Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) President Greg Principato this morning recognized John Infanger, editorial director for Airport Business Magazine, for 25 years of service to the aviation community at the ACI-NA 20^th Annual Conference & Exhibition.

Statement of ACI-NA President Greg Principato:

“For 25 years, John Infanger has covered the airport and aviation industry with intelligence, integrity and energy.  He will, as good journalists do, ask tough questions and hold people accountable using the facts and their own words.  John is thorough and fair, laying out the facts for his readers, shedding light on complex aviation issues.  Whether you are an industry insider or lay person, you will be better informed about airports and aviation after reading John’s work.

ACI-NA is delighted to recognize and celebrate John’s quarter century of covering our industry and to wish him many, many more years of service to his many readers and admirers.”

The plaque presented to Infanger had the following inscription: “In recognition of 25 years as an aviation journalist whose articles continue to be required reading for everyone in the airport industry.”

A consistent theme in her comments was the key role ACI-NA members played in the government affairs activities throughout the year.  In particular, she highlighted the successful efforts of airports, World Business Partners and Associates, commissioners and the media and communications committee in getting Congress to end the FAA shutdown.  She said the organization “lived up” to our moniker:  “The Voice of Airports.”

Riley explained that the battle plan formulated to combat the shutdown ensured that no stone would be left unturned in the effort to get the FAA back up and running.  The plan began with calling on airports across the country to reach out not only to their congressional delegations but to their local media as well, in order to get across the facts about the true impact of the shutdown on airports and their communities.  This put a “face” on the shutdown and it worked as members of Congress told specific stories about their local airports when they spoke on the floor of the House and Senate.

In Washington, the staff worked to ensure the issue remained a focus for Congress as well as for the press.  The strategy on press was twofold:  keep the airports’ story in front of the Washington press by providing insider information on what Congress was doing, due to our strong relationships with the committees and House and Senate leadership offices; and sharing the stories of individual airports.

Social Media played a large part in the plan with ACI-NA tweeting every local airport story they could find on the web, as well as up to the minute congressional action, and statements by members of Congress on the House and Senate floor.  Riley noted the tweeting was particularly effective, as the 14 day shutdown.

She ended her update by noting that the organization is on record in favor of a two year extension because at this point it appears unlikely that Congress can reach agreement on the unresolved issues facing the authorization bill:  National Mediation Board; slots; and authorization levels.

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) has launched a redesign of its website at www.aci-na.org.  The new design is intended to better serve the needs of its airport and associate members by focusing on the most relevant content and providing enhanced functionality with improved navigational aids.

“We’re pleased to introduce the redesigned website, www.aci-na.org, as the definitive resource on airports for our members and stakeholders,” said ACI-NA President Greg Principato.  “The new site better showcases the work of ACI-NA on behalf of our more than 350 North American member airports, which are critically important for commerce and economic development for their local communities and provinces. The new design encourages visitors to learn about ACI-NA’s 17 committees and provides easier access to data, news and available business opportunities in the airport industry,” concluded Principato.

The re-designed home page boasts two new features:

• Call to Action: At the top right of the home page, the site features a ‘call to action’ quote from ACI-NA President Greg Principato which links to a supporting document and a specific call for member action on legislative, regulatory or other industry issues.

• Slide-Show Marquee: The slide-show feature, located just below the navigation bar on the home page, is designed to draw visitors deeper into the website or ACI-NA blogs by highlighting the latest news, blogs and conferences.

Additionally, each committee section now offers a one-stop, all you need home page for each of the 17 ACI-NA Committees. These home pages list the latest committee news and upcoming events including webinars, conference presentations and resource materials.

Other Key Improvements:

• The Communication hub of the home page features quick access to all ACI-NA blogs, social media outlets, news and publications.

• The Education hub of the home page features quick access to upcoming ACI-NA events, ACI’s Global Training, and the most recent presentations.

• The Job and Business Opportunities hub of the home page features quick access to two of the most visited locations of the site, job opportunities and RFP offerings, which is now more prominently displayed at the bottom of the home page.

