ACI-NA Statement on Planned Executive Actions to Improve International Arrivals Process

February 13, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2015

 

WASHINGTON—Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today issued a statement on a report released by the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security outlining the new executive actions planned by the Obama administration in response to the President’s call last spring to further expedite and improve the arrivals process for international travelers to the United States:

“ACI-NA has long advocated for technological innovations and additional staffing to reduce traveler wait times and increase airport efficiency,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “We are pleased by the announcement today by the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security on their efforts to improve the international arrivals process for airline passengers.  Airports agree that the ACI-NA-supported Mobile Passport Control project, Automated Passport Control Kiosks, and the introduction of more mobile technology are important first steps to modernizing and improving existing processes.  We look forward to working with the new interagency task force to identify additional measures to improve the international arrivals process.  We will also continue to work with Congress to ensure that airports have the resources necessary to make these improvements, including a modernized Passenger Facility Charge that affords local control and flexibility for our international gateways.”

 

About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents 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. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.