The official website of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Category: ATL Stories

  • ATL: VIEWS FROM THE TOP

    ATL: VIEWS FROM THE TOP

    By Jennifer Ogunsola

    Communications Manager

    For all of the iconic structures that enhance the beauty of Atlanta, few are as unique and captivating as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, aka ATL.

    With roughly 900,000 flights in and out of ATL annually and over 107 million passengers on those flights, ATL is busy (in fact, it’s the busiest in the world). But beyond those impressive numbers is the facility itself, and its abundant beauty.

    Its breathtaking views abound. For many, it starts with taking in the entire 4,700-acre complex during takeoffs and approaches to land. For others, it is walking between Concourses A and B instead of hopping on the Plane Train and experiencing Flight Paths — the Airport’s 450-foot underground notable art installation by artist Steve Waldeck. Or it may be a night drive along Interstate 85 South and admiring the newly constructed canopies (illuminated with 3,708 LED lights); the breathtaking views are endless.

    Yes, we get it that most people are passing through to catch a flight or greet a loved one. It makes sense you are preoccupied with travel plans and unaware of the beauty in and around ATL. Moreover, navigating this massive complex of 192 domestic and international gates and over 300 shopping, dining and service locations can sometimes be overwhelming for anyone.

    Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. We have culled the best-of-the-best views – as so determined by ATL’s top executives – to give a sampling of some of our million-dollar views just for you.

    The best part is that once you see these fantastic views, you’ll most likely be inspired to arrive a little early the next time you’re at ATL. Remember to pause and take it all in. When you do, don’t forget to snap a picture of your favorite ATL view, and then share it with us by tagging us @atlairport and using the hashtag #myATLviews.

    TOP 5 ATL VIEWS

    Stogner Hill
    FUN FACT:
    Formerly Radar Hill, in 2016, it was renamed Stogner Hill in honor of the late James Stogner, the retired assistant general manager who devoted more than 40 years to the Airport.
    Air Traffic Control Tower (views from)
    FUN FACT:
    Hartsfield-Jackson has the tallest air traffic control tower in North America (398 feet or 121 meters) and is the fourth tallest in the world.
    The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal Large Airy Glass Window View
    FUN FACT:
    The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal aka Concourse F was one of the filming locations for the 2017 Warner Bros. comedy, “Father Figures” starring Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, and Glenn Close.
    Flying over the Canopies
    FUN FACT:
    The canopies are 65 ft tall, 195 feet wide, and 3 football fields long.
    Air Traffic Control Tower (views of)
    FUN FACT:
    Known as “The Cab”— the top of the FAA air traffic control tower—gives you a   one-of-a-kind, 360-degree view of taxiways and runways.

    TOP ATL VIEWS FROM TOP ATL EXECS

    The best view is from the Air Traffic Control Tower. You can see how the Airport is the heart of the Atlanta region.

    —John Selden, Airport General Manager

    Top of the FAA Tower on the outside.

    — Michael Smith, Airport Deputy General Manager, Administration

    On Stogner Hill enjoying the sunset view of the South Complex and in awe of the steady flow of landing aircrafts.

    —Balram Bheodari, Airport Deputy General Manager, Operations

    The southern end of the South parking deck overlooking the entire airfield of 9L/27R, 9R/27L, and 10/28.

    —Greg Richardson, Chief Financial Officer

    My favorite view of the Airport is from the Air Traffic Control Tower. It’s a 360-degree panoramic view of the World’s Busiest Airport. It doesn’t get any better than that!

    — Bryan Benefiel,  Assistant General Manager, Finance and Accounting

    My favorite view of the airport is from the window wall at Gate F14. It’s a perfect view of the FAA control tower.

    — Paul Brown, Assistant General Manager, Commercial Development

    I would say that my favorite view at the airport is a window at an airline carriers gate, which lets me know that I’m getting ready to hit the blue skies. While sitting there, it puts me in a moment of relaxation and exploring.

    —Sharon Herd-Brown, Assistant General Manager, IT Operations

    As I’m flying over the Airport at night during touchdown, or arrival, the canopies when they are lit in another color [scheme other than white]. The red, white and blue [for Memorial Day and Labor Day] and all blue [in January for Human Trafficking Prevention Month].

    —Jan Lennon, Assistant General Manager, Safety and Security

    Stogner Hill is a great location.  From there, not only can you see concourses, gates, ramps, runways, taxiways, and aircraft, but you can also hear the arriving and departing flights.

    — Paul Meyer, Assistant General Manager, Planning and Development

    The best view is on top of the fourth floor, outside, next to the Atrium glass enclosure.  The best time to be up there is at night during an arrival push.  It has to be spring or fall when the sky is clear, and the humidity is lower.  During an arrival push, you see aircraft coming from all four directions.  The sky is filled with airplanes.

