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Tag: Philadelphia International Airport

  • Philly airport installs new biometric tech to speed up inspections of U.S. citizens returning from abroad

    Philadelphia International Airport now has biometric facial comparison technology that will be used to expedite arrivals for U.S. citizens returning to the country from abroad.

    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Officials warn of possible measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport

    Health officials are alerting travelers about an individual with measles who recently visited the Philadelphia International Airport.

    According to a release from the Philadelphia Health Department, this warning is specific to travelers and other individuals who were at the Philadelphia International Airport Terminals A and B on Sunday, November 9, 2025, between 8:50 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

    Léelo en español aquí.

    The individual with measles was traveling through the airport, according to health officials.

    Health officials are encouraging people who were exposed to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms.

    Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze, or talk.

    If someone is not protected against measles, they can get the virus up to two hours after someone else with measles left the same room or airspace.

    Early symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, and red, puffy eyes, followed by rash. Health officials said in some people, measles could lead to pneumonia, brain infection and death.

    “We believe there is no threat to the general public associated with this case of measles,” Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson shared in a news release. “We encourage people who were possibly exposed to take action if they are not protected against measles. Many countries, including travel destinations, are experiencing measles outbreaks, so the potential for travel-related measles cases and subsequent outbreaks in the United States has increased. We strongly encourage parents to follow the CDC’s immunization schedule and get their children fully vaccinated as soon as they are able. People planning to travel outside the United States should speak with their doctor about their travel plans and vaccinations needed.”

    For more information about measles, visit the CDC’s webpage on measles. In addition, the Philadelphia Health Department will post updates on exposures on phila.gov/measles as needed.

    Cherise Lynch

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  • Insomnia Cookies set to open store inside Philadelphia International Airport

    Flying out of the City of Brotherly Love is about to get a whole lot sweeter.

    Philadelphia-founded Insomnia Cookies is set to open its first airport location in Terminal C at the Philadelphia International Airport in spring 2026.

    The addition of the beloved late-night bakery is all a part of MarketPlace PHL’s “Founded in Philly” program, which highlights restaurants and shops with local origins. Organizers said the initiative is made to put Philadelphia brands front and center for airport passengers.

    The most recent additions to the airport include Federal Donuts & Chicken, Elixr Coffee Roasters and Oyster House.

    Organizers said the new Insomnia Cookies location will be operated by the owner of Airport Dining, Hakan Ilhan, a veteran restaurateur with experience in both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

    Ilhan also operates other dining establishments, including Bud & Marilyn’s, Good Luck Restaurant & Bar, and Sabrina’s Cafe.

    At the new Insomnia Cookies, travelers will get their pick out of the bakery’s full lineup of warm, delicious classic cookies, deluxe cookies, and the company’s very own “Cookies IN Ice Cream” in addition to other travel-friendly treats.

    The airport cookie counter will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, with hours extending to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, to “accommodate both late-night cravings and morning flights.”

    “Passengers love exploring local favorite dining options when they pass through PHL, and Insomnia Cookies will be a perfect addition to our growing ‘Founded in Philly’ offerings,” Mel Hannah, Vice President and General Manager of MarketPlace PHL, said in a news release. “This new location brings one of Philly’s biggest late-night snacking traditions to the airport.”

    Insomnia Cookies was founded in 2003 as a late-night college staple by University of Pennsylvania alumn Seth Berkowitz. Since the brand has grown to nearly 350 locations across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

    Insomnia’s headquarters remain in Philadelphia to this day and continue to expand even within the city. A new location was recently unveiled on Spruce Street, the 17th store in the Greater Philadelphia region.

    “Philadelphia is our hometown, and we’re excited to bring our warm, delicious cookies to Philadelphia International Airport,” said Berkowitz. “This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in our growth trajectory, proving the success of our channel expansion strategy and our ability to reach Insomniacs in unparalleled ways. By embedding the brand deeper into travel environments, we reaffirm our commitment to satisfying the cravings of Insomniacs wherever they are and lead the industry in indulgent innovation.”

    Cherise Lynch

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  • Philly airport now has online booking for economy parking lot and will soon offer valet service

    Philly airport now has online booking for economy parking lot and will soon offer valet service

    Philadelphia International Airport is launching new programs designed to simplify the parking experience for travelers.

    Park PHL, which was launched Thursday in collaboration with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, allows online booking for the airport’s economy parking lot. Starting Nov. 18, the airport will also offer valet services for the first time.

