TPA: Vibrant aviation gateway

Tampa International Airport manager looking for ways to grow and fuel the local economy

By JOE LOPANO

Tampa International Airport is the "Gateway to the West Coast of Florida" and a primary economic engine for the Tampa Bay region. We create 24,000 local jobs and $2.4billion in annual economic impact without using local tax dollars to fund our operations.

Frankly, with that tremendous responsibility, we must run our airport as the business it is. Our management team must be the best and brightest, and we must be constantly looking for opportunities to grow.

Clearly, we have too many people counting on us to do otherwise.

As the new chief executive of TIA, my role is to be the leader who will take the airport to its next level of success.

Our vision of the future is to be a vibrant aviation gateway for the Tampa Bay area, providing access and economic opportunity for our community.

We will begin on this journey focusing on these key areas:

Increased revenues

Our operating budget is 100 percent user-fee-based. Our revenues come from airline fees, parking revenues, rental car revenues and concessions revenues, mainly.

These are our lifeblood, and we must immediately improve our revenues and bottom line in order to fund our future.

My fiscal year 2012 budget, recently approved by the Aviation Authority's Board of Directors, will generate a $7.2 million increase in revenue (about 4.2 percent) over the current fiscal year.

Additionally, we are studying new parking concepts as well as new food, beverage and retail concepts.

We also will introduce some new advertising opportunities using flat-panel displays in selected airport locations.

These new dollars are how we will help fund our capital infrastructure, fund the airport's improvements and repairs, create new jobs and ensure that Tampa International Airport remains world-class.

Business development/marketing.

This airport has been losing travelers for years to other nearby airports. The reasons for our customers to drive elsewhere to fly are mainly related to nonstop service or better schedule frequencies. We know that this is happening in a big way, and, frankly, we must keep what is ours here at home. The way to do that is to get better air service at TIA. This is a primary mandate for my team and me.

We are actively establishing and further developing relationships with airline executives around the world as we become more aggressive in marketing to both international and domestic airlines. Already, we've held over 20 airline meetings, traveling to Panama with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, to Germany with a contingent of local economic developers, and also to Holland, England and Switzerland.

But we think the best way to let airline planners know how great we are is to have them come here. We will sponsor the 2012 Network Conference in Tampa. This is a conference of 400 airline planners and airport marketers, and they will all get to experience the Tampa charm firsthand.

Further, we are going to offer financial incentives for airlines that can bring more international routes to Tampa. While the airport can't control how quickly routes are added, I know that now is the time to take the initiative and get this process started. And inasmuch as one new flight can translate to roughly $150 million in economic impact to our airport and regional economy and approximately 1,200 well-paying jobs, business development and a healthy incentives program will be a key factor.

Terminal modernization

While the airport's current main terminal is amazing, it's still 40 years old. We're giving it an update while retaining its clean design and relaxing atmosphere.

Investing more than $30 million over two years in our main terminal modernization will not only be great for our customers but will create 270 new jobs in our community. In fact, over the past five years alone, the airport has invested $517 million in infrastructure projects, helping to keep our airport and our local economy strong.

Technology

Our goal is to enable our customers through technology. That is why we will be introducing high-definition televisions at selected locations within our passenger terminals. These displays will be used to convey useful information regarding local attractions, the weather, and soothing videos or advertising, helping bring our terminals to life in a very tasteful fashion.

We will spend a lot of time with our customers researching what concepts are the most desirable.

Increased revenue happens to be a fortunate side effect, demonstrating that budget and service solutions don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Customer service

TIA was ranked third in the United States for customer service in Conde Nast Traveler's annual business traveler survey.

So how do we take our customer experience to yet another level? First of all, we don't want to try to "fix what ain't broke." We have just begun doing regular customer surveys at all TIA terminals to better understand what our customers like and don't like about our airport. This information will help us create programs that will address those areas where we have service opportunities.

Our customers are the focus of our business, and we will listen to them carefully.

Here is my bottom line: This time, effort and investment will increase revenue to TIA, create economic opportunities and well-paying jobs, and continue to provide the stellar customer experience TIA passengers have come to expect.

Joe Lopano is chief executive officer of Tampa International Airport.

Photo: Joe Lopano

Photo credit: PAUL LAMISON/STAFF

Photo: Tampa International Airport's main terminal, which is 40 years old, is set for modernization projects projected to cost more than $30 million over two years. Over the past five years, the airport has invested $517 million in infrastructure projects.

Photo credit: JAY NOLAN/STAFF

Photo: Air travelers use the kiosks at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter.