Los Angeles International Airport

Postcard US-6254988 to Malaysia shows Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).  With 87,534,384 passenger counts in 2018, LAX ranked fourth busiest airport in the world and the second busiest airport in the US.

Penguin One

Postcard US-3014308 to Japan shows one of Southwest Airlines' specialty planes, Penguin One, taking off from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. It is the latest co-branded 737 jets under the partnership with SeaWorld since 1988. The current SeaWorld fleet includes Shamu Two, entering service on May 30, 1990; and Shamu Three, on September 7, 1990. The first jet Shamu One, introduced on May 23, 1988, has since retired.

However, animal rights activists have protested Southwest Airlines' relationship with SeaWorld for its treatment of the killer whales and other sea mammals in captive. Under the pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights groups, Southwest announced on July 31, 2014 that it would concluded its 26-year partnership with SeaWorld by the end of the year. Penguin One, just introduced to the fleet last year on June 20, 2013, will be painted back to the traditional Southwest color scheme along with Shamu Two and Shamu Three.

Tamsui, Taiwan

Postcard TW-908889 from Taiwan offers an aerial view from the north of Tamsui District (淡水區) in New Taipei City, Taiwan. It is a sea-side district where the Tamsui River, whose name means "fresh water", flows west into the Taiwan Strait. As a natural harbor, Tamsui was a major fishing and trade port in history because of its proximity to mainland China.

Twenty six years ago, the Tamsui Line,  a railroad branch line operated by the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) and connected Taipei and Tamsui, closed on July 15, 1988. The Taipei Metro Tamsui Line was later built along the route. Upon the completion of the Metro Line in 1997, Tamsui experienced a dramatic increase of tourist traffic. Tamsui is popular for viewing the sunset into the Taiwan Strait, for various activities on several riverside parks, and for shopping at open-air markets specializing in traditional handicrafts and street-vendor snacks. Visitors can also visit a fisherman's wharf, and take ferries traversing across and along the river.

Tamsui is home to three universities: Aletheia University, Tamkang University, and St. John's University. On the upper left of the postcard, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) can be seen in the background.

McCarran Field

Postcard US-2452337 to Australia shows a historical photo of McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

American aviator George Crockett first established Alamo Airport in 1942 on the site where McCarran International Airport is today. In 1948 Clark County purchased the airfield from Crockett to establish the Clark County Public Airport, and all commercial operations moved from the old Las Vegas Airport (now Nellis Airforce Base). It was renamed to McCarran Field for then U.S. Senator Pat McCarran  on December 20, 1948. Pat McCarran was a longtime Nevada politician who authored the Civil Aeronautics Act and played a major role in developing aviation nationwide. However, there was a recent discussion on renaming the airport when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid considered McCarran unworthy of the recognition because “Pat McCarran was one of the most anti-Semitic — some of you might know my wife’s Jewish — one of the most anti-black, one of the most prejudiced people who has ever served in the Senate,”.

The original McCarran Field sign is in front of the Signature Aviation terminal that serves as an executive terminal.

Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, Vietnam

Postcard AU-324800 from Australia shows Nội Bài International Airport (IATA airport code: HAN) in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is the second largest airport in the country, 45 km or 28 miles from the city center. The airport was opened on January 2, 1978. It has two concrete runways:  11R/29L (3,800 meters) and 11L/29R (3200 meters).

In 2010, approximately 9.5 million passengers passed through the airport, which surpassed the designed capacity of the T1 terminal of 6 million passengers per year. The second terminal under construction will bring the capacity to 16 million passengers per year.

Airport Mailboxes: Chicago

I just came back from a 3-day flash trip to Washington D.C. for the 50th Anniversary of March on Washington. I had a connection at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on August 27, 2013 on my way to the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

I found a CNN Newsstand store near Gate B6 that had Chicago postcards for sale. Since I had some stamps with me, I decided to post a postcard to myself. There was a USPS mailbox just down the duty free store next door.

The postcard arrived today in Las Vegas bearing a postmark from Carol Stream, IL, a village next to ORD with a population of 40,438 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It was incorporated on January 5, 1959, and named after the developer's daughter.

You can find mailboxes in some other airports at airportmailboxes.com.

Baltimore's Harborplace

I flew into Washington D.C. via Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) earlier today. When I was at the airport. I picked up a postcard showing the USS Constellation at Baltimore's Inner Harbor in Maryland. Baltimore has been one of the major seaports in the United States since the 1700s. It has grown into the cultural center of Baltimore since the 1970s.

The Inner Harbor is home to four historic ships: the USS Constellation, a sloop-of-war from 1854; the USCGC. Taney, a Coast Guard cutter; a WWII-era submarine named the USS Torsk; and a lightship the Chesapeake. 

USS Constellation, shown on the postcard, was the last all-sail ship built by the United States Navy. A sailing ship is usually referred to a wind-powered vessel. Among its early missions are disrupting the slave trade, and delivering famine relief supplies to Ireland.

Minsk National Airport

Minsk-2 Airport

Postcard BY-872058 from Belarus shows the Minsk National Airport (MSQ). Its former name was Minsk-2 so as to be distinguished from the smaller city Minsk-1 Airport in Minsk downtown. It is the main international airport in Belarus, located 42 km or 26 miles to the east of the capital.

The airport construction started in 1977 and the new 3,640 m long and 60 m wide runway was completed in 1979. The airport opened in 1982 with the terminal capacity of 5,8 million passengers per year. The regular flights began in 1983.

From the postmark, the postcard had traveled 120 days before it showed up in my mailbox Saturday.

Ronald Reagon and DCA

Ronald Reagon Washington National Airport (DCA)

Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, passed away 9 years ago on June 5, 2004,  after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. I received a card US-2060886 showing Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that was renamed from Washington National in 1998 to honor the former U.S. President. 

In the same year of 1998, Florida's Turnpike was designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, originally known as the Sunshine State Parkway, by the Florida Legislature. There is a List of Things named after Ronald Reagan on Wikipedia.