Finavia, the state-owned operator of 25 of Finland's 27 commercial airports, has rebranded Helsinki-Vantaa as Helsinki Airport in a €30,000 ($43,200) marketing initiative in partnership with advertising agency TBWA/PHS. The rebranding is intended to reinforce the message that HEL is a modern hub ideal for connections to Asia from both Europe and the North American East Coast owing to its position directly over the shortest great-circle routes connecting the continents.
South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs confirmed last month that the government plans to float a 15% stake in Incheon International on the Korea Exchange in 2010 as part of its plan to divest 49% of the airport. The remaining 34% will be sold to investors in 2011, the airport said. Foreign investors will be permitted to hold up to 30% of all outstanding shares and airlines will be capped at 5%.
Port Columbus International in Ohio announced a unique arrangement with 10 airlines under which the airport will share 75% of its annual net profit after debt service and capital fund requirements with the carriers in the form of rent credits. "Maintaining a healthy airport begins with helping to ensure the success of our vital airport partners," Columbus Regional Airport Authority President and CEO Elaine Roberts said. "The airport authority believes that the new agreement will prove to be mutually beneficial."
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and Stewart International, announced a preliminary $6.3 billion budget for 2010 that calls for flat operating expenses for the second consecutive year and 150 layoffs in response to "an economic downturn that is expected to reduce facility activity more than originally forecasted." It said "priority projects" will be maintained with $3.1 billion in capital spending.
Thirty California airports formed the California Airports Council, which will "dedicate its work to advocacy and education on issues facing commercial airports." San Francisco International Executive Director John Martin is the first president and Jim Lites was named executive director. CAC will seek an increase in the PFC cap to $7.50 from $4.50 (set in 2000) as part of the pending FAA reauthorization bill, which it said will allow airports to invest an additional $2 billion in infrastructure development projects over the next decade.
The US Transportation Security Administration implemented a new security directive on Jan. 4 mandating that every passenger flying into the country who is a citizen of or whose trip included a stop in 14 "nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest" will be subject to "enhanced screening." The move came 10 days after a Nigerian national attempted to detonate an explosive onboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit. His trip started in Lagos.
Promising a "commitment in favor of a decisive improvement in service quality," Aeroports de Paris last month proposed a fee freeze for the year beginning April 1 and outlined its initial proposals for the 2011-15 economic regulation agreement.
Airports Council International released its Airport Economics Survey 2009, reported that global airport revenue reached an estimated $96 billion and predicted that 2010 traffic "is expected to rebound and may well exceed moderate predictions of +2% per annum next year" in the absence of a "major setback." It said 709 airports serving some 3.4 billion passengers participated in the 2009 survey.
Qatar Airways has announced Copenhagen and Barcelona will join the airline's ever-expanding route network during the airline's summer schedule which begins at the end of March 2010.
