Author: RaechelRucker

Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Isaac Pato, Data Analyst; Jon Jager, Solutions Engineer; and Loretta Manning, Digital Marketing at Cirium.

 

Airports Council International – North America regularly provides industry intelligence: research, reports and resources which helps its members stay ahead of the curve and better serve their passengers, customers, and communities. Toward that end, Cirium, in collaboration with ACI-NA, utilizes comprehensive data sets such as schedules, flight status, aircraft configuration, ownership data and many more, to produce the Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report. Cirium brings together powerful data and analytics for travel companies, aircraft manufacturers, airports, airlines and financial institutions, among others. The aim of this Report is to bring in-depth insights to the airport community.

With this monthly report, it is ACI-NA’s and Cirium’s goal to provide useful insights which will equip airports with information needed to see trends and comparisons as a snapshot now, and recent trends over time, as well as forecasts.

With this data, airport stakeholders will better understand flight schedules, operations, and airport and airline trends focused on the region with a global snapshot for comparison. The report includes:

  • Top 4 U.S. and Top Canadian Airports and Airlines by Seat Volume
  • Seats by Week trends
  • % of Daily Flights Cancelled
  • New Routes added and Seats by Cabin Class trends
  • Forecast seats for the next two months broken down by regional and global seats

Sample Report insights

From the April 2023 report

In the above graph we see that global cancellations have trended significantly lower in response to China’s COVID recovery.

Of course, a large factor of the cancellation trend is seen in the above non-NA airlines seat volumes graph above. (The report also includes Top NA airline seat volumes.)

Three Chinese airlines, China Southern Airlines (CZ), China Eastern Airlines (MU), and Air China Limited (CA), have doubled their seat capacity year-over-year, as shown by the black line (100% difference). Meanwhile, the bar charts indicate that these three carriers are adding seat volume on a week-over-week basis, likely indicating that Chinese recovery is still in progress.

In comparison, IndiGo (6E) and Ryanair (FR) both show modest year-over-year growth, consistent with normal operations.

 

Airlines continue to grow

This chart shows new direct flight routes added this month in North America. It is helpful to see where carriers are focused on expanding their networks.

Because we use an entire 12-month period preceding the current month, these route additions are more likely attributable to genuine expansion rather than seasonal operations.

 

 

 

 

Forecasting seats

In the report, we also show seats forecasted – two months ahead. We see how agile airlines are making changes all the time up to the last minute.

Airports need to see forecasts for many reasons, including:

  • billing
  • budgeting
  • planning
  • staffing
  • and more

Look for the Airports Council International – North America Airport Insights Report each month in the Centerlines newsletter. Download the April Report now.

Meeting Sustainability Goals with Innovative Financing Models

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Ramsey Nuwar, Johnson Controls

Airports across North America and on a global scale have committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but securing the funding to achieve that goal can feel daunting to airport leaders and stakeholders with competing priorities capturing their attention and resources. Through conversations with leaders at airports of varying sizes, I’ve come to realize that the funding options available for sustainable infrastructure upgrades are not common knowledge.

As airports work to get their budgets back up to speed following a major drop in air travel in 2020 and as they brace for a potential economic recession, many facilities don’t have the financial capabilities to fund large-scale projects completely out of pocket. Ironically, it’s these projects that improve airport efficiency, comfortability, safety and sustainability that will attract more travelers in the long run.

Working with a trusted partner for guidance and expertise can help decisionmakers understand their options and their eligibility for non-traditional funding mechanisms, how best to leverage available funding options and how to attain the best possible return on investment.

Project funding can come in many shapes and forms and can be catered to each airport’s unique needs. Some options include:

  • Performance contracting: Under a performance contract, guaranteed energy savings are used to fund infrastructure improvement projects over a set period of time.
  • A transfer of project ownership: This would allow an airport to transfer ownership and the associated risks of their energy management program to a partner’s team of experts.
  • Private-public partnership (P3): P3 agreements allow publicly funded organizations to collaborate with a partner to maintain a fixed cost of occupancy throughout the contract.
  • Contingent payment program: Under a contingent payment program, the partner would take on the risk of financing infrastructure projects. Upon completion, airports can make scheduled quarterly payments over a set term to maintain a flatlined budget.