Representative LoBiondo

For two weeks this summer, Congress engaged in some of the most inexcusable and indefensible grand-standing that I’ve ever witnessed. Due to partisan bickering over unrelated issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was caught in the crossfire. It is incomprehensible as to why Congress has been unable to agree upon a long-term authorization of the FAA since 2007, thus requiring twenty-one extensions. Each of these short-term fixes – some lasting mere weeks – has fostered an uncertainty and fear at the FAA that their operating authority may be abruptly halted, vital programs shuttered and workers furloughed. This fear was realized on July 22^nd with a partial shutdown.

As a result, 4,000 federal FAA employees nationwide were immediately furloughed, with nearly 650 locally at the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township affected. Airport construction projects were shutdown, including those at the Millville and Cape May County airports, impacting approximately 70,000 construction workers nationwide. Countless contractors and subcontractors were issued stop-work orders on the aviation modernization project known as NEXTGEN, threatening the livelihood of their small businesses and progress on the critical initiative.

In South Jersey, twenty-seven such stop-work orders were issued, affecting hundreds of private employees who contract with the FAA. In one case the two week shutdown and lack of revenue proved too burdensome to overcome, thus causing the small business to permanently shutter and its employees laid-off. With more than 9 percent unemployment nationally and double-digit unemployment in much of South Jersey, this shutdown inflicted avoidable cuts against an already wounded economy. Furthermore, it cost the Airport & Airway Trust Fund approximately $400 million in federal airline taxes over the two weeks, thus impacting future FAA projects.

From the beginning, I worked with House Speaker John Boehner, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and my colleagues in the House and Senate to broker a compromise and end the partial shutdown. I pressed upon them the disastrous economic and national security consequences of allowing the work – and livelihoods – of thousands of FAA employees, contractors and subcontractors assigned to NEXTGEN be delayed. Equally threatening to the development and implementation of NEXTGEN across our aviation transportation network is the lack of reliable federal funding. While the economic realities facing our nation call for serious belt-tightening and detailed examination of our budgets, the NEXTGEN project remains a cost-effective investment for taxpayers. What it lacks is a commitment by Congress to provide consistent funding year after year – the type of funding a full four-year FAA authorization bill would provide.

The current FAA extension expires on September 16, thus leaving little time for Congress to consider and complete a full four-year authorization. While another extension will likely be required, this must be the last. We cannot continue this cycle of uncertainty for FAA employees and contractors working on the NEXTGEN project, nor consumers including the airlines who seek a safer, more efficient and more secure aviation network. It is in the nation’s shared interest for Congress to complete a four-year authorization of the FAA; it is in South Jersey’s significant interest to ensure the essential work on NEXTGEN is not further disrupted.

Exactly one month has passed since certainty in our national aviation system was placed into question.  Aviation is a source of pride for our country; especially at OAK where history was made with legendary flights across the Pacific.  In this global economy, the U.S. must continue our legacy as the best aviation system in the world. The efforts to modernize our infrastructure and be competitive in the future will suffer if there is no assurance for the foundation today.  It is important that we transport our operations and infrastructure into the next generation with a plan for funding beyond September 16.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Senator Barbara Boxer have understood firsthand the impact at OAK and called  for short and long-term solution to the FAA Re-authorization. This week,  Senator Boxer was joined by Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Port of Oakland Commission President Pamela Calloway, Executive Director Omar Benjamin,  Port Commissioner Victor Uno and local labor leaders at a press conference at OAK. They refocused attention on the serious impact at OAK and on our nation as a whole.

Construction stopped on a $31 million FAA air traffic control tower. This modern, green facility, which took 10 years to plan and secure funding, will replace two towers that were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. The new 236 foot-tall tower will give air traffic controllers a better view of OAK’s 2,500-acres and will help improve airport efficiency as a consolidated tower operation.

Project delays resulted on Oak’s  Runway Safety Area Enhancements.  This critical program,  requires continued FAA participation, action, and funding to meet required milestone deadlines.  We all know how a single day can make the world of difference when it comes to progressing a safety project.

Stoppages to these projects represent not only delays in the progress of improving our nation’s airports, but loss of jobs for our nation’s economy.  The FAA partial shutdown forced 74,000 workers nationwide off the job. 60 of these were construction workers that were told not to report to work on OAK’s new control tower for two weeks. The Bay Area’s unemployment rate is over 10%. Our region cannot sustain this level of layoffs, whether temporary or permanent.

