Vote for Vacation Campaign Stops in Chattanooga
September 14th, 2012

Country music could be heard from the speakers of US-101’s truck in the parking lot of BI-LO on Lee Highway Wednesday morning as dozens of Chattanooga residents stopped by to vote for their favorite Allegiant destination during a live radio remote.

Allegiant is on the Vote for Vacation campaign trail during the month of September, asking residents from each of their markets to cast their vote for their favorite destination.  During Wednesday’s event, the airline gave away two free tickets to one lucky winner, and every contestant received a tax-break coupon for $21.60 off their next flight.  Each contestant was also automatically registered for the grand prize - free flights for four years.

Many locals showed up and enjoyed breakfast sponsored by BI-LO, picked up some goodies such as special Florida-style necklaces brought by the Orlando-Sanford Airport, threw around some paper airplanes and beach balls, and attempted to hula-hoop.  Even some of Chattanooga’s firefighters stopped by and joined in the fun.

Many people who stopped by the event commented that they really enjoy Allegiant’s nonstop service to Orlando-Sanford and the Tampa Bay area from the Chattanooga Airport because the flights are quick and convenient and the airline offers large jets and low fares.  

Allegiant will wrap up its campaign tour by the end of September at which time the grand prize winner will be randomly selected from all of the registrants nationwide.  There is still time to cast an absentee ballot to be entered in the grand prize drawing. Go to www.vote4vacation.com to cast your vote.    

Posted by Sarah Stephens   |  0 Comment(s)  |  Leave a Comment

Chattanooga Airport Authority Names New President and CEO
June 27th, 2012

Vice President of Operations Terry Hart tapped for top leadership position
At the June meeting of the Board of Directors, Chattanooga Airport Authority named Terry L. Hart the new president and chief executive officer of the airport.

“Terry Hart is a proven leader, and a natural fit for the presidency having directed airport operations for nearly five years,” said Dan Jacobson, chairman of the airport’s board of directors. “Since assuming the role of interim president, Terry has exceeded expectations and advanced the airport’s goals for the benefit of airport users and the community. The Board is in full agreement that Terry is the right person to lead the Chattanooga Airport during this exciting time of growth.”

Mr. Hart has been serving as interim president since October 2011 when former airport president Mike Landguth resigned to assume leadership of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority in North Carolina.

Mr. Hart has served as Vice President of Operations since joining Chattanooga Airport in November 2007, a position previously held by Mr. Landguth. Mr. Hart has participated in the continued growth of the Airport’s West Side Development projects and significant cargo expansion. Under his leadership as Interim President and CEO, the airport secured additional air service, including first class cabins from Delta Air Lines and their connection carriers. He is also actively involved in the Brainerd Corridor Revitalization Project, partnering with the City on securing vacant buildings and returning the areas to green grass sites. Additionally, Mr. Hart is now overseeing the expansion of the airport’s corporate aviation campus managed by Wilson Air Center. A second LEED Gold certified hangar is under design and will be built by mid-2013.  

“The Chattanooga Airport has supported the recent economic growth of our community through partnerships that advanced quality air service and competitive fares, and by offering the highest level of customer service, safety and security,” said Mr. Hart. “We will take those partnerships to the next level and work to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the airport by diversifying revenue streams in the months and years ahead.”

Mr. Hart’s aviation management experience includes 30 years in operations, strategic planning and administration.  Before moving to Chattanooga, Mr. Hart held regional management and vice president of field services positions with American Eagle, including responsibility for a $100 million budget and 1,500 employees.  He began his career in customer service and general management for Britt Airways in Chicago, Ill. From November 2007 until October 2011, Mr. Hart oversaw general operations at the Chattanooga Airport including maintenance, fire, police, operations, security and ground handling.  

Mr. Hart has earned the distinguished Airport Certified Employee Operations designation by the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), and previously served as Chairman of the O’Hare Airline Managers Association. Mr. Hart lives in Chattanooga with his wife, Zita, and their sons Andrew and Stephen.

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Chattanooga Airport Helps Make A Wish Come True
May 16th, 2012

Imagine how you would feel if you were just eight years old and had been fighting a life-threatening bleeding disorder all of your life. You get the good news that the folks at Make-A-Wish are sending you and your family to Disney World, but the trip will require you to fly in an airplane for the very first time – a scary thought for a boy who has already faced down a lifetime of scary thoughts in his eight years.   

Meet Korbin, an awesome kid from Sequatchie County, who wished for a trip to Disney World. 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee recently told him he was getting his wish but he had never flown before and was a little nervous about his flight to Florida, courtesy of the Chattanooga Airport. We strongly believe that education and information build confidence, so we gave Korbin and his baseball buddies a crash course in aviation.

