Thanks to ThisDayin History.com for the reminder that on this day, February 7, back in 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London Heathrow landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with its special cargo of Beatles.

According to History.com:

It was the first visit to the United States by the Beatles, a British rock-and-roll quartet that had just scored its first No. 1 U.S. hit six days before with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” At Kennedy, the “Fab Four”–dressed in mod suits and sporting their trademark pudding bowl haircuts–were greeted by 3,000 screaming fans who caused a near riot when the boys stepped off their plane and onto American soil.

Here’s a great video using clips from that day:

Two days after their arrival at JFK, the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Here’s what’s coming up:

February 10: Charles Marshall “The Jazz Ambassador”

February 17: The Sounds of Essence

February 24: Satin Finish Band

While you’re at ATL, be sure to take a moment to visit the airport’s exhibit honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Located on Concourse E, the exhibit features photographs and artifacts, including the suit King wore when he met with President Lyndon Johnson, a radio he used to listen to news reports while on freedom walks and the robe he wore to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.

Aviator goggles 1920s–1930s metal, glass, fur, fabric, elastic. Courtesy of San Diego Air & Space Museum

Early airplanes had open cockpits and aviators needed special equipment and protective gear in order to do their jobs.

Examples of some of those items are now on exhibit at the San Francisco International Airport. Flight Gear: Pilot Equipment from the Open-Cockpit Era features more than forty examples of flight suits, jackets, helmets, goggles and other accessories dating from the 1910s to the 1940s. Also on exhibit are period photographs, advertising, and catalog illustrations featuring the artifacts displayed.

A. G. Spalding & Bros. "Aviators' Equipment" catalogue one-piece flying suits illustration 1930 ink on paper SFO Museum

Flight Gear: Pilot Equipment from the Open-Cockpit Era is on view through August 1, 2012 in the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum in the International Terminal Departures Level adjacent to the Boarding Area ‘A’ entrance.  Admission is free. Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday.

Packing for the game? TSA blogger Bob Burns lists some popular game-day items that won’t fly. Those include air horns (compressed air) and propane tanks (compressed gas), which are prohibited from both carry-on and checked baggage. Gas heaters and stoves (popular tailgating accessories) are permitted, but they may be turned away if they smell of gas.

For travelers determined to bring their own refreshments to the game in a concealment flask, Burns notes: “We’ve seen them all. Binocular flasks, beer bellies, cell phone flasks … You may be able to sneak these into concerts and sporting events, but we’ll find them at the airport.”

His advice? Pack your libations in your luggage or stock up once you arrive in Indianapolis. Although he does point out that travelers are permitted to put bottles of liquid 3.4 oz or less in those carry-on zippered baggies.

TSA will use generic-image, millimeter wave scanners at Indianapolis International Airport, and the agency will work with law enforcement at the Super Bowl. Contrary to rumors, Burns said the TSA will not be employing body scanners at the stadium.

Planning your game day outfit? Burns suggests that anyone wearing a loose-fitting sports jersey as outerwear may be asked to remove it at a security checkpoint. He adds that New England Patriot fans should be ready to remove their tri-cornered hats (Cheeseheads, he said, get the same treatment) and that New York Giants fans should be prepared to duck when going through the airport metal detectors and scanners.

Cue the rim shot….

If you’ve got some extra time to spend at the IND airport, keep in mind that many shops will be offering special Super Bowl souvenirs (including championship items rushed to the airport when the game is over).  There’s also a pop-up, hotel-style lobby from Courtyard Marriott on Concourse A, just past the security checkpoint, and a full day of entertainment on tap Monday in the airport’s pre-security Civic Plaza lobby.

Check here for the latest information about extended hours and offerings at IND airport.

IND Airport pop-up lobby, courtesy Courtyard Marriott

“This new service connects passengers and aims to give them a more inspirational journey,” said KLM managing director Erik Varwijk in a statement announcing the new “Meet & Seat” program.

The program will eventually be available on KLM intercontinental flights, but for now is being tested in a pilot program on flights from Amsterdam to San Francisco, New York and São Paulo.

Here’s how it works: Using KLM’s ‘Manage My Booking’ section, passengers flying on intercontinental flights choose personal information from their Facebook or LinkedIn account to share with other passengers and then link their flight reservations to their profiles. The reservation program allows passengers to choose a seat between 90 days and 48 hours before departure.