Recalling these construction workers back to work has been no easy task. Shutting down a project for over two weeks, during prime construction season, is no way to build a $31 million state-of-the-art air traffic control tower. As of last week, the project was operating with 90% of personnel.  Efficiencies were lost as some new workers were brought in and trained. Specialized equipment had been dispatched to other projects.  The project is slowly returning to full momentum. But, at what cost…

The San Francisco Bay Area is the fifth largest air service market in the United States. OAK, which is owned and operated by the Port of Oakland, is an economic engine for the Bay Area and is the airport closest to most Bay Area businesses and residents. OAK creates some 14,000 jobs through our airline and cargo carriers, concessions, and the many major construction projects underway at the airport. It is important that we continue to be a reliable gateway for Bay Area travelers, but also a reliable source for economic impact and jobs creation.

Let’s work together to bring back certainty to our national aviation system. Let’s allow the Aviation Industry to do what the American people need it to do, especially here in the Port-City of Oakland – create jobs and infrastructure critical for our country to be the center of global commerce.

Thanks to the efforts of a great many people, we have averted an extended FAA shutdown through the peak of the construction season.  During the two-week limited FAA operations, Houston faced the immediate cessation of work on our new TRACON facility and an installation project for runway status lights — both key projects.  Once completed, our new TRACON will control air traffic over 16,000 square miles of airspace, handling 900,000 individual aircraft operations.  The state-of-the-art equipment will facilitate implementation of NextGen technologies, further securing Houston’s position as one of the world’s safest, secure and accessible airport destinations.  The new facility is the product of a decade of planning by both the FAA and Congress, and it was very troubling to see the construction site go silent as the shutdown occurred. It’s in the public’s interest for airport infrastructure projects to move forward.

In addition to concerns over ongoing projects and the impact on workers, the considerable uncertainty regarding restoration of full FAA operations gave us grave concerns about the potential impact of a long term shutdown, (including about damage to the aviation trust fund). We are relieved and appreciate the recent action for the extension bill.  I can’t thank our Congressional delegation enough for their stellar support and their efforts to help bring this about, and I’m especially proud and appreciative of Houston Mayor, Annise Parker, for her impressive leadership to secure a resolution.

However, the events that led to the shutdown and what they portend for the future are especially troubling.  Knowing that the contentious issues related to long term FAA authorization remain, we are very concerned that in just a few weeks we may be back to the situation we faced a few weeks ago.  It’s essential that we all keep up communications with our respective Congressional delegations and urge them to make passage of a long term reauthorization bill a top priority when they return to Washington after Labor Day – after all, there will be only a few days remaining before the recently passed extension expires.  Given the advance planning requirements that are a fact of life at airports, we cannot go on functioning efficiently and effectively when funding availability is always in crisis mode.  I hope that all airports will join me and ACI-NA in helping to push through a long term bill when Congress returns.

Achieving that would give us some short term relief and some breathing room.  It’s clear a new world order has arrived. We’d better start dealing with the current and future realities.  Most importantly, airports need to start taking greater charge of their own financial destinies, in recognition that whatever happens in Congress, we cannot assume that adequate federal funding will be available.  The writing is on the wall; if anyone needed further evidence of that, the recent downgrade of the United States’ credit provides certain proof.

Where do we go from here?  How do we achieve true self-sustainability?  It won’t happen overnight. We need to start planning for it now.   It’s essential that everyone understands and appreciates the critical role that airports play in the local, regional, national and international economies.

In Houston, our three airports are responsible for nearly 231,000 jobs and have an economic impact on our region of $27 billion.  But how often do you hear a (non-airport) person talk about how much they appreciate the opportunities that airports create?  Overall, airlines have done a better job than have airports in helping people understand the value they create – want to visit the Caribbean for some R&R? XYZ airline will take you there. Want that package there overnight?  XYZ express carrier will have it delivered in the morning.  But those trips could not take place without the extraordinary facilities that airports (and our terrific employees) provide – and those facilities also create jobs, help send construction workers home with paychecks, support small businesses, and send ripples of economic benefits locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

In Houston, our airports are truly a gateway to the world for passengers, shippers and the global business marketplace – from just IAH alone nearly 175 international and domestic destinations are reachable nonstop – the options available are extraordinary.  Our metropolitan area is so large that if it were a state it would rank as the nation’s 19^th largest. Houston’s region’s GDP is larger than that of 85 percent of the world’s countries.  It’s in significant part because we are a dynamic global gateway that Houston and Texas are leading the nation’s economic recovery.  As the fastest growing metro area, we are blessed with the nation’s largest employment gains; the highest retail employment growth since the recession; more manufacturing jobs; and the highest level of entrepreneurial activity. We’re located at the heart of a state that ranks #1 in multiple economic indicators, including most new jobs, the largest increase in population, and the strongest economy.  Our airports are essential players in enabling the global reach of our community and in these strong economic indicators.

