|
 |
 |
| PREVIOUS |
NEXT |
| PAGE |
PAGE |
|
| WHAT'S INSIDE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CARGO SUPPLEMENT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
| A Social and Benevolent Organisation |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Lysa Scully is Assistant Director of Customer, Cargo, Concessions & Airport Services for the Port Authority. She is responsible for providing vision and direction on a broad range of customer, cargo and concession services for Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia airports. |
| SUMMER CAPACITY CRUNCH |
Summer means outdoor pleasures, easy-to-prepare recipes, relaxation, and for many people, vacation travel. According to the latest indicators, airline capacity will be tight this summer across the nation. Demand will be strong, and load factors - the |
|
|
percentage of available seats sold - will probably average nearly 90 percent, up from 80 percent last summer. The Port Authority expects to see this nationwide trend in evidence at its three airports as it continues to work with its airport partners to effectively handle the increase in air travel during the upcoming months. When I make my way through the terminals at JFK, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia these days, I'm constantly reminded of the tremendous rise in passenger traffic our regional airports are already experiencing. They continue to comprise one of the biggest and busiest airport systems in the world. Last year we handled nearly 100 million passengers, and we expect to surpass that number this year. With planes landing or taking off on an average of every 30 seconds at one of our airports, capacity becomes a big issue. While it is one of our biggest challenges, providing excellent customer care remains a top priority for all of us. As we move forward to ensure efficient, effective and friendly customer service amidst this tremendous growth we continue to pursue projects that ease airfield capacity and reduce delays. In an airport system of nearly 72,000 public and private sector employees, partnership is everything, particularly when it comes to implementing these important initiatives and maintaining our customer service standards. Each one of us plays a key role in ensuring these standards are met. I always like to come back to our basic premise that courtesy, personal contact and assistance are fundamental to most of our customers. Strong airport partnerships are helping every employee understand this better. Last month when I spoke at length about our Customer Care Program, I emphasized the need to be aware that our customers are the core of our business and that knowledge, maintaining a great attitude and a pleasant appearance are essential for keeping our customers satisfied. These qualities can also bring us the greatest on-the-job satisfaction. Being a part of this great industry presents many exciting opportunities, and I'm confident that together we can successfully meet the challenges of the big summer crunch. I look forward to seeing you and working with many of you in the busy months ahead. |
 |
Bob Ciminelli Managing Director American Airlines LaGuardia Airport
When Bob
Ciminelli assumed
his responsibilities
as Managing Director
of American
Airlines at
LaGuardia in October
2002, it was a
little like coming
home. Although a
native of New York
State, he has spent much of his 27-year
career with the airline in Texas and the
South. He says it's good to be back on home turf and that operating at a major airport out of this region is a welcome opportunity to address many intriguing challenges. Our staff recently met with Bob at his LaGuardia office where he talked |
|
about American's long-standing partnership with LaGuardia and of the particular issues the two entities share: high traffic load within a confined land space, air traffic control restrictions, intersecting runways, weather delays and the need for upgrades and enhancements at the Central Terminal Building. |
Customer Service And Technology Initiatives
For Bob, ensuring excellent service to travelers on American is a major priority. Delivering on-time departures to customers and ensuring their safety and security are at the top of his list. Customer care is also very much about being able to communicate effectively with travelers, especially during delays and other unanticipated events, he told us. Bob spoke highly of the Customer Care Representatives who are stationed at checkpoints to help ease travelers through security efficiently, adding that American's partnership with the Port Authority and other airport partners has been a very successful one over the years. The airline was one of the first to operate out of
|
 |
|
LaGuardia when it opened in 1939 and played a pivotal role in the airport's early development. Early on, American occupied a large office space that it eventually turned into the LaGuardia Admirals Club - considered the world's first airline lounge. American Airlines' technology-based initiatives include the self-service check-in, now utilized by about 50 percent of domestic passengers, and curbside check-in, which has also proven very successful. Bob said that American is exploring other ways to enhance self-service with remote check-in. It's obvious that one of the most rewarding aspects of Bob's job is working with people. He feels he is a good counselor and mentor to young employees just starting out at American and takes a great deal of pleasure in seeing them progress in their careers. While his years at the airline have allowed him to work on a wide range of projects, he said he is perhaps most proud of being part of the startup of hubs at Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. Bob lives in Douglaston, NY with his wife Joanne, who has enjoyed a 30-year career with American Airlines. Their daughter, Christina, graduates from the University of Oklahoma this month. |
This month we continue to highlight some of the remarkable efforts of airport employees to help ensure the safety, security and excellent care of our customers. We include two incidents that exemplify this commitment to customer care. The Port Authority presented Prime- Flight Aviation Services employee, Ruth Bey Perez with a Certificate of Appreciation at the April 11, 2006, LaGuardia Station Manager's meeting. While working as a ticket checker in the Central Building, Ruth was presented a boarding pass that appeared to have been altered to make is appear that the passenger did not have to |
 |
|
receive additional screening. She immediately brought this to the attention of the TSA and the airline, which confirmed her suspicion. Due to Ruth's keen eye and quick action, the passenger received the required additional screening. The evening of April 17 may have started off as routine for Pat Crawford, a Port Authority Information Officer stationed at JFK, but she was soon on the telephone |
 |
line for several hours helping a very alarmed aunt help locate her 18-year-old-nephew, whose first name is Michael. He arrived in the United States from Italy and had a latenight connecting flight out of LaGuardia to Montreal. Michael missed his flight and apparently thought he had to wait outside by the taxi stand area until the next morning. His aunt speaks highly of Pat's tireless efforts to help locate him. In her letter to the Port Authority she said: "Pat spent the better part of the evening helping us find Michael. When I first contacted her, all we knew was the boy |
|
was outside near the taxis and with no money, exhausted and frightened. Pat was superb. She listened patiently to what I had to say and got to work to help find him. She followed up on everything she said she would do. The icing on the cake was when I was on the phone to my sister to tell her Michael had been found and was safe. Pat was on my call-waiting line, well past her time to go home. But there she was on the line to let me know they'd found him.Pat and her colleagues - including Security at Kennedy and LaGuardia - were wonderful. Please tell them all how we feel. Again, I wish there were expressions in the English language to convey how grateful we are as a family. I'll do my absolute to return the favor to anyone in need. Pat has started a cycle that will touch many lives." |
| TEAM NEWARK - WORKING TOGETHER TO STAY SAFE |
 |
Left to right: Sue Baer, General Manager; Matthew Dohn; Nancy Seliga, Manager of Landside Operations and Customer Service for the Port Authority and Marcus Arroyo, TSA Federal Security Director. |
Mindful of the need to reinforce security awareness among airport staff and customers, the Newark Liberty Security Task Force recently formed a committee to conduct a security slogan contest for airport employees. After reviewing the submittals for a tagline that could be used on posters, banners, key chains and other safety/security promotional items, the task force committee came up with two winners: Rosa Rodriguez of the Center for Disease Control, who submitted "Be our Next Hero - Our Safety is in your hands" and Matthew Dohn of the TSA, who submitted "Team Newark - Working Together to Stay Safe." The committee combined the two mottos to come up with a winning slogan: "Team Newark - Security is in Our Hands." At a Station Managers' meeting, Rosa and Matthew each received a check for $250 from General Manager, Sue Baer. |
|
|
|
|
