@irports update -- Jan. 20, 2010

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	Jan. 20, 2010



			This Week In Summary Southers Withdraws from TSA Consideration» Airports Offer Assistance to Haiti» ACI-NA Supports Converting Global Entry Pilot into Permanent Program» ESTAs Now Operational for All Carriers» ACI-NA Presents Airports' Views During TRB Meetings» U.S. and EU Met in January and will Meet Again in February» ACI-NA Surveys Advanced Imaging Technology» Other ACI-NA Surveys Open» DOT Creates a New Aviation Consumer Website» DOT Fines TAM $5,000 for Lack of Reports» Implement your own Online Testing Centre» In The News Airports Seek To Make AMT Waiver Permanent» Airlines Pocketed $80 Million in PFCs In 2009, ACI-NA Says» Airlines May Face Higher U.S. Security Fee After Terror Attempt» 30 US Airports Risk Losing Service» Japan Airlines Enters Bankruptcy $26B in Debt»


			Hot Topics
			Southers Withdraws from TSA Consideration Erroll Southers, the Obama Administration’s pick to be the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, this morning asked the President to withdraw his nomination stating his concern that his nomination had "become a lightning rod for those who have chosen to push a political agenda at the risk of the safety and security of the American people." Southers nomination had been favorably reported out of both the Senate Commerce and Homeland and Government Affairs Committees late last year. At least two Senators had placed holds on Southers nomination, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R-Nev.) had been expected to file the first of several procedural motions when the Senate reconvened today to begin the process of getting to a final confirmation vote. A former FBI agent, Southers served two years in California Office of Homeland Security as deputy director of the protection of critical infrastructure. He later joined the USC as the associate director of the National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events, a research center focused on national security. In 2007, while continuing in his role at USC, Southers joined the Los Angeles World of Airports as assistant chief of police. He focused on counterterrorism efforts at Los Angeles's four airports. Southers resigned that post in September after he was nominated for the TSA post. Contact ACI-NA’s Christopher Bidwell for more information» Airports Offer Assistance to Haiti ACI-NA is working with ACI-Latin America/Caribbean to marshal the experience and capabilities of the North American airport community to provide assistance in Haiti. Several members of the Public Safety and Security committee have participated in providing mutual aid assistance to airports in times of crisis. ACI-NA has been in close touch with the Departments of State and Transportation, and the FAA, and the Canadian Airports Council has been in touch with the Canadian government to offer help. There will be many needs that have to be met in the days and weeks ahead, and the airport community in North America is prepared to do its part. As after Katrina, ACI-NA will also be working with the American Association of Airport Executives to establish a fund to accept contributions to assist with the humanitarian need of airport employees and their families in Haiti. In the meantime, you can visit our website (www.aci-na.org) which contains a “Help for Haiti” link if you would like to make a contribution to one of the many organizations providing assistance there. See ACI-NA President Greg Principato’s blog» ACI-NA Supports Converting Global Entry Pilot into Permanent Program On Jan. 19, ACI-NA filed comments endorsing the proposal by U.S. Customs and Protection to convert the Global Entry trusted traveler pilot program into a permanent program, to expand Global Entry to additional airports beyond the 20 model ports and to expand the eligibility to citizens of other countries through agreements, as appropriate. Global Entry allows CBP to expedite the clearance of pre-approved, low-risk passengers. These previously vetted passengers may bypass the regular passport line and proceed to the Global Entry kiosk where fingerprints will be used to verify the passenger’s identity as a trusted traveler. ACI-NA has been a longstanding advocate of international trusted traveler programs because they enhance facilitation and security. However, ACI-NA also noted that CBP will still need to provide sufficient staffing to meet current and future demand at U.S. and Canadian airports. ACI-NA also recommended including Canadian citizens enrolled in NEXUS automatically in Global Entry and allowing Global Entry to be used at Canadian preclearance airports. It urged that CBP work with the aviation and travel industries to promote Global Entry to increase enrollment in the program. Contact ACI-NA’s Diane Peterson for more information» ESTAs Now Operational for All Carriers On Jan. 19, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reminded Visa Waiver Program passengers of the requirement to have an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), in order to board aircraft bound for the United States. Visa waiver passengers without ESTAs may be denied boarding on U.S. bound flights. Starting today, CBP will implement a 60-day transition to enforce compliance for air carriers. At the end of the transition, the carriers will be fined for transporting visa waiver passengers to the United States without ESTAs. Mandated by the 9/11 Act, ESTA requires visa waiver passengers to electronically provide biographical and eligibility information which allows CBP to determine whether the applicant is eligible to travel under the program or poses a law enforcement or security