Welcome to Our Annual Premier Event
I am thrilled to be here in Fort Worth and I hope y
’all are enjoying the 2017 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition so far!
Airport decision makers and their peers come from across North America each
year to attend this event, and explore the latest trends and strategies that
advance the industry. This year’s event is no exception.
Yesterday’s happenings were very successful with a
jam packed agenda, featuring two general sessions and we have even more in
store for you. Today, attendees will get to explore sessions featuring topics
promoting security, flight plans, privatization, and much more. Don’t forget to
check out our sold-out exhibit hall today featuring 175 exhibitors ready to
demonstrate their expertise and help you solve the emerging challenges facing
the airport industry.
I hope to see you all this evening at the closing
night event set to take place at Billy Bob’s Texas. Wear your cowboy hats and
boots!
Warmest regards,
Kevin M. Burke
President and CEO, ACI-NA
|
Tuesday's Agenda at a Glance
7:00
AM – 5:45 PM: Check-in / Registration (Level 100
Concourse)
7:30
AM – 9:00 AM: World Business Partner/Associate Member
Breakfast: Room: 201 (Open to all ACI-NA WBP/Associate members & ACI-NA
member airport directors)
8:00
AM – 9:00 AM: Continental Breakfast (Ballroom
Concourse)
9:00
AM – 10:00 AM: General Session III Keynote Address
with American Airlines CEO Doug Parker
10:00
AM – 10:30 AM: ACI-NA Downes Award Presentation
10:30
AM – 3:00 PM: Exhibition Hall Open (Lunch Served in
Exhibit Hall from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM)
1:15
PM - 5:15 PM: Afternoon Sessions
5:30
PM – 6:15 PM: Chair’s Handoff Reception (Room: 201AB)
7:00
PM - 10:00 PM: Closing Night Event (Billy Bob’s Texas)
|
Airport Carbon Accreditation Ceremony
North American Airports Recognized for Leadership in Sustainability
Yesterday, ACI-NA recognized the 27 North American airports that achieved Airport Carbon Accreditation during the past year at the 2017 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition. Airport Carbon Accreditation recognizes airport efforts to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions through independent assessment and verification. Read more>>
|
General Session 1 Highlights
The 2017 ACI-NA Conference has over 2,000 attendees "and the
numbers keep growing," said William Vanecek, Chair, ACI-NA and Director of
Aviation at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, at General Session 1. The
expo is "the largest in history, with 290 booths," he said.
To get a sense of those numbers, all one had to do was look
around the packed session hall , where just about every seat was filled --
including one by the Mayor of Fort Worth, Betsy Price. "Air service is one of
the main reasons Fort Worth is now the 11th largest city in the nation," she exclaimed
when it was her turn on stage. Kevin M.
Burke, President & CEO, ACI-NA, had some interesting numbers to share, as
well, from the North American Annual Traffic Report that was released earlier
in the day. According to the report, there was a 4% increase in air traffic in
2016., with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world’s
most traveled airport with 104 million passengers in 2016.
The numbers were equally impressive when Sean Donohue, CEO,
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport took the stage, and shared with the
audience some information that validated the importance of the travel and
tourism industry. For example, it is responsible for 10% of the world’s gross
domestic product, to the tune of $7.6 trillion; globally, 292 million jobs; and
1 out of 10 jobs on the planet. "Let
that sink in," he said, "and understand the impact our business has on the
world."
With power comes responsibility, however, and that is where
ACI-NA and its gatherings come in. The strength of the association is in its
ability to "forge strong partnerships for the betterment of the industry – your
industry," said Burke, adding: "At the core of our mission, we exist to help
you make better business decisions."
Donohue reiterated a similar message when he said, "We need partnerships
to make this possible." In addition, "There
is an incredible amount we can learn from each other. We should learn as much
as we can from experts in the field."
And that is exactly what Rich Karlgaard is, in addition to
being Editor-at-Large and Global Futurist at Forbes and a "power-user in
airport travel," he said. While this was a light-hearted approach, the information
he shared during his Keynote Address was substantive and serious. Companies have picked off all of the low
hanging fruit and "now we are in this new era. They are trying to stick a straw
into your operating model and suck everything out of It."