With aging infrastructure, comes higher greenhouse gas emissions and greater environmental impacts. Through retrofitting projects with a trusted partner on board, airports are able to assess where their immediate needs are through an intake on the state of their heating, cooling, lighting systems and beyond and address the most urgent updates first for the greatest impact and return on investment.

The Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport in Rome for example, is on track to meet their 2030 decarbonization goals with the help of Johnson Controls guidance and solutions. Through this partnership, the airport has achieved a 52% reduction in energy consumption. Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport was also the first airport in Europe to receive its ISO 50001:2018 energy management certification and reach the highest level of Airport Carbon Accreditation, Level 4+ ‘Transition’.

As we all know, inflation isn’t slowing down and the price of materials will continue to rise. Don’t cut your project short or wait until you’ve generated enough capital to fully fund projects outright, consider all of the funding opportunities available to meet set sustainability goals and create a healthier space for your travelers, employees and community to enjoy for years to come.

To learn more about Johnson Controls transportation offerings, contact Ramsey Nuwar at ramsey.nuwar@jci.com, or visit https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/industries/transportation.

 

Director of Johnson Controls Transportation Market, Ramsey Nuwar has spent the last 15 years focused on North American airports, providing leading edge building technology, passenger solutions and support systems.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Passive Optical Network offers high-speed, future-proof and energy-efficient connectivity at Orlando International Airport’s new terminal

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By John Hoover, Marketing Director, Tellabs

Orlando International Airport’s new Terminal C had an initial opening in September 2022, greater fanfare in the December 2022 time frame and has been in full flight ever since. They have published a few announcements touting how they are “one of the first North American airports to install a Passive Optical Network (PON), utilizing fiber-optic technology to create a high-speed, future-proofed, energy-efficient IT system.”

As the PON equipment provider at DFW, ORD, LGA, CDG and MCO, it seems fitting to expand on the reasons why this innovative fiber-based network is high-speed, future-proof and energy-efficient.

  • High-Speed – This fiber-first design promotes the use of optical cables to transmit data across far reaching distances and significantly limits the use of traditional copper cables. Orlando International Airport is one of the first airports to use an Optical LAN with symmetrical 10 gigabit speeds to extend Ethernet connectivity miles across a passive network. Better yet, all that fiber cabling installed today at the airport has no known theoretical bandwidth capacity limitation. Now that’s high-speed and from a sustainability standpoint, that cable will never need to be replaced (i.e., think back and remember all the times copper CATx cable had to be removed in favor of a newer faster CATx – never more!). Now that segues nicely into our next topic.
  • Future-Proof – The 10 gigabit PON technology is based on wave-division-multiplexing that can stack optical transmission over different colors of light without interference. That allows for 1 gigabit and 10 gigabit PON to use the same fiber cable and infrastructure, plus future 40 gigabit and 100 gigabit versions can be added without conflict. Additionally, the optical to electrical endpoints are equipped today with multi-gigabit Ethernet pluggable optics, so they can grow from 1 gig to 2.5 gig to 5 gig and even 10 gigs as needed in the future (i.e., now think of the future bandwidth needed to connect Wi-Fi 7 access points).
  • Energy-Efficient – It has been well documented how these optical LANs can reduce energy consumption, both electrical consumption and the rippling effect of lowering impact on building air conditioning. For Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C, as a result of the extended reach over fiber optic cabling, they were able to reduce the number of communications rooms required for their IT systems. With fewer communications rooms, the airport is saving energy on both lower power and less HVAC. Even better yet, the airport was able to convert that real estate footprint, saved by eliminating communications rooms, to revenue generating purposes (e.g., lease that space back to retailers and vendors).

If you’d like to learn more about airports’ use of Passive Optical LANs, be sure to speak with one of the Tellabs’ airport connectivity specialists (table 18) at the 2023 Airports@Work conference at the Sheraton Grande Seattle in Seattle, Washington from April 24 – 27.

***

About the author

John Hoover is a marketing director at Tellabs and board director for the Association for Promoting Optical LAN (APOLAN). Over the past 20 years, John has influenced industry milestones such as early passive optical network deployments, video implementations, and now Passive Optical LAN adoption into enterprise markets.  John Hoover LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

FIDS Reimagined – Leveraging FIDS Screens to Improve Passenger Experience

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Colleen Hamilton, Principal, Art of Context

Maximizing resource use and improving the passenger experience are at the top of any airport’s priority list. FIDS has long been a key function in the airport ecosystem and new technologies exist that allow airports to maximize the information displayed while improving the passenger experience.

