Elise Jordan

FedEx economists see a two-speed world with emerging markets such as China, India, Brazil and Mexico leading global economic growth, and the developed world in the form of the U.S., Europe and Japan in slower growth mode for some time. The global economy “is in a soft patch” currently with uncertain markets and dampened consumer sentiments driven by the debt crises in the U.S. and Europe and geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. According to Jordan, FedEx expects calendar year 2012 U.S. gross domestic product growth to be slightly below the blue chip consensus of 2.3 percent, and calendar year 2013 below the consensus 2.6 percent.

The air cargo industry is expected to grow faster than world trade and global GDP, driven to a large extent by the increase in high value-added goods, just-in-time inventory practices and the growth of electronic commerce.  In 1970, 10 percent of U.S. GDP was related to international trade. Today, it’s about 25 percent and growing. International air cargo accounts for only about 2 percent of the tonnage moved, but over 40 percent of the value.

FedEx continues to pursue growth opportunities in international service, which is the fastest growing component of the company’s overall revenue base. In this process, the company also strives to be flexible and nimble enough to respond to the ups and downs of the world economy in an organized and appropriate manner.

Looking forward, Jordan sees fuel, infrastructure, and sustainability among the many critical issues facing airlines and airports today.  Greater access and connectivity, safer operations, fewer delays, lower costs, greater fuel efficiency and reduced carbon footprints, cannot be optimized without significant improvements to the nation’s aviation infrastructure in the very near future.

Terminal 3 utilizes common use practices and technology to offer passengers efficient no-hassle travel.  Technology in the new terminal offers the capability to check in at a kiosk, self tag their luggage and even self board.  Since Terminal 3 will house McCarran’s international gates, a great deal of thought has gone into ensuring an easy trip from the gate to Customs and Border Protection. The terminal also relies on dynamic sign capability for communicating with passengers from the curb and throughout the terminal that will allow the airport to make quick changes thus adding to the flexibility of the terminal’s facilities.

From an environmental prospective, Terminal 3 is equipped with some of the best advances for energy and emissions savings available to airports today.  From use of solar energy, to the newest air exchange systems and control systems that help regulate energy use, Terminal 3 has instituted many of the best practices and advancements talked about during the Environmental conference.

The terminal will open in three separate phases, first welcoming international travelers at the end of June, then domestic passengers in July and full integration with the carriers in August.  For aviation and airport enthusiasts, Terminal 3 is going to be one destination you won’t want to miss.  However, it’s the millions of tourists that visit Las Vegas every year and the Las Vegas residents that will gain the most from this state-of-the-art facility in the years to come.

Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), today delivered the welcome address at the 2012 Airport Cities World Conference & Exhibition in Denver. The Airport Cities World Conference, now in its tenth year, is slated to bring together more than 800 airport delegates from 30 countries during the 2-day conference.

In his speech, Principato shared the highlights of ACI-NA’s recent economic impact study which found that U.S. airports are responsible for $1.2 trillion of economic activity and 10.5 million jobs. He emphasized, “Beyond what we can measure, the power of the United States as a 21st century economic power would simply be impossible without aviation and airports. But we are in danger, in this country, of taking that for granted.”

He went on to explain that the current aviation financing system is outdated and we are in need of a modern system for financing needed infrastructure. Referring to the recently passed FAA Reauthorization bill, Principato noted it “…not only keeps the lid on airports, but reduces federal support for infrastructure investment without providing recourse to airports and their communities to take their growth plans into their own hands.”

Principato laid out a challenge to the aviation community near the end of his remarks.  “Over the next three years we are prepared to work with airlines and others to construct a new modern system to build and upgrade infrastructure.  A system that gives airports and their communities the ability they need to invest in modern infrastructure, a system that permits our air transportation system, and the companies within it, to flourish, a system that positions our nation as a key linchpin in the global economy throughout the 21st century and beyond.”

“In short, we are talking about the need for a comprehensive aviation policy that addresses the needs of airlines, aviation infrastructure and airports,” Principato reiterated.

View Greg Principato’s full remarks at the 2012 Airport Cities World Conference & Exhibition.

But at the same time for many of us, the meeting was bittersweet because Charlie Lombardo, former airport commissioner from Burbank was not here. Charlie, who passed away suddenly last year, was a tireless advocate for his community and had long lobbied to bring the Commissioners meeting to his home airport. Even though not physically here, he was certainly in our memories and in our hearts.