    —Tom Nissalke, Assistant General Manager, Planning and Development

     

  • Award-Winning Teenage Culinary Sensation Lands at ATL’s Award-Winning Food Festival

    Award-Winning Teenage Culinary Sensation Lands at ATL’s Award-Winning Food Festival

    Atlanta’s Own “MasterChef Junior” Season Five Winner Jasmine Stewart to Host Cooking Demo at Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson
    By Jennifer Ogunsola Communications Manager
    What were you doing at age 11? Chances are you went to school, did your homework, watched television, and hung out with friends. But not Jasmine Stewart. The Atlanta native’s life at such a young age proved that she was talented well beyond her years. By 11, Jasmine was already a seasoned chef, and cooking since the tender age of 3, on a weekly national television show, and preparing exquisite dishes in front of people like former first lady Michelle Obama, Martha Stewart, and international award-winning celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi, and Wolfgang Puck. Oh, and did I mention being crowned America’s newest “MasterChef Junior” champion on season-five of Fox’s hit culinary competition series, taking home the trophy and a $100,000 grand prize. While that sounds like a sweet life, today, the high school freshman has a whirlwind of amazing opportunities, and one of those opportunities is leading the international star to the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
    Yep, Jasmine Stewart is headed to Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson, a premier food festival showcasing the diversity of dining options at ATL, and we got a chance to chat with her before she hits the main stage.
    ATL Stories: So Jasmine, when did you really start cooking?
    Jasmine Stewart: I’ve been cooking since I was around the age of 3. I was definitely not good at cooking at all, but, it was something that I found fun and it was a great way for me to express my creativity. And I loved getting in the kitchen and helping my parents.
    ATL Stories: What types of food did you prepare at 3 years old?
    Jasmine Stewart: I think the first actual dish that I made was pancakes. It was a dish I was making with my mom. It was nothing fancy, just from the box mix. And my mom gave me the simple task of cracking eggs and your girl over here cracked them all over the floor. But that’s when I really realized I loved cooking because I expected my mom to be upset and like, ‘Oh my goodness you made a mess.’ Instead, what she showed me was that with cooking, even if you mess up or make a mistake, you can still turn it into something phenomenal. And the pancakes ended up turning out very good. So, I recognized then that that’s the coolest thing about cooking – you could turn anything into an amazing dish.
    ATL Stories: When did you start cooking seriously?
    Jasmine Stewart: At 6 years old, I would say that I really started being a little bit more independent. That’s when I started to create my own recipes and really experiment and mix and match different things. I remember making breakfast for my family a lot, helping my dad make different dinners, and really just kind of wrote my own recipes. I would like write things down on little recipe cards. And I would create [imaginary] tea parties for my parents.
    ATL Stories: When did your parents first allow you to use a knife? 
    Jasmine Stewart: I think even now my parents are still scared when I use knives, but I would say probably 10 or so. My parents are still very cautious in the kitchen because even adults, even professional chefs, cut themselves. 
    ATL Stories: So switching gears a little, how did you end up on “MasterChef Junior”? 
    Jasmine Stewart: Well, first, I’ve always been a fan of “MasterChef Junior,” but when I tell you I never wanted to be on TV, it was never something I thought of myself. My mom is not a stage mom, I’m not a stage kid. But, my mom found the audition on FaceBook. It was my first audition ever. And I thought, well there’s no way I can make it onto the show because these kids are seriously good.
    ATL Stories: What did this experience mean to you?
    Jasmine Stewart: The things that this has allowed my family to do and the parts of the world that I’ve seen and the people that I’ve met, it’s been such a blessing. It’s so amazing to have this experience in my life. So, I’m thankful to my mom for making me get up that day and go to the audition. 
    ATL Stories: So, you travel a lot, which means you’ve seen many airports. Which is your favorite?
    Jasmine Stewart: Of course Hartsfield-Jackson is my favorite. First of all, there’s no airport like this … and honestly, what I love about our airport is that you can go around, you can eat. I’ve seen people doing massages. You can definitely get some exercise in with all the walking [laughter].
    I just love our airport and it feels like home every single time that I’m in there … and the people are inspirational because whenever I’m around and see the big screen [digital board above the main escalators entering north domestic baggage claim], I see [Mayor] Keisha Lance Bottoms and Ludacris, and sometimes that makes me think, ‘Well, one day that might be my face [pictured]…’ and that would be very cool.
    What airport even does an event like this? Which is what makes this airport super special. But I’m so excited to be back in my hometown and see my people. So, it’s going to be a super cool event.
    ATL Stories: So for those who don’t know, you’re talking about the Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson. You’re going to be hosting a cooking demo. What should people look forward to from you?
    Jasmine Stewart: Guests can definitely expect a lot of fun. I’m very down to earth, so we’re just going to talk like we’re friends. I’m super big on girl empowerment. Super big on kids recognizing that you can do anything and that if somebody else can do it you can do it, and I’m living proof of that. And I’m very big on people recognizing if you get a second chance, come back and kill it. I don’t know if you watched my season, but I actually got eliminated and ended up coming back and winning. It was a big moment in my life when I recognized, girl, if you get a second chance you better hop on that and kill it and don’t waste that opportunity. So, I’m definitely going to try and come out and inspire people because I think that’s super important. I have some pretty cool tricks in the kitchen that I’d like for you guys to see. When you’re cooking, you kind of get to come up with your own hacks and your own tricks. It’s definitely going to be a lot of fun and I truly cannot wait.
  • Napa Valley’s First and Only Black-Owned Estate Winery Gets Wings in Atlanta This Winter

