The dedication, resiliency and ingenuity of the employees are what make the airport successful. This has been especially evident over the past two years. In 2020, we established the Transition & Recovery (T&R) team. This group was tasked with identifying ways coronavirus impacted the airport and to work with the entire DOA community to find realistic solutions to those issues. Over its two years, the group had 24 projects approved by our Chiefs. Some of these are still in development, while others, like the Clorox 360 cleaning disinfecting units, airport health accreditation, volunteer program rebranding and expansion, and the queue management system have been active for some time. All of the approved projects will make the airport better for employees, partners and passengers.

While the airport is still recovering from the pandemic, we can shift our focus from the immediacy of coronavirus response to exploring and incorporating more long-range ideas and goals in our plans. As such, T&R is now Transformation & Innovation. The newly renamed team will maintain the momentum of T&R while breathing new air into solutions that will continue move the DOA forward.

I want to thank the members of the T&R team for their commitment to bringing so many projects to fruition and to the DOA community for their suggestions and support. I know you all have even more ideas to share, and I hope that you will take the time to submit them to the Transformation & Innovation team via their email address, [email protected].

Although in just a few short weeks, I will no longer be part of the organization, I am looking forward to watching where the continued collaboration and input of the DOA team takes the organization.

Thank you for everything you do for the airport every day.

Chellie.

HR Updates

HR Open House – TODAY!

Please join Human Resources for our HR Open House TODAY, Wednesday, June 1, 2022, from 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Terminal E – 3rd floor, HR Offices.

Employees will have an opportunity to:

• Review and update personal information
• Speak with representatives from Penn Behavioral Health EAP, Deferred Comp, DC 33 Local 1510, DC 47 Locals 2186 and 2187
• Receive information from the Board of Pensions
• Receive assistance with gaining access to PHL.org email and OnePhilly system
• Receive important safety and training information

Have Questions? Contact HR at 215-863-EZHR (3947) or at [email protected].

Unvaccinated Leave

• Covered employees who do not provide proof that they have received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or have an exemption request to the vaccination requirements submitted by Thursday, June 30^th, 2022 will be placed on Unvaccinated (U-Vax) Leave beginning Wednesday, July 6^th, 2022. They may provide proof of vaccination status by providing their vaccination card to the appropriate departmental HR staff. 
• Employees on a leave of absence on June 30^th must comply with the mandate before being permitted to return to work. 
• Employees who are not fully vaccinated by June 30^th, regardless of reason, are required to follow additional precautions, including double-masking or wearing a N95 or equivalent and submitting to routine COVID-19 testing.  
• Employees who receive a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by June 30^th must complete their vaccination series within 14 days of the schedule prescribed for the vaccine they received. 
• Any employee whose exemption request is denied will have 10 calendar days to submit an appeal. If the appeal is denied, the employee must receive a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within 14 calendar days of the denial and complete their vaccination series in a timely manner or be considered out of compliance with the mandate 
• Employees will be placed on U-Vax Leave for a maximum of 30 calendar days following their removal from work for failure to comply with the mandate. Employees on U-Vax Leave will be required to utilize accumulated paid vacation, holiday and compensatory time and will be unpaid if they do not have sufficient time paid leave available.  
• Employees who do not come into compliance by becoming vaccinated or submitting an approved exemption request by the end of the U-Vax Leave will be separated from employment. 
• Individuals separated from employment for failure to meet the vaccination requirements of the Award are entitled to reinstatement for one year following the date of their separation, subject to their meeting all qualifications of the position, including any vaccination requirement, provided that the department has budgeted vacancies.

City Resource Groups

City Resource groups are designed to ultimately make the City of Philadelphia a more inclusive place to work. Focus areas include:

1. Networking: Allowing City employees an opportunity to interact with one another
2. Talent Development: Creating opportunities for City employees to provide talent development to members
3. Enhance Diversity & Inclusion Strategies and Initiatives: City Resource Groups must produce at least one annual initiative or strategy that focuses on building a more diverse and inclusive City of Philadelphia workforce.

VIEW UPCOMING CITY RESOURCE GROUP MEETINGS

If you are interested in participating or leading a Resource Group at PHL/PNE, email your ideas to [email protected]. Must have 5 people and a leader to implement.

