Goodwill Ambassablog

SAN TV a big hit

2008-10-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

The Airport Authority's Goodwill Ambassadors Program wrapped up its fifth unforgettable "edu-tainment" event today with a presentation of SAN TV -- the SANtabulous Network -- for some 80 Airport Authority employees over two days. Here's a shot of many of the SAN TV cast members who put on memorable performances for all in attendance. Programming on SAN TV focused on Destination Lindbergh, the multi-agency planning effort now under way to determine the long-range future of San Diego International Airport. Shows included Airport Improvement, The View ... from the Top, SAN Celebrity Squares and The Big Intermodal Giveaway. Stay tuned for many more pictures and a special video of the this week's SAN TV events.

Live Chat at SAN

2008-09-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Airport Authority is currently testing a new feature on its Web site, “Live Chat”. For four hours every morning, Colm in our Customer Service Department answers questions from the public. The chat function is designed to be very user-friendly and gives you personalized information on San Diego International Airport. All you have to do is click on the “Live Chat” box .

So, fellow Ambassablogger Ed and I decided that this was a perfect opportunity to try out a video posting for the Ambassablog. In the clip below, you'll see the two of us asking Colm some “questions," plus some fun surprises. Special thanks to Travis, the summer intern in Airport Planning from Oklahoma State University, who was instrumental in putting the video clip together.

Coming soon

2008-09-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Airport Authority employees take note:

Adieu to 30 Days of Blue

2008-09-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days of Blue special birthday celebration for San Diego International Airport (SDIA) comes to an end today. The airport turned 80 years old last month and kicked off 30 Days of Blue with a free community festival, the SAn Skyfaire, at Liberty Station on August 16. Over 1,200 people came out to enjoy the day. Here's a nice collage of the event, assembled by our summer intern, Jennifer (now back at college).

A focus of the celebration has been an issue of paramount importance in our region and the world: sustainability. The Ambassablog got involved with special video post by Ambassablogger Sjohnna on what the airport is doing to protect the endangered California Least Tern at SDIA, as well as a post called More about EONS by Ambassablogger Ed.

And for each of the last 30 days, the airport has posted on its Web site a useful sustainability tip you can put in practice in your everyday life, as well as an important sustainability measure under way at the airport.

30 Days of Blue may have lasted just a month, but with a renewed and continual commitment to sustainability by by all of us, perhaps its important message can last indefinitely.

More about EONS (part 2 of 2)

2008-09-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

This a follow-up to my post, All about EONS, from July 18.

Do you get excited over toilet bowl cleaner? You might be surprised, but a lot of my Airport Authority colleagues did recently! In an effort to get out the word on the Airport Authority’s Sustainability Policy (which I talked about in the previous post), the Airport Authority recently hosted an employee open house focused on showing employees how what we do in our jobs and at home can be truly sustainable. In the picture above, I'm hanging loose with fellow Airport Authority employee Isabel at the open house to promote sustainable care for the ocean.

Even the giveaways at the open house were sustainable. Employees were given reusable, sturdy canvass tote bags featuring the airport's logo and other earth-conscious gifts, such as Clorox's new Green Works™ glass and toilet bowl cleaner. Green Works™ is the first line of natural cleaners developed by a major consumer products company. You wouldn’t believe what a hit the latter was; yours truly was low on both cleaners, so they really came in handy! Check out fellow Ambassablogger Ryan awarding a bottle of Green Works™ to Airport Authority employee Michelle.

Part of being sustainable is having the right information to let you to make choices and act in a manner that respects the earth. It’s nice to know how much the Airport Authority is committing itself to really promoting sustainability — and a clean toilet bowl to boot!

Welcome home

2008-09-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

When I returned from vacation this summer, I was pleased that my flight landed at Gate 2 in Terminal 1. When you travel through Gates 1 and 2 here at San Diego International Airport, you’re greeted by a lovely piece of art that really reflects the spirit of San Diego. It’s quite a lovely welcome home!