An annual speaker at this conference is Kate Lang, FAA Deputy Associate Administration for Airports.  Lang is well respected and well-liked by the commissioners as they appreciate her candor and her passion for airports.  I know the airport board members and commissioners also appreciated her noting their contribution to the success of airports, stating “You are a crucial influence in your community” and “Thank you to the men and women who are the backbone of aviation development in this country.”

Lang spent a lot of time discussing the recently enacted FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which she termed “settling the family business” and ending “four-and-a-half-years of fits and starts of FAA programs.”  She highlighted the bill’s mandate that airports file emergency contingency plans with the Department of Transportation and called out ACI-NA’s Chris Oswald for his industry leadership on this issue, especially on data sharing; a key element for the success of integrating airport and airline plays.  Lang also highlighted the six workshops that ACRP is funding over the next few months, following publication of “The Guidebook For Irregular Operations (IROPS) Contingency Planning” in March. (Following Lang’s presentation at the conference, Stephanie Ward of Mead & Hunt discussed the handbook and provided the schedule for the workshops.)

Lang stressed “the AIP level is robust in an environment where agencies all over the federal government taking enormous cuts”.  (AIP’s annual authorization was cut to $3.315 billion through fiscal year 2015.) It is expected that the reductions will come from the discretionary account – resulting in a decline of about 20 percent on new start projects. “It is a flesh wound while others lost their heads,” she emphasized.

The good news is that “for the first time in almost five years we will administer only one AIP program and will be able to do multi-year grants”.  Everyone in the room remembered the difficulties from 23 extensions, forcing grants to be parceled out in small amounts disrupting construction of needed projects at airports throughout the United States. Lang made everyone smile when she said “we have the money right now” to help airports in those areas with a constrained construction season.

She also listed some other “good news” from the FAA bill including increasing the number of general aviation airports in the Military Airport Program from one to three. Additionally that small hubs with a passenger facility charge that transition to medium hub status would have a two-year buffer period before they have to forego a portion of their AIP grants. This was a provision that ACI-NA had both developed and championed and we agree it is of great importance to our smaller members.

Lang concluded her remarks by noting that “the bill that gives a steady course – so now we can focus on the opportunities and challenges ahead.” She provided some details from FAA’s 2012 Forecast including, no surprise to anyone, that large airports will continue to grow at a faster pace than smaller ones.  But potential issues of concern to the entire aviation community include the slow pace of the economic recovery, higher fuel prices, industry consolidation – which could result in less competition and higher fares, environmental concerns, and general uncertainty about taxes and the federal budget.

She also told conference attendees that in the recent Senate Appropriations Committee markup most FAA programs took  a cut except AIP.  ACI-NA lobbied hard to keep AIP at the maximum level allowed by law and we agree with Lang that this funding level shows the congressional confidence in this program as well as an appreciation of its importance for airports throughout the United States.

Lang concluded by noting that while aviation “is a volatile, cyclical industry,” making the “outlook pretty hard to call,” FAA is asking some important questions so the agency can be prepared for the future. These questions include:

• How do we take safety to the next level in considering the wide range of airports? (Under the safety management system rulemaking FAA will have to balance economic reality and safety.)
• How can FAA assist airports in raising non-aeronautical revenue?
• How do we adjust rates and charges policy to increase the toolbox for incentives to promote expanding air service?  (The recent Las Vegas air service incentive program is a good example of creativity.)
• How do we harness NextGen to make better use of existing airport infrastructure?
• How can NextGen technology make airports safer and better neighbors?
• How can FAA adjust our planning tools and environmental models to take into account the changes that come with stretching out airport construction projects?
• How can we encourage airports to adopt new technologies and use alternative fuels?
• How do we ensure airports of all sizes have the infrastructure they need to serve their communities?
• How do we improve the connectivity and synergies of various modes of transportation?

Perhaps these will be the subjects of Lang’s speech next year at the 2013 Airport Board Members & Commissioners Conference hosted by the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport?

Brueckner was a proponent for consolidation, emphasizing that mergers are designed to increase profits; airline profits are critical for “the economic part” of sustainability for the aviation industry. He also argued that mergers and alliances are good for consumers and cited research on fares following the Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines merger, which showed increases of only about 5 percent.  He concluded his remarks by noting that the beneficial effects of mergers exceed the downsides of consolidation.