And, large or small, to a degree every airport in the country also serves as that essential gateway to the world. It’s time we spread that message and enhanced the overall understanding of just how critical airports are to the health and growth of our communities and our economies.  Houston is here to support all other gateways as the largest hub for the largest airline in the world and our nation’s airports depend on each other to connect the traveling public.

America needs to start looking differently at the degree of allowing airports to control their own funding.  Airports have long labored under burdensome restrictions that hinder our ability to achieve true financial self-sufficiency.  We all understand the need for certain restrictions, and of course safety must always be paramount.  If future federal funding is severely limited; we need to have the tools to have more local control over our own affairs.  We need to preserve the aviation trust fund and ensure that it is used effectively.  We need to revisit the fundamentals of our relationships with the federal government.  We need to forge new partnerships with our airline colleagues and our investors and contractors.  We need to restructure and enhance our options on airport privatization, and create a new vision that fits into and benefits from our new world order.  Our nation is in crisis and our airports have a key role to play in jump-starting the recovery.  For that we’ll need an effective Congress, a robust FAA, long term reauthorization, and plenty of creativity on the part of airports.

Let’s all work hard in the coming weeks to get long term reauthorization addressed effectively and quickly, and let’s also start devoting our energies to a new airport vision for the future.

It’s with great sadness and a heavy heart to report to you that ACI-NA Commissioners Committee Vice-Chair, Charlie Lombardo, passed away unexpectedly this past week at his home in Burbank, California.

As many of us know, Charlie was an incredible advocate for the Bob Hope Airport and served as both a Commissioner and Board Chair, representing the city of Burbank, for the Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport Authority for nearly 13 years.

Charlie was also an instrumental member of the ACI-NA Commissioners Committee and Executive Committee leadership team.  As such, he was expected to take over as the incoming Committee Chair during the upcoming ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.

Charlie’s work with the airport authority was highlighted in yesterday’s Glendale News-Press.

I had the privilege to work with Charlie on many occasions.  In fact, just last week we talked over the phone about his on-going work to identify potential sponsors to support the ACI-NA Commissioners Scholarship Fund; a cause that he was extremely passionate about.  Charlie was also excited to work with ACI-NA in hosting next year’s Airport Board Members & Commissioners Conference in Pasadena, California.

His personality was filled with humor and a passion for living life to the fullest.  I am forever grateful to have met and worked with him while at ACI-NA.

Thank you Charlie…here’s to you!

Brad Penrod, Executive Director/CEO

The impact on PIT of the FAA shutdown was the postponement of the rehabilitation of RWY 10C-28C that was estimated at $8.4 million.  This project, which included improvements and suggestions from many sectors of the aviation community, FAA, flight crews, Airport Authority Maintenance, Engineering and Operations professionals, was agreed by all, including the airlines, to be the critical project for the year.

For an $8.4 million project, estimated to last six months, and assuming an “average” salary of all direct and indirect labor involved, including all overhead and benefits of $80K or $40K for 6 months, means $8.4MM / $40K = 210 jobs or  approximately 100 direct jobs and 100 indirect jobs were potentially impacted by the delay or possible cancellation of the project.

At the Allegheny County Airport, there is a significant corporate tenant that was scheduled to start a multi-million dollar renovation to their hangar, which has some historic significance to the airport.  The FAA had received the required documentation requesting the work be approved, but due to the shutdown the FAA review was unable to proceed as planned, thus costing delays and the loss of approximately 50 construction jobs.

We would be so happy to have the freedom to run the business of airports like business, along with the required funding that is reviewed on an annual basis with the carriers.  Maybe our Canadian friends have it right!

Oh well, I guess we can always issue new debt…

Brett, Nancy and Greg.

Last week was Greg’s birthday. The exact date I’m sure of, but how old he is I’m not. I know if I were to ask him he would easily and gladly share that information. That is the kind of guy Greg is. He is open, honest and most of all – passionate about standing up for airports and ensuring that federal legislation and regulations are not over-reaching and burdensome.