risk. The ESTA is valid for two years unless the passenger obtains new travel documents or has significant changes to other required information. The program includes 35 countries, mainly in Europe and the Asia/Pacific. Canadian citizens and legal residents and passengers who require visas to enter the United States are not subject to the ESTA requirement. View the CBP press release» View the ESTA website» Contact ACI-NA’s Diane Peterson for more information» ACI-NA Presents Airports' Views During TRB Meetings The Transportation Research Board held its annual paper and research presentations last week in Washington and two ACI-NA staff members made presentations. On Jan. 11, Jessica Steinhilber participated in a panel on Climate Change Regulations and Impacts on Aviation and Airports along with Nancy Young (ATA) and John Putnam (Kaplan Kirsch and Rockwell). Steinhilber highlighted a number of initiatives airports are undertaking to track and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. She also discussed the impact that recently-passed mandatory reporting rules and proposed cap-and-trade legislation could have on airports. On Jan. 12, Dick Marchi participated in a session on Demand Management in the Mega-Regions, and he discussed issues of managing congestion from the airport point of view. Also on Tuesday, Marchi spoke at a session on Environmental Planning for NextGen: Opportunities and Pitfalls of Implementing Area Navigation and Required Navigation Performance Flight Procedures at Noise-Sensitive Airports. In that presentation, he focused on environmental planning for NextGen from an airport perspective. Contact ACI-NA’s Jessica Steinhilber or Dick Marchi for more information» U.S. and EU Met in January and will Meet Again in February Delegations representing the United States, the European Union and its member nations, and Norway met Jan. 11-13 in Washington, D.C., for their sixth round of negotiations on a second stage agreement. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Spanish Transport Minister José Blanco encouraged the delegations to reach an agreement in 2010. The two sides made progress on issues such as the role of the Joint Committee regarding air traffic management, safety, security, and regulatory cooperation as well as the reciprocal recognition of airline citizenship and fitness determinations. Further work remains to be done on issues, such as the environment and investment. The delegation announced their plan to hold the next round of consultations Feb. 15-17 in Madrid. Spain holds the EU Presidency for the first half of 2010. Also in Washington on Jan. 14, the delegations held a meeting of the Joint Committee, which deals with implementation of the U.S./EU Agreement. They discussed court decisions in the EU regarding noise at Frankfurt and Madrid Barajas Airports and compensation for delayed flights and security issues. ACI-NA participated in both sets of meetings. Contact ACI-NA’s Diane Peterson for more information» ACI-NA Surveys Advanced Imaging Technology ACI-NA is currently surveying its members to better understand the advantages and challenges associated with Advanced Imaging Technology, also known as Whole Body Imaging. After the attack on Christmas Day aboard Northwest Airlines flight 253, Congress and government agencies are eager to use and deploy Advanced Imaging Technology. The survey closes today. Contact ACI-NA’s Lydia Kellogg for more information» Other ACI-NA Surveys Open ACI-NA has several member surveys still open for comments: Annual Traffic Stats Air Service & Data Planning Seminar Please take a moment to complete these brief surveys In addition, we are surveying the Centerlines readership – both print and digital – to see how we have performed in the last year. Please tell us what you think. 2010 Centerlines Readership Survey DOT Creates a New Aviation Consumer Website The Transportation Department last week unveiled a redesigned website for aviation consumers. The site is the home for the monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. In addition, the site offers guidance in what it hopes is a more user-friendly approach regarding aviation rules and statutes, advice concerning airlines that have stopped operating or filed for bankruptcy protection, and travel tips and publications related to air travel, and the annual report on disability-related air travel complaints. View the revised website» DOT Fines TAM $5,000 for Lack of Reports The U.S. Transportation Department has fined Brazil’s TAM $5,000 for failing to file annual reports detailing disability-related complaints. DOT found that TAM did not file the reports for complaints that the carrier received from passengers in 2004, 2007, and 2008. On Jan. 15, the two sides issued a consent decree. The airline was directed to follow the Air Carrier Access Act in the future. If it files its 2010 report by Jan. 15, 2011, the carrier will not be required to pay the entire fine. The first install of $2,500 is due Feb. 15 and the second installment is due next January. View the consent agreement» Contact ACI-NA’s Monica Hargrove Kemp for more information» Implement your own Online Testing Centre Deliver your own web based training, testing and certification program from as little as $500 per month. The ACI Online Learning Centre provides a fully managed, web based eLearning platform that allows airports to: Create online tests and assessments to certify staff competency on any topic Deliver online training and testing using existing training manuals and documents Track staff progress and maintain all training records for audit and compliance purposes Contact the OLC Manager Eddie Ragauskas for more information» ^ Back to top



