Federal guidelines put into effect in March mandate all air travel between Europe, China and Brazil be routed (“funneled”) to just 15 U.S. airports. PHL, one of the country’s top airports for transatlantic travel, is not on that list, however six airports ranking below PHL for transatlantic traffic have received the funneling airport designation.
“Pre-COVID-19, the international travel that passed through the airport generated approximately $2 billion for the local economy and was responsible for about 11,000 jobs per year,” said PHL CEO Chellie Cameron. “The restoration of the direct link between Philadelphia and Europe is critical as PHL and our region’s business, industry and tourism sectors attempt to recover from the impact of coronavirus.”
On September 2, the British American Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (BABCPHL), Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) and the airport will present “Unstoppable – Reconnecting Philadelphia with the World”, a virtual panel discussion on funneling status and why it is vital for the survival of business, trade and tourism in Philadelphia. Sylvie Gallier Howard, City of Philadelphia Acting Commerce Director will moderate the panel featuring Chellie Cameron, PHL CEO; Gregg Caren, CVB President and CEO; Edgar Antístenes Vesga-Arias, MPR, CMI, Philadelphia International Medicine President and CEO; James J. Moses, American Airlines Vice President, PHL Hub, LaGuardia, Boston, JFK and LaGuardia Operations & Premium Guest Services; and Gary L. Tomasulo, American Airlines Managing Director, Corporate Security.
“For nearly 30 years the BABCPHL has focused on enhancing the trade and commercial relationship between Greater Philadelphia and the United Kingdom. PHL is critical to maintaining and building this valuable connection, enabling people, goods and products to travel across the Atlantic,” said Jane H. Rosenberg, BABCPHL Executive Director. “The UK is one of the region’s and the nation’s top trading partners, and the transatlantic corridor is a gateway to the world. The re-designation of PHL as a funneling airport is critical to economic prosperity, supply chains, and so much more. We are honored to partner with regional private and public sector entities to help PHL regain status as a funneling airport.”
PHL’s efforts to obtain funneling airport status have been supported by the City of Philadelphia; U.S. Senators Robert Casey, Pat Toomey, Tom Carper and Chris Coons; U.S. Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon, Brian Fitzpatrick, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Madeleine Dean, Chrissy Houlahan, Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Dwight Evans and Brendan Boyle; and many regional businesses and associations. The airport is asking regional business leaders to sign an online petition in support of the funneling designation.
For more information about the webinar, including how to register, click here.