It's called Day at the Beach and is by artist Tracy Sabin. He’s a local artist from Carlsbad. The beautiful tile mosaic was installed in the airport in 2005 and depicts a beach scene much like you might find on any San Diego beach.

Here are two photos of the mosaic: above is one of the entire piece of art I took right after I landed in San Diego, and at the top is a closeup. I was tired when I arrived, but that’s the power of art – noticing the artwork warmed my heart to be home in good ol’ San Diego ... and it inspired me to take a photo to remember it.

I like how the individual mosaic tiles make it seem like the sea is sparkling. Beach, anyone?

Look for more information about our Airport Art Program in future posts!

Back to school

2008-09-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ah, college! ... The best four years of my life! Speaking of which, Horizon Airlines recently unveiled a new aircraft honoring my alma mater, the University of Washington. Go Huskies!
As any college student can tell you, an internship is an integral part of your education and preparation for “The Real World”.

Here at San Diego International Airport, we're wrapping up our Summer College Intern Program. This year we welcomed 13 students representing nine schools and eight states, with a a varied set of majors and backgrounds. My intern, Travis, graduated from Oklahoma State University in May and he did a fantastic job this summer. Thanks, Travis! Each student worked in a different department at the airport, participated in weekly activities and attended airport-wide events. Here they are:

From left to right (with their university and the airport department where they interned):

Travis – Oklahoma State University – Airport Planning
Keith – CalState LA - Facilities Management
Chase – Baylor University – Procurement / Small Business Development
Jill – Purdue University – Terminal Development Program
Wesley – Louisiana Tech University – Noise Mitigation
Shelia – Ohio University – Aviation Security
Andrew – Purdue University – Marketing
Tim – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Aviation Security
Hannah – San Diego State – Human Resources
Andrew – University of North Dakota – Airport Operations
Jennifer – UC San Diego – Public & Community Relations
Russell - Inter-Governnmental Relations
Armin – San Diego State - Facilities Development

The activities gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the airport and an opportunity to make professional contacts and new friends. The intern program is part of the Airport Authority’s Careers in Aviation initiative.

I want to thank everyone that helped put on the program -- it is a great experience for both the interns and all the staff. A huge thank-you to Carol and Michelle in Human Resources for taking care of the summer’s logistics.

If you are interested in next year’s program please see the Airport Authorty's career website. Recruitment usually begins in mid-January each year.

Until then, study hard!

The Airport meets YouTube

2008-08-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Ambassablog has established a firm foothold in the blogosphere with its regular posts from San Diego International Airport (SDIA) employees about life at Lindbergh Field. Now, it's venturing into another popular Web 2.0 hangout: YouTube.

The official Ambassablog YouTube Channel features all the videos about SDIA that have appeared on the Ambassablog ... neatly gathered in one place. There you will find video footage of an adorable baby California Least Tern (the endangered species protected by SDIA), TSA travel tips featuring some famous San Diego costumed characters, leaders in the region discussing the importance of air travel, and more.

At the Ambassablog YouTube Channel, it's easy to subscribe to the videos, leave comments on them, read what others have said, and see how many people have viewed each one. Check it out!

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature above may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!

An incredible Olympic gateway

2008-08-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Did you see the spectacular Olympics closing ceremonies last night? If you've been as excited about the Olympics as I've been , you religiously watched the primetime coverage every evening, including the short local broadcast, “The Olympic Zone.” While watching the other night, I saw a story about Beijing’s newly expanded Beijing Capital International Airport.

You can see a cool slide show of the airport here.

Excited to find an Ambassablog tie-in to the Olympics, I decided to capture some interesting facts about Beijing airport’s massive new Terminal 3, pictured here, to share with you:

Terminal length: 1.8 miles
Check-in counters: almost 300
Baggage system: can transport up to 20,000 bags an hour
Total cost: approximately $3.8 billion
Construction time: less than 4 years, using 50,000 workers
Terminal building size: about 220 acres. (By comparison, all of San Diego International Airport SDIA sits on just 661 acres!)
The design incorporated advice from a Feng Shui expert
Environmental sustainability considerations were also part of the design
And, yes, among many other concessions, the terminal includes a Starbucks

The new terminal opened earlier this year in March and is the world’s largest airport building. I think it's a fitting addition to one of the world’s busiest airports! The extra capacity helped support international travel for this year’s Olympic Games.