    Napa Valley’s First and Only Black-Owned Estate Winery Gets Wings in Atlanta This Winter

    Brown Estate Winery Makes History with Delta Air Lines Partnership

    By Jennifer Ogunsola

    Communications Manager

    There’s one thing that everyone should know about Atlanta and what makes this city thrive, continuously. And that is, its people — both Grady babies (those born in Atlanta at Grady Hospital) and transplants (those born elsewhere, who at some point migrate to Atlanta).

    Atlanta has a long history of its people being the impetus behind innovative and transformative ideas that shape the future of the city, state, country, and, ultimately the world.

    Atlanta is unique, as there are several corporations, such as Delta Air Lines, whose commitment to its people and cultivating their growth has pushed Atlanta forward. In 1941, when Delta Air Lines made Atlanta home, that changed the city of Atlanta and the future of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). That move, which began as someone’s idea, allowed ATL to become the busiest airport in the world.

    “We move the people who move the world” — words that are prominently projected across the top of the “Careers Page” on delta.com, and Carlyne Scott, a Delta employee for the past 12 years, knows, first–hand, how true that statement is.

    What started as an innovative idea for Black History Month at the early part of this year turned into a history-making partnership with Brown Estate Vineyards — the first and only Black-owned estate winery in Napa Valley, California — furthering Delta’s 20-year commitment to supplier diversity.

    Scott, who is a program manager for Delta’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and a member of the company’s black community business resource group, is the reason that Domestic Delta One customers will enjoy Brown Estate wines in less than two months, December 2019. There are two Brown Estate wines being added to the winter 2019-2020 menu.

    “That’s just who Delta is — one employee’s idea can gain traction and grow into a bigger project,” shared Emma Kate Protis, Delta communications spokeswoman. “So, no matter where you are in the company, having an open-door to our executives that can allow a suggestion to flourish into a larger opportunity is what we aim for day in and day out.”

    ​​As the airline celebrates its 20-year commitment to supplier diversity, Brown Estate wines will be served on select Delta flights, an idea that came from a Delta employee
    ATL Stories caught up with Carlyne Scott, the Oakland native who’s called Atlanta home since 1999, and Coral Brown, one of the three sibling founders of Brown Estate Vineyards, to get the inside scoop.
    ATL Stories: When did you join Delta Air Lines?
    Carlyne Scott: I actually started with Delta in 2007 in the reservations call center and moved up the ranks. From there, I was able to join our social media team. And for the past three years, I’ve been on our diversity and inclusion team. So, I’ve been able to experience a lot of different departments at Delta and learn our business from the inside out and frontline on up.
    ATL Stories: So, from what I hear, this innovative idea for Delta to partner with Brown Estate Vineyards came from you. Can you share how this all came about?

    Carlyne Scott: Sure. Originally being from the Bay Area, it really started as a conversation with some friends of mine back home. They were saying, “when you come home, we need to take a trip to Brown Estate.” I’d never heard of them before, so I started researching the family and the history behind Brown Estate.
    I quickly just thought, wow, their core values really align with Delta’s. And knowing that we have a focus on diversity across all areas of Delta, but also within our supplier diversity, I thought that it would be a perfect partnership. From there, I suggested it to BOLD, our black community business resource group, their executive sponsor.
    ATL Stories: As a Delta employee, if you have an idea, do you typically take it to the executive sponsor of the business group?
    Carlyne Scott: Yes, we partner quite often with them as far as leveraging ideas and suggestions. And so, it just so happened that Shawn Cole, who is their executive sponsor, is also a Brown Estate wine club member.  As a member, he thought it was a great idea, and then it went to Delta’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson, who also thinks highly of the Brown Estate brand and their products.

    After she signed off on their brand and their product, it just kind of snowballed from there and they will now be served on our aircraft for our next round of winter selections. So, that’s really how it came about.

