Airport workers who felt the brunt of two recent hurricanes in the U.S. will receive help in the form of financial contributions from their industry colleagues.
The Hurricane Relief Fund was created by the American Association of Airport Executives and Airports Council International – North America. It started as a way to provide financial assistance to airport employees affected by Hurricane Harvey and the resulting flooding in Houston and the Gulf Coast area. Just days later, the fund’s breadth was expanded to include workers at Florida and Southeastern airports who were impacted by Hurricane Irma.
“It’s similar to what we did in the aftermath of Katrina,” says Todd Hauptli, president and CEO of AAAE. “We run it through AAAE’s 501c3 foundation, The Airport Research and Development Foundation. ACI is part of the effort and we jointly go out to the airport members and leaders and partners and corporate members to consider contributing to the effort.”
AAAE contributed $50,000 to the fund. “It’s the right thing to do to try to help those who have been impacted,” Hauptli said, noting that 100 percent of the money collected will go to airport workers impacted negatively by the hurricanes. He added that the organizations did the same in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina several years ago. “We kick into gear when these things happen to try to take care of our colleagues,” Hauptli said.
Mario Diaz, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System offered appreciation for the industry effort and noted that the city’s airports have more than 100 employees who have suffered “dramatic losses.”
The Hurricane Relief Fund is one of several industry initiatives undertaken to address the challenges stemming from the recent hurricanes. Some concessionaires have also mobilized to provide relief for their workers. More in-depth coverage of the industry’s response to the hurricanes will appear in the October issue of Airport Revenue News.