			Industry News Briefs
			Airports Seek To Make AMT Waiver Permanent Airports, Jan. 19, By Madhu Unnikrishnan ACI-NA's top legislative priority this year is to persuade Congress to make the AMT holiday for airport bonds permanent. (paid subscription required) View the complete article» Airlines Pocketed $80 Million in PFCs In 2009, ACI-NA Says Airports, Jan. 19, By James Ott When U.S. airlines remit passenger facility charges to airports each month, they are permitted to keep 11 cents for every collection. (paid subscription required) View the complete article» Airlines May Face Higher U.S. Security Fee After Terror Attempt Bloomberg, Jan. 20, By John Hughes Added safety measures after last month's failed attempt to blow up a jetliner may make it harder for U.S. airlines to thwart a security-fee increase the Obama administration has been seeking. View the complete article» 30 US Airports Risk Losing Service Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Jan. 20 After a host of US airports lost service with the dramatic capacity cuts during 2008 and 2009, another 30 airports that rely solely on regional airlines to connect them to the national air transportation system, are at risk of losing all air service, according to a new study. View the complete article» Japan Airlines Enters Bankruptcy $26B in Debt USA Today, Jan 19, By Kathy Chu Japan Airlines, Asia's largest airline when measured by revenue, filed Tuesday for a court-supervised restructuring that would reduce its 47,000 employees by roughly a third and shed some money-losing flights. View the complete article» U.S. court order to airports and other parties» ^ Back to top



			Events On Approach
			ACI-NA/AAAE Spring Washington Conference March 2-4 The Omni Shoreham, Washington, D.C. Hotel Cut-off: Feb. 5 2010 Air Service & Data Planning Seminar: Onsite Registration Available Join ACI-NA Jan. 24-26 at The Westin Casuarina in Las Vegas for the Air Service & Data Planning Seminar. It is the data seminar planned by airport for airports. Airport participants will explore six different data sets that can be used to craft more effective marketing plans while tapping into the experience of 11 consulting firms who will be in Las Vegas making presentations. Advanced registration is now closed, but you will be able to register for the conference onsite. Listed below are the onsite registration hours: Sunday, Jan. 24 5 – 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. More details: Housing, agenda, sponsorships, and more» 2010 Media Relations & Crisis Communications Seminar: Onsite Registration Available The Media Relations & Crisis Communications Seminar, also at The Westin Casuarina in Las Vegas, will be on Jan. 27-29. This seminar brings together media relations and communications professionals to discuss the latest media trends and tools for effective crisis communication. Participants will learn about exciting innovations in technology, and gain valuable on-camera media training. Additionally, seminar attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers and share valuable tips on best practices for media relations. Advanced registration is now closed, but you will be able to register for the conference onsite. Listed below are the onsite registration hours: Wednesday, Jan. 27 5 – 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29 7:30 a.m. – Noon. More details: Housing, agenda, sponsorships, and more» ACI-NA/AAAE Spring Washington Conference: Hotel Cutoff Two Weeks Away The annual Spring Washington Conference will be held March 2-4 at The Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. Participants will discuss crucial airport issues and how they can be accomplished in today’s ever changing political environment. The conference will begin with two roundtables on March 2 and on March 3 key members of Congress will share their insight on airport issues. House and Senate staff will also provide their viewpoints on the issues, timing and likely outcomes. Administration officials will speak to the conference to outline their priorities and answer questions. Then the real work begins as participants head up to Capitol Hill to educate their congressmen and senators on the airport industry’s priorities. View the agenda Feb. 5 is deadline for the early-bird registration discount and hotel deadline to receive the special group rate of $269 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. In order to make your room reservation, please call the hotel directly at (202) 234-0700 or toll free (800) 843-6664. Register online before the early-bird cut-off date. More details: Housing, agenda, sponsorships, and more» Commissioners Congressional Reception: Tickets and Sponsorships Now Available The ACI-NA Commissioners Congressional Reception is held annually in conjunction with the Spring Washington Conference. This year’s reception will be held on March 3 in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6-8 p.m. A primary purpose of the Commissioners Congressional Reception is to honor a member of Congress or the Administration for their support of airports and air transportation. It is also a tremendous opportunity to socialize and network with members of Congress, congressional staff, members of the Administration, and your fellow colleagues. In addition, the winners of the 2010 scholarship will be recognized at the event. Registration for the Spring Washington Conference does not include a ticket to the Commissioners Congressional Reception. Separate ticket purchase is required Obtain sponsorship information» See upcoming ACI-NA Events» ^ Back to top