    ATL Stories: Carlyne, how did you feel knowing that this was your idea? 
    Carlyne Scott:  I was ecstatic about it. Really knowing the voice of the impact that one employee can make was very humbling and gave me a grateful kind of feeling. The impact that it had for not only Delta but the Brown family was just a great feeling.
    Siblings Deneen, David and Coral Brown, who founded Brown Estate in 1996. (Picture taken in 2006)
    ATL Stories: Coral, as a co-owner and co-founder with your two siblings Deneen and David Brown, how did you guys feel about this news. 
    Coral Brown: We were all blown away. We’re very excited and humbled about this new partnership with Delta Air Lines. Delta is actually the first corporate entity we’ve partnered with, and it’s been a rewarding process to discover how aligned their company culture is with ours. If we had gone out in search of this kind of relationship, we couldn’t have picked a better corporate partner. 
    ATL Stories: Is this normal culture at Delta where employees feel empowered to share their ideas, and know that something, maybe not this big, but something can possibly come of it?
    Carlyne Scott: Absolutely. We have an open-door policy here at Delta, and we definitely welcome employee feedback and leverage that feedback throughout the business — especially with our business resource groups. And we promote these groups within the different divisions at Delta. So, it is definitely part of Delta’s culture.

    Coral Brown: At the end of the day, we’re both in the hospitality business, and Delta clearly values their employees as much as they do their customers. As we’ve learned throughout the years, honoring your employees is as important as honoring your customers.
    On a much smaller scale than Delta, we embrace this exact ethos  — because the magic ingredient in the success of our business is having a team that’s not only enthusiastic but takes pride of ownership in representing our brand to our customers. In turn, when the hospitality delivery is on point, our customers come away feeling a sense of pride about being a part of our brand.
    I’d just like to add how grateful we are to Carlyne Scott for championing for us. We’ve gotten tons of new followers, and our wine club is expanding. Wine sales, wine club and visitation to our Downtown [Napa] Tasting Room are just bustling. We’re grateful to everyone at Delta, and we are beyond excited about what this new partnership will bring.
     
  • Armored with a Legacy of Service and Love

    Armored with a Legacy of Service and Love

    Drawing the connection between fighting fascism abroad and racism at home, 97-year-old WWII hero honored—for the first time ever—76 years after his homecoming

    By Jennifer Ogunsola

    Communications Manager

    The year was 1943. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the White House, facing massive race riots that shook cities like Detroit, Harlem, and Los Angeles to their core. America was at the height of the second World War where thousands of young black men were drafted to fight fascism abroad, while simultaneously fighting racism at home.

    Pastor Matthew Southall Brown, Sr. was a 20-year-old high school senior in Savannah, Georgia then. He remembers feeling alone as everyone around him left for war, a concept familiar to him because his father served in WWI.

    Now 76 years later, the 97-year-old WWII hero sat in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s VIP room on Concourse F, and recalled the day he received his draft letter.

    “The only thing I remember about the day is that it must have been a sigh of relief because it did seem like everybody that I knew was gone,” Pastor Brown shared.

    “My oldest brother was in college at the time, so he was deferred, but he would write and tell me who was going and who had already left. I don’t know if I got the letter or the diploma first. But I say that I got the diploma in one hand and the letter in the other hand.”

    Though Pastor Brown trained as a rifleman, the then-segregated Army relegated him, and most blacks serving, to support duties. It was during the war’s most intense fighting that Brown volunteered for combat duty and became one of the first 2,000 black soldiers to fight alongside white soldiers.

    Seventy-five years have passed since Pastor Brown’s homecoming, one without fanfare or recognition for his sacrifice and service. Until now. Just three years short of his 100th birthday and for the first time since his discharge, Brown was returning to Belgium, the country where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge, the bloodiest battle for U.S. forces in World War II.

    This time, however, instead of being met by enemies, Brown was greeted and embraced by dignitaries from the Netherlands and Belgium and 20,000 citizens eager to acknowledge and honor him during the 75th anniversary commemoration of the country’s liberation from Nazi occupation.

    Before his departure, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, along with its partner, Delta Air Lines, and representatives from the Transportation Security Administration, worked with Honor Flight South Florida to welcome, escort and celebrate the man who helped liberate Europe.

    ATL Stories sat down with Brown to learn more about his story.

    ATL Stories: Thank you for all that you have done.  After you entered the service, what was one of the first things that you learned?

    Pastor Brown: I learned that most blacks were relegated to what is called a quartermaster, which is a section of the military that supports the other part of the military. But Eisenhower’s orders were if you want to join the infantry, you can sign up. Well, I was tired of stacking gasoline, so I signed up never thinking I would get it. But, I got elected then I got scared. Now I was attached to the 9th Division 60th Regiment Company E. 

    ATL Stories: You had to give up your rank in order to fight?

    Pastor Brown: Yeah, we were all-black units. Can you imagine? When I tell the story, most people ask me why. It’s a simple answer. They didn’t want somebody looking like me giving orders to somebody looking like them. 

    ATL Stories: How did that make you feel? 

    Pastor Brown: It didn’t bother me because I grew up in a segregated society, went into the military out of the segregated society, so it was just a way of life. But when I came back, I joined another army — I was a foot solider for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

    ATL Stories: So when you came home, you got married and had children? 

