City of Philadelphia - File #: 090881

• File #: 090881
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 12/3/2009
• In control: Committee on Legislative Oversight
• Title: Authorizing City Council's Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold public hearings to evaluate Philadelphia International Airport's current resources for international travelers and explore current trends and opportunities to improve these services to improve our City's international image.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Kenney, Council President Verna, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Sanchez, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Blackwell
• Indexes: AIRPORT

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/2/2010	0	Committee on Legislative Oversight	HEARING NOTICES SENT
3/2/2010	0	Committee on Legislative Oversight	RECESSED
3/2/2010	0	Committee on Legislative Oversight	HEARING HELD
12/3/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED
12/3/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
12/3/2009	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Authorizing City Council's Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold public hearings to evaluate Philadelphia International Airport's current resources for international travelers and explore current trends and opportunities to improve these services to improve our City's international image.
Body
WHEREAS, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is one of the largest economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating $14 billion annually into the local economy; and

WHEREAS, Currently, PHL is the tenth-busiest airport in the United States in terms of annual takeoff and landings. In 2008, PHL accommodated 31.8 million passengers, including 4 million international passengers; and

WHEREAS, PHL offers flights to approximately forty (40) international destinations, and earlier this year USAirways announced PHL's first-ever direct service to South America. In Spring 2010, USAirways is expected to initiate nonstop service to Beijing, China; and

WHEREAS, As Philadelphia continues to emerge as a world-class city, special attention should be paid to our welcoming services and resources at the Airport; and

WHEREAS, With visitors coming from around the world, PHL should be able to accommodate travelers with information about hotels, restaurants, transportation, weather, landmarks, entertainment, and general travel needs; and

WHEREAS, Currently, PHL has Passenger Assistance staff assigned to greet the international flights. The staff is primarily bilingual and is comprised of full-time City employees and student Bilingual Receptionists; and

WHEREAS, Passengers also have access to several hundred white courtesy phones located throughout the Airport with numbers posted for French, German, and Spanish. There is also a language line through the Communications Center and is available for over 100 languages; and

WHEREAS, While the Airport does offer language services for passengers, improving the overall accessibility and information may improve passen...