    MORE: SEPTA’s website now shows bus detours on maps – and its app eventually will, too

    To reserve and pay for parking in the economy lot, customers can head to the Park PHL reserve section of the airport website and input their entry and exit dates and times. There is no additional fee for using the online booking, and guests can modify or cancel their parking — and receive a refund — up until two hours before their scheduled arrival. The online reservation service will expand to include the airport’s on-site garages early next year.

    When PHL Valet launches next month, customers can book it online for $50 per day. People utilizing the service will drop their car off at one of three “Departures Roadway” kiosks at Terminals A-East, B/C and E. Upon their return to PHL, they can pick up their car at baggage claim. In the future, the airport expects to offer premium add-ons to valet packages, such as a car wash.

    The current daily fee for PHL’s economy lot is $15, which includes shuttle transportation to and from the terminals and access to free emergency services like battery jump starts, flat tire assistance, auto lockout help and lost vehicle finder. 

    The economy lot, located along the 4400 block of Island Avenue, previously had more than 7,000 spots before it closed during the COVID-19 pandemic amid declining air travel. PHL began to reopen it gradually in 2022 as air travel began to rebound. It now has 4,200 spaces that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the PHL website. Other parking options for PHL travelers include garages, short-term lots and multiple private lots near the airport

    Franki Rudnesky

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  • Travel delays before July 4th holiday

    Travel delays before July 4th holiday

    Travel delays before July 4th holiday – CBS News


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    Some airports are reporting delays for Americans hoping to travel before the Independence Day holiday weekend rush. CBS News Philadelphia’s Nikki Dementri has more on the crowds at Philadelphia International Airport.

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  • Storm, understaffing blamed for dozens of American Airline cancellations, delays at PHL

    Storm, understaffing blamed for dozens of American Airline cancellations, delays at PHL

    PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Dozens of flights were canceled and delayed at Philadelphia International Airport on Sunday.

    The vast majority of these were American Airlines flights.

    Many people ended up camped out and sleeping on the floor at PHL.

    Sunday night’s bumpy weather played a role for sure, but it turned out that most of those issues involved American Airlines, and the result was hundreds and hundreds of frustrated travelers.

    RELATED: American Airlines flight attendants end talks without agreement, prepare for possible strike

    Regina Carini, from Connecticut, has been trying to get to Salt Lake City since Sunday. She says she’s missing a wedding and having trouble getting refunds on her car and hotel rentals.

    While it remains unclear why American Airlines operations were hit so hard, the customers we spoke with say it seems to have been a perfect storm of bad weather, understaffing, and lackluster communication.

    Kayla Hayden was supposed to fly to Seattle on Sunday to catch an ocean cruise to Alaska with her family that sails off on Tuesday. Not only is she unsure if she’ll make it, she has no idea where her luggage is.

    “We have no clothes. I have none of my bags — two are on a flight to Seattle. I don’t know which ones are in Seattle and which ones are lost here.”

    RELATED: Heavy rain, strong winds bring down trees across Philadelphia region

    Meanwhile, Keith Johnson and Kayla Renart just want to go home to Phoenix.

    “So, I got a manager and I was like, ‘Hey, I understand we can’t get a flight out right now, but like what are we supposed to do?’ He goes, ‘That’s a rhetorical question.’ And I go, ‘No, it’s a pretty direct question, like, what are we supposed to do?’ And he’s like, ‘Out of my hands. That’s a rhetorical question.’ And then hung up the phone,” recalls Johnson.

    Action News received an email update from American Airlines, which basically says their baggage departments are fully staffed Monday and they expect to have everything resolved over the next several hours.

    Meanwhile, another reason for these issues is the sheer volume of travelers across the country on Sunday.

    The TSA reported they broke the record for the most people screened in a single day, with 2.99 million people screened on Sunday alone.

    Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

    6abc Digital Staff

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  • TSA tests handheld language translation devices at Philadelphia airport

    TSA tests handheld language translation devices at Philadelphia airport

    The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is using Philadelphia International Airport as a test site for new handheld devices that translate statements from TSA officers for people who aren’t proficient with English.

    The TSA said the devices are intended to make interactions with travelers who do not speak English easier and help them understand what officers are asking of them.

    The devices are smaller than cell phones and contain libraries of 83 languages. An officer speaks into it and what was said gets translated into the language spoken by the passengers. The electronic translator can reproduce speech from a TSA officer as audio and as text displayed on the device’s screen, making it useful for communicating with people who are deaf, hearing impaired or blind, too.

