Airport Commission approves plan to expand Quality Standards Program to include catering workers

In a further enhancement of safety and security, the San Francisco International Airport Commission approved plans for SFO to expand its wage and benefit policy, known as the Quality Standards Program (QSP), to include airline catering employees – who supply on-board food for airline passengers.

SFO’s industry-leading QSP was first established in 1999, in part, to address the high turnover rates among security screeners, who at the time – prior to the establishment of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) – were airline contract employees.  The average tenure for these contract employees was roughly six weeks.  The Airport’s program established  training, equipment, and compensation and benefits standards for airlines and service providers whose employees perform services impacting safety and security at SFO.  Over the years, airlines have increased the contracting out of safety and security-sensitive functions, and the importance of the QSP to maintain high standards of safety and security has only grown.

When it first launched, the QSP covered a combined 1,700 employees.  With this latest revision, the QSP will apply to 12,500 employees.  Independent third-party studies have confirmed that QSP, specifically the wage component, has decreased the turnover rate and increased effort and performance for covered employees.

Under the revision, airline catering staff will be eligible for wage and benefits levels commensurate with employees who perform safety and security functions, which currently include airline ground workers, baggage handlers, and service providers such as wheelchair operators.

This latest revision also requires that all employees covered under the QSP receive at least the minimum established compensation amount regardless of whether they are covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).  Previously, such CBAs could take precedence over the QSP compensation and benefits requirements.

The QSP requires companies to pay covered employees a minimum wage rate of $0.50 per hour higher than that provided under the San Francisco Minimum Compensation Ordinance, and to comply with San Francisco’s Health Care Accountability Ordinance.

In the coming months, additional revisions will be made to the QSP to further enhance safety and security training requirements and performance standards for airline service providers at SFO.

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SFO Scores “Best of California” Award for In-House App Development

Airport honored for app-based transportation tracking system by Center for Digital Government

SFO was honored with a 2015 “Best of California” award by the Center for Digital Government, which recognizes public-sector employees and local government organizations for their contribution to information technology issues in the State of California.  In the category of “Best In-House Developed Application”, SFO was recognized for creating an Application-Based Commercial Transport System, which tracks app-enabled commercial vehicles operating at the airport boundaries.

“We are always seeking innovation in our industry, and we saw a technological solution to airports’ unique data needs when integrating app-based commercial ground transportation,” said Chief Information Officer Ian Law. “We are proud to be recognized by the Center for Digital Government for our efforts, and we hope this system can benefit airports across the nation.”

The Application-Based Commercial Transport System developed by SFO allows airports with a GPS “geo-fence” to tabulate the commercial activity generated by app-based forms of ground transportation.  This data can be used for fee calculation, roadway planning, and facility improvement efforts.  In March 2015, SFO announced that the system will be licensed through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) for use at other airports around the United States.

The Center for Digital Government, a division of e.Republic, is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government.  In their annual “Best of California” awards program, winners are selected by a panel of judges based on a number of criteria, including collaboration among agencies, innovative use of technology, economic benefits, and improving services and business processes.  Awards will be presented on August 13, 2015, at the annual California Technology Forum.

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Flight Arrivals:  Upcoming Service Additions at SFO

Airline	Destination	New Flights	Effective Date	Notes
	London (LHR)	7 / week	October 25	Second flight, winter season
	London (LHR)	7 / week	October 25	Year-round A380 service
	Copenhagen (CPH)	1 / week	October 25	Now daily; additional flight on Tuesdays
	Las Vegas (LAS)	7 / week	October 25	New low cost route
	Newark (EWR)	7 / week	October 25	Moving JFK flight
	Fayetteville (XNA)	7 / week	October 25	New route
	Incheon (ICN)	7 / week	November 1	Aircraft upgrade to B747-800i
	Honolulu (HNL)	7 / week	November 2	New low cost route
	Delhi (DEL)	3 / week	December 2	New airline, new route, Sundays, Wednesdays & Fridays
	Maui (OGG)	7 / week	December 3	New low cost route
	Auckland (AKL)	2 / week	December 10	Winter season; increase to nine flights per week
	Manila (MNL)	6 / week	December 11	Winter season; increase to thirteen flights per week
	Sydney (SYD)	6 / week	December 18	Reinstates service; daily except Saturdays

