From The Runway Up: An Airport and Aviation Podcast

Newest Amenity at TYS: A Mamava Pod

From The Runway Up: An Airport and Aviation Podcast

Show Notes

Episode Description

Airports are always striving to offer amenities that will make a passenger’s travel experience more enjoyable and less stressful. McGhee Tyson Airport just opened a new airport amenity for East Tennessee travelers, but more specifically for traveling nursing mothers. This new amenity, a Mamava pod, offers a private area for mothers to breastfeed or pump while inside the airport terminal building. In this episode, we hear from a Mamava executive about the company’s history, their current products, and what ‘mamas’ can expect when utilizing this new airport feature.

Guest in this Episode

Nicci Micco is the Vice President of Marketing for Mamava, the inventor of freestanding lactation pods and the (free) Mamava app, which helps moms find thousands of pumping and breastfeeding-friendly locations—never a bathroom!—on the go.

Mentioned in this Episode

The History of Mamava

2006 Article in the NY Times by Jodi Kantor: “On the Job, Nursing Mothers Find a 2-Class System”

2010: Fair Labor Standards Act created a business case for the company

2013: First pod was placed in the Burlington Airport

Mamava App

Mamava Solo, newest product

Current Statistics: 156 Mamava Pods in 61 airports around the world

Partnership with Medela: New Moms’ Healthy Returns

Travelers and (LGA) Airport Employees leave encouraging notes in the pods for mothers

Music in this Episode

Birdy by KV https://soundcloud.com/kvmusicprod

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/dSCbsObNJo0

The post Newest Amenity at TYS: A Mamava Pod appeared first on From the Runway Up.

More from From The Runway Up: An Airport and Aviation Podcast

Aug 31, 2026

Drones are changing the way industries work—and airports are no exception. In this episode of From the Runway Up, Becky and Caitlin talk with Katie Ryan, an airside operations specialist at the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, about the rapidly evolving world of unmanned aircraft.

Jul 20, 2026

In this episode of From the Runway Up, Becky and Caitlin sit down with Matt Bergwall, Executive Director of the Vision Jet product line at Cirrus Aircraft, to explore why Cirrus has become one of the biggest innovators in personal aviation. The conversation highlights the company's focus on safety, technology, pilot training, and why Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport serves as the headquarters for Cirrus' customer delivery, training, and service operations.

Jun 15, 2026

Join us in this episode as we explore the beauty, history, and community importance of the most visited national park in America—the Great Smoky Mountains. Dana Soehn, president and CEO of Friends of the Smokies, shares insights on the park’s history, visitor experience, and how support from individuals makes a difference.

May 12, 2026

What happens when a major ultra-low-cost airline shuts down? In this episode of The Runway Up, the team sits down with aviation industry analyst Bill Swelbar and Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Vice President of Air Service & Marketing Jim Evans to unpack the closure of Spirit Airlines and what it means for travelers, airports, and the future of affordable air travel.

Mar 23, 2026

In this heartwarming episode of From the Runway Up, Becky and Caitlin explore the powerful intersection of aviation and animal rescue with Michael Schneider, founder of Pilots to the Rescue.

See all episodes →