THE SCENARIO: An American Airlines Airbus 321 jetliner with 131 souls on board is preparing to land on Runway 9R during a fast-moving thunderstorm at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) when the flight encounters severe wind shear. The crew begins to abort the landing and do a go-around, but a microburst forces the aircraft down onto the runway, breaking it apart and engulfing it in flames.
PHL International Service: Connecting Businesses, People and Vital Services
PHL’s international air service is not only an economic generator for the Greater Philadelphia region (approximately $2 billion annually pre-COVID-19), the airport’s foreign flights are a lifeline for many travelers. When a federal order prohibited PHL from accommodating international flights for six months, fliers were forced to make alternate, often inconvenient plans.
November 2020 Newsletter
New Signage Helps PHL Guests Easily Find Favorite Restaurants and Shops
Guests coming back to PHL this fall will have some assistance as they reacquaint themselves with the airport. New large PHL Food & Shops wayfinding signs were recently installed to help passengers locate restaurants and stores in each terminal.
PHL’s Business Opportunity Forum Pairs Small and Diverse Businesses with New Opportunities
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) recently hosted its Business Opportunity Forum (BOF), the airport's signature yearly event that gives representatives of large, small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises and organizations the opportunity to learn about the state of the airport and future contracting opportunities, and to network with peers, resource partners, and airport leaders. More than 500 people attended this year's virtual BOF.
TSA Installing Acrylic Shields at PHL Checkpoints
In its ongoing efforts to put in place initiatives to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is in the process of installing new acrylic barriers at security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
What to Know About How PHL Disinfects the Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is host to more than 88,000 daily passengers and 21,000 employees, so enabling good hygiene is among the airport’s highest priorities. Check out a behind-the-scenes look at what PHL’s teams are doing to keep the public safe during the COVID-19 public health crisis.
PHL COO Keith Brune Re-Elected to PA Aviation Council Board
Keith Brune, Chief Operating Officer at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), has been re-elected for another three-year term as a Director on the Board of the Aviation Council of Pennsylvania (ACP). Brune, who has served on the ACP Board since 2011, will remain there until 2023 at which time he will again come up for re-election.
PHL Establishes Air Cargo Council to Plan for Expansion
With a reduction in passenger service caused by COVID-19, PHL has been exploring additional sources of revenue generation, including increasing air cargo operations. Situated on the eastern seaboard, minutes off a major interstate (I-95) and in close proximity to Pennsylvania Turnpike connections and bridges across the Delaware River, the airport is in an attra
ARFF Captain Samuel Gollapalli Found His True Calling
Thirty years ago, Samuel Gollapalli graduated Temple University with a Business degree. It was a proud accomplishment for the young man who came to the United States from India in 1984 in pursuit of an education. The timing, though, was terrible. With the country in a recession, Gollapalli struggled to find work in his field of study. Disappointed but not discouraged, he realized he needed to shift focus to something that was less vulnerable to the whims of the economy.