay Sun, will throw out the first pitch while Hello Kitty and the Giants Mascot ..read more

[This is a slightly different version of a story we prepared first for NBC News; photo courtesy Louisville Tourism) The Kentucky Derby, long known as “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” may be on its way to becoming some of the most expensive two minutes in sports. Ticket prices for the iconic horse race have more than tripled over the past decade, from an average of $378 in 2014 to $1,254 this year on the resale market as of April 22, according to booking platfrom TicketSmarter. That could reflect strong demand for the race’s 150th anniversary, but it’s also partly beca ..read more

Here’s a roundup of the fun posts from airports, airlines & aviation geeks celebrating May the 4th – Star Wars Day. Let us know what missed. It's a BB-Gr8 day for a party! Don't miss out on our epic #StarWarsDay celebration today from 9 a.m.-noon in the Great Hall pic.twitter.com/BBH6pj245h — Denver Int'l Airport (@DENAirport) May 4, 2024 ATL can take you anywhere! Even to the Galactic Empire, Jedi. #MayTheFourth be with you! What color would your lightsaber be? pic.twitter.com/ZRec3rSSS4 — Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) May 4, 2024 During a layover to Dathomir, the Dark Side surpr ..read more

(Courtesy SEA Airport) Perhaps you’ve seen news reports about the four zebras that escaped from a trailer on a highway east of Seattle this week. 3 were quickly captured, but one is still on the loose. Here's something you don't see every day: Zebras on the loose in Washington. The zebras escaped a trailer on Sunday afternoon. Three of them were captured, but one zebra is still on the loose, as of Monday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/zcG9er72c1 — AccuWeather (@accuweather) April 29, 2024 There have been some real sightings of the last zebra out in the woods and we hope he’s found safe soon ..read more

Wisconsin’s Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is celebrating the completion of its $95 million, 90,000-square-foot south terminal expansion, which includes a beautiful inlay mosaic showing the area’s five lakes. Other amenities include a new children’s play area, free-to-use meeting rooms and a nice new pet relief area. We already love MSN airport because it is home to two kiosks that dispense free short stories and because the overall design of the facilities is inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, who lived and worked in this area for many years. It’s great to see the prairie-styl ..read more

Get off a plane at Indiana’s Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) and there’s a good chance a local volunteer welcome you with a big smile and a small package of bite-sized cookies. No volunteer on duty? No worries. There’s a cute kiosk made from a pile of vintage suitcases with an open bag at the top stocked with packages of cookies free for the taking. For many years, passengers received a single large welcome cookie. But in mid-2020, around the time the airport handed out its 3 millionth cookie, the welcome amenity was switched to a package containing a handful of smaller, bite-sized coo ..read more

Confident that your carry-on bag is OK to take on the plane? We were until we spotted this sign in the boarding areas at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). It lists the carry-on bag restrictions issued by each airline. And very few of them are the same. The chart evidently strikes fear – of confusion – in the hearts of many other travelers as well. We posted a snap of this chart on social media just before boarding an early morning flight and by the time we landed, four hours later, there were more than 16,000 views. Yes, there are different airplanes and different-sized overhead bin ..read more

Earlier this week, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) issued new rules requiring airlines to provide prompt refunds to passengers when flights are canceled or significantly changed; when bags are delayed; and when other purchased services are not provided. Until now, airlines defined how and if refunds were offered and defined what was a “significant change” for flights. Now there are DOT rules that define a ‘significant change’ and spell out exactly how and when refunds must be issued. Refunds are now required if a domestic flight is delayed more than three hours and if an internation ..read more

Our department just issued rules to protect people from hidden airline fees and to require airlines to give passengers automatic cash refunds when owed. No more having to fend for yourself and jump through hoops to get your money back—airlines will have to automatically do this. pic.twitter.com/Jv7dFmnNkI — Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) April 24, 2024 It’s taken several years, but on Wednesday the US Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final rule requiring airlines to promptly provide refunds to passengers when flights are canceled or significantly changed; when bags ar ..read more

Hawaiian Airlines has a new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and a new in-flight safety video that’s 7 minutes long. The new video is filled with important safety information, of course. But Hawaiian Airlines’ new safety video also features scenes from all four major Hawaiian islands – Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi. The new video also features 57 new and original cast members, including teenagers or adults who were keiki (children) in the airline’s 2015 safety video. Take a look. Share Tweet Share Whatsapp reddit Email The post Hawaiian Airlines’ new In-Flight Safety Video appeared first on ..read more