    Pastor Brown: I came home and went to college. I had to go to Georgia State Industrial College for colored people. I got married when I came home and I had four children just like my parents. Two boys and two girls. Later, I went to Princeton because it was a renowned seminary. Then I went to American Baptist School of Theology, which is our convention school. I wanted to get Princeton on my resume because it looked good, not because it taught you more. 

    ATL Stories: What has been the most difficult part of your walk, your journey?

    Pastor Brown: I’ve been interviewed by almost every entity in the world, and nobody has ever really asked me that. I’ve got to think about that. Well, I did pastor a church for 35 years [and] that church caught on fire. It was Savannah old grey brick up to the first set of windows. It was established in the early 1800s, and it was one of the most beautiful churches.  That was one of the most difficult parts of my journey.

    ATL Stories: What year was this?

    Pastor Brown: That was in 1993. And I didn’t know that the church was so widely known. We got contributions as far away as from where I’m headed for now… France. And I guess that’s one of the most difficult periods, but we came out of that experience better from the fire because we built a very magnificent and beautiful edifice.

    ATL Stories: I was listening to one of your sermons and you were talking about what’s in your book. And you said, ‘By the grace of God,’ you will get through your ‘it,’ whatever your ‘it’ is. What’s one of your ‘its?’

    Pastor Brown: My wife died in 2014. Six months later, my youngest daughter passed away. Now, I’m still trying to get through that.

    ATL Stories: What is one thing that you are most proud of today?

    Pastor Brown:  I’m proud that I have lived long enough for somebody to say thank you.

    ATL Stories: Well, I’ll say it again, on behalf of everyone at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your willingness to share some of your story with us.

  • ATL remembers aviation giant George Berry

    ATL remembers aviation giant George Berry

    Aviation Commissioner George Berry in 2010 during the 30th anniversary of ATL’s Midfield Terminal in 2010.

    By Doug Strachan

    Innovation & Strategic Business Development Manager

    When then-Mayor Maynard Jackson sought a dynamic, capable leader to guide construction of what would become the world’s busiest airport, he knew exactly who he wanted – George Berry, a high-powered but affable executive at Cousins Properties. Berry answered the call and agreed to leave the private sector to become Atlanta’s Commissioner of Aviation in 1978.  Berry, an aviation legend in Atlanta, passed recently at the age of 82.

    In 1978, after years of planning, the future of ATL’s midfield terminal—crucial to the expansion of not only the national airspace system, but also the growth and prosperity of the Atlanta region—was in question.  Elected in 1973, Maynard H. Jackson, the first African American mayor of a southern city, boldly enacted a moratorium on any further midfield terminal development, contingent on a detailed plan for greater minority participation. Mayor Jackson needed an empowered, bold and willing airport team to construct a new airport that was built not only with steel and concrete, but also with diversity and inclusion. Mayor Jackson appealed to George Berry to leave the private sector and join his team as Commissioner of Aviation.

    As one writer phrased it, whether he was working for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia or for Cousins Properties, Berry was one of the most influential leaders in the state for several decades — beginning in the 1960s and on through the 2000s.

    After joining the Airport team, he and Mayor Jackson collectively asked another giant to join forces as Deputy Commissioner in charge of the Airport midfield construction program. Richard Stogner, who passed recently at 76, accepted the challenge. Together, they effectively assumed responsibility for the City’s largest-ever construction project in the center of what was then the second busiest airport in the world. Both men had a long career of City of Atlanta public service, in a number of progressively more responsible capacities.

    With their challenge clear, Berry and Stogner achieved a brand new ATL — on time and within budget — while setting records for significant minority and small business participation. Berry and Stogner also played an indispensible role in generating equal opportunities at ATL in airport concessions, helping to create the contractor and subcontractor paradigm still used today.

    George Berry, who was born July 5, 1937 and passed Sept. 7, served the City of Atlanta initially from 1962 to 1974, and again as Commissioner of the Department of Aviation from 1978 to 1983.  Richard Stogner, born Feb. 26, 1943 and passed July 28, 2019, served the City of Atlanta from 1969 to 1983, and as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Aviation from 1978 to 1983.

    These two aviation giants will long be remembered for their mark on what is now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

  • It’s time for a summer getaway: Tips to tackle the busy travel season at ATL

    It’s time for a summer getaway: Tips to tackle the busy travel season at ATL

    Officials estimate over 10 million travelers move through Hartsfield-Jackson during the summer season.

    By Jessica Green

    Public Affairs Intern

    With the summer solstice and Fourth of July in the rearview, the warm weather season is officially upon us. About 10.7 million passengers are expected to go through security checkpoints this summer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, so to say the season is a popular time for travel would be an understatement.

    Passengers are traveling through ATL to destinations all over the world.

