According to an independent USA Today review of inspection records (link to story here) of nearly 800 restaurants at 10 airports, 42% of 57 restaurants reviewed at Sea-Tac Airport had at least one “critical” violation.

A “critical” violation is one where food items, such as sandwiches, meats or salads, are stored at dangerously warm temperatures, increasing the risk of food-borne illnesses.

According to the report:

A USA TODAY review of inspection records for nearly 800 restaurants at 10 airports found items such as tuna salad and turkey sandwiches stored at dangerously warm temperatures, raw meat contaminating ready-to-eat foods, rat droppings and kitchens lacking soap for workers to wash hands.

Serious violations, which can increase the risk of illness, are common. On the most recent inspections available online, 42% of 57 restaurants reviewed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had at least one “critical” violation. So did 77% of 35 restaurants reviewed at Reagan National Airport.

Grab-and-go coolers often don’t keep sandwiches and salads cold enough to stop dangerous pathogens, reports show.

Our recommendation to avoid possible food sickness at airports? Buy only cooked items, never “grab & go” foods.

Rueben Varghese of the Arlington County, Va., health department, said airport restaurants are similar to others: “Most people dine out all the time and do very well.”

We put a call into the Port of Seattle for comment on this, and here’s a response from their Media Officer Perry Cooper:

The USA Today story left out some very important context. Not to mention, we disagree with the personal recommendation you note.

First off, Sea-Tac Airport and the Port of Seattle require vendors to go through rigorous inspections ABOVE AND BEYOND governmental standards and contractually have to meet additional food safety and facility maintenance inspections. These stiff requirements are not routine at other establishments and are an additional layer of quality assurance for the traveling public here at Sea-Tac. We believe these inspections make food even safer for the public.

Now for the missing context, which comes straight from King County Public Health. The violations noted in the story, and the link to the Public Health website, are in the normal range for all establishments in King County and around the country. The critical violations noted are the type that are rectified “before” an inspector leaves the premises. There are 29 different issues that can be the basis of red critical violations, and even the best establishments have these kinds of violations. These can include issues in the temperatures for keeping hot or cold food and hand-washing practices. Sea-Tac Airport is not out of the ordinary and falls within the trend of food establishments.

No Sea-Tac establishments have ever been closed for food safety or public health concerns.

In addition to Public Health inspections, Sea-Tac concessionaires are contractually required to have minimum quarterly inspections of all equipment to be properly maintained, i.e. fryer, exhaust fans, hot water heaters; inspections for grease accumulation, water leaks; and monthly pest control.

Sea-Tac Airport is confident in the food safety practices of our vendors and continue to monitor their procedures rigorously. Sea-Tac establishments have not received any ‘major’ violations and none have ever been closed in the memory of our staff.

Finally, I would also like to gently object to your opinion on “grab and go” items. If this is a personal preference, that’s up to each individual. However, within a story about food safety to try and link “grab and go” items as potentially unsafe, is a grand generalization and, frankly, not supported by fact. Personally, I eat “grab and go” items frequently for lunch at work, as do thousands of others who work here, and have never experienced anything beyond a satisfying meal. You are correct that if passengers should be wary to buy an item the requires cold and wait too long before eating it, but that’s a generalization for any food, anywhere.

Read the full USA Today story here.

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On Saturday morning (Dec. 19th) at 10am, Sound Transit opened its Link light rail service to SeaTac with lots of ceremony, local dignitaries, curious passengers, and of course, functioning trains that now link the airport to downtown Seattle.

The first 14 miles of light rail opened from downtown Seattle to Tukwila in July. This final segment from Tukwila to SeaTac / Airport Station, built under a close partnership with the Port of Seattle, connects the airport from downtown with 13 stops serving the SeaTac, Tukwila, Rainier Valley, Beacon Hill, SODO to the final stop at Westlake.

“It’s been a heck of a journey, but we delivered on what we promised: light rail from downtown Seattle to the airport in 2009,” said Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chair Greg Nickels. “This opens an entirely new option for travelers and commuters, and represents the first steps of a truly regional network.”

Service on the 1.7-mile extension line kicked off with an inaugural ribbon cutting at the SeaTac / Airport Station before the station and trains opened for regular passenger service at 10am, and Photographer Michael Brunk was there to capture this Photo Slideshow:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

“Opening the doors to Sound Transit’s airport line in time for the holidays is great gift to residents of the Puget Sound region,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. “This new line will provide fast and easy connections to downtown Seattle and a low-cost way to get around. This is just the latest in environmentally friendly transportation that will help ensure our region’s long-term economic growth.”

Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle collaborated on the Airport Link project which included the new light rail station, pedestrian bridges connecting the station to the airport parking garage and a pick-up and drop-off area to the east serving the city of SeaTac. The Port also relocated and upgraded the Airport Expressway and the Return-to-Terminal roadway loop.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome “green” alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

The next light rail extension is scheduled to open in 2016 with service from downtown Seattle to Capitol Hill and the University of Washington. Construction is underway on that segment while Sound Transit plans for 36 more miles of light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Bellevue, Redmond, Mercer Island and Federal Way by 2023.

Link’s normal Saturday schedule will be from 5 a.m. – 1 a.m. with regular fares required. On weekdays, the first train from the airport to downtown will depart at 5:16 a.m. and the last one to downtown will leave at 12:07 a.m. The last train to Mt. Baker Station in the Rainier Valley departs at 12:46 a.m.

More detailed schedule and fare information is here: http://www.soundtransit.org/x11204.xml.

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Thursday morning (Dec. 17th), Sound Transit held a “sneak peek” ride for the press on the section of the Link Light Rail between the Tukwila and Sea-Tac Airport stations (which opens this Saturday), and Photographer Michael Brunk was able to stowaway on board, where he took these pics:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

From Sound Transit’s website:

The extension of the popular light rail service means holiday travelers will have a reliable, one-seat ride between downtown Seattle, the city of SeaTac and the airport, taking only 36 minutes. This new station provides a smooth, green travel option for the 20,000 people who work at the airport and the 30 million who travel in and out of it every year.

The SeaTac/Airport Station is connected to the fourth floor of the airport’s main parking garage. A covered, level walkway separated from the main parking area will lead passengers to the main terminal. Station amenities include boarding pass kiosks, and in the near future, a flight time information display.

The first 13.9 miles of Link opened in July with service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila. Link service runs from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays.

SeaTac/ Airport Station opens just in time for the holidays: Sound Transit is the official transportation sponsor for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes.

For Central Link light rail service info, visit http://www.soundtransit.org/linkschedule

Artworks at the station
The new Sea-Tac Airport Station features four art installations. “Flying Sails,” by artist Werner Klotz, spans the mezzanine and platform levels of the station. The plates feature the names of First Nation tribes from Washington state and cities from around the world that share the latitude or longitude of Seattle.

Other works include Fernanda D’Agostino’s “Celestial Navigation” at the International Blvd. plaza; Christian Moeller’s “Restless” along the International Blvd. pedestrian bridge; and an exhibit on Northwest tribal culture on the mezzanine’s north end. The interpretive exhibit by Pacific Studios showcases a cast concrete canoe, and a display explaining the history of the Native American presence in the Puget Sound region.

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The Port of Seattle alerts us that the north entrance to the Sea-Tac Airport Garage will close overnight for four nights beginning tonight (Monday, Dec. 14) and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 17th.

It will close at approximately 7pm each evening and will reopen each morning at approximately 5am.

The reason for the closure is that contractors will be removing the scaffolding below the pedestrian bridge between the Sound Transit Link Light Station and the Airport Parking Garage.

Link light service to Sea-Tac begins this coming Saturday, Dec. 19th.

During the north entrance closure, vehicles will be detoured via the upper drive (Departures level) to the south entrance of the garage. Rental car returns will be detoured to a temporary access road. Traffic exiting the garage will not be affected. Drivers should watch closely for the temporary directional signs.

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The City of SeaTac will be hosting an Open House from 5pm to 8pm on Monday, Dec. 7th to showcase new plans for downtown development.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Open house to see what the future holds for the city’s downtown, with city leaders including the City Manager and representatives from the Departments of Public Works and Planning. Consultants from KPG (engineers/architects), Heartland, LLC (analysis/project management/development), and Seth Harry & Associates (architect/urban design)

WHEN: Monday, December 7, 2009, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Holiday Inn Conference Center, located at 17338 International Blvd., SeaTac, Wash. 98188

INFO: From a press release:

Help shape the future of your community.

This is your chance to review maps and renderings of the planned downtown and experience the vision for the future of the City of SeaTac.

Talk to city leaders and development experts.

Learn where the project is headed and share your thoughts.

Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail Station will be opening December 19, 2009 at International Blvd. and S. 176th Street is located at the entrance to the envisioned SeaTac Downtown/City Center.

Families are welcome. Refreshments will be available. Free parking will be provided.

For additional information please contact the City of SeaTac at 206-973-4820.

Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is located approximately midway between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. The City of SeaTac is 10 square miles in area and has a population of 25,230. The City of SeaTac is a vibrant community, economically strong, environmentally sensitive, and people-oriented. The City boundaries surround the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, (approximately 3 square miles in area) which is owned and operated by the Port of Seattle.

For more information contact Jeff Robinson, Economic Development Manager, at (206) 973-4812.

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