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 The Nation’s Game: The NFL from the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Few could have imagined the phenomenal popularity of today’s National Football League when representatives from four Ohio football clubs gathered nearly a century ago in Canton, Ohio, to establish a new standard of professional football.  Today, each NFL game attracts nearly 70,000 attendees, more than that for any other professional sports league.  Professional football remains the nation’s favorite spectator sport by a large margin and its popularity shows no sign of abating.  The league’s annual championship game, the Super Bowl, has become a secular holiday for many Americans, and more than one million people are expected to attend the week-long festivities in the San Francisco Bay Area leading up to Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.  To celebrate this momentous event, SFO Museum is proud to present a selection of memorabilia and game-worn artifacts from each of the league’s thirty-two franchises.  Among the objects on display are game-worn items belonging to Hall of Famers from across generations and throughout the league, including Joe Montana’s home jersey, Walter Payton’s helmet, and Jim Brown’s shoulder pads.  All objects and images on exhibition are presented Courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame unless otherwise noted.

The Nation’s Game: The NFL from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is located in Terminal 3, Boarding Area F from September 26, 2015, to February 28, 2016.  The exhibition is located post-security and is only accessible to passengers ticketed for travel through Terminal 3.  There is no charge to view the exhibition.

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SFO Scores Gold and Silver Awards from Travel Weekly

Airport recognized for social media, environmental sustainability in annual Magellan awards

Travel Weekly, the premier publication of the travel industry, recognized the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with Gold and Silver Magellan awards for excellence.  In the “Airports and Airlines” category, SFO was named the Gold Award winner for the “Extra Swiss” social media contest, and achieved a Silver Award for leadership in environmental sustainability.

“We continually strive to be leaders in the air transportation industry,” said Airport Director John L. Martin.  “We are truly honored to be recognized by the professionals of Travel Weekly for our innovative approach to social media, and for our commitment to environmental sustainability.”

SFO has long been recognized as an industry leader in environmental sustainability, having garnered multiple awards for reductions in greenhouse gasses, the first LEED® Gold-certified passenger terminal in the United States, and progressive programs focused on employee wellness.

The “Extra Swiss” social media contest, held in May 2015, celebrated additional flights at SFO on Swiss International Air Lines with a prize package comprised of 2 round-trip economy tickets on SWISS from SFO to Zurich, two 8-day first class Swiss Travel Passes, and 3-night accommodations at the Steffani Hotel in St. Moritz.  The contest saw unparalleled levels of participation on social media.

The Travel Weekly Magellan Awards honors the best in travel and salutes the outstanding travel professionals behind it all.  Winners are featured in an issue of Travel Weekly in October that will include a section dedicated to the 2015 winners.  Winners will also receive a custom-produced statuette made by the same company that produces the Oscar® and Emmy® awards.  SFO was previously recognized with Gold and Silver Magellan awards in 2012 for its environmental and social media programs.

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Healthy Dining Options Available at SFO

Eighty-two percent of SFO’s restaurants offer a healthy dining option

A new report released by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) reveals that travelers through SFO can easily find heart-healthy dining options at the terminals.

PCRM’s 2014 Airport Food Review surveyed restaurant meals at 23 major airports.  PCRM dietitians seek out airport restaurants that offer healthful plant-based entrées featuring vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.  Each airport’s score is determined by dividing the number of restaurants offering at least one healthful plant-based entrée by the total number of restaurants in the airport.  SFO restaurants ranked #8 with 82% of restaurants offering healthy options.

Among the heart-healthy entrées available at SFO that are cited in PCRM’s report are local Bay Area cuisine at Napa Farms Market, which offers organic rainbow carrots, chilled cucumber salad, and tempeh sandwiches with spinach, hummus, and avocado, while San Francisco Soup Company serves sourdough bread with smoky split pea soup.  The Plant Café Organic offers fresh fruit and gluten-free vegan quinoa, teriyaki, green curry, and udon noodle bowls. They also serve San Francisco’s “best veggie burger” made with lentils, beets, bulgur wheat, and cashews.  Boudin’s Bakery and Café serves a California vegetable sandwich with roasted peppers, onions, avocado, and sundried tomato spread.  Travelers with a taste for the international can opt for Mediterranean cucumber, broccoli, and tomato pitas at Amoura Café, yellow radish rolls and avocado rolls at Osho Japanese Cuisine, or capellini with roasted tomatoes at Firewood Grill.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.  To view the full report, visit PCRM's 2014 Airport Food Review.

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