    The top 10 domestic travel destinations are:

    1. New York
    2. Orlando
    3. Chicago
    4. Fort Lauderdale / Miami
    5. Tampa
    6. Baltimore
    7. Dallas
    8. Washington D.C.
    9. Philadelphia
    10. Los Angeles

    Concourses E and F are also quite busy this time of year. Here are the top 10 international destinations:

    1. Toronto, Canada
    2. Cancun, Mexico
    3. Mexico City, Mexico
    4. Montreal, Canada
    5. Nassau, Bahamas
    6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
    7. Paris, France
    8. London, England
    9. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
    10. Montego Bay, Jamaica

    And if you’re long overdue for a vacation, here are a few tips for your next getaway.

    With increased traffic and ATLNext, the multibillion-dollar capital improvement program underway, ATL passengers are advised to arrive at the Airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure for domestic flights and three hours in advance for international flights. This allows for plenty of time to check luggage and get through security checkpoints.

    Hartsfield-Jackson has several projects in development continuing through the summer. Workers are finishing up construction of the South Terminal canopy. The entire exterior of the Domestic Terminal is getting a face lift. Pedestrian bridges will create a bypass above the roadways and connect the Domestic Terminal to the parking decks, improving better traffic flow. Renovations to create space for additional gates on Concourse Tare taking place. And the ATL West Parking Deck, located near the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC), is currently under development.

    With all the improvements being made to ATL, be mindful of temporary closures and cautious in construction zones. Visit next.atl.com for updates.

    Whether it’s a weekend retreat or a month abroad, this summer is the perfect time to venture. Dust off your passport, grab your boarding pass, and enjoy traveling.

  • Airport region prepares for major renewal with aerotropolis

    Airport region prepares for major renewal with aerotropolis

    Aerotropolis Atlanta Director of Marketing and Communications Charlie Vaughn and CEO Shannon James © 2019 Decisive Moment Events

    By Anika Robertson

    Senior Editor / Assistant Public Relations Manager

    It’s no secret that as the economic jewel of the Southeast, Hartsfield-Jackson drives billions of dollars in business activity. A few miles away sits a lesser-known asset, a small but robust organization strategically grinding to catapult development surrounding ATL’s 4,700 acres.

    Incorporated in 2014, the Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, consisting of a 39-member board that includes municipalities, nonprofits and corporate powerhouses such as Porsche, Georgia Power, SunTrust Bank and Delta Air Lines, seeks to drive economic investment, job growth and quality of life in the area.

    While many areas north of 1-20 have experienced development and revitalization, areas south of the line remained stagnant. That is until Porsche broke ground on its $100 million North America headquarters in Hapeville in 2012.

    “Porsche’s arrival solidified the aerotropolis concept,” Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance President and CEO Shannon James explained, adding that multijurisdictional collaboration and cooperation were vital.

    The organization was kick-started by a partnership with the Atlanta Regional Commission to publish a detailed blueprint outlining the vision, select stakeholders and identify transportation needs. Porsche Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Joe Folz joined the burgeoning initiative and currently serves as chairman emeritus.

    James, appointed as CEO in May 2018, spends his days and nights furthering the mission of Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance to strengthen the region through economic development, education and workforce development.

    The collaborative approach is working.

    “We bring tons of benefit with public-private partnerships, all these cities surrounding the Airport and we’re in constant communication with them. So how do we make sure, if there are opportunities or challenges, how can we be a conduit?”

    The entire Aerotropolis Atlanta area encompasses a 20-mile area surrounding the Airport. In addition to the Alliance, Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) also collaborate for further planning and development, such as a greenway network of trails, a transit study, and cargo mobility plans.

    The Aerotropolis Atlanta CIDs and Alliance spearheaded a first for the area, the $12 million Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-285 and Camp Creek Parkway that promises to improve traffic flow and promote future growth. The project is expected to be completed in late 2019.

    “CIDs are more horizontal in economic development – beautification, infrastructure and wayfinding,” James explained.

    “We’re trying to bring vertical growth. When you have horizontal growth happening, it influences the vertical, so we are constantly working together.”

    With ATL as a partner and advocate for Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, Airport General Manager John Selden said the alliance is a no-brainer.

    “Ensuring the success of Aerotropolis Atlanta is a win-win for everyone,” Selden said.

    “It just makes logical sense to be located in a thriving, vibrant region that is a world-class transportation hub.”

    One major project set to break ground early next year is Airport City College Park, a 320-acre mixed-use development adjacent to the Georgia International Convention Center off Camp Creek Parkway.

    “Now we’re bringing a couple of billion dollars to the area, which has never happened before, south of I-20,” James said.

    “This project really speaks to the aerotropolis concept. You’re bringing real destination development to an airport area.”

    So how can ATL best support Aerotropolis Atlanta? The former bank executive wants to make sure that visions and planning align while continuing to put Hartsfield-Jackson on a platform it deserves.

