email : Webview : PDX People Weekly Update: December 9, 2024

Outstanding Customer Service is Derece Clark's Bread and Butter

Derece Clark (she/her) with Paradies Lagardère was nominated by a PDX employee:

"I was assisting a ticketed passenger who had missed their flight and had a 10-hour layover until their new flight. The passenger didn’t have adequate funds to purchase a meal. I went to Your Northwest Travel Mart on Concourse D to buy a sandwich for the passenger.

Derece Clark was working. She always has a smile and a friendly greeting when you enter the store. While Derece was ringing me up, she asked how my day was going. I explained the story and why I was getting the sandwich. Derece asked for a description of the passenger and said that she would look out for him.

Derece provided a very generous discount for the sandwich and offered to provide a bottle of water as well. I returned to the passenger with the sandwich and water – they were very grateful. Please recognize Derece for her compassion and generosity in helping me to assist this passenger."

Want to learn more about PDX People recognition? Check out the recognition programs and read about past winners on the PDX People website. You can also nominate an employee who embodies the PDX People values and serves as a shining example of great customer service for next quarter – submit a nomination now.

Nominate a PDX Employee

What's New with PDX Next: Concourse B Detour

Concourse B Detour: We’re bringing the next 40% of PDX to life – complete with more local shops, restaurants, art and room to relax in early 2026. But to get there, we need some construction magic to happen.

For evening travelers arriving at Concourse B gates, that means a temporary detour now through Monday, Dec. 23, every night from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Here’s what you should know:

Shortcut win: Arriving passengers will take a “magic door” (normally an emergency exit) straight to the arrivals curb. It’s quicker than the usual route – consider it a little win in the middle of the changes!

Connecting flights: Connecting passengers will need to head back to the ticket lobby to re-clear security. Those travelers will get an "express pass" to skip to the front of the TSA line.

Meet and greet in a different spot: For people meeting these arriving passengers, they’ll need to meet at the curb or in baggage claim. If you see folks waiting at the steps for their arriving friends or family between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m., feel free to check if their party is coming from Concourse B gates.

Help is always close by: PDX People will be there to guide travelers through the process. And folks like you can stay knowledgeable of these changes so you can help answer questions for any passengers needing extra guidance.

We know detours and temporary routes aren’t always fun, but these short-term changes are helping us build something amazing. Thanks for helping keep PDX running!

Looking for more PDX Next information? We're keeping you in the know on what's new on the PDX People website. Have questions or suggestions about construction? Email hello@pdxnext.com or call the construction hotline at 503.460.4339.

Passport to Inclusion Helps People Practice the Travel Experience

"For our daughter, giving her the opportunity to practice helps make a real travel experience more manageable and less scary. Meeting with TSA and speaking to the flight attendants and pilots – hearing the engines go on – it all helps her to feel safer."

That's what parent Nate had to say about our recent Passport to Inclusion event, held in partnership with Alaska Airlines and the Autism Society of Oregon. Passport to Inclusion allows individuals with disabilities to practice nearly every aspect of the travel experience at PDX – from entering the airport and going through security to taxiing around the tarmac to simulate a flight. Opportunities like this help lessen the stress someone may feel when traveling and help us provide more inclusive customer service for those with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

Wendy Given in front of the Hiroko Cannon exhibition.

Explore the Delicate, Detailed World of Artist Hiroko Cannon

Let’s take a moment to enjoy "Life with Wings," an art exhibition currently on display at PDX. In this video, PDX Art Program Manager Wendy Given shares a few words about the delicate, detailed world of artist Hiroko Cannon, including her piece, "Red Tailed Hawk over the Wheat Field." Based in Pendleton, Oregon, Cannon captures the beauty of the region’s birds and flora with a detailed yet whimsical touch. Her work feels like a quiet nature walk – maybe you spot a hawk soaring over a golden field or notice a bird perched in a tree. It’s peaceful, grounding and unexpectedly magical. Catch Hiroko Cannon’s exhibition on Concourse B through July 2025, and let nature-inspired art ease your day.

Demolition inside the new main terminal.

Behind the Scenes at PDX: Demo Day

Curious about the buzz behind those bypass walls? Step inside the action! Watch as old TSA checkpoints and exits make way for PDX’s exciting transformation. Expect 40% more of what you love – local shops, restaurants, art, cozy meet-and-greet spaces (with a nod to the iconic PDX carpet), sleek lounges and smoother exits. The construction bypasses? Their time is almost up. For now, enjoy the oddly satisfying demolition vibes as we gear up for PDX’s ultimate glow-up.

The B1M: America Has Finally Built a Beautiful Airport

Around the world, there are some truly breathtaking airports. In Singapore, there’s Changi, and Morocco has the distinctive Marrakech Menara. Stunning both inside and out, these buildings are a mark of what can be achieved through innovative design. What may come as a surprise is that no U.S. airport ranks in the top 20 in the world...but that could finally change. As The B1M – the world's largest video channel for construction – boldly states, "In the Pacific Northwest, a new terminal has opened and it’s not just one of the most beautiful airports in America, it’s up there with the most beautiful in the world." Learn about the technical puzzles the teams solved in building and moving the airport's mass timber roof and how the project all came together.

An enormous red crane on the PDX airfield.

PDX in Pictures

Holy crane! Parked on the south side of the terminal, you can get a look at this absolute unit through the windows of the bypass connector. It will be used for structural demolition of the south and north nodes to make room for the remaining roof sections.

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