INSIDE THIS ISSUESFO Welcomes New Nonstop Flights to Chengdu, China NTSB Holds its Final Hearing on the Asiana Flight 214 Accident SFO Announces Plan to Install High-Speed Electric Vehicle Chargers ACI-NA Awards SFO with Highest Honor in Marketing and Communications Flight Arrivals: Upcoming Service Additions at SFO A World of Characters: Advertising Icons from the Warren Dotz Collection Introducing Mobile Car-Washing Service at all SFO Airport Parking Lots |
SFO Welcomes New Nonstop Flights to Chengdu, ChinaSFO welcomed United Airlines’ new nonstop service to Chengdu, China on June 9, 2014 with a reception event attended by San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee. United Airlines is the first to fly nonstop from the U.S. to mainland China beyond Beijing and Shanghai and the first U.S. carrier to serve Chengdu. “With their new nonstop service to Chengdu, United Airlines strengthens the economic and cultural ties between San Francisco, the Bay Area, and this unique area of China,” said San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee. "This flight also reinforces SFO’s position as a leading gateway to China and all of Asia." "I am proud to welcome this new United Airlines service from SFO,” said Airport Director John L. Martin. “With world-class airport facilities and seamless connection opportunities, we are the right choice for the first nonstop service from the U.S. to the interior of China.” United Airlines will operate this flight three days-a-week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 219 seats. The flight is scheduled to depart SFO at 1:25 p.m. and return at 8:40 a.m. For more information, visit www.united.com.
NTSB Holds its Final Hearing on the Asiana Flight 214 AccidentOn June 24, 2014 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held its final hearing on the investigation of Asiana Airlines’ accident at SFO on July 6, 2013. The NTSB established and agreed upon findings about the cause of the accident and made recommendations to improve the safety of air transportation, the effectiveness of federal oversight and the quality of accident response efforts. The hearing also served as an important milestone in this chapter of the SFO’s history, bringing this event to closure as the one-year anniversary recently occurred. The NTSB's investigation into the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 accident was rigorous, detailed and carefully considered. Through its on-scene investigation in the days following the accident, the federal agency accumulated a vast amount of evidence and information, and spent the following months conducting a thorough analysis to determine the root causes of the event. Within weeks of the accident, the airport initiated an independent self-evaluation of its own performance in the areas of first response, medical, family assistance and recovery efforts with the support of the consultants ICF SH&E. While these aspects were not related to the root causes of the accident, they demonstrated the Airport’s culture of safety and commitment to continuous improvement. This process validated the outstanding collaboration with the airport, airlines, federal agencies, and other organizations. It also identified opportunities for enhanced communication, training and procedures, many of which have already been implemented or are underway. The airport shared the results of this self-assessment with the NTSB and has led numerous briefings to share lessons learned throughout airport, airline and first responder communities. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident to be “the flight crew’s mismanagement of the airplane’s descent during the visual approach” and made multiple recommendations regarding pilot training and aircraft systems. It also noted the airport’s own self-assessment, echoed many of the recommendations contained therein. The NTSB also recognized the efforts of the first responders whose robust resources contributed positively to the 304 individuals who survived the accident. SFO remains proud of those who quickly assisted passengers on July 6, 2013, including airport staff, the San Francisco Fire and Police Departments and mutual aid responders. SFO appreciates the recommendations put forth by the NTSB about how the airport can improve emergency response efforts and remains committed to serving as a safety leader in the air transportation industry.
SFO Announces Plan to Install High-Speed Electric Vehicle Chargers |
|
SFO announced the latest enhancement to its Clean Vehicle infrastructure, outlining plans to install four high-speed electric vehicle (EV) chargers at the Airport’s Cell Phone Lot. The installation of the 480-volt “fast-chargers”, which can fully charge most EVs in about 30 minutes, was made possible by a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), which will supply the units to SFO. “We are proud to be an industry leader in Clean Vehicle policy,” said Chief Operating Officer Ivar Satero. “We have achieved this through strong partnerships with the California Energy Commission, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the San Francisco Department of the Environment. The acquisition of high-speed charging stations is yet another example of this support, and gives our electric vehicle users added incentive to make SFO their airport of choice.” SFO announced its Clean Vehicle Policy in 2000, outlining a goal to achieve 100% clean air vehicles in specific fleets through regulations and a program of incentives that encourages operators to purchase clean air vehicles such as vans, taxis and hotel courtesy shuttles. To date, nearly 5,000 clean air vehicles operate at SFO. Additional improvements include the creation of the AirTrain light rail system, which eliminated 600 daily round-trip bus runs around the Airport. For more information on the Airport’s Clean Vehicle Policy, visit: http://www.flysfo.com/community-environment/air-quality.