“They can find out whether someone they know will be traveling on the same flight, or discover who else will be attending the same conference in the USA,” the airline said in a statement explaining the program. “They might arrange to have a coffee before their flight, select adjoining seats or decide to share a taxi afterwards.”

Raymond Kollau, founder of airlinetrends.com, an industry and consumer research agency, liked the program. “The concept makes perfect sense as people like to surround themselves with like-minded persons,” he said. “It will certainly apply to specific demographics, such as a generation Y, who are more interested in meeting new people, as well as business travelers en route to a conference. Singles will of course also be interested.”

Although KLM claims that it is the first airline to integrate social networking into its regular flight process, this is not the first social seating effort in the skies.

Malaysia Airlines’ MHbuddy program not only allows passengers the option of booking and checking in for a flight on Facebook, it also offers travelers the option of seeing pictures and seat numbers of Facebook friends on the same flight. Alaska Airlines’ Flying Social program also integrates Facebook.

The social seating trend isn’t just for the skies. Last August, Ticketmaster rolled out interactive, Facebook-integrated seat maps that allow ticket buyers to tag their seat locations and see where their friends — or potential friends — will be sitting in a venue.

“We’ve heard stories of seat tagging reuniting fraternity brothers at college football games and making the planning of live event outings much easier,” said Ticketmaster spokesperson Jacqueline Peterson.
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Airline branding consultant Shashank Nigam notes that independent companies Satisfly and Planely enable passengers to find and book seats next to others with specific interests across airlines. Nigam said some travelers may feel such programs are “creepy.” He also questioned how quickly or frequently travelers will adopt the service.

Still, he noted that “Meet & Seat” is the first social seating effort led by a major airline. That’s why, he said, “there is excitement around it and chances are good that it might work.”

(My story: “KLM wants air travelers to get social in the sky” first appeared on msnbc.com)

How’s this for a sweet airfare deal: $499 for all four seats on a private jet from Santa Monica, Calif., to Las Vegas. Drinks and refreshments included. You choose the departure time.

That was the offer made by JetSuite, a West Coast charter-jet company, last week on Facebook and Twitter for a flight the following day.

There were a few catches: Only one flight was available, it was one way and it was subject to 7.5 percent federal excise tax.

But for a flexible traveler going that way, perhaps with a few friends or business colleagues to help split the bill, the last-minute deal offered a chance to experience private jet travel without having to pay per-hour flight costs that, industry-wide, can range from $2,500 to $8,000 per hour.

Like other private, on-demand charter jet companies, JetSuite (created by JetBlue founder Alex Wilcox) offers membership programs for customers willing to put down cash in exchange for guaranteed rates. But although JetSuite’s best membership plan claims to offer the industry’s lowest rate (“only $2,975 per hour”) and private jet travel offers clear benefits over commercial airplanes (faster travel, no security checks, plush seating and luxury amenities, to name just a few), this sort of travel is likely remain the bailiwick of corporate executives, celebrities and the super rich.

Still, to expand the number of people who might someday consider booking a private jet, JetSuite has turned to social media to fill empty seats and broaden the market.

Each day between 4 and 6 p.m., JetSuite sends out a message on Twitter telling followers that the company has posted the next day’s $499 SuiteDeals on Facebook. Most last-minute, one-way offers will be short hops between the West Coast or Northeast cities regularly served by JetSuite, but company president Keith Rabin notes that because JetSuite is a charter company, “the flights could be anywhere. Missoula, Las Vegas, San Francisco; wherever someone may have booked one of our four-passenger jets.”

“It’s an interesting concept,” said Joe Brancatelli of the business travel website, Joe Sent Me. “There are some other private-jet rental firms doing this kind of ‘remainder’ stuff in various channels,” but they all face the same problem. “You’re left to the commercial system for your return flight. In most cases, prices for walk-up, one-way fares — unless, of course, you can score a Southwest or JetBlue flight — are insanely high.”

(This story first appeared on msnbc.com’s Travel Kit: Private jet travel – at affordable prices.)

With Super Bowl XLVI just a few days away, it’s already ‘game on’ at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND).

Like the New England Patriots and New York Giants, the team players at IND have spent months studying the playbook and practicing their moves: Public safety procedures have been tested. Security checkpoint hours have been tweaked. Offerings at shopping and dining outlets have been beefed up. And an enhanced team of Airport Ambassadors has gone through the special Super Bowl Super Service training program and is now on duty welcoming and assisting visitors.

