# Airports unveil trading cards



## CHamilton (Sep 17, 2014)

How about a series of "training cards" featuring some of America's classic train stations?

Trade you an ATL for an SFO? Airports unveil trading cards



> Now more than 20 North American airports have trading cards....
> 
> Unveiled earlier this month, each card has the look and feel of a traditional baseball card. But instead of portraying a rookie player at bat, the cards in the North American Airport Collectors Series feature an iconic image of an airport on the front and geographic information, fun factoids and historical tidbits about the airport on the back.
> 
> The card for General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, for example, tells passengers about MKE's free ping pong table and "recombobulation areas." The card for Pittsburgh International Airport lays claims to being the first large U.S. airport to offer free wireless.


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## XHRTSP (Sep 17, 2014)

CHamilton said:


> How about a series of "training cards" featuring some of America's classic train stations?


it's bad enough I have to ride all the LDs to collect all the posters, but then that too...


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## JayPea (Sep 17, 2014)

If there were a set of Amtrak station cards that included every stop I'd probably have the same luck that I did collecting baseball cards when I was a kid. I couldn't get a Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Johnny Bench to save my soul but had shoe boxes full of Tom Shopays, Jim Shellenbacks, and Charlie Sandses. :angry:   I'd probably end up with a bunch of Sanderson, TX cards instead of LAUS, CUS, or WUS cards. :lol:


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 17, 2014)

JayPea said:


> If there were a set of Amtrak station cards that included every stop I'd probably have the same luck that I did collecting baseball cards when I was a kid. I couldn't get a Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Johnny Bench to save my soul but had shoe boxes full of Tom Shopays, Jim Shellenbacks, and Charlie Sandses. :angry:   I'd probably end up with a bunch of Sanderson, TX cards instead of LAUS, CUS, or WUS cards. :lol:


I'll trade you an Alliance, a Lake Charles and a Taylor! LOL


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## JayPea (Sep 17, 2014)

jimhudson said:


> JayPea said:
> 
> 
> > If there were a set of Amtrak station cards that included every stop I'd probably have the same luck that I did collecting baseball cards when I was a kid. I couldn't get a Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Johnny Bench to save my soul but had shoe boxes full of Tom Shopays, Jim Shellenbacks, and Charlie Sandses. :angry:   I'd probably end up with a bunch of Sanderson, TX cards instead of LAUS, CUS, or WUS cards. :lol:
> ...


Throw in Lordsburg and you have a deal! :lol:


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 17, 2014)

> "Airports don't get the attention they deserve and trading cards are one way to illustrate the importance of an airport in a community, especially the airport's economic contribution," said Burke, who plans to hand out airport trading cards, perhaps instead of briefing papers, when visiting elected officials in Washington, D.C.


If anything US airports get far more attention than they deserve. When was the last time you saw a US airport you were proud to be traveling through and wished you could spend more time visiting and exploring? Most US airports are dull, ugly, and devoid of any artistic inspiration. Many of them look like they could be converted into commercial prisons. The carpets are full of stains, the walls are dented and dinged, the restrooms are disgusting, the services are minimal, and the prices for almost anything are heavily inflated.



> The card for General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, for example, tells passengers about MKE's free ping pong table and "recombobulation areas."


Is this some sort of joke?



> The card for Pittsburgh International Airport lays claims to being the first large U.S. airport to offer free wireless.


OK now we're finally getting somewhere. It's hard to argue with the usefulness of free internet.



> Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which will issue its trading card soon, promotes itself as "America's Friendliest Airport," and has trademarked the slogan and grabbed the associated URL.


How did they manage that? Did they fire the TSA and replace them with another service trained to be respectful rather than bossy and foul tempered? Having traveled to, from, and through PHX I can say this is utter nonsense. AUS is far friendler than Phoenix and it's still not _that_ friendly. Besides, any airport that employs the TSA really has no business claiming to be friendly in the first place.


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## Devil's Advocate (Sep 17, 2014)

> Elsewhere, Iowa's Sioux Gateway Airport continues to attract attention (and income) with T-shirts, coffee mugs, beanies and other items bearing the airport's identifying code and slogan: "Fly SUX."


Hard to rebuke an airport that doesn't take itself too seriously to begin with. I approve.



> While San Francisco International Airport's current ad campaign has a "Travel Well" theme highlighting the airport's services and amenities, back in 2010 the airport raised eyebrows with its "I Wanna Go Through SFO" YouTube video comparing the "Good Airport" to an unnamed "Bad Airport" most viewers assumed was Los Angeles International Airport.


In the past I would say that LAX was America's blundered and bloated Heathrow. Except that even Heathrow has improved far beyond LAX at this point.



> "[sFO] wouldn't do that now," said Howard Mann, vice president of policy and market analysis at InterVISTAS, in part because "most airport marketing campaigns focus on their strengths," but also because LAX is in the midst of an award-winning makeover.


Does he mean TBIT? I'll agree that specific terminal is shaping up to be a very nice improvement, but the rest of LAX still looks pretty sad and depressing to my eyes.



> "We've leaned into providing a passenger experience at LAX that's second to none," said Mary Grady, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles World Airports, "and that's hard to criticize."


Sounds like they caught Mary Grady leaning into a major bender. LAX is playing second fiddle to literally dozens of airports.



> Elsewhere, "we've seen a surge in airport loyalty programs geared to swaying airport choice," said Kevin Schorr, Vice President, Campbell-Hill Aviation Group. "I haven't seen much in the way of 'in your face' guerrilla airport marketing tactics lately, but that doesn't mean it isn't going on, especially behind the scenes," he said.


So we have some "in your face" guerrilla marketing that's occurring _behind_ the scenes. What does that even mean?



JayPea said:


> If there were a set of Amtrak station cards that included every stop I'd probably have the same luck that I did collecting baseball cards when I was a kid. I couldn't get a Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Johnny Bench to save my soul but had shoe boxes full of Tom Shopays, Jim Shellenbacks, and Charlie Sandses. :angry:   I'd probably end up with a bunch of Sanderson, TX cards instead of LAUS, CUS, or WUS cards. :lol:


I'm hard pressed to envision what a baseball card of Sanderson TX would have on the picture but I suppose the slogan could be "There's nothing here and that's just the way we like it!"


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## Bob Dylan (Sep 17, 2014)

People from Sanderson and West Texas go to North Dakota on Vacation so they feel at home!! ( but there's no Oil there except around Midland/Odessa!) LOL

As for Airports, I've always liked DFW (its easy to get to now by Rail!) and the New Denver Airport is nice even if it's located in Kansas!!


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## JayPea (Sep 17, 2014)

I too like the new Denver airport. Good thing, because almost every flight in the last several years I've taken to relatives in Illinois involves a connection in Denver. LAX to me is exceptionally dull and drab.


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