What we need to do is "bring this country back into balance,"
he explained. We are seeing these "wild
asymmetries, said Karlgaard, and the American economy is under-performing
because it is out of balance.
Bringing balance back requires action and adaptability.
Karlgaard mentioned that there are four adaptability "must do’s" :
1. Be digitally fluent.
2. Understand cultural clarity. Look at culture as a
triangle -- strategy, execution, values -- where we all have to be equally
strong . When the balance is out, the Cadillac Cimarron is the same as the Chevy
Cavalier, except for the hubcaps and grille.
3. Create great teams within companies. The optimal
brainstorming/creative team size is no more than two pizzas can feed. "Almost everybody’s teams are too big," said
Karlgaard. Also, pay attention to its diversity.
4. Allow for human development. "Hire for character," said Karlgaard.
Some of the other topics that Karlgaard touched on were
growth percentages, "atom" vs. "bits" companies, the six Rs (reach, retention,
relevance, reputation, revenue, ROI),
technology and the "digital bang
for your buck," the price of a taxi cab medallion in NYC (from $1.3 million to
$200,000, 2014 to 2017), more parking spaces at airports (thanks to Uber),
videoconferencing’s effect on air travel,
the "two speed" economy, and megatrends.
|
Today's Aviation Headlines
US
Customs to launch revised trusted traveler website in October
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will launch a
new website in October to incorporate a branding transition from Global Online
Enrollment System (GOES) to the Trusted Traveler Programs System, the agency
said Sept. 18. Read
the full article >>
Revamped
security checkpoint to open at Tucson airport
The second of two redesigned security checkpoints at
Tucson International Airport opens Wednesday, Sept. 20, as the airport’s
terminal renovation project continues. Read
the full article >>
Delta
caps fares for flights out of Hurricane Maria-affected cities
Delta Air Lines said it is capping main cabin
one-way fares at $199 for flights out of San Juan, Puerto Rico and Punta Cana,
Santo Domingo and Santiago in the Dominican Republic as Hurricane Maria
approaches. Read
the full article >>
Grand
Rapids airport receives $3.8M for security improvements
The airport serving the Grand Rapids area has
received a $3.8 million federal grant to improve security. The funds granted to
the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which total $3,830,587, comes through
the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. Read
the full article >>
Trudeau:
Canada could stop dealing with Boeing over dispute
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday his
government could stop doing business with Boeing if the U.S. company doesn’t
drop a trade complaint against Canadian plane maker Bombardier. Read
the full article >>
Officials
announce expansion of New Orleans direct flights
In 2016, according to officials, more than 11
million passengers passed through New Orleans Louis Armstrong International
Airport – an increase of almost four percent from 2015’s 10.7 million figure.
This year, the airport hopes to build on that record-breaking number by
expanding its services to include a number of new direct flights from New
Orleans to both international and domestic destinations. Read
the full article >>
Sacramento
airport adds electric buses and an on-site solar farm
Sacramento International Airport took another step
this month in its effort to transition its operations to clean energy use,
winning a federal grant for a fleet of electric shuttle buses. Read
the full article >>
United:
Final Boeing 747 flight will be to Hawaii on Nov. 7
United Airlines will make its last-ever Boeing 747
passenger flight on Nov. 7. The carrier has added a special "farewell" flight
from San Francisco to Honolulu that will serve as its final passenger operation
on the beloved jetliner to Hawaii on Nov. 7. Read
the full article >>
|
State of the Industry
Yesterday, ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin Burke gave
a state of the industry address, highlighting ACI-NA’s mission-focused work to
advance the industry, especially in the areas of infrastructure, passenger
facilitation, and industry collaboration. Read
more>>
|
World Traffic Report
North American Airports Continue to Report Passenger
Growth in 2016
Yesterday, ACI-NA released the 2016 North American
Airport Traffic Summary, containing passenger, cargo and aircraft operations
data from 227 North American airports. In 2016, passenger traffic grew 3.8
percent and cargo traffic increased 2.4 percent. The 2016 North American Traffic Summary was
announced at the 2017 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Fort Worth,
TX. Read
more>>
|
Download the Conference App
Make the most of your ACI-NA Conference experience by downloading the ACI-NA Conferences app on your smartphone or tablet. Sponsored by CH2M, the ACI-NA Conferences app lets you search the participant list, connect with attendees, customize your agenda, and much more!
