Title
Airports Council International - North America - Calendar Year 2022 Membership
Description
This report requests that the Transportation, Infrastructure and Innovation Subcommittee recommend City Council approval of the Calendar Year 2022 annual dues payment for the Aviation Department's membership in Airports Council International - North America. The annual dues for Calendar Year 2022 are $149,629.60.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) is one of five worldwide regions of Airports Council International and represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA advocates for airports by addressing federal and regulatory issues that impact airports and the aviation industry, including issues such as FAA flight paths, safety and security, environmental matters, and FAA funding reauthorization.
ACI-NA is also deeply engaged with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations Specialized Agency with strategic objectives including safety, air navigation capacity and efficiency, security and facilitation, economic development of air transportation, and environmental protection.
In addition, Phoenix airports are well represented by staff serving on ACI committees including the Large Hub Airport, Operations and Technical Affairs, US Governmental Affairs, Legal Affairs, Public Safety and Security, Business Diversity, Business Information Technology, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Risk Management, Small Airports, Human Resources, and Commercial Management committees. These committees are charged with the development of recommendations that ACI-NA helps advance on behalf of U.S. airports to regulators in Washington, D.C.
As the owner and operator of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the City of Phoenix receives significant value from the services and industry coordination and collaboration that are provided/organized by ACI-NA. ACI-NA continued to support the industry this year by:
- Securing $20 billion in financial relief for U.S. airports following the virtual shutdown of air travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Continued advancement of key priorities established by the ACI-NA Airport Industry Recovery Advisory Panel;
- Inclusion of an additional $25 billion for airport infrastructure funding in the bipartisan infrastructure framework; and
- Support for airports to enhance airline competition through more effective slots allocation and management.
ACI-NA will also be advocating on behalf of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in 2022, by supporting the below priorities:
- Modernization of the Passenger Facility Charge user fee as the industry seeks to recover lost revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic;
- Expansion of touchless technologies at TSA checkpoints and at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to streamline and enhance the passenger experience;
- Work to reopen domestic and international travel in a seamless way that prioritizes health, safety, and confidence in air travel; and
- Empower airports to become more sustainable while providing advocacy on emerging environmental issues such as community noise impacts.
Financial Impact
The annual dues for Calendar Year 2022 are $149,629.60.
Location
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Council District: 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Aviation Department.