November 21, 2011
Honorable Ray LaHood Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590
Dear Mr. Secretary:
The members of Airports Council International-North America are dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable travel experience every day for millions of Americans and visitors from around the world. We look forward to working with you and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to improve the experience of airline passengers whose flights are diverted due to inclement weather.
Recent incidents underscore the importance of effectively working with all the stakeholders needed to protect travelers – including the airlines, government agencies and airport operators. As FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt emphasized this week, “We can’t control the weather, but we can improve the way diversions are handled.”
The local airports that form the core of America’s aviation infrastructure share the commitment to improving the way the federal government and airlines handle diverted flights. The tarmac delay rule now in place is an important step in the right direction. But recent incidents show the need for further improvements in coordination. Airport officials cannot make these changes on their own, but such changes are clearly necessary for the benefit of the traveling public. We need the active participation of airlines and federal agencies given their control of aircraft operations at airports across our air transportation system.
These challenges will be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome without greater empowerment at the local level. For example, we believe that airports must have a greater role when decisions are made regarding the number of diversions they can accept based on their resources and their airline partners’ ability to handle these aircraft once they’re on the ground.
As we approach another winter storm season, ACI-NA and its members recommend that DOT oversee the important changes necessary to ensure more effective coordination of airline contingency plans at every airport. This is the best way to maintain safety and protect the welfare of passengers.
We look forward to the DOT Forum on Wednesday, November 30, and to working with your staff and FAA officials to implement these vital reforms.
Airports Council International-North America Washington, DC 202-293-8500 www.aci-na.org
Sincerely,
Don Green, A.A.E. Skip Miller. A.A.E Director of Aviation Executive Director City of Abilene Louisville Regional Airport Authority
Rick McQueen Bradley S. Livingston President & CEO Airport Director Akron-Canton Airport Dane County Regional Airport
John A. O'Donnell Mr. Edward C. Freni Chief Executive Officer Director of Aviation Albany International Airport Massachusetts Port Authority
Jim Hinde, C.M. Randall H. Walker Director, Aviation Department Director of Aviation City of Albuquerque Aviation Department McCarran International Airport
Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E. Larry D. Cox, A.A.E. Airport Director President & CEO Asheville Regional Airport Authority Memphis International Airport
Louis E. Miller Barry Bateman, A.A.E. Aviation General Manager Airport Director Department of Aviation General Mitchell International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Jim Smith Eric J. Frankl Executive Director Executive Director City of Austin Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board Department of Aviation Blue Grass Airport
Paul J. Wiedefeld, A.A.E. Thomas E. Greer, A.A.E. Executive Director General Manager Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Monterey Peninsula Airport District Marshall Airport
Rebecca Hupp Raul L. Regalado, CAE Airport Director President and CEO Bangor International Airport Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
Richard Roof Iftikhar Ahmad Airport Manager Director of Aviation Barkley Regional Airport Authority New Orleans Aviation Board
Anthony J. Marino Ken R. Spirito, A.A.E. Director of Aviation Executive Director Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Airports Council International-North America Washington, DC 202-293-8500 www.aci-na.org
William R. Vanecek Wayne E. Shank Director of Aviation Executive Director Buffalo Niagara International Airport Norfolk Airport Authority Niagara Falls International Airport
Robert F. Selig, A.A.E. John Wheat Executive Director Executive Director Capital Region Airport Authority Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
Susan M. Stevens, A.A.E. Deborah Ale Flint Director of Airports Executive Director Charleston County Aviation Authority Oakland International Airport Port of Oakland
Terry L. Hart Steve A. Coufal Interim President & CEO Executive Director Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority Omaha Airport Authority