ALPA’s Wykoff noted that the airline industry had moved from struggling for survival to finding a system that is economically sustainable and allows effective competition. Capacity discipline is a key part of that strategy but he stated there is still more capacity that what is needed for the predicted increase in travel. In what seemed to me a U.S-centric presentation, Wykoff expressed concern about threats to economic stability from the large orders from Middle East airlines, which could lead to “capacity dumping,” the policies of “federal credit agencies,” and state airline subsidies.

A4A’s Pinkerton stressed that governments “should let (airline) consolidation happen,” especially since other components of the aviation supply chain (GDSs, engine manufacturers, caterers) have been permitted to merge, with the result being increased economic stability. She conceded that while some airports have been negatively affected by consolidation, “generally airports have benefited”, noting that all airports enjoy investment grade credit ratings.  Only one airline has such a rating.

Houston’s Wadsworth emphasized that the airline and airport communities have different goals, which can mean a different perspective on mergers.  Airlines, as private businesses, want to expand their network breath, increase their market power and eliminate redundancies.  Airports seek to grow air service, create competition to lower airfares and grow the market, diversify the airline customer base and support long term investment in infrastructure. He noted that it should be no surprise that Los Angeles Airport has the highest credit rating in part because it has no single dominant airline.

For Houston, which operates George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport (as well as Ellington Airport), the United/Continental merger resulted in Bush Intercontinental changing from one of three hubs to one of eight hubs. While that adds challenges in terms of growing air service in general, the impact is most felt in the international area, especially for adding service to Asia which has been a focus of the Houston Airports System.

Wadsworth stressed that airline concentration is a threat to individual airports, especially those that recognize their long term future depends on growing international air service.  In this environment, airports need to be creative in meeting the economic and air service needs of their communities and aggressive in seeking new airline service.  Therefore, it should be no surprise that the Houston Airports System so strongly supports the proposed international service from Hobby by the merged Southwest Airlines/AirTran Airways. This competition will mean lower fares and economic growth for the Houston area.

The decision is now up to the 17-member Houston City Council.

Airports were well represented at the symposium, with the Montreal-based ACI World staff not only interacting with ICAO staff and the delegates but also promoting the benefits of membership and participation in the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program.  Kudos to Dr. Rafeal Echevarne, ACI World’s Director of Economics and Programme Development, for putting together a great “one-pager” on “The Airport Business” which, along with ACI’s Quarterly Traffic Bulletin (Q4 2011), was included in materials distributed to all attendees. It was great to see “airport propaganda” in addition to the usual airline propaganda you always receive at these meetings.

ACI World Director General Angela Gittens did a fabulous job at the opening session. She joined ICAO Secretary Raymond Benjamin, IATA President & CEO Tony Tyler, Civil Air Navigational Services Organization Director ICAO Affairs Eugene Hoeven, and United Nations World Tourism Organization Representative Chris Lyle to set the stage for issues to be discussed during the symposium. Angela emphasized that governments throughout the world need “to give aviation permission to grow”, noting that local restrictions have led to operational restrictions at many airports. She stressed that airports focus on noise, emissions and water quality because these issues can prevent the construction of critical infrastructure.  ACI has identified at least $130 billion in planned airport expenditures over the next three years – a figure that is likely understated given incomplete data for infrastructure projects in China and the Middle East.

The overall tone of the opening discussion was very collegial – as you would expect at an international diplomatic gathering.  But Tony Tyler, in listing what IATA feels needs to be done for sustained airline profitability, advocated “regulation of monopoly providers”.  This is IATA’s euphemism for more regulation on airports and air navigation services providers.  Angela subtly responded to the remark, emphasizing that the majority of airports operate at a financial loss but their communities depend on them for growth and connectivity to the global economy. She also made the point that aviation is a system and ICAO should not favor one sector over the other; and that no sector can be ignored.

Ian Wadsworth, Chief Commercial Officer, Houston Airports System, represented airports on the Mergers, Alliances and Consolidation panel on Wednesday afternoon.  Joining him were Professor Jan Brueckner, University of California; Don Wykoff, International Federation of Air Lines Pilots’ Associations; and Sharon Pinkerton, Airlines For America.  More on that session in another blog.

In acknowledgment of the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, Airports Council International-North America celebrated airport operators across the United States and Canada who are going above and beyond regulatory requirements to proactively reduce airport environmental impacts while maintaining their position of powerful economic engines in the local community.

“Aviation is the most environmentally effective and efficient way to move people and goods over distances. This Earth Day I am pleased to salute the environmental achievements of ACI-NA’s members that are working to improve that record by reducing airports’ environmental impacts,” said ACI-NA President Greg Principato.

