Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Achieves Global Health Accreditation

November 25, 2020

WASHINGTON – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, today congratulated the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the operator of the largest airport system in the world, on earning its Airport Health Accreditation.  The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York Stewart International Airport (SWF), and Teterboro Airport (TEB).

“Ensuring the health and safety of the traveling public and airport workers is always an airport’s top priority,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “By earning their ACI Airport Health Accreditation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting passengers and airport workers and limiting the spread of COVID-19.  We are proud to recognize the Port Authority’s Airport Health Accreditation.”

ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation program assists airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force recommendations. Areas of assessment for accreditation include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (where feasible and practical), staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities.

“Consistency will be the key to a sustained global recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Port Authority’s achievement in being accredited by the ACI Airport Health Accreditation program contributes to a globally-coordinated approach which will foster public confidence in aviation,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira. “I am very impressed in how the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has swiftly adapted to new realities to introduce new measures based on globally-consistent protocols.”

The Airport Health Accreditation program is also consistent with the recommendations and industry priorities put forward by Airport Council International – North America’s Airport Industry Recovery Advisory Panel in June 2020.  As the report recommends, the restart and recovery of the aviation sector will require a consistent and harmonized approach with clear industry standards and good practices.  More airports adopting the Airport Health Accreditation program is a concrete step that airports can take to reaffirm their commitment to health and safety.

Through unified recovery efforts, the Port Authority has implemented leading-edge capabilities across its airports under four core principles: maximize hygiene, minimize contact, minimize access, and minimize dwell. To communicate these essential advances and the Port Authority’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment, the agency produced Steps To Safety For Airport Customers, a video showcasing safety measures designed to streamline the entire airport journey and keep customers and employees safe.

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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.