June Calendar - Training and Development

Thurs-yay Water Cooler Conversations – Game Day – Game On! Edition

Join us in the HR Training Room, June 23 from Noon -1 p.m.!  Family Feud, Spades, Pinnacle, Uno, Scrabble, Checkers, Pokeno, Taboo and more! Games will be available for use.  Also, feel free to bring your favorite board game (and a friend)!

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month!

Men's Health Awareness Month is a national observance to raise awareness about health care for men and focus on encouraging boys, men and their families to practice and implement healthy living decisions, such as exercising and eating healthy.  Join us this month as we host various activities such as:

1. June 15 - Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus discussion regarding Stress Management: Men go to their caves, women talk!
2. June 17 - Wear blue day to raise awareness for Men’s Health – blue awareness ribbons available for staff by emailing [email protected].

Spring Virtual Wellness Series

Resilience

Date: June 9, 2022

Time: 1 p.m.

To Join by Computer:

1. Visit: https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?
2. Enter Meeting ID: 871 1044 9204
3. Enter Passcode: 413410

To Join by Phone

4. Dial: 929 205 6099
5. Enter Meeting ID: 871 1044 9204
6. Enter Passcode: 413410

New Hires

Welcome all Division of Aviation employees who were hired in the month on May:

Affaf Ait Idir—Airport Communications Operator 1

Samir Fares—Airport Communications Operator 1

Ideas Wanted for Division of Aviation Transformation & Innovation Team

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Aviation established the Transition & Recovery team (T&R) to evaluate pressing issues impacting the airport and present solutions to enhance the airport experience for passengers and employees, especially those that focused on health and safety. Over the past two years, the T&R team’s work resulted in 24 approved projects, ranging from plexiglass installation and employee scheduling to scrubbing robots and queue management system.

As the airport’s focus shifts from COVID-19 recovery to long-term successes, the work of the T&R team will continue as the renamed Transformation & Innovation initiative. Employees with ideas and solutions for consideration can email [email protected].

Information Security Update

At the end of May, PHL, in partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Idaho National Labs, hosted a two-day airport cybersecurity training course. The course brought in more than 20 participants from the region including surrounding airports, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) and universities, and covered the unique cyber threats airports face as well as strategies for securing their complex networks and devices. The training was developed as part of the DHS Aviation Cyber Initiative, whose mission is to reduce cybersecurity risks and improve the cyber resiliency of the nation's aviation industry.

PHL was part of a several-month long search and was ultimately chosen as the host for the Northeast region's session.“The Information Security Team and PHL were delighted to host this event.  It was a great opportunity to collaborate with our peers on important cybersecurity initiatives that affect airports," said PHL CISO Damian Oravez. "We highly value our partnerships with CISA, TSA, and Idaho National Labs and the expertise they share.”

Juneteenth Artist Exhibition

Robin Williams Tunnage, whose pottery is currently on display in Terminal A-West, will visit PHL for an onsite artist demonstration on Thursday, June 16, from 1-3 p.m. The demonstration, hosted by the airport exhibitions program in observance of Juneteenth, will be held at Tunnage’s A-West exhibition location.

WWII C47 Aircraft Whiskey 7 at PNE 

Atlantic Aviation at PNE will host WWII C47 aircraft Whiskey 7 June 17-19. The aircraft, which is now part of the National Warplane Museum, carried U.S. paratroopers to Normandy for the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. Among the paratroopers onboard Whiskey 7 was Pfc Leslie P. Cruise, a member of the US Army, 82nd Airborne, 505th PIR, and a resident of Prospectville, Pa. Cruise, the last surviving paratrooper that jumped from C47, died on January 30, 2022. The event at PNE will celebrate his life.  

Activities for PNE include:  

Friday, June 17:  

• Whiskey 7 rides available for purchase from 1-6 p.m.  

