On April 24, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) celebrated its first airport-wide Take Our Children to Work Day program with more than 50 children between the ages of 8 and 12 taking part. The children’s parents and guardians are airport employees, representative of a variety of stakeholders, including the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Transdev mobility company, GAT airline ground support, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

Upon arrival, the children were greeted with specially designed PHL Take Our Children to Work Day t-shirts, a breakfast, blank “passports” to decorate with travel-themed stickers, and a special appearance by Hank—an off-duty Airport Police canine specializing in explosive detection, who enjoyed interacting with the group. 

The children’s adventure began with a two-hour guided tour of the airport that included visits with TSA officers who demonstrated how they identify items that cannot be taken through airport security and how canines detect explosives; MarketPlace PHL’s Jeremy Baxter, who provided an overview of the airport’s food and shops and a fun tater tot tasting experience; PHL Assistant Director for Air Service Development and Cargo Services Nicole Maddox who shared insights about air service development and challenged the children to guess PHL’s two most popular destinations (Orlando and Atlanta); a live art demonstration with local ceramist Nitza Rosario; and the opportunity to meet and pet Wagging Tails Brigade member Copper, who is a certified therapy dog. 

“I truly believe this initiative is incredibly important—especially for children from inner-city communities who don’t often get the chance to see behind the scenes of a fast-paced place like an airport. It opens their eyes to career paths they may have never thought about before,” Maddox shared. “It’s meaningful for us, too. Watching their curiosity and excitement reminds us why we do what we do. It’s also a chance to plant the seeds for future talent. Who knows—some of these kids might grow up to become the very professionals we’ll be proud to work with one day.” 

The tour ended with a trip to the Ramp Tower, where children met Airport Operations team members and watched aircraft taking off and landing while learning how operations staff monitor and guide ground movements; the chance to board an American Airlines Dreamliner to explore the Flagship Business Class cabin and sit in the cockpit while chatting with the flight crew; and a stop at Customs to have their "passports" stamped by a friendly CBP officer. 

  “It was a fun-filled and educational morning that left each child amazed by the airport and its vast offerings,” said Leah Douglas, Director of Guest Experience, who, along with her team and the Stakeholder Engagement Committee, organized this event. 

“I really appreciate the airport organizing this event,” said Esso-Sinam Yague, Airport Customer Care Assistant Manager from PHL’s Department of Aviation. “It was a great opportunity for my daughter to see what we do here and to explore the different departments that make the airport run. She got to see so much. We’re both thankful for the experience.”