As Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian sees it, the upcoming Atlanta city elections are “extremely important” for our city’s future
Tag: Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
Posted inColumns
Saying good-bye to yet another Atlanta airport general manager
With the imminent departure of John Selden, the revolving door at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport continues to turn.
Posted inColumns
Delta, Andrew Young and others deserve credit for Atlanta’s global growth
Atlanta’s evolution as a global center for business came into focus on March 11, when Delta CEO Ed Bastian hosted a surprise birthday celebration for Young (a day before his 89th birthday) at the company’s headquarters.
Posted inLatest News
Delta CEO Ed Bastian: Don’t politicize the operations of the Atlanta airport
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian on Monday shied away from commenting specifically about an effort in the Georgia House to create an oversight committee rather than a full takeover of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.Bastian, who spoke before the Rotary Club of Atlanta Monday, gave a brief interview with the Atlanta Business Chronicle after his talk.
Posted inColumns, Main Slider, Maria's Metro
State’s proposed take over of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport misguided
A proposal in the state legislature to take over Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport would be hilarious if it weren’t so darn scary.Republican legislators, who usually argue for more local control and government closest to the people, are attempting a heavy-handed takeover of Georgia’s economic jewel – Atlanta’s airport.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
How the world’s biggest airport got its new leader
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Sept. 14, 2018
The search for a new general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport took several twists and turns.
Posted inMaria Saporta
City of Atlanta picks JFK deputy commissioner as new Hartsfield-Jackson GM
The City of Atlanta has selected John Selden, the deputy commissioner of New York City’s JFK Airport, to be the next general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Selden was one of the five finalists submitted to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms by her transition group’s airport general manager search committee, which was co-chaired by Carol Tomé, chief financial officer of the Home Depot Inc.; and Dave Abney, CEO of United Parcel Service Inc.
Posted inLatest News
Talk of “second airport,” state control of Hartsfield starts in state Capitol
Atlanta never stops crowing about having the world’s busiest airport — and it hasn’t been interested in a second one. But that “second airport” idea turned up several times in a state Capitol hearing called by legislators who are looking at the feasibility of a state takeover of Hartsfield-Jackson’s management.
Posted inLatest News
Roy Cooper, 91, helped create modern Atlanta
For more than three decades, Roy B. Cooper was an economic development icon working at the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
Cooper, 91, died on June 11. A service in his honor was held Sunday at the A.S. Turner & Sons funeral home in Decatur.
Posted inLatest News
Audit of airport concessionaires shows some gouge passengers, but don’t cheat city
Prices for some food items at Atlanta’s airport are marked up as much as 67 percent higher than their local value, which is in violation of the vendors’ contracts with the airport, an audit by Atlanta’s auditor has determined.
Posted inMain Slider, Stories of Atlanta
It’s all in how you deliver the message
They say that when you die, whether you’re going to heaven or hell, you have to go through Atlanta first. Though made popular by Atlanta’s very busy airport, that saying actually originated back in the day when Atlanta was a major railroad junction. At its peak, over 300 trains a day came and went through […]
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Atlanta plans sustainability facility at airport to handle up 200,000 tons a year of trash, yard trimmings
Atlanta’s airport plans to hire a company to build and operate a recycling facility that ultimately is to handle 200,000 tons a year of airport waste and yard clippings collected around town, refuse that otherwise would end up in a landfill, according to a bid released Monday.
Posted inDavid Pendered, Latest News, Main Slider
Air cargo rebounding at Atlanta’s airport; still trails most prior years
Atlanta’s airport posted a gain in cargo handled in the first quarter of 2015 compared to 2014. However, the tonnage remains below the amount handled during the same period in three of four previous years.
Posted inColumns, David Pendered, Main Slider
Airport’s $1 billion expansion may be managed by two firms based in ATL, one in NYC
Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration has recommended the $1 billion expansion of Atlanta’s airport be overseen by Parsons Brinkerhoff, Inc., H.J. Russell & Co., and Heery International.
Posted inColumns, David Pendered, Main Slider
Atlanta quiet on contract to oversee $1 billion in planned construction
A major contract to manage more than $1 billion in planned construction at Atlanta’s airport is on schedule, though an airport official won’t discuss even the schedule.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Atlanta’s airport to get ads pasted on windows, hung from roof, and more
Atlanta’s airport could soon have advertising pasted on windows, hung from rooftop banners, and streamed across a screen above the central atrium.
The airport intends to open these areas, and more, as part of its upcoming contract with a company to sell and manage commercial advertising. The airport’s ad business now grosses more than $10 million a year, city records show.
It’s all part of the airport’s effort to reach its No. 1 goal with the new ad contract: “To increase Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s advertising revenue.” The airport could use the money, according to the city budget.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Bounced from bid for $22 million airport contract, Atlanta City Hall insider threatens to file lawsuit
A 40-year insider of Atlanta City Hall has threatened to sue the city if his bid is not reinstated for an airport contract that could be worth $22 million.
Aaron Turpeau is protesting a decision by Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration to dismiss Turpeau’s bid as unresponsive. Turpeau wants to continue his involvement in managing the airport’s consolidated rental car facility.
Turpeau last made local headlines during the 2009 mayoral campaign, when he was associated with a memo that suggested black voters should unite behind Lisa Borders in order to ensure the election of a black mayor. The memo characterized Reed as, “effectively out of the race” for mayor.
Posted inDavid Pendered
Atlanta audit indicates irregularities in parking contract at ATL airport
A concessions contract for the largest revenue producer for Atlanta’s airport is up for grabs even as the city auditor has just delivered a critical report on the effectiveness of the current management firm and its city contract.
The parking contract for Atlanta’s airport represents ¼ of the airport’s annual revenue. Parking fees alone bring in $117 million in revenue for fiscal year 2013, according to city Auditor Leslie Ward.
Parking is big business all across the country. The company that now handles the parking decks at Atlanta’s airport, SP Plus Corp., is based in Chicago, has more than 25,000 employees, and manages parking at facilities in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, according to the annual report it filed with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission.
Posted inDavid Pendered
New airport business alliance similar to successful economic development program in Gwinnett County
The newly formed Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance bears a striking resemblance to Partnership Gwinnett, a public-private initiative that has created a strong record of economic development in Gwinnett County.
Each entity was formed to attract jobs and investments to their respective areas. One distinguishing point is that the aerotropolis alliance was convened by the Atlanta Regional Commission, whereas Partnership Gwinnett is based at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
Posted inDavid Pendered
ATL chief: Paulding County’s planned airport won’t thrive in tough industry
The planned commercial airport in Paulding County won’t do well in the competitive airline business, the chief of Atlanta’s airport on Wednesday told members of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
“The possibility of a second airport thriving is not so likely,” Louis Miller, general manager of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, told a group gathered in Atlanta for the annual State of the Ports Luncheon and Transportation Conference.
Hurdles at the proposed commercial airport include high operating costs for airlines, the trend toward bigger jet aircraft, and the history of aviation that favors new airports being built to relieve crowding at smaller, older airports, Miller said.