Saturday June 18: 

• Tours of Whiskey 7 at Atlantic Aviation from 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. 
• Throughout the day there will be ground demonstrations and educational opportunities by the all-veteran Liberty Jump Team 
• 12 p.m.  Art show at Atlantic Aviation displaying the work of Leslie Palmer Cruise, as well as memorabilia of WWII, and the life of Leslie Cruise and his wife, Shirley, post- war.  
• 1 p.m. Launch Whiskey 7 for reenactment of WWII D-Day paradrop conducted by the Liberty Jump Team. 
• 2–7 p.m. Whiskey 7 rides available for purchase  

Sunday June 19: 

• 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.- Whiskey 7 rides available for purchase 

Reservations for flights onboard Whiskey 7 are strongly encouraged. For information on booking a ticket, click here.   

In addition to the events at PNE, Whiskey 7 will participate in a graveside memorial for Leslie and Shirley Cruise at Whitemarsh cemetery on June 18 prior to the activities at PNE.  

PHL Food and Shops

New Order with Grab Discounts 

Check out the following OrderatPHL employee discounts for June:

• Donut Day is June 3! Get 15% off at Dunkin Donuts using code DONUT15.
• Take $5 off your purchase June 17- 19 using code PHL5 $5.

The Latest from PHL's Online Newsroom:

At the Airport

Artwork from the Philadelphia Autism Project on View at PHL 

PHL is currently exhibiting two-dimensional works of art by 36 autistic artists in the airport’s Youth Art Gallery, located in Terminal A-East Baggage Claim. The artists, who are all 18 years-old and younger, are part of the Philadelphia Autism Project’s network of schools.  

Students from University of Pennsylvania Tour Behind the scenes at PHL

On April 26, PHL welcomed undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Schools of Engineering, City Planning, and Environmental Studies as part of the airport's tour program. The students visited the ramp tower, airfield, and Engine 78. Taking a behind the scenes tour of an international airport is an opportunity that most people do not get to experience. 

NEEDED: Volunteer Navigators at PHL 

As passenger volume at the airport continues to steadily increase, the airport is seeking to expand its team of Volunteer Navigators who assist the growing number of travelers returning to the skies. On April 28, the airport hosted its first-ever Open House to bring awareness to the program, recruit new volunteers, meet PHL’s leadership team, and recognize the current volunteers for their steadfast dedication and thank them for their hours served. 

PHL Celebrates the Members of Medic 30 During National Emergency Medical Services Week 

In honor of National Emergency Medical Services Week (EMS), PHL celebrated the dedicated men and women who work at Medic 30, the Philadelphia Fire Department’s (PFD) EMS unit at the airport. This group of professionals assist passengers who are in medical distress and manage on emergencies onboard aircraft and in the terminals. 

Summer Travel 2022: What to Expect

PHL anticipates summer 2022 to be the airport’s busiest season in three years — the result of new and resumed service and the public’s growing desire to travel once again. Read more to learn what to expect and how to prepare for flying out of PHL this summer.

Operations and Security

PHL Partners with West Chester University Students for Safety Program 

PHL recently doubled as a classroom for a group of West Chester University environmental health students. As part of their occupational safety class coursework, 17 juniors and seniors visited PHL’s warehouse to see how the lessons learned in school are applied to the workplace.   

People at PHL

PHL WELL: Biggest Loser Competition Ends

Last month, Division of Aviation employees concluded a four-month PHL Well “Biggest Loser” weight loss competition. This friendly contest came from employees' New Year’s resolutions to improve their overall health and wellbeing. The Biggest Loser competition is one of several initiatives by PHL Well to promote employee wellness and included 15 participants who, as a group, lost 36.8 pounds while competing for cash prizes.   

PHL Unsung Heros Awards:

• Airport Operations Officer Kevin Tsai
• Elliot Lewis Landscape Maintenance Supervisor Barbra Hatty

This award recognizes employees who work behind the scenes and are not typically recognized for their work. Although they do not work directly with guests, their effectiveness has a major impact on the airport and guest experience. 

PHL Impression Makers: Chickie's and Pete's Bartender 

Chickie’s & Pete’s Bartender Danielle Dandridge recently received the “Impression Makers” award in PHL's Employee Recognition Program. This award recognizes customer-facing employees who provide direct customer service to passengers.  As a bartender at Chickie’s & Pete’s in Terminal A-West, Dandridge opens the restaurant and inputs food and drink orders from guests. She enjoys making Bloody Mary’s, Long Island Iced Teas and Shirley Temple’s for customers.