ACI-NA Awards SFO with Highest Honor in Marketing and Communications
Airports Council International–North America (ACI-NA), the foremost advocate for airport operators in North America, has awarded SFO its highest honor for the airport’s Marketing & Communications efforts, the 2014 “Peggy G. Hereford Award.” This award is widely recognized throughout the airport world as the highest honor an airport can earn in the public and media relations field. SFO was also recognized with awards in seven (7) categories:
“Being presented with the Peggy G. Hereford Award and being recognized in seven categories is a tremendous honor,” said Airport Director John L. Martin. “It speaks to the creativity, innovation, and dedication of the team.”
Flight Arrivals: Upcoming Service Additions at SFO
A World of Characters: Advertising Icons from the Warren Dotz CollectionFor baby boomers, advertising mascots were a ubiquitous presence on product packaging, print ads, and television commercials. Some characters originated from Madison Avenue’s top agencies while others evolved from napkin sketches by company employees caricaturing a friend or colleague. The characters and their taglines became instantly recognizable: Tony the Tiger’s (1951) “They’re Grrrrrreat!” in reference to Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes; “Sorry Charlie,” delivered to StarKist’s Charlie the Tuna (1961), who didn’t have “the taste” to make it into their cans; even the giggle elicited from Pillsbury’s Poppin’ Fresh Doughboy (1965) became part of the public’s consciousness. The most popular characters were produced as figurines and special-offer promotional items such as toys, telephones, coin banks, and cameras. Despite a decline in the use of animated characters as brand ambassadors, our connection to twentieth-century advertising icons remains strong, and there is an enduring appreciation for the characters in their classic forms. A World of Characters presents more than three hundred examples of advertising icons from the collection of Warren Dotz, a San Francisco-based author, consultant, and historian of popular culture. This exhibition is on display in the International Terminal, Departures Level, A-side through January 4, 2015.
Introducing Mobile Car-Washing Service at all SFO Airport Parking LotsJust in time for summer, SFO is offering an innovative car washing amenity available in all airport parking facilities. The mobile washing service allows customers to park in any of the airport’s parking lots, keep their keys, and return to a freshly-cleaned vehicle. The service uses only about a half-gallon of water for each wash, with virtually no runoff or overspray. “This service gives our parking customers a convenient new option at SFO,” said Kevin Van Hoy, Manager of Parking Management. “It’s a great way to come back to a clean vehicle, and the service uses less water than a traditional car wash.” Customers can visit www.BuyMyWash.com to schedule the service. Washing is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. All reservations must be made at least one day in advance.
SkyTrax Names SFO Among Best Airports WorldwideSFO was recognized with multiple awards in the SkyTrax Passengers’ Choice Awards for 2014. SFO was ranked third in the “Best Airports Worldwide (40 million to 50 million passengers)” category, after Seoul-Incheon and Kuala Lumpur International Airports. SFO was also rated fourth in the “Best Airports in North America” category and fifth in the “Best Staff (Customer Service) in North America.” “We are proud to be recognized in multiple categories by SkyTrax,” said Airport Director John L. Martin. “Providing our guests with an exceptional airport experience is our mission, and we will pursue nothing less than a number one ranking in each of these areas.” The annual survey, considered one of the most prestigious and trusted in the aviation industry, allows actual customers to make their own choices as to which airports they consider the best in the world. More than 9,000 travelers from 160 countries took part in this year’s survey. To reinforce credibility and complete independence in the process, SkyTrax does not accept any advertising or third-party sponsorships from airports or airlines. Airports cannot pay to be included in the survey.
Send Us Your FeedbackWe're interested in hearing from you. E-mail us at SFOnewsupdate@flysfo.com with your comments and suggestions. |