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James Peterson Sets the Bar High for Friendly Service
James Peterson with Capers was nominated by Mychal, a PDX traveler:
"James is the nicest employee at the airport. I frequently eat at Capers, and he always seems to be my server. He remembers me and my girlfriend, knows our names and is always so kind and funny. In fact, he is attentive to all customers.
I worked in food service for 15 years and know how hard it is to do all of that. James does it with ease and he's the reason why I keep coming back to Capers."
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What's New with PDX Next: Terminal, Roadway, Ticket Counter and Baggage Claim Changes
Stay Knowledgeable: There are lots of updates and changes as we get ready to open the new main terminal. Starting the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 13, follow along on flypdx.com/conditions as we move walls, open checkpoints and turn on the new baggage system for opening day.
New Main Terminal: Last week, the military service emblem displays were reinstalled in the ticket lobby and the north and south elevator cores. Also last week, an ATM was installed in the south ticket lobby, and four more will be installed (one on each concourse) over the next few weeks. First National operates the units and the transaction fee is $3.50, the same as the previous fee with U.S. Bank. Three Ready Credit kiosks (cash-to-card machines) will move into the new space on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Upper Roadway: On Friday, Aug. 16, from 1 to 3 a.m., crews will be pouring concrete, and the upper roadway will narrow to one lane on the north end. At times, a flagger will temporarily shut down the entire upper roadway to allow concrete trucks to reverse into the work zone. During these intermittent closures, both the inner and outer roadway will be blocked.
Ticket Counters: Crews will relocate two of the south ticket lobby temporary common use counters to the new main terminal. Allegiant will operate at the Volaris/common use counters until Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Baggage Claim: In baggage claim, a temporary wall is up around the former PDX Volunteer Information Program and USO spaces. The area behind this wall is now a construction zone, the pedestrian door on the south side of the revolving door is blocked, and the Port Police podium will move outside the new temporary wall.
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.
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5 Things to Know About the New PDX
The new PDX starts opening on Wednesday, Aug. 14! We’re excited to show you what more than 30,000 locals came together to build. We can’t wait to see everyone looking up at the skylights, taking carpet selfies, admiring the view of the airfield, and relaxing around the new restaurants.
Here are five things to tell travelers about the new PDX: 1) Airline check-in counters are moving onto four “islands," 2) three people can load their belongings onto each TSA checkpoint at the same time, 3) if you're flying through Concourses B and E, your walk will be longer for another 18 months, and 4) for the next 18 months, arriving passengers will use temporary exit lanes.
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The Road to Opening Day
Over the past few weeks, we’ve had dozens of Call to Alls and Share Out Sessions, two dress rehearsals – one for friends and family and one for the public – and two employee open houses.
And we’re not done yet! This week, we'll have a housewarming with community leaders and key business partners and – yes, it’s true – ACTUAL OPENING DAY.
If you’re curious how things have gone so far, the short answer is really well. Both of the PDX Operation Readiness, Activation and Transition (ORAT) team’s dress rehearsals were a huge success, with more than 2,100 people testing out the new main terminal – watch the video recap.
Attendees were surveyed on their mock travel experience, from airline check-in to TSA queues, and provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. For example, 93% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the layout of the new main terminal allows for smooth and efficient passenger flow.
Thanks to everyone who contributed their time, energy and enthusiasm to make these dress rehearsals successful. We couldn’t have pulled them off without your help!
There's still one more opportunity to participate in the efforts to get ready: Help our TSA partners practice using their cool new equipment today – Monday, Aug. 12 – between noon and 3 p.m.
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Q&A with the Creators of PDX’s New Video Walls
Glance up at the 120-foot-long video walls in PDX’s main terminal, and you may see an Oregon cowboy. Look away for just a minute, and the scene may shift to butterflies flitting around a misty Northwest waterfall. Stare at it all day, and you’ll never see exactly the same scene. PDX’s two new video walls, which stretch above the security checkpoints, display a 24-hour art installation. “Extraordinary Windows,” as the piece is titled, mixes short artworks created specifically for PDX with Oregon-inspired landscapes that change according to the time of day, the weather, and how many people are traveling through PDX. We asked the Portland artists who led the creation of “Extraordinary Windows'' to tell us more about their vision for the piece, which is designed to entertain travelers and, perhaps, inspire them to take a few deep breaths.
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Bringing the PNW Forest to the New PDX
When we previewed the new space, folks often said, "Wait, this doesn’t feel like an airport!" And they’re right! We brought the Pacific Northwest forest inside PDX with more than 70 living trees (some towering up to 25 feet) and over 5,000 plants. Why? Because we believe travel should be a little more magical and a lot less stressful. With natural light filtering through 49 skylights and wooden beams designed to soothe your mind, we hope you’ll feel like you're wandering through a serene forest, right here at the airport.
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PDX in Pictures
Our two employee open houses were a huge hit, with attendees enjoying burritos and bowls from Cha Cha Cha, seeking out a full set of seven collectible pins, and writing notes of appreciation on our custom post-its. Some of our favorite shoutouts:
- Unbelievable! Love the space and the art!
- Looks amazing – worth the wait!
- The future is NOW!
- This is incredible! Thank you to everyone who worked on it.
- Keeping it as Oregon as possible!
- I love the nature vibes.
- Above and beyond any expectations
- Everyone did a great job and I'm proud to work in this airport!
- Worth the wait!
- Y'all DID THAT.
And y'all DID do that. Whether you worked directly on the new main terminal or helped travelers navigate the day-to-day impacts of construction, every single person who works at the airport can say they contributed in some way to this incredible effort. Thanks to everyone who joined us under the new PDX roof to celebrate this milestone moment!
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