Just last week, Greg spoke at the ACI-NA Airport Economics and  Human Capital Conference in Phoenix and was quite clear on where he stood.  “That is why it is so frustrating that the U.S. government joins with airlines to keep a boot on the neck of the airport economic engine.   Make no mistake:  by Washington joining with the airlines to limit the ability of airports in this country to provide for the transportation needs of the community, a very large boot is being placed on the neck of economic growth in this part of the world,” Greg said to the attendees gathered in Phoenix. “It is ironic that this is occurring at the very time when governments and airlines and airports in other parts of the world have figured out that this is exactly the wrong thing to do, have adjusted course, and are charting exciting futures of commerce and growth for themselves.”

Clearly the man doesn’t mince words. He’s the kind of guy you want on your side and the leader you would pick for your team. So raise your glasses and join me in toasting Greg. For he is a jolly good fellow  . . . and that nobody can deny. Slainte!

ACI-NA on Tuesday recognized Vancouver International Airport as the Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence winner in the 2010 Airport Concessions Contest. Dick Dickson, chairman of The Paradies Shop, was also recognized as ACI-NA’s Concessions “Person of the Year.”

ACI-NA President Greg Principato and ACI-NA Chief Financial Officer Brett McAllister present the 2010 Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence in Concession Management to Sue Stiene, director of retail and passenger services at Vancouver International Airport. The presentation was made Tuesday in Phoenix at the ACI-NA Airport Concessions Conference.

Vancouver’s concession program offers its customers 167 shops, services and restaurants. It consists of a series of 10 zoned streets and plazas that showcase regional areas of British Columbia. Artwork, water-features, aquariums, and unique interior design and architecture all work together to create mini “town squares” around which food and beverage are focused.

“Now in our thirteenth year of holding the Richard A. Griesbach Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest, ACI-NA congratulates Vancouver as this year’s overall award of excellence winner,” said ACI-NA President Greg Principato. “These award-winning entries help promote the innovative spirit within the airport concessions industry as well as showcase the best programs in North America.”

Under Dick Dickson’s leadership for the last six years, Paradies Shops has been honored with awards for achievement and distinction, including the American Minority Advisory Council’s (AMAC) “Business Partner Award” for the company’s progressive Disadvantaged Business Enterprise partnership plan. Dickson places a high priority on being the best in business and has provided a solid foundation that allows the company to achieve success year after year.

“We are proud to honor Dick Dickson as this year’s ACI-NA Concessions ‘Person of the Year’,” said Principato. “Dick’s tenacity and commitment not only to The Paradies Shop but to the overall airport retail industry serves as an inspiration to his colleagues as well as those under his leadership.”

The awards were announced during the 2010 ACI-NA Airport Concessions Conference in Phoenix, at which more than 300 representatives of the North American airport concessions industry are in attendance. The purpose of the ACI-NA Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest is to inspire creativity in the industry and to recognize innovative and outstanding airport concessions.  These awards help to demonstrate the growing importance of concessions to the total airport experience for passengers.

This year’s contest received 140 nominations from airports of all sizes throughout the U.S. and Canada. In addition to the Griesbach award, 21 other awards were presented in the following categories.

List of winners.

With the June 25 deadline for entries to this year’s Excellence in Marketing and Communications Contest quickly approaching, a past winner spoke Tuesday, June 8, about her airport’s successful campaign.

During the 2010 ACI-NA Marketing and Communications Conference Traci Bednard, Edmonton International Airport’s vice president of communications and passenger experience, said the “We’ll Move You” brand was the product of a five-year strategic plan for redevelopment.

“It’s not about a logo switch, but a long-term process that requires considerable investment,” she said of the campaign, which Edmonton believes led to recent growth at the airport.

Bednard said winning the honorable Peggy G. Hereford Award in both 2008 and 2009 served to justify the  campaign; providing evidence that the airport’s efforts were worthwhile.

Her advice to future applicants? “Have the entry form in front of you as you develop your campaign,” she said.

