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PDX People Honored at Customer Service Awards
PDX thrives as a welcoming airport thanks to friendly, respectful and knowledgeable service from PDX People. Whether assisting with lost items, calming stressed travelers, or making routine interactions enjoyable, airport employees consistently go above and beyond to ensure every guest feels cared for and valued. Their kindness and professionalism create a warm and memorable experience for all.
Want to learn more about PDX People recognition? Check out our recognition programs. 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.
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What's New with PDX Next: Concourse B Detour, Baggage Claim Work and Parking Garage Access
Concourse B Detour: Reminder – we’ve officially moved into the building stage of Phase 2 – bye-bye demolition, hello progress! That means evening travelers arriving at Concourse B gates will have a temporary detour now through Friday, March 14, weeknights from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. [Note: There may also be work on Saturdays if there are delays due to weather on weeknights. Currently Saturday workdays are scheduled on Feb. 8, March 1 and March 15.] Read more about the impacts. Once this work is complete, crews will move back to Concourse E and the detour will resume on that side of the airport.
Baggage Claim Work: Now through Friday, Feb. 7, steel reinforcement work will occur in the area around baggage carousels 3, 4 and 5. Expect to see barriers around the columns (one at a time). Smoke mitigation and spotters will also be in place.
Parking Garage Access: Today through Saturday, Feb. 8, signage work in the parking garages will impact access at night. On Monday, Feb. 3 and Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., access to the long-term garage will be closed and parking will be redirected to short-term or the economy lot. On Wednesday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 6, from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., access to the short-term garage will be restricted to one lane and parking may be redirected to long-term or the economy lot.
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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We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred last week over the Potomac River. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the families, loved ones, and everyone in the aviation community impacted by this devastating event.
At PDX, the safety of travelers, employees and crew members is our top priority. While airports do not oversee many aspects associated with air travel safety – like managing the airspace or aircraft maintenance – our teams are first responders in the event of an incident at or near PDX.
Our Portland Airport Fire and Rescue team is specially trained in aircraft rescue and firefighting and how to evacuate passengers, so we’re prepared for emergency situations. As part of our compliance with FAA regulatory requirements, firefighters maintain annual certifications. We have a fleet of specialized fire apparatus for the unique challenges of aircraft firefighting and a boat for water rescues, in addition to mutual aid agreements to call upon additional resources when necessary.
We also hold regular drills to ensure our readiness for emergency response on water and land, along with triennial full-scale exercises with mutual response agencies and our airline partners, to test our coordinated efforts. While we hope those scenarios will never occur, we know it is critical to be prepared.
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Be Knowledgeable:
Know the New Airport Security Rules
Every few years, we update the PDX rules – guidelines that govern the activities and conduct of employees, businesses and travelers at PDX.
This year, we’ve made some important changes specifically to the rules around security and badging. First, in addition to individual enforcement, we’re pursuing organizational accountability. This may mean enforcement action taken against employers, tenants, contractors, subcontractors, and other businesses providing services on airport property. This also means potential monetary fines for security violations. We’ve also strengthened the rules that badgeholders must take deliberate action to ensure doors are properly closed and secured, and that badgeholders who open a vehicle gate must verify that all vehicle occupants have a valid PDX badge or are under escort. These rules are already in effect, so make sure you’re familiar with them now.
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Save This Info for Winter Weather
It's chilly outside, but will it snow? Maybe. Should you be prepared regardless? Absolutely. We know many PDX People work around the clock, even in inclement weather, so this is a great time to bookmark pdx.com/conditions for real-time information about weather impacts at PDX.
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PDX Community Room: Vote for Your Favorite Arcade Game
We recently added vending machines and a computer station to the space. And coming soon – an arcade machine! The game will be free to play, available 24/7 and we'll rotate the options out quarterly. Help us decide which game to bring you first by filling out this form.
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Spot Joins PDX Team to Help with Dangerous Duties
Meet Spot, the new robot "dog" assigned to the Metro Explosives Disposal Unit, a group of 16 bomb technicians and seven K-9 teams from police agencies across the Portland area, including Port of Portland Police. At PDX, Spot can be used for bomb disposal, hostage situations and other scenarios that could be too dangerous to send a human, helping to keep our officers and travelers safe. As you can see, Spot stands on four "legs," has an extendable arm in place of a head, and has sensors that prevent it from hitting things. It can also complete multi-step tasks, such as opening a door, without having to be told precisely what to do. Check out the Oregonian article to learn more about Spot's capabilities.
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Honoring African Americans and Labor During Black History Month
February is dedicated to observing Black History Month and this year’s theme, "African Americans and Labor," provides us with an opportunity to reflect on and honor the contributions of African Americans to the labor force and our nation’s enduring prosperity. The labor of Black people has been the bedrock upon which much of our country's economic strength was built. From the early days of enslaved Africans, whose forced labor laid the cornerstone of industries and infrastructure, to the relentless toil of Black workers in fields, factories and offices across America, their resilience and determination has been unfaltering.
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PDX in Pictures
Hike up to the lookout point at Council Crest Park or Powell Butte, and you’ll spot a map pointing out all the mountain peaks on display. Starting today, when you stand up on the mezzanine in PDX’s main terminal, looking out at the Doug fir ceiling and the wood floors, you’ll see a similar visual guide: a map displaying the 16 nonprofit, community, tribal-owned, and family-run forests that supplied wood for the ceiling lattice, concession stands, and flooring. Down on the ground level, you’ll now find 14 round wooden trail markers around the terminal, each one showing you which forest a specific patch of wood comes from.
For instance, the Doug fir beams in the oval skylights above the security checkpoints came from the Coquille Indian Tribe in southwest Oregon. For their markers, the tribe chose an iconic design that Coquille people have woven into baskets and caps for untold generations. They added the word for “fir” in Miluk and Nuu-wee-ya’, sleeping languages that the Coquille are reviving for future generations
Now that they’re in place, we hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate the beauty of both the map and the markers, and to learn more about the stories each of these forests has to tell.
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