As Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has seen more passengers traveling through, more food and retail businesses opening up and more services coming back in recent weeks following a virtual shutdown during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, PHL was especially happy to see one member of its community open its doors again.

What is your current position at PNE and how long have you worked here?   

American Airlines recently expanded its global cargo routes, scheduling more than 400 widebody flights worldwide beginning August 5.  At PHL, American added cargo-only flights to Amsterdam (three times weekly), resumed cargo service to Zurich (twice weekly) and extended the twice weekly cargo flights to Rome, Milan and Frankfurt that began June 27.    

Navigating the physically distanced world is a learning process, not only for the public remembering to keep six feet apart, but also for facilities setting up stanchions and barriers to keep patrons safely spaced. At PHL, that means making changes in real time.

In an ongoing effort to enhance the passenger screening process, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) are using Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) that validates a traveler’s identification and confirms their flight information in near real time.

Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) was awarded a $9.1 million Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to rehabilitate Runway 6-24, which is PNE's primary runway and accounts for approximately 60 percent of the airport’s traffic. This is the largest FAA AIP grant PNE has ever received.

Visits by members of the PHL Wagging Tail Brigade have been a highlight for airport guests and employees since the furry volunteers and their owners joined the PHL team in April 2019. When stay-at-home orders were put in place in March, the Wagging Tails Brigade’s visits were put on temporary hiatus—making it a “ruff” few months for those that looked forward to seeing their canine friends in the terminals and for the dogs that love greeting guests at PHL.  

What is your current position at PHL and how long have you worked here? 

My current position is an Equipment Operator 2. I started with the city in the custodial department at PHL in 2003. Over the years I’ve moved on and it’s now been 16 years since I’ve been with the city working at PHL. 

Look, up in the sky… it’s a plane, it’s a helicopter, it’s an AW609 tiltrotor!