    “[With ATLNext], I would love for us to coordinate more as we’re planning through growth and what that looks like,” James said. “This will lead to smart growth for decades to come while positively promoting the area.”

    The organization recently won the 2018 Development of Excellence Great Place Award by the Atlanta Regional Commission.

    Plans for the next big win are in Clayton County with Mountainview, a 700-acre mixed-use development opportunity west of Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.

    “We have a regional focus and want to strip the idea of competition amongst ourselves,” James said.

    “What’s good for the area is good for everyone.”

  • ‘Wings for All’ empowers families with special needs

    ‘Wings for All’ empowers families with special needs

    Captain Eric Ries, Georgia Sen. Greg Kirk and Airport General Manager John Selden welcome Wings for All participants at ATL. © 2019 Decisive Moment Events

    By Anika Robertson

    Senior Editor / Assistant Public Relations Manager

    ATL and Delta once again did their part to make it easier for special needs passengers to keep climbing.

    For the fourth year, ATL and Delta Air Lines hosted youths with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families for an ‘airport rehearsal.’ With a new program name and logo, “Wings for All” acclimates children and their families to air travel.

    “This is an opportunity to come into the Airport, experience the sights and sounds, and give everyone the confidence to say, ‘Yes, I can take that family vacation and fly somewhere,’” Airport General Manager John Selden told a packed room on Concourse E.

    “What makes travel better for people with disabilities makes travel better for everyone,” she said.

    During the simulated flight, “passengers” learned about the aircraft’s features, safety protocols, and procedures. Ries shared his testimony as a father of a 12-year-old-son on the autism spectrum.

    “I’m a parent first . . . before I’m a pilot,” the captain asserted, adding his son’s challenges amplified tearful episodes and meltdowns.

    “We started on short flights and worked our way up.”

    He’s now flown with his son over 60 times, offering tips and advice for families.

    ATL Customer Experience Manager Carol Gaddis said understanding the Airport’s customers is essential for successfully enhancing customer satisfaction.

    “We work closely with our partners to make this a priority for our operation, inclusive of persons with disabilities as well as the aging population,” the event organizer said.

    “ATL is customer-focused.”

  • We remember former Airport Commissioner Max Walker

    We remember former Airport Commissioner Max Walker

    Max Walker, center, looks at former Aviation Commissioner George Berry in this undated photo. Courtesy of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

    By Doug Strachan
    Innovation and Strategic Business Development Manager

    Maxwell “Max” Walker, a giant in Atlanta’s aviation history and the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation’s sixth leader, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 8, after a brief illness. Max was 89 at the time.

    Max worked at ATL from 1967 until his retirement in May 1993, enjoying an extraordinary career of about 26 years. In 1982, he became a deputy commissioner of aviation. In those days, a commissioner, rather than an Airport general manager led the Department of Aviation.

    Among his many accomplishments was earning a reputation for completing ATL construction projects “on time and under budget.” In a 1993 interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Max recalled that in 1969, the DOA was able to rebuild a runway in just 40 days. “It usually takes a year or so, but we couldn’t stand for the runway to be out of service for that long,” he told the newspaper.

    ATL’s early intervention in efforts to mitigate community frustration with aircraft noise was another area in which Max succeeded. He told the AJC, “One of the big things we tried to do was plan for the airport and surrounding communities so we could co-exist.” He went on to say, “I think today the communications and the ability to talk among local governments and the airport is much, much better than it was before.”

    Known for his graciousness, Max was the epitome of fairness, until his frugal nature was stirred. Katie Stanciel, long-time head of ATL’s Parking operation, recounts the time she approached Max with trepidation one evening to broach the subject of hiring extra staff to help her manage the growing demands of her job.

    Stanciel recalls, “I had been taking folders full of spreadsheets home each night, and I was getting tired!” Cautiously entering Max’s office, she explained her position and then asked for the extra help.

    “Max slowly looked up from his desk, smiled at me, and then said, softly, ‘You can do it, Katie.’”

    She was ultimately left to get the work done efficiently by herself.

    A host of anecdotes point to the extent to which Max held the bottom line. One recounts the submission of a proposed $80 million budget plan. After reviewing the proposal, the story goes, Max looked up at those in the room and said, “I believe you can do it for $60 million.”

    The basis for the design of today’s ATL has its roots in concepts created or approved by Max Walker. In many ways, it’s clear that Max Walker’s planning, building and operational philosophies permeate the thinking of modern Planning and Development leadership; like Max, they too take pride in the engineering and execution of projects designed to ensure that ATL can fulfill its purpose and mission for years to come.

  • Food Festival (Main Ingredients): Top Airport, Top Restaurants, Top Chefs

    Food Festival (Main Ingredients): Top Airport, Top Restaurants, Top Chefs

     

    By Jennifer Ogunsola

    Communications Manager

    If you look at a list of the world’s best food festivals, you probably won’t find any that take place at an airport. But we all know that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) likes to do things a little different. And by different, I mean making the impossible, possible.

