The airport professional's source for airport industry news, articles, events, and careers.
Issue link: http://airportbusiness.epubxp.com/i/618921
INSIDE THE FENCE Ronnie L. Garrett Editor December 2015/January 2016 airportbusiness 5 GROUP PUBLISHER: Brett Ryden Brett@AviationPros.com 920-568-8338 EDITOR: Ronnie Garrett Ronnie@AviationPros.com 800-547-7377 ext. 1370 COLUMNIST: Ralph Hood ralph@ralphhood.com SALES National Accounts Manager: Michelle Kohn 800-547-7377 x3344 Michelle@AviationPros.com Classified Advertising: Michelle Scherer 920-568-8314 mscherer@AviationPros.com International Sales Representative: Stephanie Painter +44 1634 829386 • Fax +44 1634 281504 Stephanie@painter-lowe.com PRODUC TION Art Director: Rhonda Cousin Media Production Rep.: Carmen Seeber cseeber@southcomm.com CIRCUL ATION Audience Development Manager: Debbie Dumke SOUTHCOMM BUSINESS MEDIA CEO: Chris Ferrell CFO: Ed Tearman COO: Blair Johnson VP, Production Operations: Curt Pordes VP, Technology: Eric Kammerzelt Executive Vice President: Gloria Cosby VP Marketing: Gerry Whitty Director of Digital Business Development: Lester Craft List Rentals: Elizabeth Jackson email: ejackson@meritdirect.com phone: 847-492-1350 ext. 18 • fax: 847-492-0085 Subscription Customer Service 877-382-9187; 847-559-7598 Circ.AirportBusiness@omeda.com PO Box 3257 • Northbrook IL 60065-3257 Article reprints • Brett Petillo Wright's Media 877-652-5295, ext. 118 bpetillo@wrightsmedia.com Airport Business (USPS 001-614), (ISSN 1072-1797 print; ISSN 2150- 4539 online) is published 8 times per year in Feb/Mar, April, May, Jun/Jul, Aug/Sep, October, November and Dec/Jan by SouthComm Business Media, LLC. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Airport Business, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065- 3257. Canada Post PM40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Airport Business, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Subscriptions: Individual print subscriptions are available without charge to qualified subscribers in North America. Complimentary digital subscriptions are available to qualified subscribers world wide. Please visit www.aviationpros.com and click on "Subscribe". Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. $36 per year, $72 two year; Canada/ Mexico $62 per year, $108 two year; All other countries $88 per year, $165 two year. All subscriptions payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank. Canadian GST#842773848. Back issue $10 prepaid, if available. Printed in the USA. Copyright 2015 SouthComm Business Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recordings or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. SouthComm Business Media, LLC does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles. Published by SouthComm Business Media, Inc. PO Box 803 • 1233 Janesville Ave Fort Atkinson WI 53538 920-563-6388 • 800-547-7377 VOL. 30, NO. 2 T he countdown to New Year's Eve and 2016 has already begun for me for many reasons. First, December 31 st is my birthday and I'm celebrat- ing it in style, and second, I always begin the New Year with a handful of resolutions I plan to—and normally do—carry out. This year I'm headed out for a very fancy New Year's bash, and when the evening is over I plan to start 2016 off the right way. I will go gluten free as recommended by my doctor a YEAR ago and I will sign up for art classes. But the new year need not be set aside for personal resolutions. It can also be a time to reflect on professional goals as well. The following is a list of resolutions that might work at your airport or FBO: Be a Partner: Put Uber/Lfyt on your team by allowing them at your airport. The war rages on between airports and transportation network companies. But here's the thing: Your customers want this service at the airport so it behooves you to find a way. Get Fit: Offer airport concessions and fitness oppor- tunities for the increasingly health conscious traveler. Add farm-to-table restaurants, include grab-and-go food options such as hummus or salads, and add those yoga rooms or walking paths you've talked about for some time. Spotlight Security: Travelers are increasingly ner- vous about security threats at the airport. Assess your security situation from the perimeter to the gates, security screening to cyber protection. Identify vulnerabilities then do something about them. Service with a Smile: The passenger experience at the FBO and the airport is important. What can you do to enhance the level of service you provide? Even something as simple as adding more plugs for electronics, installing signage that makes way-finding a breeze, or going out of your way to help customers when they arrive can lessen traveler stress and improve the experience. Plan for the Future: It's no secret that airport infra- structure is aging. It is predicted that airports will need $75.7 billion in infrastructure improvements by 2019. Now is the time to revitalize that master plan and engage in those project ideas that are gathering dust on a shelf. LaGuardia International Airport's getting a $4 billion facelift. What kind of improvements will you target for your airport or FBO in the years to come? Making resolutions isn't the end however. If I'd didn't stick to my resolutions every year, I'd still be a couch potato and weigh 20 pounds more. I wouldn't be reading a book a month and walking 4 miles a day—I'd be watching television. And I certainly wouldn't finally be writing the novel I have dreamed of writing for more than 10 years. Make your resolutions today then stick to them! And share them with me. I'd love to hear about your goals for 2016 and cover them in a future issue! Countdown to 2016 What are your resolutions for the New Year? BILL WILL TIGHTEN SCREENING FOR AIRPORT WORKERS The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has approved legislation aimed at tightening screening for airport workers. The bill would require the TSA to improve vetting of airport employees with access to secure areas by giving the TSA real-time access to terrorism-related databases and allowing the TSA to conduct real-time, continuous criminal records checks through the FBI; expanding use of transportation security officers and inspectors to conduct random physical inspections of airport workers in secure areas; requiring a review of the insider threat posed by airport employees and reporting back to Congress with recommendations; considering increased fines and direct enforce - ment requirements related to missing credentials; and developing and implementing metrics to track secure area rule violations and mistakes. The bill will now go to the full Senate for a vote.