Atlanta City Council receives Airport briefing and tour
By Roishina C. Henderson

With the start of a fresh year and some newly elected officials, the Department of Aviation invited members of the Atlanta City Council to Hartsfield-Jackson for a tour and updates on Airport operations.

City Council members learned about the Airport’s economic impact on the state, the new rental car center, the influx of new shops brought in by the Concessions Management unit and more on February 17. They also took part in a guided tour of the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal, which is expected to be completed in spring 2012.

“The tour and presentation were an introduction to the Airport, an Airport 101 lesson,” said Aviation Intergovernmental Affairs Manager Walter Vinson, who coordinated the events. “We had Department of Aviation senior leadership and personnel talking about projects, which also let [City Council members] know who was responsible for what projects and their job duties.”

Council members who attended the tour were veteran Councilman C.T. Martin and freshman members Yolanda Adrean, Alex Wan, Aaron Watson and Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Some of the statistics they learned emphasized the scope of the Airport’s work: Hartsfield-Jackson serves more than 88 million passengers annually — 250,000 per day — and offers nonstop service to 156 U.S. destinations.

“I think it [the presentation and tour] went well, because we want to inform our elected officials about the progress of the Airport and show what’s happening with the capital improvement projects,” Vinson said. “I believe they benefited from the visit to the Airport.”