Candace S. McGraw Phillip N. Brown, A.A.E. CEO Executive Director Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Elaine Roberts Danny Murphy President & CEO Aviation Director Columbus Regional Airport Authority City of Phoenix Aviation Department Sky Harbor International Airport
Eric Waldron Brad Penrod Airport Administrator Executive Director/CEO Connecticut Department of Transportation Allegheny County Airport Authority Bradley International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport
Jeffrey P. Fegan Susan M. Baer Chief Executive Officer Director, Department of Aviation Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Mark Duebner Steven H. Schreiber Interim Director Director of Aviation City of Dallas Department of Aviation Port of Portland Dallas Love Field Portland International Airport
Terrence G. Slaybaugh Krys T. Bart, A.A.E. Director of Aviation President / CEO City of Dayton, Department of Aviation Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Kim Day Jacqueline L. Shuck, A.A.E. Manager of Aviation Executive Director Denver International Airport Roanoke Regional Airport Commission
Airports Council International-North America Washington, DC 202-293-8500 www.aci-na.org
Donald Smithey Amy M. Ott, CPA, CM Executive Director Interim Executive Director Des Moines International Airport Greater Rockford Airport Authority
Robert A. Grierson, A.A.E. G. Hardy Acree Manager Director of Airports Dubuque Regional Airport Sacramento County Airport System
Douglas P. Joest, CPA Maureen Riley Airport Manager Executive Director Evansville Vanderburgh Airport Authority Salt Lake City Department of Airports
Russell C. Widmar, A.A.E. Frank R. Miller Director of Aviation Aviation Director City of Fresno - Airports City of San Antonio Fresno Yosemite International Airport Aviation Department
Kent G. George Thella F. Bowens Director of Aviation President/CEO Broward County Aviation Department San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Torrance Richardson, A.A.E. John L. Martin Executive Director of Airports Airport Director Ft. Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority San Francisco Airport Commission
James A. Koslosky, A.A.E. William F. Sherry, A.A.E. Executive Director Director of Aviation Kent County Department of Aeronautics Mineta San José International Airport Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Cindi Martin, C.M. Larry A. Dale Airport Director President & CEO Glacier Park International Airport Sanford Airport Authority
David N. Edwards, Jr. Fredrick (Rick) J. Piccolo, A.A.E. President/CEO President, Chief Executive Officer Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Bruce A. Frallic A.A.E. Patrick S. Graham Executive Director Executive Director Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport Savannah Airport Commission
Mario Diaz Mark M. Reis Director of Aviation Aviation Director Houston Airport System Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Airports Council International-North America Washington, DC 202-293-8500 www.aci-na.org
Richard Tucker Lawrence J. Krauter Executive Director CEO/Airport Director Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority Spokane International Airport Huntsville International Airport
John D. Clark III Mark E. Hanna, A.A.E. Executive director and CEO Executive Director Indianapolis Airport Authority Springfield Airport Authority Indianapolis International Airport
Dirk B. Vanderleest Noah Lagos, A.A.E. Chief Executive Officer Airport Director Jackson Municipal Airport Authority St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
Steven J. Grossman Kevin Dillon CEO & Executive Director President and CEO Jacksonville Aviation Authority T. F. Green Airport
Mark VanLoh Sunil Harman Director Director of Aviation Kansas City Aviation Department Tallahassee Regional Airport
William F. Marrison Bonnie Allin, A.A.E. President President/CEO Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Tucson Airport Authority McGhee Tyson Airport
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge Jeff Mulder, A.A.E. Airport Director Airport Director Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Tulsa Airport Authority
Gina Marie Lindsey Thomas Naughton Executive Director Interim Chief Executive Officer Los Angeles World Airports Wayne County Airport Authority
Robert M. Ball, A.A.E. Victor D. White, A.A.E. Executive Director Director of Airports & CEO Lee County Port Authority Wichita Airport Authority Southwest Florida International Airport
John F. Wood Rick Atkinson Executive Director Airport Director Lincoln Airport Authority Yeager Airport
Mario Rodriguez Director Long Beach Airport
Cc: The Honorable Randy Babbitt, Administrator, FAA David Grizzle, Chief Operating Officer, Air Traffic Organization, FAA Christa Fornarotto, Associate Administrator for Airports, FAA
Airports Council International-North America Washington, DC 202-293-8500 www.aci-na.org