Last Saturday, we threw a Disney-themed pizza party at the Wilson Air Center, and Crystal Air brought out one of their planes for Korbin and his family and friends to tour. They got to crawl inside the plane and Brian Schussler gave Korbin his first flying lesson…from the safety of the tarmac, of course!

Then the Airport's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting team gave the group a tour of the unique green airport fire trucks. Korbin learned all about the training and safety focus involved in the firefighters' jobs. And he got to shoot the water hose!

The little Super Star even made it onto the local news.  

We are so proud of Korbin's fighting spirit and it was an honor for us to meet his family, who fight alongside him every day. We hope you all have an awesome time at Disney and tell Mickey we said "hi!"

Did you know that most of the wishes the Make-A-Wish Foundation receive involve air travel and that you can donate your unused frequent flyer miles to the Foundation? To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee and how you or your organization can get involved visit them at http://wishetn.wish.org/.

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Chattanooga Airport Dedicates LEED Certified Facilities and Solar Farm
March 22nd, 2012

In late February we celebrated a monumental accomplishment for our airport.  The new energy-efficient corporate flight center managed by Wilson Air Center was recently awarded platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which is the highest level of certification a building can receive. Additionally, this facility is the only one of its kind in the world to achieve platinum certification.

If you are not familiar with LEED certification, it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally recognized green building rating system which provides building owners and operators a standard for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient and high-performing facilities. There are four levels of certification a building can receive and they are LEED certified, LEED silver, LEED gold and LEED platinum. Some of the criteria that led to our platinum achievement included:

• Almost 4,000 solar panels were installed just south of the terminal, generating more than one megawatt of clean power every year
• 95 percent of all construction waste was recycled
• Furniture in the facility was provided by regional suppliers which limited the pollution required to transport the materials
• Alternative transportation is encouraged and easily accessible with direct access to CARTA, bike storage and changing rooms, and reserved parking for low emissions and fuel efficient vehicles
• Landscaping throughout the campus is comprised of indigenous plants requiring very little water for hydration

The new hangar located beside the terminal achieved gold certification which was an amazing achievement for us in our efforts to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.

We made this announcement and dedicated our new solar farm with a special event inside the flight center.  We were honored to have the Acting Administrator for the FAA, Michael Huerta, as a special guest and speaker, as well as Judith Webb, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the USGBC, also a speaker at our event.  Additionally we had many regional businesspeople in attendance that support sustainability initiatives, which was a great reminder that the Chattanooga community has truly become a leader in the green movement.

Read more about our sustainability efforts here.

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Tips to Make Your Holiday Travel Brighter
December 14th, 2011

The holidays are finally here and you may already be stressing over everything you have to do in the upcoming weeks.   Well go ahead and take a deep breath and relax about your travel plans because we have you covered with some tips to make your travel easier and a little brighter this holiday season! 

If you haven’t booked your flight yet then now is the time to start looking, either through a travel agent or an online airfare search engine such as Travelocity.com.  Make sure you check all of the airlines to find the best deal, especially right now when they are competing for your business, and if you have any flexibility in your travel plans, try using a flexible date search to find the lowest fares possible.  

While you’re online don’t forget to register for our free traveler rewards program, Thanks Again, if you haven’t already. The Chattanooga Airport, in partnership with Republic Parking and Thanks Again, wants to say thank you for your business so every time you park, shop or dine at the airport you receive miles to your preferred airline rewards program. And for the whole month of December, when you use your registered credit or debit card at the airport you will be rewarded with double miles.  You can enroll in the program and review full terms and conditions through www.thanksagain.com/cha.  You can also ‘like’ Thanks Again on Facebook for additional opportunities to win miles throughout the year.

Next, when you are ready to start packing your bags, make sure you refer to the TSA’s website, www.tsa.gov to find out the latest rules and regulations regarding what you pack in your checked luggage, and what is acceptable to carry on. Remember that the 3-1-1 rule regarding liquids is still in effect so you should be extra careful how you pack your shampoos and perfumes. If you are planning to take a pet with you make sure you review your airline’s pet policy, which can be found on their website, to ensure you have Fido packed correctly as well. 

Plan to arrive a little earlier for your flight than normal. The holidays are a busy travel time and arriving early will ensure you get through the security checkpoint in a timely manner so you can relax at the gate while you wait for your plane. And pay close attention to your departure time so you don’t miss the deadline for checking in for your flight. Keep in mind that many of the airlines close their ticket counters 30 minutes prior to departure in order to greet the incoming plane, so you want to be checked in before that time.  

Finally, no matter what your plans include, take time to enjoy this holiday season and all of the sights, sounds and festivities with your loved ones. Happy holidays from CHA! 

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