Design template (example data).  Leverage space on landscape screens without sacrificing display of flight information.

 

Low-Row FIDS

Single use screens are a thing of the past. Today’s cloud-based FIDS provide opportunities for airports to automatically repurpose empty screen space to offer travelers a sense of place, useful travel information, or even advertisements.

FIDS has a large amount of metadata that can be used to drive other content allowing airports to automatically fill empty screen space. Repurposing screen space provides the opportunity to increase revenue with advertising, improve loyalty with airport promotions, and encourage tourism by highlighting local culture and attractions.

The display of non-flight information is based on a data-driven trigger that allows additional content such as a QR Code for information about the airport parking membership program, to automatically be shown, but only when there is enough room on screen to make the code easily scannable.

Advertisements of different sizes can be slotted as space allows and can be tied to our proof-of-play functionality for information collection and statistics gathering.


Urgency-based tile FIDS

Showing urgency tiles and standard row and column FIDS side-by-side in the same space provides data in different formats to engage travelers with varying learning styles. It allows airports to impact passenger flow – keeping passengers close to concessions to increase consumer spend, while also providing travelers with the most up to date information.

The tile format gives passengers an easily scannable view of their flight, along with strong color cues letting them know when it’s time to either relax or get to their gate. Tiles even flash yellow when particularly urgent. Our solution ties into the airport’s common-use system to leverage status messages entered by gate agents and to determine tile messaging and urgency styling.

 

 

To learn more about how Art of Context can help you reimagine your FIDS and to optimize your screen real estate, please visit us at booth 2 at the ACI Airports @ Work conference in Seattle, April 24 – 27, or visit us at www.artofcontext.com

 


Colleen Hamilton is a principal with Art of Context, a Boston-based technology firm helping airports improve passenger experience through state-of-the-art technology solutions that reduce client administration and ensure extension for future innovations. Art of Context has recently been certified as a DBE.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

Innovating with QR Codes

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Neil Chatwood, Transportation Lead, Omnivex Corporation

QR codes are not a new concept. They have been around for close to 30 years. However, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a resurgence in the use of QR codes in some new and innovative uses.

Virtual Queuing

A QR code on a digital screen can quickly make information portable to a mobile device, and the pandemic dramatically increased the need for this. Now wait times, scheduling information, and many other details can update in real-time on an individual’s mobile phone. In addition, the QR code enables organizations to control crowds more effectively and allows folks to move around a facility while waiting for an appointment, flight, etc.

Passenger Queue System

In 2021, Omnivex and Wipro collaborated with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) on a cloud-based Passenger Queue System (PQS) pilot project to improve the boarding experience. Passengers scanned a QR code with their mobile device to access real-time boarding information without installing an app or updating their browser. Omnivex Ink, a digital communications platform, facilitated this.

This innovative approach to using QR codes had several advantages:

  • Reduced congestion around the gate: Passengers didn’t need to swarm their gate to hear announcements or see the gate screen. Additionally, the gates with the PQS ensured boarding announcements and zones were visible to all guests and met ATPDR (accessible transportation for persons with disabilities regulations) requirements.
  • On-time performance: Gates utilizing the PQS system reported zero delays.
  • Reduced questions and announcements: Gates utilizing the PQS system experienced a decrease in both questions about boarding and announcements at the gate.
  • Increased revenue opportunities: Having information accessible on their mobile phone allowed passengers to visit nearby restaurants or shops. 86% of flights collected ancillary revenue.
  • No privacy concerns: Passengers could access real-time flight information from their mobile phones without logging into a platform, and the system tracked no personal information.

Monetization of screens

The combination of QR codes and digital signage provides a unique opportunity to monetize screens. For example, share vouchers and highlight limited-time deals or advertisements with a quick QR code scan. In venues such as airports, shopping malls, and stadiums, this provides a way to recoup the cost of their digital signage network while providing an enhanced passenger, shopper, or fan experience. These facilities can generate advertising revenue by enabling shops, services, and restaurants in their venue to promote themselves.

For example, in an airport, a QR code on a screen as the traveler walks to their gate provides a coupon for a new restaurant in the terminal. Similarly, a QR code on a lobby screen in the stadium includes ticket information for upcoming events.