			Committee Update
			Business Information Technology Committee The ACI-NA Business Information Technology Committee examines new and emerging technologies for their applicability to airport systems and examines how existing systems can be improved to better serve both the internal airport system needs as well as the needs of ACI-NA's customers. Some focus areas include airport information management systems, operations automation systems, private and public communication services, computer networking, intranet and Internet, system design and the application of new technology. The committee closed out 2009 with a well attended meeting at the 18th Annual Conference in Austin. The two-day agenda featured sessions on passenger self-tagging of baggage, common bag drop, an architect's perspective on passenger processing, the effects of common use on costs to both airlines and airports, and updates on the Common Use Passenger Processing System initiative and IATA's Fast Travel & Simplifying the Business programs. Additionally the committee hosted Martin Smith, director of group technology & innovations for The Manchester Airport Group, for afternoon discussion. Led by the committee's leadership, this strong agenda attracted nearly 100 people for several of the sessions. The committee will be kicking off 2010 with their winter committee webinar next week. The webinar will primarily focus on planning the committee’s spring meeting, which is being held with the Public Safety & Security Committee and Operations & Technical Affairs Committee on April 26-29 in Orlando. The committees are working closely to plan a meeting that will capitalize on the co-location of these three groups. Contact ACI-NA’s Matt Griffin for more information» Learn more about ACI-NA Committees and Programs» ^ Back to top



			Member Spotlight
			Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) serves a catchment area of over 1.6 million residents, providing frequent regional jet service on American, Continental, Delta, and Northwest to four major hubs. The airport has a diversified customer base, including government, corporate, and leisure passengers. Baton Rouge is the state capital and home to Louisiana State University and Southern University, and headquarters to a number of Fortune 500 and 1000 companies. Baton Rouge is also one of the largest petrochemical hubs in the world, anchored by ExxonMobil’s second largest North American refinery. The airport’s current terminal building opened in 2003, with 10 gates and a centerpiece rotunda with views of the airfield. The airport has three runways, including a general aviation runway. A 1,000-foot extension to the runway safety area for runway 22R was recently completed along with a new five-level parking garage. A new cargo facility is under construction; and the existing fire-rescue facility is being renovated. Preliminary work on the Aviation Business Park at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport has begun on the airport’s north side. A new multiplex facility within the business park will be used for both aviation and non-aviation related industries, including use by public and private agencies for disaster recovery operations. The airport is governed by the Airport Authority for the Greater Baton Rouge Airport District and under this authority is a 13-member Airport Board of Commissioners, which acts as an advisory board. The total regional economic impact of the Baton Rouge Metro Airport was approximately $750 million in 2008. Nearly 800,000 passengers pass through the airport annually. Visit the airport’s website» ^ Back to top



			aci-na.org
			Recent Blog Posts In a Centerlines Blog posting, Chris Oswald provided coverage of a presentation update the status of the FAA’s efforts to implement airport safety management systems. The update was part of the recent Transportation Research Board’s annual conference. View the complete blog posting» Liying Gu provided coverage of the ACI-NA Insurance and Risk Management Committee 11th annual Insurance and Risk Management Seminar held last week in San Diego with close to 95 attendees, up almost 20 percent over last year’s attendance. View the complete blog posting» New Research Posted Strategic Planning in the Airport Industry: The Airport Cooperative Research Program explores practical guidance on the strategic planning process for airport board members, directors, department leaders, and other employees; aviation industry associations; a variety of airport stakeholders, consultants, and other airport planning professionals; and aviation regulatory agencies. A workbook of tools and sequential steps of the strategic planning process is provided with the report. Posted: 1/20/10 Aircraft Noise: A Toolkit for Managing Community Expectations: The Airport Cooperative Research Program explores ways to improve communications with the public about issues related to aircraft noise exposure. The report examines practices that characterize an effective communications program and provides basic information about noise and its abatement to assist in responding to public inquiries. The report 15 also identifies tools designed to help initiate a new or upgrade an existing program of communication with public and private stakeholders about noise issues. Posted: 1/20/10 ^ Back to top



