Aviation employees piloting Houston
to a bigger and better future

Director Richard M. Vacar

As the face of the fourth-largest city in the United States, the Houston Airport System is tasked with making the right impression on millions of passengers each year. Fortunately for Houston, the more than 1,200 employees who work at George Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby and Ellington Field consider it a part of their job to offer up a taste of Texas hospitality to all travelers.

As the numbers show, most people appreciate it. Last year, the Aviation Department delivered a record-high in passenger traffic at Bush and Hobby airports. The two airports served more than 51 million travelers combined in 2006, up 3 million from the previous year.

Those are phenomenal numbers considering they far exceed the forecasted traffic figures. As Aviation employees, we should be proud of these accomplishments. As residents of the Greater Houston region, we should be hopeful for the future.

After all, as it stands now, the department contributes more than $24 billion in economic impact to the region. That is not even taking into account the recently initiated nontraditional revenue sources for our airports. For example, at Bush we are making hay by bailing and selling Bermuda grass. At Ellington Field, construction is rampant as more members of our armed forces prepare to move in along with a host of other aviation industry tenants. Our new taxi lane Kilo will will open up the Ellington for more ramp access and encourage further business development.

Our airports are connecting Houstonians to the rest of the world and bringing a new meaning to the definition of Houston as an international city. This year, China Airlines and Korean Air initiated cargo services to Asia. The United Emirates has announced new passenger service between Houston and Dubai beginning in December.

Definitely, the impression made by employees is having an impact on the international travel industry. At 80 years of service, Hobby Airport was recognized last year as the number one airport in the country for customer satisfaction among smaller airports.

As we move toward 80 million passengers by 2025, the role our employees play in garnering new business opportunities for the city of Houston will continue to expand. The economic accomplishments for the region will also follow suit.