The new Beijing terminal is part of a larger expansion project that included adding a third runway to the airport. The modifications will help increase Beijing’s ability to serve more than 80 million passengers a year.

If you’re not impressed yet, imagine this: China is already designing an additional all-new international airport in Beijing that would open in 2015. Wow!

How does that compare to our airport here in San Diego? Our Airport Master Plan guides the development of SDIA to meet future growth demands. San Diego’s terminal development plans include adding 10 gates to Terminal 2, as well as additional facility improvements such as taxiway improvements, more aircraft parking and a second-level roadway.

I haven’t heard of any Feng Shui plans for our airport, but I do know that new development here will incorporate environmentally sustainable designs.

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to have the Olympics here in San Diego someday. Just imagine what our airport gateway might look look like then.

Lovable Least Terns at Lindbergh Field

2008-08-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

Note: This special video post from Ambassablogger Sjohnna is part of San Diego International Airport's 30 Days of Blue 80th birthday celebration. Enjoy!

Have you seen a California least tern lately? I bet you didn’t even know it, but as you approach San Diego International Airport from downtown on Harbor Drive, it’s possible to see least terns and their nests near the end of Runway 27 (at the corner of Harbor Drive and Laurel Street) during nesting season, which runs from April to mid-September each year. Recently, I was able to take a tour to see some least tern chicks up close and personal!

Here are some interesting facts I learned:

The corner of the airfield near the end of Runway 29 is the most productive least tern nesting site in San Diego County. Why, you ask? Because it is on the airfield, so very few creatures (including least tern predators) travel in that area. Since California least terns are an endangered species, the Airport Authority takes measures to protect them on airport property.

The least terns spend slightly less time on “site selection studies” than the Airport Authority. They take just one week to scope out potential nest sites before they pick their desired nesting location.

This season, there are currently 139 nests on the airfield, which is the second-highest nesting year on record.

New parents have to continually feed their new chicks. They fly over Harbor Drive every 20-40 minutes to take a dip in San Diego Bay to catch some fish to bring back to their nests.

They say kids grow up fast … well, least tern chicks reach full adult size in just three weeks!

Staff from the Airport Authority’s Environmental Affairs Department visit the nest sites twice a week to check on the birds.

And, in case you’re not lucky enough to see a least tern at the airport in real life, here is a fun little video I took of a newborn chick. In it, Robert – the Airport Authority’s contractor through the Zoological Society of San Diego – applies a tracking bracelet and talks about just how unique these little birds are.

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature above may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!

Skyfaire family fun this Saturday, August 16, at Liberty Station!

2008-08-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

If you're in San Diego this Saturday, August 16, head on down to the beautiful NTC Promenade at Liberty Station (formerly the Naval Training Center) in Point Loma from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a ton of family fun. San Diego International Airport is throwing birthday party for its 80th anniversary, and everyone is invited!

The SAN Skyfaire will feature over 30 educational booths highlighting the airport's role in the community, as well as sustainability initiatives being undertaken by the airport and its regional partners. There will also be live music, dance performances, kids arts, free kites, free tree seedlings, free birthday cake (at noon), yummy food from Liberty Station restaurants, a display of alternative-fuel vehicles in use at the airport ... and a lot more. You can read all about it here.

A coveted airport industry award for the Goodwill Ambassablog

2008-08-13T09:45:00.000-07:00

Hats off to the team of Goodwill Ambassabloggers for being honored with a coveted airport industry award -- a 2008 Excellence in Marketing & Communications Award from the Airports Council International-North America! ACI-NA, as it's known, is the premier organization representing local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada.

