Airports, Americas, In the News, Oceania, Weekly

Last week: TSA reveals 2013 finds, Eagle lands at Wellington airport & more

You know we’re late when we even change our title. Oh well, better late than never, right? Oh – by the way – did you notice that we changed our look? We hope you like it!

Okay, so last week the following stories appeared on our airport news radar:

Alright, so early last week NPR wrote that travelers at Wellington Airport in New Zealand (WLG) may have felt a bit like Bilbo Baggins on a quest through Middle Earth when a giant eagle descended from the ceiling during a strong 6.3-magnitude quake that shook North Island on Monday. According to the article, the eagle — a sculpture, actually — was one of two giant birds used to promote The Hobbit films, which were shot in New Zealand. The bird was shaken off its perch in the terminal and crashed to the floor. No one was seriously hurt at the airport or anywhere else on the island, where damage from the earthquake was reportedly minimal.

Remember the story of the alligator found at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in November? The suspected woman later appeared on a CCTV carrying the small alligator on a train to the airport. Last week now, ABC News reported that authorities have arrested a woman they believe left the animal at the airport  last year. In a news release, Chicago police said 29-year-old Alexis Prokopchuk of suburban Oakbrook Terrace was charged with misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to animals. She was arrested last Tuesday.

Then we heard from the GlobalPost that wrote Brazil promised the world it would roll out the red carpet at 21st century airports for this year’s World Cup, but soccer fans landing in Fortaleza, which will host six matches including a quarter final, will instead be shepherded through a temporary canvas structure. According to the news article the delays at Fortaleza are the latest embarrassing evidence that several crucial upgrades will not be ready when the tournament starts in mid-June. The deadline for a new airport terminal at Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport (FOR) has been pushed back to 2017.

And to finish last week, this one here from the United States where the infamous TSA (Transport Security Administration) revealed the craziest things it found in 2013. Their ‘year in review’ blog post is quite the read, revealing many items you wouldn’t believe anyone would bring to an airport – among them a suicide vest used as a training aid and carried on board by an explosives instructor. Really? Yes, apparently so.

That’s all we have for last week. Safe travels!

[Photo from TSA – all rights reserved]