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Stephannie Lewis Shares Knowledge to Provide Respectful, Inclusive Service
A family visiting from California stopped at the Travel Oregon Welcome Center seeking trip inspiration. Seeing a young boy with the family, Travel Oregon’s Stephannie Lewis (she/her) offered up a kid’s activity booklet, but the child did not seem to engage with the gesture. The mother explained that her son is a child with autism. Excited to share, Stephannie told them, “We have something just for you!”
Stephannie then gave the family sunflower lanyards and a sensory kit. She explained the purpose behind the items and pointed out the new sensory room on Concourse D. The travelers were thankful and delighted to learn about these offerings.
Stephannie’s nomination from her manager sums up her excellent service:
“Having thoughtful, inclusive and forward-thinking programs at PDX is so important, as is having friendly, knowledgeable and respectful employees like Stephannie bringing those programs to life for our visitors. It’s a great example of the awesome teamwork that takes place at PDX each day!”
Stephannie was honored at the PDX People Customer Service Awards, where we recognize airport employees who truly stand out as extraordinary. Missed the virtual awards ceremony? View the event recording or read about past winners. 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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Looking into terminal core demolition. Photo courtesy of Brian Burk, airport duty manager.
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| What's New with PDX Next: Noise Update, Concourse B Roof Work, Ticket Lobby Roof Work
Noise Update: This week, there will be concrete chipping underway in the former Clocktower Plaza. If you were present at the “demo of the demo,” you might remember the sounds this equipment produces. Luckily, the work is going on behind expansion joints, so much of the noise and vibrations will be muffled. However, it may still be louder than last week. Noise will be mostly focused in the central area of the ticket lobby.
Concourse B Roof Work: Roof work over Concourse B starts today and will continue through the end of August. The roof activities use tar, which may cause some odors during work hours: Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Crews installed air filters and adjusted air intake systems to help reduce any smells inside the concourse. There will also be some late-night crane pick activity on a few days, but operational impacts are expected to be minimal. Roof work is weather dependent, which may affect hours, active days and the anticipated completion date.
Ticket Lobby Roof Work: On Tuesday, May 24, and Wednesday, May 25, expect to hear noisy work overhead in the ticket lobby between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., when crews cut into the metal roof from above.
On Tuesday, you’ll hear work above the Southwest ticket counters, and on Wednesday, it will be over the common use ticket counters, south of JetBlue. Noise impacts will be loud, frequent and will last a few hours, and will take place after ticket counter activity in the area has ended. Roof cutting will continue next week; we’ll keep you posted on times, days and locations as we know more.
We know working through construction is challenging – that's why we're keeping you in the loop in this newsletter, on our PDX People website and on digital signage in the employee bypass areas. Help your colleagues stay in the know and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter.
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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Q&A with Chris James of LaTrelle’s Management Corp.
Chris James is business development director for LaTrelle's Management Corporation, which partners with the Portland-born Stumptown Coffee Roasters to operate two cafes at PDX: one in the security lobby between Concourses C and D, and another on Concourse E. (A third location is coming to Concourse D soon.) Houston-based LaTrelle’s, founded by Chris’s grandfather in 1985, manages locations for 13 regional and national brands (Wendy's, Potbelly, Peet's Coffee) at five airports, but it's still run like a family business. We talked to Chris – who grew up visiting family in the Portland area – about what makes our airport so special and what entrepreneurs who want to open a PDX spot should know.
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TriMet A Better Red: Airport Way Lane Closure
You've already heard about A Better Red, the MAX Red Line project that will improve service for TriMet’s entire light rail system.
On Wednesday, May 25, and Thursday, May 26, from 2 to 8 p.m., crews will close the right lane on eastbound Airport Way, between PDX and Air Cargo Road. This will allow them to extend the existing barrier along the road, so it reaches all the way to the lawn.
As the project continues, it could impact your route to work as well as passengers' routes to and from PDX. While we'll share key airport impacts here, you're encouraged to sign up for A Better Red alerts to stay informed of all project news. The PDX piece of A Better Red is scheduled to be complete in February 2024.
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Hopworks Recognized as Best Eco-Conscious Craft Brewery
As a certified B Corporation, Hopworks uses its brewing platform to help solve social and environmental programs, collectively focusing on its workers, community, environment and more. The company is also certified Salmon-Safe, helping to protect the local watershed and actively working to reduce water usage. Hopworks uses less than 3.5 gallons of water per gallon of beer produced, or about half the industry average, and recently launched a program to recycle plastic bags that contain brewing grain.
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Columbia Splash Triennial Drill Seen as a Success
On Wednesday morning at approximately 8:55 a.m., an Acme Airlines Airbus A320 crashed into the Columbia River.
If you’re thinking to yourself, “How did I miss that news?” or “Wait. Acme Airlines? That doesn’t sound real…” you’d be right. The scary scenario was actually part of Columbia Splash, a full-scale emergency exercise that only happens every three years.
Working together, the Port of Portland, Portland Airport Fire and Rescue and other regional partners enacted procedures that would be needed in a real-life scenario, including activating an Emergency Operations Center, responding to the scene, transporting survivors to area hospitals and opening a Friends and Relatives Center.
All in all, the exercise was a success for the airport and our partners, including Alaska Airlines, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, TSA, FBI, National Transportation Safety Board and the American Red Cross Cascades Region, who – along with many others – helped us gain a better understanding of the resources and support they can provide during critical incidents. Appreciation also goes out to the volunteer evaluators, who devoted a full day to observing the exercise and identifying both positive outcomes and areas for improvement.
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Share Your Favorites and Win Some of Ours
We're making PDX...PDX-ier! That means when our new main terminal opens in 2024, it'll have even more of the shops and restaurants that Portlanders love. Which local spots do you want to see in the new main terminal? Share your favorites and be entered for a chance to win some of Oregon’s best, including everything you need for the perfect coastal getaway, a chance to eat at some of Portland’s best restaurants and gift cards to use at the airport. The contest closes tonight at midnight, so head to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and tell us about your favorite Portland eats!
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Additional Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Available Now
Every household in the U.S. is now eligible to order a third round of eight additional at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests are completely free, and orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. Order your tests now so you have them when you need them. As a reminder, if you or someone you know needs an in-person COVID-19 test, please don’t go to an emergency department – instead look for nearby Oregon or Washington testing locations.
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PDX in Pictures
PDX recently welcomed back two crowd-favorite nonstop flights: Icelandair to Reykjavík, Iceland (May 10), and Condor Airlines to Frankfurt, Germany (May 13). But the transatlantic action doesn't end there! On June 3, we'll welcome a new airline partner to PDX with British Airways’ nonstop, year-round service to London. If you have friends and family who yearn for international travel, be sure to tell them about these new opportunities for adventure.
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