The Goodwill Ambassablog took a 'silver medal' (2nd place) in the Creative Innovations /Technology category. The competition featured entries from airports throughout North America. Not bad for an employee blog that is less than a year old!

In fact, San Diego International Airport was one of only four airports in the competition to earn four or more awards this year. In addition to the award for the Ambassablog, the airport won 2nd place awards for its popular Terminals to Tarmac Tours, offered free to the public, and for its fun-filled 2008 Activity Book for kids, as well as a 3rd place award for its internal e-newsletter, e-JetStreams.

Congratulations Ambassabloggers! And thanks also to all our readers for helping make the Ambassablog such a success in the industry.

I love working here!

2008-08-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was over at Spanish Landing during my lunch break the other day and witnessed a charming interaction. (How lucky are we to work right across the street from such a lovely park, right on San Diego Bay?!)

While I was eating my lunch, I couldn’t help but overhear an excited family next to me. They had just dropped dad off at the airport and were anxiously awaiting his plane’s takeoff so they could wave goodbye. Isn’t that sweet? You don’t see as much of that as you used to, now that flying has become such a routine part of most of our lives.

It was rewarding to hear the family’s awe and wonder as they watched the enormous machines take flight. I think we take for granted sometimes just how awesome aviation is.

Not to mention how many lives we touch. Whether it’s dad going off on a business trip or a friend visiting San Diego for vacation, everything we do here at the airport is making a difference in people’s lives. What a great incentive to give our best every day!

Lights ... camera ... Shamu!

2008-08-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

In early June I spent close to eleven hours at Gate 1 and 2 working on the new TSA Security Tips Video for San Diego International Airport that was unveiled on this blog July 7. The experience was a total blast, and it was rewarding being involved with a project you know will have a lasting impression on our customers.

I wanted to step back and talk about the “behind the scenes” of the filming and give some more details.

1. The pioneer in "infotainment" TSA videos is Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport, which has a video featuring “celebrity” travelers drawn from Las Vegas icons like the Blue Man Group, Carrot Top ... and even “Elvis.” You can watch the video here (after linking, click on 'Traveller T.I.P.S Videos' to the left).

2. Our regional partners in this project were incredible. These agencies were a pleasure to work with:

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
San Diego Padres (The Friar)
San Diego Zoo (Bamboo Panda)
Lego Land California (Johnny Thunder)
Sea World (Shamu)

3. Filming takes a ling time. I have a new sense of patience. The scene where Johnny Thunder empties the coins from his pocket and takes his shoes off -- we must have done those takes fifty times! The TSA agents featured in the video are real live people. Make sure and say “hi” if you see them around SDIA. Also, there are a number of Authority staff in the background -- who can you spot?

4. The internal people who made this project possible need to be recognized: Landside Operations; Marketing; Public, Community & Customer Relations ... plus the TSA and support from Southwest Airlines.

5. And finally: There are no small parts, only small actors (unless your name is Shamu).

A short summer break for the Ambassablog

2008-07-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

The Goodwill Ambassablog has been quiet for that last couple of weeks. Consider it a brief summer break for the Ambassablog. (Blogs, like people, need a break once in a while.) But stay tuned for fresh posts from the Ambassabloggers in the next week! In the meantime, take a look around, scroll down and visit the archives in the right-hand sidebar. You'll find a wide variety of information and perspectives on life at San Diego International Airport.

All about EONS

2008-07-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest buzzwords we’ve been hearing in recent years has been “sustainability”. As the 1990s helped everyone get a greener consciousness, business practices have moved towards a more sustainable operation model, realizing that taking care of the environment goes hand in hand with helping the bottom line.

The Airport Authority is no late-comer to this trend. In fact, I think we’re pretty pioneering in terms of extending the concept of sustainability to encompass more than just being green.