“I am amazed at the innovations airports have adopted in the areas of energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling and alternative energy,” said Principato.  “Their forward-looking approach to infrastructure enhancement and environmental management ensure that airports can continue to meet the environmental as well as economic needs of their communities in a sustainable manner,” Principato concluded.

For a list of airport environmental achievements and initiatives over the last year, please click here.

Congress returned to D.C. this week after a two-week break but House members won’t have much time to settle back in as they start a two-weeks-in-one-week-off schedule for the next two-and-a-half months before moving to a four-day/week for four weeks in July with five weeks off in August.  They come back to work for a total of 13 days in September and October combined. Nice work if you can get it.

Another One Bites the Dust:  While Congress was out, yet another House member, New York Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), announced his retirement only a few days after his campaign announced he’d submitted his petitions in order to get on the ballot.  Towns becomes the 25th member of the House to send out a retirement press release and when combined with the 12 members running for Senate, three who have lost primaries (so far), three running for other offices, six resignations and one death, the House now has 50 members who won’t be back.  And there are still plenty of primaries left including several pitting member-against-member.  So there will be a number of unfamiliar faces roaming the hallways of the House at the start of the 113th Congress; the only question is how many?

Deadlines Are for Missing: Federal law requires Congress to have completed work on the federal budget by April 15:  another deadline missed.  The House should be given points for having at passed their budget.  In a move that has left me more than a bit puzzled, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) introduced his budget proposal on April 17 and announced his plans to mark up the proposal this month. This doesn’t appear to have fazed Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.),  who earlier this year announced he had no intention of considering a budget resolution.  Nor does it mean a great deal considering the Senate Appropriations Committee has already set its 302(b) allocations, which determine how much money each subcommittee has to play with; and which the budget resolution historically used to set.  And, of course, there is no reason for the House to consider another budget since they’ve passed theirs and moving forward with their appropriations process.

If you and I missed that other magical April deadline (Taxman) we’d face a penalty.  Congress, on the other hand, continues to regularly violate the April 15 deadline for having agreed to a concurrent budget resolution and the Oct. 1 deadline for passing appropriations bills, leaving the American public to pay the penalty.  This year the penalty could be especially hefty given the fact that Congress punted the deficit problem to January 2013 when automatic across-the-board cuts, also known as sequestration, will take effect if Congress fails to make the cuts necessary to meet the deficit level it set last year.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back:  There are a few members who appear to be interested in changing the chaos that is Congress and restoring ‘regular order’.  Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) have introduced legislation known as ‘No Budget, No Pay’ in their respective chambers.  This legislation would make it illegal for members of Congress to be paid after the beginning of the next fiscal year (Oct. 1) unless Congress had approved a concurrent budget resolution and passed all the regular appropriations bills.  It also prohibits Congress from retroactively restoring its own pay.  The Senate bill has 10 cosponsors and the House has 43.  Not exactly a huge endorsement, but perhaps a small step toward restoring some sanity to the process.

This week, the Eno Transportation Foundation held an event at the Bipartisan Policy Center to release their report titled “NextGen:  Aligning Costs, Benefits and Political Leadership”.  The event was attended by many representatives of the aviation industry, as well as a number of former Department of Transportation Secretaries and FAA Administrators, all of whom expressed their support for expediting NextGen implementation.

The Eno report discusses NextGen benefits, including those to commercial aviation and general aviation.  It quantifies potential fuel savings, delay costs saving, and safety benefits.  The report also discusses the costs associated with NextGen implementation, including infrastructure costs such as those costs associated with installing ADS-B, communications equipment, and computer systems associated with En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM).  In addition to the infrastructure costs, the report details equipage costs for both commercial and general aviation and explains that if commercial and general aviation fleets do not equip their aircraft then the real benefits to NextGen will not be realized.

Finally, the report details the funding issues with NextGen and describes some potential options for both lawmakers and industry stakeholders to consider.  The report notes that NextGen is currently funded out of the airport and airway trust fund (AATF).  As airports know very well, the AATF has had to rely on larger contributions from the general fund in recent years than ever before, and while the current FAA Reauthorization bill has authorized NextGen funding at $2.7 billion for the next four years, NextGen is still subject to annual appropriations which causes instability in trying to move forward with funding NextGen infrastructure.   The report points out that there is no funding mechanism that is directly linked to NextGen, and explores several funding options that could be available for NextGen— pointing out that the industry must consider whether these options are politically feasible— and that any revenue source for NextGen must be practical in the current political environment.  The report explores the potential for NextGen to be funded by:  applying the ticket tax to baggage fees; increasing the jet fuel tax; increasing the ticket tax; a separate NextGen user fee; funding NextGen through general tax funds; and privatization of air traffic control.