The value of QR codes is clear, and innovative use cases will continue to evolve. QR codes are a quick and easy way to make information portable and accessible from a mobile phone. They also help align with “quiet” strategies in venues like airports by eliminating the need for announcements over the PA system.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

5 Major Changes Outlined in the USDOT’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – How Your Airport Can Be Better Prepared

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By: Erin Westerman, Marketing Manager, B2Gnow

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will help improve and modernize Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. However, the steps involved for affected organizations will be complex. With change on the horizon, many airports wonder how their programs will internally support these pending requirements. Will they have the staff, resources, and tools needed to manage the proposed changes?

As your organization begins strategizing about future compliance, we’ve identified five of the most challenging requirements airports may face and suggestions on actions to take now to prepare.

  1. Prompt payment and Retainage – How well equipped is your staff to monitor and track the proposed prompt payment and retainage compliance revisions? Time to get your ducks in a row.
    As stated in the NPRM, your DBE program must take affirmative steps to monitor and enforce prompt payment and retainage requirements. To stress the importance, they propose including an additional paragraph stating that the conditions within this rule are intended to flow down to all lower-tier subcontractors. Reliance on complaints or notifications from subcontractors about a prime’s failure to comply with prompt payment and retainage requirements will no longer cut it. Does your airport have a plan to take affirmative steps to monitor prompt payment, as stated in § 26.29? Organizations using B2Gnow’s Contract Compliance Module have no worries! The system is already tracking goal compliance based on payment amounts to primes and subs and payment dates. Payments are reported and electronically confirmed for amount, date received, and promptness. It also enables contractors to easily report retainage as outstanding or paid. B2gnow’s tracking and reporting power puts all this information at your fingertips to ensure your subcontractor community is paid in full and on time.

    2. Uniform Report – This report is already known to be time-consuming and comprehensive, and given the new proposed requirements, will your airport be equipped to collect and track this new required data?
    The Uniform report, consisting of DBE utilization data, is submitted annually to the OA(s) that provide funding to them.  The NPRM seeks to revise the Uniform Report to include additional data that would assist the OAs and the Department with evaluating whether the DBE Program is progressing toward meeting its stated objectives. This expanded data collection could include additional fields for contract numbers, NAICS codes, and DBEs decertified during the reporting period, just to name a few. While there is no standard software to handle the Uniform Report’s requirements, more than 400 organizations, including more than half of all DOTs, and hundreds of transportation and aviation authorities/organizations use B2Gnow to automate, manage and report on all required information. The proposed changes will have little effect on their current data collection and reporting processes. The proposed data is native to the B2Gnow database, which means these fields are already available for reporting, allowing them to easily produce all required information with little to no impact on staff.

    3. Bidders List – Does your airport have the staff or tools to efficiently obtain and enter bidders list data into a centralized database?
    In the NPRM, The Department proposes revising § 26.11(c) to require recipients to obtain and enter bidders list data into a centralized database the Department would specify. B2Gnow helps organizations to maintain, track and report on procurement information that may be required through this proposed change.  The B2Gnow system offers a variety of tools that help DBE programs to easily build and maintain bidders lists, including modules that manage proposals, utilization plans, outreach, contract compliance, and bid management. The more robust the system, the more data can be collected and reported on to be prepared for any change!

    4. ACDBE Small Business Program – Will your airport have the capacity to manage and report on this entirely new program?
    This proposed revision to the rule, as stated in the NPRM, will replicate the DBE program’s small business element requirements for the ACDBE program. Notably, this means it would require airports to take steps to eliminate obstacles for participation by smaller ACDBEs and submit annual reports on their small business elements. While this may seem burdensome, B2Gnow already supports hundreds of organizations to seamlessly manage and automate diversity certification processes and electronically compile complex reports with the click of a button. Additionally, the B2Gnow staff have years of combined experience with the B2Gnow system and working in the industry. Many have helped implement such programs and deeply understand the complexities involved.