In February of this year, the Airport Authority Board adopted a Sustainability Policy based on a concept called EONS -— a recognition that what we do as an organization impacts many generations to come. Developed by a working group of the Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), EONS is an acronym (and businesses love those!). Each letter signifies one of the four elements of sustainability as it relates to airports and the aviation industry:

· Economic Viability

· Operational Excellence

· Natural Resource Conservation and Preservation

· Social Responsibility

I think EONS is yet another component of what makes us such a dynamic organization. It helps us all look in broader terms about what it really means to be sustainable.

Look for more posts from me on this topic, since it’s a subject near and dear to my own interests as a professional community planner for the Airport Authority!

Where are we going? Destination Lindbergh!

2008-07-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Through some earlier posts I have alluded to one of the newest, most exciting projects that I am working on – Destination Lindbergh: The Ultimate Build Out. The endeavor is a multi-agency initiative to plan the long-term future of the airport.

The cornerstone of the project is the daily collaboration we at the airport are having with our regional partners (namely the City of San Diego and SANDAG). San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is Chairman of the Ad Hoc Airport Regional Policy Committee, which is guiding the project to the February, 2009, finish line.

Other regional partners represented on this important committee are the Port of San Diego, the County of San Diego, the Metropolitan Transit System, the North County Transit District and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Ad Hoc Airport Regional Policy Committee meets every three weeks on Thursdays starting at 7:15 a.m. at the Airport Authority Board Room in the Commuter Terminal. In fact, they're meeting tomorrow!

Also supporting Destination Lindbergh is a Technical Committee and a special subcommittee of the Airport Advisory Committee, which both provide valuable input to staff and the consultant team at every step of the project.

A new Destination Lindbergh website has agendas, meeting notes and presentations for each of the meetings, as well as other information about Destination Lindbergh.

In planning the long-term future of the airport, the goals Destination Lindbergh are to:

Analyze and consider economic and environmental sustainability

Optimize operational efficiency

Integrate multiple modes of transportation

Evaluate the entire airport, as well as adjacent properties

In the Airport Planning Department, one of the things we’re currently working on to support Destination Lindbergh is an updated passenger forecast for the airport. We are also starting work on various intermodal transit concepts.

As Destination Lindbergh progresses, I’ll give you updates. In the meantime, If you’d like to really delve into the process and the data, you can visit www.destinationlindbergh.com.

And the next time you are asked, “Where are we headed?” – now you know the answer: DESTINATION LINDBERGH!

A li’l bit of the Lone Star State at SDIA

2008-07-11T13:47:00.000-07:00

Heralding from a military city on a southern coast, I’ve marveled at how much my Texas hometown (Corpus Christi) is like San Diego. And in some ways, Texas is alive and well at SDIA!

The Airport Authority’s own President/CEO, Thella F. Bowens, claims Texas as her origin, and several other Texans fill out our staff ranks. With great fanfare, the Airport Authority’s annual employee appreciation event is characterized by a Texas barbecue theme.

So what is it about Texas?

Texas is unique among the Union in having been an independent nation for a decade before it joined the U.S. – and that was an inspiration for California, too. Have you ever wondered why California’s Bear Flag contains a single red star (as shown on this Southwest Airlines plane)? It’s a tribute to Texas from Californians who likewise rebelled against rule by Mexico.

So the Airport Authority toasts that Texas spirit of independence and liberty -- something that might be regarded as inspiration to take flight! The largest airline at SDIA (handling more than a third of all our passengers) is none other than Texas-based Southwest Airlines, which loves to tout the “freedom to fly”.

So from many angles, the Texas spirit is alive and well at the Airport Authority!

Ambassa-Shot # 2 revealed

2008-07-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

Two alert Ambassablog readers, both of them Airport Authority employees, have correctly identified Ambassa-Shot #2, pictured here. Naty in Planning & Operations and Liz in Accounting revealed it is none other than Guillermo, an enormous freestanding sculpture of gleaming stainless steel by sculptor Steve Bartlett of San Francisco. Some refer to Guillermo by his nickname, Running Man, since he communicates a sense of urgent motion - perhaps a passenger hurriedly rushing through the airport to catch a flight. You will see Guillermo at the east end of Terminal 1, to the right as you approach the terminal. He is one of many unique works of public art at San Diego International Airport. Ambassa-Shot #3 is up now, at the bottom of the Ambassablog, along with a running archive of all Ambassa-Shots.