    “We hope that this will turn out to be a valuable tool for our officers to provide guidance to passengers who might not speak English,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s federal security director at Philadelphia International Airport.

    TSA has begun using five of the devices at the airport — in terminals A-East and A-West, and at the busiest checkpoints in terminals B, D and E.

    The federal agency said officers have encountered benefits and technical challenges. One of the problems is that colloquial terms, like “pat-down,” cannot be translated in every language, so officers have been advised find different words to explain what they need to do.

    TSA officers can store up to 10,000 pre-programmed translations to handle typical interactions that help speed up the process. The devices also distinguish among dialects of the same language. With Spanish, for example, the translators are programmed to understand dialects spoken in Spain, Argentina, Colombia and the United States.

    The TSA said it views the technology as a “game-changer” for assisting people who aren’t fluent in English. Travelers at Philadelphia airport already have among the shortest wait times — at just over 9 minutes — at security points among the nation’s 31 busiest airports, according to a study released last year.

    “The field testing of these units is one step that we are taking to improve our communication with a broader traveling population,” said Jose Bonilla, TSA’s executive director of traveler engagement.

    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • Philadelphia police officer killed, another wounded in shooting at airport parking garage

    Philadelphia police officer killed, another wounded in shooting at airport parking garage

    One Philadelphia police officer was killed and another wounded during a shooting inside a parking garage at the Philadelphia International Airport, authorities said.

    The officers — a 50- and 60-year-old assigned to the Airport Unit — were arriving for the start of their shift Thursday night when the deadly violence unfolded, interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said at a late-night news conference. When they pulled into parking garage D shortly after 11 p.m., they spotted a group of people attempting to break into a car parked in the same area.

    While one of the officers was in full uniform, the second had not yet fully suited up before he was forced to spring into action.

    “The officers approached to essentially disrupt and investigate what’s going on,” Stanford continued. “At that point, the suspects opened fire on the officers, striking one of our officers multiple times in the upper torso, striking the other officer in the arm.”

    The younger officer was rushed to an area hospital, where he died shortly after 11:30 p.m., according to authorities. He’d been with the force for 22 years. His comrade, a 20-year department veteran, was also hospitalized in the wake of the gunfire and is currently listed in stable condition.

    Neither of their names have been released.

    Police said the suspects fled in a stolen Dodge Durango, which is currently being sought. The same model of car dropped off an 18-year-old man at the hospital, though authorities are still working to determine whether he was involved in the airport shooting.

    He suffered two gunshots and ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

    Stanford noted that the shooting came only a week after three officers were shot and wounded while responding to a call.

    “A numb, numb moment for us, to again encounter something like this,” he said. “We just had three officers shot last week. And then this tonight, so you can imagine what we feel. We can imagine what this department is going through. And quite frankly, how the city should be feeling.”

    With News Wire Services

    Jessica Schladebeck

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  • Wildfire smoke causes flight delays across Northeast. Here’s what to know about the disruptions.

    Wildfire smoke causes flight delays across Northeast. Here’s what to know about the disruptions.

    Poor air quality impacts millions for second day


    Hazardous air conditions from wildfire smoke impacts millions of Americans for second day

    03:49

    Travelers flying in or out of the Northeast may want to check on the status of their airport on Thursday, with wildfire smoke from Canada causing more flight disruptions for a second day. 

    On Thursday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration put a ground stop on departures from Philadelphia International Airport, citing low visibility, while departures from LaGuardia airport in New York City had an average ground delay of almost an hour, according to agency data.

    The FAA tweeted Wednesday morning that it would “likely need to take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte.”

    In addition to the ground stop on departing flights from Philadelphia, the agency added that it had paused in-bound flights on Wednesday morning to Philadelphia, as well as for New York City’s LaGuardia, coming from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Ohio due to low visibility. 

    The agency also issued a ground delay for Newark airport on Thursday morning.

    The delays and ground stops come after all flights to LaGuardia were paused on Wednesday, while New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport experienced arrival and departure delays. Images from New York City on Wednesday showed an apocalyptic-looking scene, with its skyline dimmed by smoke and the air a burnt-orange color. 

    The Northeast has been blanketed by smoke from the Canadian wildfires, prompting warnings about air quality across the region and prompting schools to cancel after-school events and employers to tell workers to stay home. 

    Passengers can check real-time flight information at the FAA’s website, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted on Wednesday evening.

    Meanwhile, some airlines urged travelers to check their apps and websites to monitor for delays or other problems. 

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