“With original Indianapolis businesses throughout the terminal and employees that have had years of training focused on providing super service, IND will make a great first – and last -impression of the city,” said Evan Strange Marketing & Communications Coordinator for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association.

In addition to the “regular” passengers traveling through IND this week for non-Super Bowl-related purposes, the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) is expecting an increase of about 40,000 Super Bowl-bound passengers. It is also planning for an extra 75 commercial flights and at least 60 chartered ones.

Pre-game traffic has been arriving steadily, but is expected to pick up on Thursday. And, of course, pretty much everyone will head to the airport after the game on Sunday night.

If you’re headed that way, here’s what you’ll find at the airport:

Technology-wise, IND has added bandwidth to the free public Wi-Fi system, optimized its website for mobile users and rolled out an IND app. Cellphone service providers have also made upgrades to their infrastructure to accommodate increased mobile usage.
Indianapolis Airport resources

Security-wise, there will be extra police patrols throughout airport property and paramedic crews with be standing at the ready inside the terminal, instead of off-site. There will also be a specially trained Joint Hazardous Assessment Team on duty to deal with any suspicious packages or bags, so keep track of your belongings.

To assist sports fans on their journeys to and from the city, the airport has expanded the number of parking spots in the cellphone lot and issued temporary licenses to extra, authorized taxi drivers. During peak hours, there will be increased service on the public buses to and from the airport and, after the game is over, a remote airport employee parking lot will serve as an overflow lot for rental car returns.

The airport is also prepared for snow. Private contractors are on standby in case the airport needs them and the airport authority has purchased extra snow-removal equipment, including a giant, multi-use, snow-removal vehicle equipped with both a broom and a two-lane-wide plow.

Many passengers will likely be spending extra time at the airport, so most concessionaires have extended their hours and many kiosks and shops are offering licensed team merchandise and a wide variety of Super Bowl-themed souvenirs.

Just Pop In!, a local gourmet popcorn company with both a shop and a kiosk at the airport, has created commemorative Super Bowl tins and packaging and special Giants and Patriots popcorn flavors. “The team colors are very similar,” said Just Pop In! co-founder Mandy Selke, “But for the Giants we’ve mixed blueberry, cherry and plain white, salted popcorn. For the Patriots we mixed blueberry, cherry and our black cherry, which has sort of a gray color.”

The airport’s Enroute Spa is offering special Super Bowl-themed services that include the End Zone Spa Treatment. “For $38 guests can restore their sense of well-being with a 20-minute massage and, afterwards, receive an aromatherapy spa product they can take home,” said spa owner Erin Humphreys.

For souvenir-seekers, Lids Locker Room has set up an 80-foot-long pop up store and the Paradies Shops has created a sports-themed outlet with both Super Bowl merchandise and EA sports video games. The Collectors Den is selling a commemorative replica of the game coin used to determine possession at the start of the game and, on Sunday, gear celebrating this year’s Super Bowl champions will be rushed to the airport as soon as a winner is declared.

For those passengers trying to get out of Indianapolis after the game is over, the airport is urging everyone to arrive at the terminal at least three hours prior to their departure.

All airline ticket counters will be operating with expanded hours, with most opening at 3 a.m. on Monday morning. The TSA is also doing its part to help departures flow smoothly. Security checkpoints will be open round-the-clock from Sunday through to Monday and two extra screening lanes will be set up at each concourse entrance.

And a reminder: For those heading straight to the airport from Lucas Oil Stadium in the throes of celebration, keep in mind that beer is indeed a liquid.

From my Bing Travel slide-show of clever and sassy door tags, here are few (more) samples:

Calling itself Brighton’s “sauciest boutique hotel,” England’s Hotel Pelirocco has put a twist on the Do Not Disturb concept in one of its unique, themed rooms.

The Do Knit Disturb suite is filled with the handiwork of local artist Kate (Cardigan) Jenkins, who knitted up this framed Do Knit Disturb artwork and hand-knit covers for most of the room’s furnishings, including the telephone and the lamp.

And in the San Juan range of the Colorado Rockies, just over the mountain from Telluride, the hand-built cabins at the Dunton Hot Springs Resort are urban cowboy-elegant. The all-inclusive rates hover at around $1,000 a night, but each do not disturb sign is nothing more than a recycled paint can lid that’s red on one side, and green on the other.

You can see the full Do Not Disturb slide show on Bing Travel

From the Limelight Lodge in Aspen, Colorado

A do-not-disturb tag is a tiny but useful, low-tech device that becomes essential when you want uninterrupted time to sleep, work or play in your hotel room. A simple “In” or “Out” sign could suffice, but many hotels have gotten mighty creative with this housekeeping tool.