Who let these characters in the airport?

2008-07-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

This fun video has been produced by San Diego International Airport to run at all terminal security checkpoints. It features TSA security screeners, travelers (and, well, you'll see who else) demonstrating important Department of Homeland Security rules that passengers should keep in mind to make their trip through the airport smoother. Click here to read more about the video.

Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature above may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!

Seat Guru

2008-07-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

I love window seats. Actually, my infatuation is deeper than that. Most people know me to be fairly relaxed; this all changes when I am forced into an aisle or middle seat.

I like windows because I like to see out. I like to control the shade. I like to take photos. I like to rest my head against the window if I decide to fall asleep. The reason I bring this up is that I recently got assigned a middle seat. I nearly passed out. A quick email to Scott at Travel Trust informed me that 80% of people like aisle seats and only 20% like window seats.

An excellent website that I highly recommend is Seatguru.com, it works for any airline and any aircraft type, and it will tell you the seats to avoid and ones to covet. Aside from my other alias, Pedro, you may also call me “Seat Guru”. LOL!

I was recently at an Italian restaurant and got a frantic cell call from a friend saying “Hey, what are the seats like on United to Dulles?” Seatguru came in very handy for that. In addition, most airline websites have a page that details the seat configurations for their aircraft types.

So, what will that be, window or aisle?

Happy 4th!

2008-07-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

As a special treat for the 4th of July, the Goodwill Ambassablog presents this YouTube video showing 4th of July fireworks over San Diego from the point of view of a passenger landing at Lindbergh Field in 2006.

[Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature above may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!]

A day in the life of the Quieter Home Program

2008-06-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

It is so refreshing to have a job where every single day is a new adventure. In the Quieter Home Program at San Diego International Airport, we are guaranteed to be surprised, entertained and educated on a daily basis. We have the pleasure of working with people in the communities surrounding San Diego International Airport. Click this link to find out all about the program and to see if you live close enough to the airport to take part in it.

You would be amazed at the people we meet. The other day, a lady stopped in our office to sign her Avigation Easement and was telling us stories of when she was a “Rosie the Riveter” working on aircraft here in San Diego during World War II.

We hear stories from people who are retired from the Navy, with the most amazing memorabilia from their travels. We hear about so many aspects of people’s lives.

We also experience some challenging times, too, especially when homeowners’ expectations aren’t in line with the reality of what the Quieter Home Program offers. We hear some interesting language that sometimes makes us blush!

Each day is something new. Some days are challenging, but when we meet happy homeowners, we’re grateful to have such rewarding jobs.

Over the next several months, I’ll be sharing some of these rewarding experiences with you, such as:

• Video interviews with homeowners
• Construction tour of a home (like the one pictured) undergoing sound attenuation
• The 1000th Home Party!
• Sound Insulation 101
• What is a Historic Home?
• and more

So stay tuned!

Two new Ambassabloggers join the team

2008-06-25T15:51:00.000-07:00

The Goodwill Ambassablog is proud to introduce two new Ambassabloggers to the team: Ed in the Airport Planning Department and Sjohnna in the Quieter Home Program (pictured here). They join the three existing Ambassabloggers and the Ambassablogmaster to give us six members of the Airport Authority's employee blogging team.

You'll be hearing from Ed an Sjohnna in future postings, as they bring new places, stories and faces to the Ambassablog.

Video report: Zoom Airlines arrives in San Diego from London

2008-06-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a special video report from Ambassablogger Mary of the maiden flight of Zoom Airlines to San Diego from London last Friday. Thanks to another Mary (in Customer Service) for shooting the video of this Mary!

[Home Treat Alert! The multimedia feature above may not be accessible at work. But you can log on at home and check it out there!]