A panel of representatives from various government and aviation stakeholders discussed the report’s findings as well as how the political landscape impacts NextGen funding and implementation.  The panel agreed that there needs to be a focus on how the entire system is funded and how the benefits of the system should be tied to the costs of the system.

As the panel discussion was winding down, former DOT Secretary Norm Mineta, who was there listening to the discussion, stood up and expressed his frustration with the current political leadership.  He stated that he believes there is no real political leadership on transportation issues.  He went on to say that “transportation has become a ho-hum subject” and that our politicians need to see that “other countries are not taking their foot off the pedal when it comes to infrastructure investment”.  He expressed his concern over the fact that the American public no longer understands the difference between spending for investment and spending for consumption.  He concluded by urging the aviation and transportation stakeholders to educate their Congressional delegations and their communities about the importance of investing in America’s infrastructure.  Secretary Mineta’s comments are especially fitting for the airport industry as we embark on our new financial policy campaign and grassroots campaign which began with an airport economic impact study and roll out of the website airportsforthefuture.org.

Americans love their local airports, but they’re still not sure how they work, according to a new national survey commissioned by Airports Council International-North America.

A majority (61%) recognized the importance of airports to the economy, with 33% saying they are “extremely important” to their local economy, a finding that is consistent with a recent ACI-NA report that attributed 10.5 million jobs and $1.2 trillion in spending to the nation’s 490 commercial airports.

“Americans know that airports are hubs of economic activity and job creation for the communities they support,” Greg Principato, president of ACI-NA, said.

More than two-thirds of respondents (67%) expressed favorable views about the airport in their community, putting this vital infrastructure ahead of the U.S. Congress (21%), Transportation Security Administration (35%), major airlines (38%), major car companies (49%), local government (50%) and public schools (61%).

Despite widespread public support, however, only one in four Americans were aware that the federal government has the power to limit how airport improvement funds are spent at the local level. Even fewer people (16%) know that general tax revenues are rarely used to fund commercial airports.

“This is important information because infrastructure investments are crucial to the ability of commercial airports to continue to meet increasing demands for passenger and cargo flights, both of which are expected to double over the next two decades,” Principato said. “Spending decisions should be made at the local level, not in Washington.”

The survey shows that Americans also recognize how important it is for airports to have enough flights to meet the needs of area residents and businesses. When asked what would happen if flights decreased at their local airport, about four in 10 respondents (44%) said it would impact the local community “a great deal.” Only 5% said it would have no effect whatsoever.

“Airports have identified $80 billion in unmet infrastructure needs,” Principato said. “Those are new runways, expanded terminals and other facilities that will give us better service and more flight options.”

Visit www.airportsforthefuture.org to learn more about the positive contributions airports are making to communities across the United States.

Public Opinion Strategies conducted a telephone survey of 600 registered voters in January on behalf of Airports Council International-North America. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

This topic has grown from a dull rumble just 10 years ago to an all out roar thanks to the rapid acceptance of the iPad, smartphones, and e-readers. One only needs to look around them to see the popularity of these devices. In fact, as I write this article on my train ride into work this morning, at least half of the passenger within my eyeshot appear to be reading from one of these devices (I hope the engineers radios are still working!)

It appears that the FAA has finally decided to heed the cry of the traveling public, just this past week they have agreed to take a “fresh” look at this issue.  They are exploring ways to bring together the airlines, airframe and avionics manufacturers, electronics manufactures, and the regulators, the FAA and FCC, to discuss the certification of a number of these personal electronics.

After a little bit of research (a Google search and review of a Wikipedia page), there appears to be a lot of circumstantial evidence, but nothing that can conclusively support the idea that the use of personal electronics cause an interference to aircraft avionics. It appears, as the regulations are written today, the approval process is on a device by device basis.  So that is to say, the Amazon Kindle could go through the approval process and be cleared for flight whereas the Barnes & Noble Nook is not.  This could lead to misunderstandings in the cabin and just as much policing by flight attendants, if not more.

I don’t mean to sound negative, in my humblest opinion, given the amount of money being made in the personal electronics market it is certainly in the best interest of these manufacturers to help develop (and possibly fund) a solution to this problem.

