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Pittsburgh International Breaks Ground on $1.4 Billion Terminal
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s airport of the future is underway as officials broke ground on a new, 700,000-square-foot terminal project, officially the first terminal in the country to be built from the ground up in a post-pandemic world. Focused on public health and technology, the new facility will include clean air technology, space for social distancing and 90,000 square feet of outdoor terrace space pre- and post-security.
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The Airport Authority will implement new industry-leading standards to break down barriers and increase equal opportunities for small businesses, women and people of color. Additionally, the new terminal will be among the most sustainable in the industry and will be built to LEED-certified silver standards or beyond. The airport’s microgrid, fueled by 10,000 solar panels and five natural gas generators, will power the new terminal. As construction progresses, a minimum 75 percent of waste generated will be recycled or reused, alongside rainwater harvesting and other water conservation efforts.
The project is expected to generate some $2.5 billion in economic impact and 14,500 direct and indirect jobs. Among the largest infrastructure projects in Pittsburgh’s history, the airport hopes to locally source most of the 12,000 tons of steel; 94,000 tons of concrete; and more than 354,000 square feet of wood materials.
The airport also announced a first-of-its-kind regional partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Authority to proactively reduce construction site hazards and serious injuries, increase sustainability and advance an overall safer and greener site. The new terminal’s consolidated operations, such as tickets and baggage claim, will improve the passenger experience, reducing passenger travel time by 50 percent to get from curb to airside. The project will introduce a new 3,300-space parking garage, rental car facilities and entrance roadways. The new facilities are scheduled to open in 2025.
flypittsburgh.com
Delta Reveals Dedicated TSA PreCheck Lobby
Travel through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport proves easier for Delta Air Lines customers enrolled in TSA PreCheck with the expansion of new facial recognition capabilities and the opening of the first-ever DeltaTSA PreCheck express lobby and bag drop.
Customers with the Fly Delta app and TSA PreCheck membership will be able to visit a new dedicated bag drop lobby, pass through a security checkpoint and board the plane using only their “digital identity” — traveling from curb to gate hands- and device-free. Delta is the first and only airline to build a dedicated bag drop space for TSA PreCheck customers. The digital identity comprises a customer’s Delta SkyMiles member number, passport number and TSA Known Traveler Number.
delta.com
Andaz 5th Avenue, Fellow Barber Partnership
Andaz 5th Avenue and Fellow Barber announced a new partnership starting this month. Andaz 5th Avenue will be the first hotel to carry Fellow’s unisex line of expertly crafted products in all guestrooms and suites. The hotel also launches a pop-up barbershop Dec. 16–23 in its streetlevel artist-in-residence space to give frontline workers complimentary cuts from skilled Fellow barbers. Those unable to claim one of the coveted spots can secure a wooden nickel at the hotel, redeemable at any Fellow Barber location.
The partners unveiled additional experiences to celebrate the collaboration. Andaz 5th Avenue added The Fellow to its secret menu at The Bar Downstairs & Kitchen. The cocktail, complimentary to frontline workers receiving a haircut, also can be ordered by name by patrons, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Feed the Frontlines. Guests at the hotel can donate a future cut to a frontline worker, and all guests of the hotel receive a preferred rate of 50 percent off services and products at all Fellow Barber’s New York locations.
hyatt.com fellowbarber.com
InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco announced a new amenity for guests in collaboration with Porsche. Porsche electric vehicle charging stations will now be located in the valet area of the hotel’s parking deck, allowing guests and visitors to top off the batteries of electric vehicles while sipping a cocktail at Top of the Mark, enjoying farm-to-table fare at Nob Hill Club or staying overnight at the property.
The Porsche wall chargers are free for all EV drivers using a J1772 compatible plug. InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco has offered EV chargers for guests for more than two decades, in line with its renowned eco-initiatives which also include an Energy Star rating, recycling 80 percent of its waste, 95 percent energy-efficient lighting and a bee habitat.
sfmarkhopkins.com
Get Your Skates On at Sea Containers London
Sea Containers London teamed up with Somerset House to launch the Get Your Skates On offer, featuring a quintessential London break with views of the Thames and St. Paul’s. Through Jan. 16, 2022, the offer includes a stay in one of the hotel’s guestrooms or suites, tickets to Skate at Somerset House with Moët & Chandon and cozy in-room extras, priced at $390.
seacontainerslondon.com
Virgin Hotels Black Friday Deals
Virgin Hotels is offering a special travel promotion, available through Jan. 2, 2022. Guests booking accommodations can save up to 25 percent on stays through Dec. 31, 2022. The offer is valid at Virgin Hotels New Orleans, Virgin Hotels Chicago, Virgin Hotels Dallas, Virgin Hotels Nashville and Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
When booking throughout the promotional period, guests are automatically entered for a chance to win a free upgrade to each property’s Richard’s Penthouse Flat, with two upgrades awarded weekly throughout the month.
virginhotels.com
Bipartisan Legislation Designates 9/11 Trail
President Biden signed H.R. 2278, bipartisan legislation to designate a September 11th National Memorial Trail, which passed in both houses of Congress by unanimous consent. The trail route will link the National September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York; the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia; and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
The 1,300-mile trail and roadway system symbolizes the resiliency and character that links the three sites and serves as a tribute to the fallen men and women. The trail will pass through some of the most beautiful and historic parts of the United States. Starting in Arlington, it will extend northwest to the Pennsylvania memorial before heading east to New York City. It then turns south, following the East Coast Greenway and connecting to the 9/11 Memorial Garden of Reflection in Yardley, Pennsylvania, before looping back to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and ending at the Pentagon.
911trail.org
Uniworld’s New Super Ship Debuts in Egypt
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises debuted images for its newest Super Ship, S.S. Sphinx, on the Nile River in Egypt. Uniworld sourced with local artisans, ensuring Egyptian creativity and craftmanship across the vessel. The ship set sail Sept. 23 on the 12-day Splendors of Egypt & the Nile itinerary, the only luxury river cruise currently in Egypt.
S.S. Sphinx boasts two gourmet dining venues, including a private dining room and alfresco dining; a swimming pool; massage room; and 42 suites. Menus reflect the destination, featuring options like sweet corn soup and hawashi. Locally sourced Egyptian wines are available, and local Egyptian artwork, fabrics and hand-carved furnishings adorn the ship. All staterooms and suites include French balconies.
uniworld.com
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