			Info Desk
			October 2009 Airline Traffic Data Down The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines in October 2009 decreased by 1.4 percent from October 2008, declining by 900,000 to 58.8 million, the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics released on Jan. 14. October marked the 18th month (out of the last 19 months) that showed a decrease in passengers from the previous year. For the first 10 months of 2009, the number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines declined by 6.3 percent from the same period in 2008. View the complete release and data tables» ^ Back to top



	In This Issue • Hot Topics» • Industry News Briefs» • Events On Approach» • Committee Update» • Member Spotlight» • aci-na.org» • Info Desk»


	Air Service & Data Planning Seminar Jan. 24-26 Media Relations & Crisis Communications Seminar Jan. 27-29. Spring Washington Conference March 2-4 Commissioners' Congressional Reception March 3



	@irports update is sent each week to ACI-NA members and partners. If you wish to add a name(s) from your organization to the ACI-NA database, please e-mail ACI-NA's Joe Weidlich.



	About ACI-NA Airports Council International-North America is the "Voice of Airports" representing local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. ACI-NA Associate members represent a wide variety of businesses that provide products and services to the aviation and airport industry.



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	Jobs & RFPs Don't forget the ACI-NA Web site when you are trying to fill a staff position. As a member benefit, airports and associate members can post free job announcements. In addition, member airports can post their RFPs and other contract solicitations on the ACI-NA Web site. Contact ACI-NA's webmaster for more information»



	ACI-NA 2010 Board of Directors Executive Committee G. Hardy Acree Chairman Director of Airports Sacramento County Airport System Sacramento Frank R. Miller First Vice Chair Aviation Director San Antonio Aviation Department San Antonio Thella Bowens Second Vice Chair President/CEO San Diego County Regional Airport Authority San Diego Thomas J. Kinton, Jr. Secretary-Treasurer CEO & Executive Director Massachusetts Port Authority Boston John D. Clark, III Immediate Past Chairman CEO Indianapolis Airport Authority Indianapolis Barry Rempel Ex-Officio President & CEO Winnipeg Airports Authority Winnipeg, Manitoba Directors Iftikar Ahmad Director of Aviation Dayton Department of Aviation Dayton Kim Day Manager of Aviation Denver Department of Aviation Denver David. N. Edwards, Jr. Executive Director Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Greer, S.C. Robert A. Hazel Partner Oliver Wyman Reston, Va. David Jennings Commissioner Charleston County Aviation Authority Charleston, S.C. Bradley S. Livingston Airport Director Dane County Regional Airport Madison, Wis. Richard McConnell Airport Director Boise Airport Boise Reginald K. Milley President and CEO Edmonton Regional Airports Authority Edmonton, Alberta Brad Penrod Executive Director/CEO Allegheny County Airport Authority Pittsburgh Raul Regalado President & CEO Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Nashville Mark Reis Managing Director Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Seattle William Restall President & CEO Saskatoon Airport Authority Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Maureen Riley Executive Director Salt Lake City Department of Airports Salt Lake City Brian Searles Director of Aviation Burlington International Airport Burlington, Vt. Elsie Rast-Stuart Commissioner Columbia Metropolitan Airport Columbia, S.C.. William Vanecek Director of Aviation Buffalo Niagara International Airport Buffalo Mark VanLoh Director of Aviation Kansas City Aviation Department Kansas City ACI-NA President Greg Principato 2010 World Business Partners/ Associates Board of Directors Executive Committee Laddie E. Irion Chair Vice President/Director, Air Transportation URS Tampa Steven T. Baldwin Vice Chair Senior Vice President The Louis Berger Group Albany Robert A. Hazel Immediate Past Chair Partner Oliver Wyman Reston, Va. John D. Clark, III ACI-NA Board Liaison CEO Indianapolis Airport Authority Indianapolis Directors Roddy L. Boggus Executive Vice President, Aviation Gresham, Smith and Partners Dallas Paul Bowers Publisher Airport Improvement Magazine Brookfield, Wis. Leslie K. Cappetta President and CEO SSP America Lansdowne, Va. Armen DerHohannesian General Manager Armen DerHohannesian & Associates Hampton, N.H. Bruce Feuer Vice President, Business Development The Paradies Shops Atlanta Kitty P. Freidheim President Freidheim Consulting Chicago Evan C. Futterman President and CEO Futterman Consulting Springfield, Va. Kurt Krummenacker Assistant Vice President/Analyst Moody's Investors Service New York Randy D. Pope Associate Vice President, Aviation & Facilities Group Burns & McDonnell Kansas City Susan Prediger Vice President CAGE Arlington, Va



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