Here’s a sampling of the Clever Do Not Disturb Signs I found for a slide-show I created for Bing Travel.

From Boston's Libery Hotel, in the former Charles Street Jail. Signs request "solitary."

Do Not Disturb: Housekeeping crew restoring zen at motorcycle-themed Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee

Sassy Do Not Disturb signs at the Sanctuary Hotel in New York City

More tomorrow…

For my ‘At the Airport’ column on USATODAY.com this month, I reported on an afternoon spent observing the crack team of Experience Agents at Changi Airport.

Apropos of an airport with a butterfly garden, a rooftop pool, a three-story indoor slide and 500 complimentary Internet kiosks among its award-winning amenities, Singapore’s Changi Airport is determined to best other airports in the customer-service department. Last March, the airport introduced a 90-member team of salaried, iPad-toting Changi Experience Agents (CEAs) tasked with roaming the four terminals assisting travelers with way-finding, check-in, transfers, lost luggage and other travel-related issues. In some cases the CEAs seem to all but read travelers’ minds in anticipating their needs.

The program is part of an ongoing effort the airport descibes as providing a “positively surprising experience for all visitors and passengers.”

For example, a CEA found Kenneth Ocastro staring in bewilderment at the digital flight directory in the departure hall of the Changi’s busiest terminal.

The young man had purchased a non-refundable ticket to Manila on a budget carrier, but arrived at Changi too late to make his flight. “It was raining very hard and I had to wait a long time for the taxi to come,” said Ocastro, “And when I got here the gate was closed.”

Ocastro was beginning to panic when Changi Experience Agent Johnwin Custodio stepped in. “The passenger was looking around and seemed very nervous,” said Custodio, “So I approached him and offered my help.”

Rather than simply pointing Ocastro to the long line at his airline’s counter – an exercise apt to be futile – Custodio used his iPad to check rates and schedules for alternate Manila-bound flights. It took about 20 minutes, but he found a good option, walked Ocastro over to that carrier’s ticket counter and hovered nearby, solving other travelers’ problems, while Ocastro waited his turn.

“At most airports, you need to go find a customer-service agent at a booth, but here we are creating an impact the moment you step into the airport,” said CEA Maxime d’Alexandry. The 22-year-old was hired for this, his first job, after serving a mandatory stint in Singapore’s army and received Changi’s 2011 “Personality of the Year” award for helping a stranded wheelchair user who’d soiled himself wash up and then shop, buy and change into a new set of clothes.

“It’s just an example of the things we do on our job is to reduce passenger stress,” said d’Alexandry.

To that end, the 90 CEAs together speak a total of more than 20 languages and dialects, including Hindi, Japanese, French, Tagalog and Thai; a reflection of the wide range of cultures represented among the airport’s more than 45 million annual passengers. And when confronted with a passenger whose language they do not understand, CEAs use the Google translation app on their iPads. “That helps us cut down on the number of passengers who miss their flights because they can’t find the right check-in counter or gate,” said Ira Fanador, a CEA supervisor,

The iPads also allow the CEAs to help passengers buy last-minute tickets or apply for visas; tasks which are often cheaper when completed online even if a traveler is already at the airport.

Fanador says since the Changi Experience Agents were introduced, they’ve been able to resolve most, but not all, problems they’ve encountered. She’s still sad that they couldn’t help a frightened and wounded woman trying to return to China without the passport her employer had taken from her, but is proud her team was able to assist the three African men found crying on the sidewalk outside the airport.

“They’d come in from the Philippines and discovered that tickets on to their home in Senegal turned out to be bogus,” explained Fanador. “They had no money and didn’t know what to do.” A team of CEAs helped provide meals for the men, tried to work something out with the airlines, and contacted a local charity, which took the men in and eventually sponsored their tickets home. “By the end of the ordeal we were all friends,” said d’Alexandry.

Changi’s experience agents don’t just deal with the sticky problems. During an afternoon following d’Alexandry and several other CEAs around the airport, I saw them give directions to transfer gates and to the various airport gardens, help search for a lost passport and tell a tired-looking traveler that he needn’t stand waiting for an open slot at the cellphone charging kiosk because there was another free one just down the hall.

“Flying is just so stressful,” said d’Alexandry. “It’s just a good idea for an airport to do what it can to reach out.”