Get the app now by searching "ACI-NA Conferences" in the App Store or Google Play.
To access the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition App:
Username: Email used to register for the conference
Password: airports
|
Join the Twitter Conversation
From the Expo Hall
The exhibition hall has
been a great success throughout the 2017 ACI-NA/ Annual Conference and
Exhibition. Explore some more!
|
Today's Agenda Highlights
Check out the full 2017 ACI-NA Annual Conference and
Exhibition agenda here.
General Session 3: Doug Parker
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
American Airlines Group
Doug Parker led the efforts to form the
current iteration of American Airlines – the world’s largest airline in terms
of revenue, passengers, employees and aircraft. Mr. Parker has achieved impressive
financial and operational results applauded by industry analysts, customers and
employees alike. He is a strong advocate for reforming the U.S. air traffic
control system and addressing the massive subsidies he says three Middle East airlines
receive from their home governments. But what advice does he have for North
American airports to ensure their success as the airline industry continues to
evolve?
Collecting
Data and Images From Airport Patrons Can Help You Provide Better Service and
Generate More Concession Revenues--But What About the Legal Risks?: How can airports gather and use customer data to foster
21st Century commerce in their facilities without putting the enterprise at
risk by failing to comply with data gathering/protection laws? Airports are
collecting more and more data and images through their internet services,
mobile apps, location-based services, CCTV and more. How can you comply with
U.S. and Canadian privacy laws related to your collection and use of passenger
information through various portals and devices? What do you need to know in
order to avoid or mitigate a data disaster?
Flight
Plan Uncertain? Making Sense of the Evolving Regulatory Landscape: The
regulatory landscape for airports in the near to mid-term future appears hazy,
particularly in the United States. Get the latest information you need to adapt
to regulatory changes afoot in the U.S. and Canada and be prepared for what’s
coming in the future. This transnational session will feature views from both
sides of the border on topics ranging from safety to finance to air traffic
modernization.
Privatization
– The Good, The Bad and The Unknown: Airport privatization
and public-private partnerships have been in the news as possible solutions to
U.S. and Canadian infrastructure funding challenges. Could "selling off" public
assets provide a huge windfall to fund infrastructure needs outside of aviation?
What are the pros and cons of such programs for North American airports and
their communities? Learn from international experts what you and your elected
representatives and other government officials need to know.
Aviation
Security – Navigating the New Threatscape: In close
coordination with regulators such as TSA and Transport Canada, airports work to
develop risk-based, intelligence-driven measures to mitigate ever-evolving
threats to civil aviation while maintaining operational efficiency. Leveraging
industry/government partnerships and working collaboratively to assess
countermeasures and technologies are critical elements in enhancing aviation
security. The ability to tailor security measures to unique geographical
layouts and operational environments is critical as airports need the ability to
nimbly shift limited security resources between locations to address migrating
threats. This session will provide an opportunity to gain insight from senior
TSA and Transport Canada representatives about transformational initiatives to
address threats and preserve the vitality of the aviation system.
|
Thank You to the 2017 Annual Conference Sponsors
2017 Annual Conference Reading List
The latest issue of Centerlines, ACI-NA’s flagship magazine, is here! Each topic and article was carefully selected
to position 2017 annual conference attendees ahead of the curve. Read the articles below or stop by
registration to pick up a copy!
A Brand-New
Energy—A Look at the Industry’s Emerging Leaders: ACI-NA profiled 20 first
time airport directors who have assumed their roles within the last three
years. Explore how their new ways of approaching industry challenges are paving
new paths forward for the next generation of airport industry leaders.
Post-Crisis Transformations: Through collaboration, risk-based
approaches, and reliance on credible intelligence, airports continue to ensure
that the safety and security of the traveling public remains their top
priority, while facing new global threats to aviation security.
Energy, Efficiency
and Sustainability Working Together: Airports are taking new approaches to
longstanding sustainability priorities, and leveraging airport resources to
contribute to the success of their communities. Learn how airports are tackling
sustainability to improve airport operations.
Airports Cater to
Great Expectations: Explore how
airports are developing new and innovative approaches to airport passenger
amenities, while continually working with their concessionaire partners to
enhance the passenger experience and strengthen the bottom line.
|