HALF HOURS EARLY. A STEADY STREAM OF THANKSGIVING TRAVELERS HAVE BEEN COMING THROUGH THE SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SINCE SUNDAY. >> THERE ARE SPOTTERS. LYSEE: LIKE THE COLE FAMILY. THEY FLEW IN FROM SAN DIEGO. EVERYONE EAGERLY AWAITING THEIR LUGGAGE. >> A TEAM EFFORT. AND WE HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR GRANDMA. SHE’S COMING TO PICK US UP TODAY SO YEAH. LYSEE: IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE GRANDMA JOINED THE GROUP TOO. >> HI I DIDN’T SEE YOU GUYS. LYSEE: AFTER THE HUGS IT WAS BACK TO WORK, ROUNDING UP ALL THE BAGS. >> GOOD JOB, GUYS. LYSEE: LUCKILY, FOR THEM THINGS WENT SMOOTHLY DURING THEIR TRAVELS TODAY BUT WE KNOW, THAT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. >> MY RIDE CAN’T GET TO THE AIRPORT BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC. LYSEE: AND THAT’S WHERE FRED SHACK COMES IN. >> EVERYBODY’S STRESSED WHEN THEY TRAVEL SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY GET HERE THEY’RE IN A DIFFERENT MODE. HERE’S THE BUS SCHEDULE. LYSEE: SHACK IS AN AIRPORT AMBASSADOR. >> WE’RE KIND OF A STEAM VALVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT POOR WOMAN. ANYWAY YEAH. LYSEE: HE’S HERE TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE, >> UH, WELL LOCATING THINGS – WHERE PARKING IS, WHERE THE RENTAL CARS IS. THAT’S THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION WE GET IS, WHERE ARE THE RENTAL CARS? LYSEE: HE WASN’T KIDDING. >> HOW DO I GET TO AVIS RENTAL CAR? >> AVIS – OUT DOOR A. LYSEE: SHACK VOLUNTEERS HERE FOR FOUR HOURS, TWICE A MONTH. AND HE’S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2018. SO HE’S PRETTY MUCH GOT THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION DOWN PAT. >> OOH, SO YOU GET ON THE AIRPORT SHUTTLE BUS AND THEY’RE ALL IN ONE BIG BUILDING. LYSEE: HE TRIES TO ANTICIPATE THE QUESTIONS, APPROACHING PEOPLE TO SEE IF THEY NEED ANYTHING. >> AND OF COURSE, I’VE GOT MY BIG SIGN THAT SAYS “ASK ME”, SO YEAH. LYSEE: IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS HOW HE FEELS ABOUT HIS ROLE HERE. >> I’M RETIRED, MOST OF US ARE RETIRED. AND YEAH IT’S VERY FULFILLING. I ENJOY IT A LOT. LYSEE: HAPPY TO HELP ESPECIALLY DURING THE BUSY HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON. >> HAVE A GOOD EVENING
‘Ask me’: Sacramento ‘airport ambassador’ helps travelers during busy holiday season
Updated: 7:29 PM PST Nov 23, 2022
A steady stream of Thanksgiving travelers has been coming through the Sacramento International Airport since Sunday.Officials say 2019, before the pandemic, was the biggest travel year in the airport’s history, and they expect numbers this year to be on par with that.”Everybody’s stressed when they travel, so you have to understand that when they get here they’re in a different mode,” said Fred Shack. As an airport ambassador, that is something Shack has become very familiar with, doing what he can to alleviate that stress.”We’re kind of a steam valve, you know,” he explained.He volunteers at the airport twice a month for four hours. Shack helps people find things, like where parking is, where to go to rent a car or which baggage carousel their luggage will be on. He tries to anticipate what people may need.”I’ll approach them and ask if they need help and, of course, I’ve got my big sign that says, ‘Ask me,'” Shack said, pointing to a big button pinned to the lanyard around his neck. He said he started volunteering as an airport ambassador in 2018.”I’m retired. Most of us are retired and, yeah, it’s very fulfilling. I enjoy it a lot,” Shack said.| Video Below | What to know for Thanksgiving weekend at Sacramento International Airport: Therapy dogs and travel tipsOn top of the usual airport ambassadors, airport staffers volunteer during the holidays to make sure there are extra people on hand to help.”We have people from all areas of the airport either coming to the curb to direct traffic, showing people how to get to shuttles, where to pick up their bags,” said Scott Johnston, the senior public information officer at the airport. He said someone is available from 4 am until midnight around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A steady stream of Thanksgiving travelers has been coming through the Sacramento International Airport since Sunday.
Officials say 2019, before the pandemic, was the biggest travel year in the airport’s history, and they expect numbers this year to be on par with that.
“Everybody’s stressed when they travel, so you have to understand that when they get here they’re in a different mode,” said Fred Shack.
As an airport ambassador, that is something Shack has become very familiar with, doing what he can to alleviate that stress.
“We’re kind of a steam valve, you know,” he explained.
He volunteers at the airport twice a month for four hours. Shack helps people find things, like where parking is, where to go to rent a car or which baggage carousel their luggage will be on. He tries to anticipate what people may need.
“I’ll approach them and ask if they need help and, of course, I’ve got my big sign that says, ‘Ask me,'” Shack said, pointing to a big button pinned to the lanyard around his neck.
He said he started volunteering as an airport ambassador in 2018.
“I’m retired. Most of us are retired and, yeah, it’s very fulfilling. I enjoy it a lot,” Shack said.
| Video Below | What to know for Thanksgiving weekend at Sacramento International Airport: Therapy dogs and travel tips
On top of the usual airport ambassadors, airport staffers volunteer during the holidays to make sure there are extra people on hand to help.
“We have people from all areas of the airport either coming to the curb to direct traffic, showing people how to get to shuttles, where to pick up their bags,” said Scott Johnston, the senior public information officer at the airport.
He said someone is available from 4 am until midnight around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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