New voices at MSP remind you of the rules
Some airports enlist local dignitaries or celebrities to voice the safety and welcome messages passengers hear inside the terminals.
Popular local musicians can be heard at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) reminding travelers not to smoke.
Denver International Airport (DEN) periodically invites the public to vote on which local celebrities will voice the “Train Call” messages passengers here on the train that runs between the concourses and the terminal.
And in the past, passengers traveling on the moving walkways at what is now Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas would hear the voices of headline entertainers such as Phyllis Diller, Dick Clark and Rodney Dangerfield wittily warning them that the moving walkway was ending.
Today, the voices you hear on the overhead operational messages at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) belong to people who spend their work hours at the airport.
For many years MSP had professional announcers record the in-terminal messages. But in 2021 the airport switched to a program that celebrates and taps in-house airport talent. To choose the voices, MSP now hosts the annual Voices of MSP Program, which solicits sample recordings from airport workers. The pool of potential contestants is quite large: MSP is one of the country’s busiest airports and supports more than 86,000 jobs.
To choose the 2022-2023 winners, the Voices of MSP Program opened casting calls in November 2021. A local panel of judges then selected the final 10 winners based on sample recordings. The announcements have already started running and will be heard for the next year.
This year’s winners represent five companies and organizations at the airport: Delta Air Lines, SkyWest Airlines, Marsden Building Maintenance (whose employees are responsible for cleaning more than 3.2 million square feet of MSP), Airport Foundation MSP and the Metropolitan Airport Commission, which operates MSP. And the contest winners have jobs that range from being a chief pilot and a sergeant with the airport police, to customer service agents, a purchasing agent and an arts program coordinator.
The full list of airport employees chosen as the 2022-2023 winners will officially be announced on Monday. But TPG learned that Noah Keesecker and Lykoung Wong are two of the winners whose voices you’ll soon hear in MSP’s terminal lobbies and concourses, at automated exits, inside airport trams, at baggage carousels, along moving walkways and elsewhere.
“I thought it would be exciting to give back and find another way to be part of the airport,” Noah Keesecker, the arts program coordinator for the Airport Foundation MSP said in a statement. “It’s fantastic that I get to vocally welcome people to Terminal 2.” Keesecker’s previous experience includes a small voice acting part in a musical he scored.
Lykoung Wong, a Delta Air Lines service center lead at MSP, had never done any voice work before she auditioned with a co-worker who suggested they both give it a shot.
“I hope my voice brings comfort,” said Wong, whose announcement offers a reminder about liquids, gels and aerosols near the TSA checkpoints. “I want it to be informational, but show that we are here to help get you to your destination safely, while making it an enjoyable experience.”
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.