For more information on Edmonton’s marketing campaigns visit www.flyeia.com. To submit entries online for this year’s Excellence in Marketing and Communications Contest visit http://public.aci-na.org/comm2010/

Posted on 04/30/2010 on CAK Blog Port

I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel with Benet Wilson, Biz Aviation editor at Aviation Week (and oh so much more) and Morgan Johnson, social media guru at jetBlue Airlines at the ACI-NA Technology Conference in Orlando this past Wednesday.

Now, I’ve been on what seem like a gazillion social media panels since we started blogging, tweeting, FBing, Flickring and YouTubing but this ranks as one of my all time favorites. Benet is an uber-social, super cool journalist who is clearly on top of all things aviation. Morgan shared some very cool examples of how they have used social media to help solve customer problems and to respond to a crisis (like that big snow storm around Valentine’s Day 2007- poor dears).

What was even cooler was that the IT managers in the audience were very engaged in the topic and genuinely interested in supporting their respective airports marketing and communications departments get more involved in social media. Sometimes IT and Marketing don’t see eye-to-eye on issues like access to social networking sites and legal issues. This group, however, really seemed to get it.

I learned a couple of things too:

Social media isn’t a perfect fit for every company, airport or outfit

1. Airlines with massive followers and fans cannot possibly be expected to answer every call for help immediately but they can get a team assembled to address most issues quickly and effectively.
2. Benet is even cooler than I thought originally…and that’s saying a lot…because I’ve always held her in high esteem. Follow her tweets @AvWeekBenet, if you are an aviation fanatic like me.

ACI-NA has good news! This year, the contest is going online. This means more judges, no expensive postage, and no big boxes and poster boards. Click here for more information on how to submit your entry. The online system will be up and running April 30, 2010, and will be available on ACI-NA’s ‘Awards’ web page.

Since its inception in 1990, the Excellence in Airport Marketing & Communications Contest allows ACI-NA to recognize the quality of work, abundance of talent, and creativity within the marketing and communications field of the airport industry. The contest is sponsored by the ACI-NA Communications and Marketing Committee and includes a variety of categories including web site design, annual reports, newsletters, advertising campaigns, special event planning and more.

A major component of the contest is the judges’ selection of the recipient of the Peggy G. Hereford Excellence in Communications Award. This award symbolizes overall achievement in an airport’s marketing and public relations program, honoring the creativity and effectiveness of the airport’s staff.

Click here to view past winners.

Submissions MUST be submitted by close of business on Friday, June 25, 2010.  Winning entries will be announced in August and recognized at the 19th ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Pittsburgh, PA, Sept. 29, 2010, and will also be featured at future marketing and communications meetings.

Click here for more information. We look forward to your participation!

According to a recent ACI-NA survey on social media efforts at airports, more than 2/3 of airport respondents (64.2%) have a Facebook page. About 60% of respondents are using Twitter to ‘tweet’ their airport news and events, and about 42% are utilizing YouTube to post video clips of various airport events and services.

When asked why, 95.1% indicated that the No. 1 reason to implement social media tools is to help the airport communicate with their communities better. The second and third reasons were to enhance customer service and gain media exposure. The majority of responding airports (51.4%) have found these methods to be helpful in achieving these goals.

As these tools continue to permeate the marketing and communications scene, stay tuned for more information from ACI-NA on the latest social media trends at airports throughout North America. In the meantime, check out ACI-NA’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, and peruse Centerlines Blog and Greg’s Blog.

-Victoria Houghton, Sr. Mgr., Communications & Marketing

ACI-NA outlined its recent efforts to press Congress for increased funding for additional CBP officers to reduce passenger lines and expand hours of coverage at airports and to require CBP to share more information on how it allocates CBP officers.  Attendees also learned about ACI-NA efforts to eliminate the re-screening of connecting baggage from Canada, which would reduce passenger connecting times, decrease the number of misconnected bags and improve the use of TSA personnel.

Participants agreed on need for airports and their business and tourism partners to promote the benefits of the Global Entry program.  Global Entry allows U.S. citizens who have been vetted and approved by CBP to bypass lines at the CBP counters by using Global Entry.  Increasing the number of Global Entry passengers also would allow CBP officers to process other passengers more efficiently.

The Committee was briefed about the challenges confronted by user fee airports in dealing with CBP.  User fee airports have small international passenger volumes and are required to enter into contracts with CBP requiring the airports to pay for the CBP officers and services.  ACI-NA is considering hosting a webinar for user fee airports.

– Diane Peterson