NATA Airline Services Council



NATA Airline Services Council

Meeting

October 27, 2009

Minutes

I. Welcome

National Air Transportation Association Airline Services Council (NATA ASC) Chairman Jack Evans welcomed NATA ASC members to the meeting at 8:01 a.m. (ET).

Meeting participants included:

• Jack Evans, Total Airport Services, NATA ASC Chairman

• Karen Avestruz, Worldwide Flight Services

• Robert Allen, Cargo Airport Services LLC

• Robert Limone, Cargo Airport Services LLC

• Kevin Didion, Gate Safe, Inc.

• Phil Jensen, Cargo Airport Services LLC

• Paul Siebols, Air General Inc.

• Patrick Stanchis, Gate Safe, Inc.

• Paul Walton, Menzies

• Sally Leible, Airport Terminal Services

• Wayne Eichel, Worldwide Flight Services

• Leonard Kirsch, McBreen & Kopko

• Larry White, Gate Safe, Inc.

• John Willis, International Aviation Handlers Association

• Don Palmer, Gate Safe, Inc.

Guest participants included:

• Ed Hightower, TLD

• Gregory Principato, Airports Council International – North America

• Mike Duffy, Commercial Airports, TSA

• Jim Parts, Commercial Airlines, TSA

• Doug Brittin, Air Cargo, TSA

Staff participants included:

• Eric Byer, NATA

II. Approval of July 31, 2009 Minutes

Evans asked for approval of the July 31, 2009 teleconference Minutes. The motion was made by Wayne Eichel, seconded by Sally Leible, and the Minutes were unanimously approved by the NATA ASC.

III. Roundtable Discussion

Evans asked each meeting participant to introduce themselves, provide a brief update on how their business is doing, and provide recommendations on issues for the NATA ASC to address over the coming year.

Members provided welcome feedback on issues including airports entering the ground-handling business, cargo security, the Employee Free Choice Act, membership growth, labor concerns, health care legislation, FAA reauthorization and the financial state of the airline industry.

IV. Commercial Airport Perspective

Gregory Principato, President of the Airports Council International – North America, addressed the NATA ASC on the latest initiatives his association is undertaking. Principato indicated that with air traffic down 9% from 2008, airports are working to find ways to reduce costs and keep revenue growing.

Principato also mentioned the creation of ACI-NA’s new Small Airports Committee in response to many small commercial airports growing increasingly concerned about the loss of existing airline service to their airport.

Principato also addressed a number of issues that he is working on with his senior staff, including employee screening, TSA regulatory inconsistencies, environmental initiatives, FAA reauthorization legislation, passenger facility charges, and the overall economic situation and how it is affecting commercial and general aviation airports.

Members asked a number of questions to Principato, including how the airline services community can better work with the commercial airport community as well as airport privatization.

V. Legislative & Regulatory Update

Byer told the group that the Employee Free Choice Act continues to be stalled in the U.S. Senate as congressional leadership scales back the number of controversial bills to be considered with 2010 being an election year.

Byer also said that the FAA Reauthorization bill continues to receive short-term extensions and that another is expected by year’s end, by the current deadline of December 31, 2009.

Byer stated that health care reform legislation continues to be the priority of congressional leaders and the White House but it remains very unclear as to whether a bill will be approved before Congress adjourns for 2009. Evans asked if NATA would be willing to compile a spreadsheet comparing the various health care bills being considered by Congress to assist small businesses in determining what impact these bills may have on their bottom lines. The association produced this analysis shortly after the meeting and it can be viewed by clicking here.

VI. TSA Update

The TSA’s Mike Duffy (Commercial Airports), Jim Parks (Commercial Airlines) and Doug Brittin (Air Cargo) all provided brief remarks to the NATA ASC. Brittin’s Air Cargo presentation may be viewed by clicking here.

Members voiced their continuing concern about access to the approved technology list and the fact that purchasing new x-ray and screening equipment that may expire is a difficult business decision for many companies.

Members also expressed their continued frustration with not being granted access to the various security programs that the airlines have that are Sensitive Security Information. Many airlines are simply not passing this security information on to authorized ground handlers, disabling timely compliance.

VII. TLD America Presentation

Ed Hightower of TLD America, which sponsored the Monday night NATA ASC dinner, provided council members with a brief presentation on TLD America and the services it provides to the ground-handling community.

VIII. 2010 Policy Issue/Member Service Planning

Evans asked NATA ASC members for input on what the council should focus their efforts for the remainder of 2009 and in 2010. Members highlighted the following areas:

• TSA badging inconsistencies

• Air Cargo Security / CCSP

• Environmental issues (de-icing)

• OSHA enforcement

• Health care legislation

• Industry outreach / membership recruitment

Evans asked council members to provide additional topics to Eric Byer on the NATA staff at ebyer@nata.aero.

IX. Upcoming Meetings

The 2010 NATA ASC event calendar can be viewed by members by clicking here.

The next meeting of the NATA ASC will take place on January 28, 2010, at 12:00 noon by phone.

V. Miscellaneous

Byer asked members if individual companies would like to provide 500-word profiles of their organizations within the ASC Monthly Update. The council agreed. Byer stated that he will send a sign-up sheet for members to make commitments to draft profiles for the 12 editions of the ASC Monthly Update in 2010.

X. Adjournment

With no further business, the meeting concluded at 12:54 p.m. (ET)

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