Panalpina Celebrates 20 Years at HSV, Adds Hong Kong Service

Earlier this month, Panalpina celebrated 20 years of “Dixie Jet” operations at Huntsville International Airport with a Southern-style “high cotton” barbeque hosted by the Airport and Panalpina at its International Intermodal Center. The Dixie Jet, appropriately named, is an Atlas B747-400 freighter with non-stop international service five times weekly between Huntsville and Luxembourg as well as Huntsville to Mexico. September 15th marked 20 years of consecutive flying, which is a remarkably long time for a single transatlantic cargo service, in spite of economic downturns and fundamental security and procedural changes in the aviation industry. View the entire article.

HSV Makes Plea to Community – "AirTran Airways: Use It or Lose It"

Officials at Huntsville International Airport a making a plea to the Tennessee Valley, “Use the new low-cost carrier, AirTran, or risk losing the service and the more competitive fares it has brought with it.” After three months of service, the community’s support of AirTran is not meeting projections. According to the airport’s Director of Marketing, Barbie Peek, “AirTran’s load factor, which is the percentage of occupied seats, systemwide for the month of August was 85.7 percent, while it was 44.4 percent for the Huntsville-Baltimore service and 52.9 percent for the Huntsville-Orlando service.” As of September 14th, advanced bookings for this month were 56 percent systemwide, 24.7 percent for the Huntsville-Baltimore service and 40.7 percent for the Huntsville-Orlando service. “We cannot afford to lose this service,” stated Peek. “To do so could be detrimental to our air fares. For example, AirTran Airways served the Mobile Airport for a time, but upon leaving, not only did fares return to previous levels, they escalated even higher.” View the entire article.

Baggage Claim Renovation & Expansion Underway

As the final leg of its 5-year, $92 million capital improvement construction project, the complete renovation and expansion of baggage claim at Huntsville International Airport is underway. Designed by Chapman Sisson Architects, the more than $24 million project was awarded to G.W. Yates & Sons Construction based in Philadelphia, MS. The project will significantly expand the current baggage claim footprint and will transform the space to mirror the look and feel of the new public waiting area with vaulted, arched ceilings and a completely glass front façade. In addition to encompassing three new baggage carousels, the space will serve as the future home to the airport’s Visitors’ Center. Also in keeping with the new public waiting area, the new baggage claim will feature a video wall jumbotron.  Expanded rental car offices, which will be relocated to the East end of the property, a Huntsville community mural, and other numerous amenities will add to the modern-day design aimed at meeting the community’s increasing transportation needs.

Industrial Access Road Project Closer to Completion

Anyone traveling to or from Huntsville International Airport or within the Jetplex Industrial Park has likely noticed the ongoing road construction. With a recent grant awarded by the State of Alabama, the Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority is one step closer to completion of its Industrial Road Access Project.  The project was initiated in an effort to replace temporary access to the new International Diesel Big Bore facility on I-565 immediately east of the airport interchange as well as help enhance traffic flow at the interchange of James Record Road and Glenn Hearn Boulevard. The project consists of a three-lane industrial access road and will connect to a modified intersection of Glenn Hearn Boulevard and James Record Road to minimize ground-level crossing traffic. A number of tenants will be able to utilize the new industrial access road – including International Diesel, LG Electronics, Raytheon, Turner Universal, Perez Services, and Parfums de Couer, Ltd. – which accounts for more than 1,500 employees. View the entire article.

Vote Huntsville's Own, Chuck Sibley, People Magazine's "Hero of the Year"

Navistar Diesel of Alabama Plant Manager, Chuck Sibley, is a finalist for People magazine’s Readers’ Choice “Hero of the Year” Campaign in recognition of a unique community service program that put employees to work for Huntsville charities during a temporary lull in production rather than enforce a temporary layoff. The Huntsville community has an opportunity to benefit even further if Sibley is named Hero of the Year – People will donate $10,000 to charity – and Navistar will match that amount for a total contribution of $20,000! The money will be donated to the charities that benefited from the plant's efforts, including Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, and Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound (CASA). View the entire article.

Navistar Diesel of AL Named Finalist for U.S. Chamber “Companies That Care” Award

Jetplex Industrial Park tenant, Navistar Diesel of Alabama, has been named a finalist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) Corporate Citizenship Award, the nation’s highest honor for businesses engaging in corporate social responsibility. Navistar Diesel of Alabama is one of 20 companies nationwide to receive this distinction, and one of five finalists in the U.S. Community Service category. View the entire article.

AirTran Airways Awarded Prestigious FAA Diamond Award for Maintenance Program

For the 14th consecutive year, AirTran Airways was presented the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) prestigious Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Diamond Award of Excellence. The AMT program, which was established in 1991, honors aviation maintenance personnel and employers who participate in training opportunities that exceed FAA regulatory requirements. The Diamond Award of Excellence is the highest honor the program awards a company. View the entire article.

Final Honor Flight Pays Tribute to TN Valley Veterans

September 11th marked the twelfth and final journey for the Tennessee Valley Honor Flight, bringing the total number of World War II veterans that have been transported from Huntsville International Airport to the nation’s capital to approximately 1,300. The final flight included nearly 110 veterans from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Also participating in the flight were 110 volunteers called "guardians" who are each responsible for one veteran. Forty guardians from Huntsville participated along with 70 guardians from Washington, D.C. According to Joe Fitzgerald, President of the Tennessee Valley Honor Flight, “We’ve been at this for four years, and it has been extraordinary. It has also been very time consuming. It’s been prideful and honorable. It is with mixed emotions we bring this program to a close, but these veterans would not have had the opportunity to go if it wasn't for the people in this community.”

TSA Develops Advanced Imaging Technology Video as Passenger Education Tool

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has provided a link to an informational video on Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) aimed at educating passengers about the AIT process at the security checkpoint.  TSA began deploying state-of-the-art AIT in 2007. This technology can detect a wide range of threats to transportation security in a matter of seconds to protect passengers and crews. Imaging technology is an integral part of TSA's effort to continually look for new technologies that help ensure travel remains safe and secure by staying ahead of evolving threats. Click here to view the video.