    Eating and drinking have always been one of the best ways to experience other cultures and become familiar with new places, and that is no different at ATL. With nearly 300,000 people passing through each day, it has become increasingly important for ATL officials to get creative in presenting the hundreds of restaurants and bars located throughout its seven concourses and the atrium.

    In 2012, Concessions Marketing Manager Demetria Wideman knew that if ATL was going to continue to grow and maintain its award-winning concessions program, then she would have to think of an out-of-the box, innovative way to increase awareness and help passengers decide what and where to eat when they are in the world’s busiest airport.

    And from that, Wideman, now the Airport’s concessions business developer manager, gave birth to the idea that has become Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson, a world-class food festival that takes place in a pre-security area of the Airport, welcoming the public to participate.

    When and how did Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson start?

    Our first year was 2015, so this year is our fourth year hosting Taste.

    It started as a need to help increase awareness about the food and beverage options here at the Airport. We have many great restaurants, and people just didn’t know what gems were around ATL. So I thought, “You see food festivals going on around the city, why not have a food festival at the world’s busiest airport?”

    Had you already tried other marketing tactics to bring awareness to the concessions program?

    Yes, we looked at many options. Everything from signage in and out of the Airport to food sampling, which can be effective, but we wanted to do something that would put us on the world stage. Food festivals are not uncommon, but they are uncommon at airports. And Hartsfield-Jackson provides us with the perfect landscape to be able to do something like this. Having a central terminal and a space large enough to set up individual booths is very helpful, but having a quality program is really what makes something like this work.

    Is ATL the only airport with something like this?

    We are the only airport that continually does food festivals for its food and beverage program.

    So you thought of this in 2012, but ATL did not host its first Taste until 2015. Was it hard to get approval?

    It took three years to get everyone to nod their heads yes. I first started kicking this idea around with the concessionaires, who immediately saw the vision but they also needed some buy in. So, it took me a year of mulling over this idea and trying to figure out what this would all look like.

    Then, the following two years were just me having conversations with Airport executives trying to get their buy-in.

    We were very fortunate to have visionaries at the helm of our crucial decision-making departments and partnering agencies. So, it wasn’t too big of a stretch talking to our Airport execs, but they definitely put it on me to figure out how I was going to gain approval from all departments, agencies whose normal operations would be impacted.

    What organizations or entities needed to sign off for the festival to happen?

    The Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Landside Operations, Maintenance, TSA, airlines, and AATC, which is Atlanta Airlines Terminal Corporation – the company that manages our structural and systems maintenance and our facility services. They were an integral part of this.

    Fire is probably the most integral because they are here for life/safety, and when you talk about setting up booths pre-security, they are concerned, and should be.

    It looks like there were many moving parts. But, once they said yes, how did you know where to start?

    I didn’t, so I started in my imagination. It sounds crazy, but I was literally dreaming about this festival every night. Up in the middle of the night taking notes, and just trying to formulate a plan. I also researched food festivals in different cities across the world just to see how everything was set up. Google was definitely my friend!

    What has been your biggest challenge since you started?

    Finding believers. Even now, people are doubters sometimes about how valuable Taste really is, and so that can be discouraging at times. But, I’ve realized that everyone isn’t going to have the same vision, and I’m learning to be okay with that.

    Are you happy with what you’ve created?

    Absolutely. We’ve created something that has grown our concessions program tremendously. The biggest win is watching people be in the moment and enjoy the food. When I hear guests saying, “I can’t wait to go here the next time I’m traveling through this airport,” or employees saying, “We need to make plans to go to this restaurant for lunch,” then I feel like my job is done.

    How valuable have your partners and supporters been? 

    We have been fortunate to have some amazing partners over the past four years. Everyone from renowned chefs G. Garvin and Cat Cora, who both have restaurants here at Hartsfield-Jackson, to Taste of Atlanta and Atlanta Eats, who we’ve partnered with since the beginning.

    The supporters and partners that I have on the team help me to ensure that I have buy-in from the Airport community and the community outside of the Airport. They are invaluable, and honestly, they have helped to turn this crazy idea that I had seven years ago to create a world-class food festival for the world’s busiest airport into a reality. 

    You are no longer the Airport’s concessions marketing manager, but this is still your event that you put together every year. Why did you decide to keep it and not pass it on? 

    Aside from continuing to grow what I birthed, I get to fulfill another joy from this – and that’s the charitable side.

    For the last two years we partnered with No Kid Hungry, and the previous two years with United Way. These charities get 100 percent of the proceeds. The concessions marketing fund takes care of everything so all the charities have to do is collect the money from our ticket sales. Last year, we raised enough money to provide over 100,000 healthy meals for kids.

    My ultimate goal with Taste is to make sure that while we are putting our concessions program on the world stage in an innovative way, we’re having a real, transformative community impact.