One last note, don’t plan on joining a conference calls at 30,000 feet just yet, these talks will not include the usage of cell phones.  The FCC bans the use of these devices for a whole different issue.

Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) will honor Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) with the 2012 Commissioners Congressional Leadership Award for his ongoing support of the aviation industry.

Senator Kerry was first elected to the United States Senate in 1984 and has won re-election four times since. Now serving his fifth term, he holds senior positions on the Finance, Commerce, and Small Business Committees. It was in large part due to the Senator’s efforts that private activity bonds (PABs) were exempt from the Alternative Minimum Tax for 2009 and 2010. Congress’ approval of these measures saved the airport industry and local communities over $1.8 billion in financing costs during that time.

Senator Kerry recently authored language supporting a one year extension of the AMT exemption for private activity bonds and was successful in getting the language included in the Highway Trust Fund and Reauthorization which is pending before the U.S. Senate. Senator Kerry remains committed to ensuring this language remains in the final bill.

“We are pleased to award Senator Kerry with this year’s Commissioners Congressional Leadership Award,” said Herb Hilliard, Chair of ACI-NA’s Commissioners Committee and member of the Memphis/Shelby County Airport Authority.  “Senator Kerry has long recognized the economic impact of airports on their local communities and that relief from the AMT on private activity bonds allows airports to invest in infrastructure creating tens of thousands of jobs.”

ACI-NA will present the 2012 Commissioners Congressional Leadership Award to Senator Kerry at the annual ACI-NA Commissioners Reception, on Wednesday, March  14, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. EDT in 253 Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. The reception is being held in conjunction with the 2012 ACI-NA/AAAE Washington Legislative Conference. For more information on purchasing tickets to the reception, visit http://www.aci-na.org/sites/default/files/ticket_order_form.pdf.

By Matt Griffin
On Tuesday, Boeing and ACI-NA hosted a webinar to update members on the general and technical specs of the 787.  Representatives from Boeing provided ACI-NA member airports and associates information on general characteristics of the 787 including parking and ground servicing of the aircraft, electrical and pre-conditioned air specifications, and wireless connectivity features and requirements.  Additionally, a quick update was provided on the development of other Boeing aircraft.

Presentations

• 787 General Characteristics
• 787 Ground Wireless Systems.
• Update on additional Boeing Aircraft.

If you have any questions please contact Chris Oswald or Matt Griffin.

In surprising announcements Monday night and Tuesday morning, each chamber will lose a seasoned Republican veteran in the next Congress. Three-term Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe late Monday announced that she would not be running for re-election in November.  Snowe, a member of both the Senate Commerce and Finance Committees, has been a friend to airports advocating for the alternative minimum tax exemption, AIP funding and EAS funding during her tenure in both the House and Senate.

On Tuesday morning, Congressman David Dreier from California announced that he would not seek re-election this November as well.  Dreier, a Capitol Hill veteran having served since 1980, is best known for his tenure in the top Republican spot on the powerful House Rules Committee.  Dreier is considered by many to be a victim of the California redistricting map, which essentially eliminated his district. Certainly, Dreier’s institutional and parliamentary knowledge of the House will not be easy to replace.

As we continue to creep closer to Election Day and primary filing dates, we can expect a few more surprise announcements.  I don’t think we’ve seen the end of the wave just yet.

While traveling over the weekend from an airport in the Mountain States, I was the recipient of this unexpected treatment. After going through the AIT, I stepped aside while my gumby image cleared. I was then asked if a female TSA agent could check my hair. I was surprised, but didn’t make a fuss. At six-feet, the agent had to stand on her tippy toes to check my hair. Luckily for her, I was not wearing my customary 3-inch (minimum) heels. After three quick kneads to my scalp it was over. “Free head massage,” she commented smilingly as I grabbed my bags and headed to the gate.

Sitting in the departure lounge thinking about the incident, I smiled. At least I hadn’t been kneaded south of my neck nor did I have to warn her not to “touch the junk in my trunk.” However, I did wonder if in this part of the U.S. whether or not people were used to seeing dreadlocks. (In case you don’t what they are or look like, here’s an image). In a more cosmopolitan city, my dreadlocks don’t even warrant a second glance. But then again, neither would I have received a free head massage . . . compliments of TSA.

After doing some research and talking with a security expert, I learned that in certain cases a travelers’ hair or headwear could potentially conceal items, and may need to be screened by TSA Transportation Security Officers. The TSA Blog  and public Web site provided some useful information about the reason I received a free massage.