    5. Timely Processing of Certification Applications – Is your airport prepared to handle the complex certification process with more stringent deadlines?
    The NPRM proposes limiting a certifier’s ability to extend the 90-day timeframe during which a certifier must issue a final eligibility decision for instate certification applications. Current § 26.83(k) states that a certifier may extend the 90-day period by an additional 60 days. Their proposal would reduce the extension period from 60 days to 30 days. B2Gnow can help eliminate the need for extensions by reducing the time it takes to process an application. The Online Application Module allows vendors to submit certification applications electronically online. It eliminates paper submissions and creates efficiency, reducing the review time and ensuring that only complete applications are received. It also reduces firms’ time, effort, and expense to apply for certification and allows for the secure submission of sensitive information and documents. In addition, the B2Gnow Certification Management module provides immediate visibility into the status of all pending applications, enables the tracking of processing times, including granular “review-step” levels, and provides a complete detailed audit trail of all actions completed by staff during the review process.

While the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will help modernize and improve the Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs, affected organizations will be required to make some complex changes to their current processes.  There has never been a better time for airports to take their business diversity programs digital. B2Gnow Supplier Diversity Software has your airport covered for all current, proposed, and future DBE and ACDBE regulation updates. B2Gnow is trusted by over 400 state, local and educational organizations – including more than 30 US airports. Contact us to speak with an expert and learn more about B2Gnow Supplier Diversity Software. 

Erin Westerman has worked in the cloud-based software industry for more than 14 years, gaining experience in both sales and marketing of enterprise solutions. Erin is currently Marketing Manager at B2Gnow, the nation’s leading supplier diversity management (AC/DBE), grant and procurement software for more than 400 state, local, and educational organizations.

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER

This article was provided by a third party and, as such, the views expressed therein and/or presented are their own and may not represent or reflect the views of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), its management, Board, or members. Readers should not act on the basis of any information contained in the blog without referring to applicable laws and regulations and/or without appropriate professional advice.

 

ACI-NA submitted extensive comments to DOT regarding the proposals in the NPRM. Please click here to read ACI-NA’s comments.

Airports Council Establishes DEI Working Group to Drive Association Efforts

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today announced the formation of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group.  Comprised of professionals and DEI experts from across the organization, ACI-NA’s DEI Working Group will help propel the association’s work in this important area moving forward.

“Our industry has a strong record of success in creating opportunities,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin Burke.  “Our industry is a driver of change because of our strong commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives and we look forward to the input from our new working group to further advance our industry’s leadership.”

Despite the pandemic that nearly crippled the North American airport industry, airports have not neglected their social responsibility priorities, especially in the areas of DEI.

The North American airport industry has a strong reputation of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strengthening partnerships with their local communities.  But, this work has not been easy.  In fact, it is quite complex.  That’s why it is necessary to continue learning and listening about the work being done in this area.

The DEI Working Group will take a deep dive into our industry’s commitments to DEI issues and assist the association in developing a clear and actionable approach to one of the most important leading issues of our time.  The working group will help chart a path forward on how ACI-NA as an organization can contribute.

The high caliber of participants on the working group bring vast perspectives and represent every facet of the North American airport industry.  The group will be chaired by Tanisha Lewis, Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Social Impact for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.  Debi Marshall, Director of Human Resources, Syracuse Regional Airport Authority, will serve as the vice chair. Danette Bewley, President and CEO of the Tucson Airport Authority will serve as the liaison to the ACI-NA Board of Directors.  Solomon Wong, President and CEO of InterVISTAS Consulting, will serve as the associates representative on the working group.

Participants on the ACI-NA DEI Working Group also include:

Barbara Alexander
Shared Prosperity Program Specialist
Port of Portland

Molara  Awosedo
Director, DEI
Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Michelle Brega
Senior Director, External Affairs
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority

Regina Carson
Human Resources Manager
Peninsula Airport Commission

Thiané Carter
Small Business Program Officer
Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority

Loriann Chace
Senior Aviation Economic Develop Specialist
Sacramento International Airport

Christy Cheever
Paine Field / Snohomish County Airport
Airport Administration in Human Resources

Mike Christie    
Vice President, Human Resources
Halifax International Airport Authority

Patti Colbry
Human Resources Director
Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust

Kim dela Torre
Manager of Talent/People Operations
Tucson Airport Authority

Elise Durham
Assistant General Manager, Business Diversity
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Meg Gibson 
Manager, Learning & Professional Development
Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

Lorri Graybeal
Human Resources Manager
Roanoke Regional Airport

Louis Gutierrez  
Chief, Human Capital & Equity Officer
Los Angeles World Airports

Teika Jefferson
DEI, Manager
Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission

Maria Kim 
CFO
Gerald R. Ford International Airport

Andrew Martz 
Assistant Director, Communications & Development
Eugene Airport

Elita McMillon
Assistant General Counsel
Tampa International Airport

Gina Stough
Vice President, Human Resources
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

Elise Thomas
Environmental Manager
Fairbanks International Airport

Jonanthan Todd
Manager, Workforce Development
Philadelphia International Airport

Guadalupe Torres
Community Investment Manager
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Jayme Verish  
Assistant Airport Director, Operations & Maintenance
Idaho Falls Regional Airport

Solomon Wong
President and CEO
InterVISTAS

Karen Zygun      
Director, Human Resources
Vancouver Airport Authority

Edge4Vets and ACI-NA Expand Online Training to Accelerate Veterans into Airport Workforce

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Tom Murphy, Director, Human Resiliency Institute, Fordham University

Edge4Vets will expand its veteran employment training program offered in partnership with ACI-NA in the spring of 2022 to give a broad array of airports in the U.S. and Canada an opportunity to accelerate veterans into their workforce over the next few years as airports build back talent and the industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Edge4Vets model of PREP and CONNECT proved effective when it was offered in-person at six airports prior to the pandemic. This fall, the Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University, which offers Edge4Vets, will roll out its online training product to several ACI-NA member airports in order to lay the foundation for the online approach over the next few years.

The Houston Airport System (HAS) recently served as a successful test case for the online program. Thirty-five veterans participated in the online course. The online model consists of two ZOOM sessions and an online course veterans may take at their own pace to learn how to translate their military strengths and create a personal PLAN4SUCCESS. Edge4Vets also worked with HAS to set up a recruitment program that included outreach to veterans in the Houston community, as well as enlistment of schools with veterans studying on the GI Bill.

The online course will be offered in the spring of 2022 for HAS as well two to three additional airports to build a network of airports participating in the program. The goal is to grow the Edge4Vets system of PREP and CONNECT and offer the program to dozens of airports simultaneously over the next few years. Buffalo Niagara International Airport has committed to join HAS for the spring offering, and two other airports are currently exploring the procurement process. Beginning in the spring of 2022, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University will work with Edge4Vets to publicize the training workshop series to its student and veterans studying aviation world-wide and give them an opportunity to connect to jobs at airports in the ACI-NA/Edge4Vets network.

Edge4Vets teaches veterans how to translate their military strengths into tools for civilian success, and then connects them with human resources professionals at participating airports to learn about career opportunities. They watch videos, do exercises and create a personal PLAN4SUCCESS with statements in four areas: Vision, Values, Skills and an Action Plan.

For more information on Edge4Vets and the online training system of PREP and CONNECT, please visit Edge4Vets.org.

To learn more about how your airport can participate in the expansion of this program, please contact Nancy Zimini, ACI-NA’s Chief Administration and Operations Officer at NZimini@airportscouncil.org.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) Celebrating 15th Anniversary with Allegiant Air!

Posted on | by RaechelRucker

By Tom Jewsbury, Airport Director, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE)

Fifteen years has flown by, literally, with Allegiant! In September 2006, PIE announced a new airline was coming to town with 12 non-stop, low-cost destinations! Allegiant made headlines with its 12-hour $12 fare promotion and PIE began a new chapter of setting passenger records.

Today, PIE is Allegiant’s 2nd biggest airport in the 130 plus it serves. With 59 non-stop destinations, Allegiant and St. Pete-Clearwater Int’l claim the most non-stops of all airlines in the Tampa Bay area. It launched with the idea to link small, underserved airports and create new affordable opportunities for families and friends to connect and vacation. The Result – PIE consistently ranks in the top 10 airports for lowest round-trip domestic airfare; in 2020, PIE ranked #7 with $107.16 compared to the national average round-trip airfare of $292.20 (US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics). Together, PIE and Allegiant’s value and convenience, created a loyal passenger base and boosted our tourism economy.

“Allegiant has been the gateway to visiting my daughter and now grandchildren for the past decade. With nonstop flights from Allentown to St. Pete-Clearwater, it’s made visiting an absolute breeze! We loved St. Pete so much we decided to visit permanently in 2020!” shared Allegiant passenger Rosanne Totzke.

The first flights launched on November 16, 2006 included Allentown, PA; Rockford, IL; and Peoria, IL; and year after year, new destinations have been added. Our strong growth in passengers reflects the rise in new destinations; Since Allegiant’s first full year (2007) to 2019 (last pre pandemic calendar year), Allegiant passengers increased by over 200% at PIE!

