Logan Airport Says Olé to World Cup Soccer Fans

This summer, Massachusetts and all of New England is chanting “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” as tens of thousands of travelers from around the globe journey here for FIFA World Cup Soccer matches
at Gillette Stadium (or Boston Stadium)
in Foxborough.

And no one is more prepared to greet them than Massport CEO Rich Davey and his dedicated staff at Boston Logan International Airport.

“We have been practicing as a city and a commonwealth for a long time,” says Davey, who reminds us that Logan Airport has been welcoming international athletes and their fans for decades, thanks to the annual Boston Marathon in April and the Head of the Charles Regatta in October, and also the 1994 World Cup matches in Boston.

This June, five FIFA World Cup soccer matches take place in Foxborough between June 13-26, with thousands of fans flying in to cheer on their national teams from England, France, Ghana, Haiti, Morocco, Norway and Scotland. Then on June 29 and July 9, two additional matches take place, including a quarter final! An expanded customer service team trained with Google Translate will be on hand to welcome visitors.

Logan Airport has been adept at managing big waves of flights and clusters of travelers for some time, Davey says.  Over the past 11 years, Massport has doubled the airport’s international visitor intake to an all-time high from 5 million to 10 million visitors.

Thanks to significant upgrades to International Terminal E in recent years, Logan Airport is equipped to handle the passenger influx, having added four new gates; seven-lane state-of-the-art TSA security checkpoints; expanded ticketing areas; enhanced outbound baggage handling system and baggage claim capacity; and other amenities to enhance the passenger experience.

Inside the airport, a variety of dining options await hungry travelers—from local favorites like the Bruins Bar and Wahlburgers to national staples such as Chick-fil-A. New vending machines with chef-curated meals offer gourmet options for the discerning traveler.

While waiting at baggage claim, passengers can enjoy the new Live Music at Logan—pop-up concerts featuring local musicians and students from nearby colleges and universities. And Massport’s BOS PAWS is a therapy dog program in partnership with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, featuring trained dogs to provide comfort and reduce stress for passengers. Arcade games at the airport offer travelers a playful pause before or after their next flight. And finally, new public art and sports exhibits with local themes throughout the airport leave no doubt in visitors’ minds that this is Boston!

In addition to FIFA World Cup matches, Logan is also poised to welcome visitors for two other signature events this summer: America 250 celebrations, including July 4th Independence Day activities the weekend of July 4, and the Sail Boston promenade of tall ships to Boston Harbor on July 11-15.

“I don’t want this to be a one and done for us,” Davey said recently at a tourism panel discussion. “I want it to be every day at Logan Airport.”

Score for Massport!

massport.com