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MSP Airport Teams Up With the American Heart Association to Offer Travelers a First-of-Its-Kind Airport Walking Program

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 August 2007, 15:14 CDT

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) today announced it has teamed up with the American Heart Association to bring its nationwide Start! Walking program to MSP. This unique program offers travelers a fun way to stay fit while traveling through MSP, the only airport to offer the program.

Today's 10 a.m. kick off event included an inaugural walk around the 1.4-mile Start! Walking route at MSP's Lindbergh Terminal. The route is marked on overhead way-finding signs with circular green mileage markers for travelers to keep track of their progress. Walkers travel a square circuit that begins near Gate C1, they then proceed down the C concourse, cross the Concourse Skyway Connector, travel down Concourse G, and stroll through the main shopping and dining corridor -- a perfect 20- to 40-minute walk between flights.

"The program aims to encourage travelers to stretch their legs and engage in healthy exercise between flights," said Jack Lanners, chairman of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP. "By working with the American Heart Association to bring the Start! program to MSP, we are providing another option travelers can consider to make the most of their time at the airport."

Just in case you need a little extra incentive to start walking, MSP officials and Northwest Airlines also announced the start of a passenger walking contest that runs today through September 17. The grand prize is a round-trip ticket anywhere Northwest Airlines flies in the continental United States. To participate, passengers simply bring their boarding pass to the Travelers Assistance office located near the entrance to Concourses C and D, register for the contest, pick up a pedometer, walk as much of the terminal as possible that day and then return the pedometer to the same location to have their steps recorded. Each time they visit MSP over the four-week period participants can pick up a pedometer and add to their total. The traveler with the most recorded steps at the end of the contest wins.

For more information, passengers can stop by any information booth at the Lindbergh Terminal and pick up a contest flyer or Start! brochure.

The American Heart Association's Start! campaign strives to get Americans walking, active and healthy. With most adults spending the majority of their time in sedentary jobs and with increasing health care costs, the Association has targeted corporate America to lead the way in creating and encouraging wellness programs for employees.

Source: Business Wire

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