“St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is a terrific partner and a wonderful example of the many benefits a locally-focused, easy-to-access airport brings to leisure travelers,” said Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., Allegiant’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Unlike other carriers, Allegiant is 100 percent focused on providing access to affordable, convenient nonstop flights that make vacations possible. Our growth and success at PIE over 15 years is testament to a partnership that helps us keep fares low, at a friendly location our customers love.”

Allegiant has celebrated our collective success along the way with some exciting giveaways and community contributions! Participating in school field trip tours and an aviation careers video, Southeastern Guide Dog Puppy Training Tours, hurricane donation drives, Big Brothers Big Sisters Workplace Mentoring program, Make-A-Wish travel packages, dedicated Veterans Honor Flight charters, Allegiant makes a difference in our community.

“PIE is fortunate to have a strong partnership with Allegiant and look forward to continued growth. Tampa Bay travel opportunities were transformed when Allegiant launched in St. Pete-Clearwater. Our improvements and growth are tied to their investment in our region.” Tom Jewsbury, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Director.

Integrating Health Requirements into the Travel Ecosystem

Posted on | by RaechelRucker


By Sherry Stein, Head of Technology Strategy, SITA

Many countries require landing cards or declaration forms as part of the customs and immigration process; most are distributed as paper forms and collected upon entry at the border. Many forms not only provide valuable contact-tracing information, requiring a traveler to provide a local address while in the country, but can also include health-related disclosures. For instance, “Have you visited a farm during your stay?” helps determine risk of exposure and possible transmission of BSE (mad-cow disease).

Health-related questions on customs & immigration declaration forms have often been an important consideration in obtaining a traveler’s self-reported disclosure for possible exposure for various infectious diseases – such as SARS, MERS, H1N1, and recently, COVID19 – and can help guide efforts in managing epidemic and pandemic response. The importance of health-related processes in travel remains paramount and now more evident than ever.

The digital-shift continues to transform border-management processes, accelerating the ability to coordinate and manage a global response to threats of new epidemics before reaching pandemic-level crisis and, ideally, pre-empt the need to lock down borders.

Health Protect offers a collaborative industry approach to addressing the evolving requirement to include health status checks as part of the travel process – and offers the ability to do so with little disruption to existing industry processes.

  • During airline check-in (mobile or kiosk), the traditional advance passenger process checks can now add accompanying verification of health declaration status, allowing an airline to issue a boarding pass via self-service, without having to visually assess a printed COVID19 test result at the ticket counter.
  • Based on the holistic process, an airline and border-agency are able to make board/no-board decisions that reduce risk of inadmissible travelers being denied entry on arrival or being subject to quarantine or additional testing.

Recently we conducted a trial with SimplyGo in which travelers flying from Germany and Estonia to the United Arab Emirates obtained a negative COVID-19 result via their SimplyGo app before traveling. Integration with the UAE government systems was made possible through the Advance Passenger Processing (APP) platform delivered by SITA. This allowed airlines to offer self-service passenger processing without needing to manually or visually inspect the test results; the verification had already been completed by the UAE border officials.

In April 2021, supporting Sovrin Foundation principles, Aruba introduced the Happy Traveler Card, a self-sovereign identity solution that allowed travelers to Aruba to receive a digital health credential, issued by the Aruba Health Ministry, providing access to services, restaurants and other amenities throughout the island. The solution is based on Linux Foundation’s Cardea code, an open-source ecosystem for exchanging privacy-preserving digital health certificates. A trusted, government-issued digital credential confirms that the traveler’s identity has been correctly verified and linked to a negative test-result. Local service providers (hotels, restaurants, casinos) can rely upon the Happy Traveler Card to grant access to services without access to personal information or having to see the paper test result.  The green check tells them all they need to know.

2021 has seen a growing focus on collaborative initiatives for introducing digital health credentials, or health passports, that can reduce fraud and incorporate digital-identity solution principles. SITA is exploring a collaborative industry approach that integrates the various health-oriented solutions with the existing travel ecosystem.

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the travel industry. It has also created an opportunity to accelerate digital progress, re-emphasize the importance of health in borders management and international travel, and creates an opportunity to increase the resilience of our processes should we face another epidemic or global pandemic in the future.