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IT‘S NOW TIME FOR THE WEEKLY
WITH NEWS 6 MORNING ANCHOR
JUSTIN WARMOTH.
DINNER>> ANCHOR: GOOD MORNING.
I‘M JUSTIN WARMOTH.
TODAY WOULD TRADITIONALLY BE
QUITE A BUSY DAY AT ORLANDO
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BUT TODAY
QUITE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
TRAFFIC IS STILL 71% BELOW LAST
YEAR‘S FIGURES.
THIS MORNING PHIL BROWN, THE
C.E.O. OF GREATER ORLANDO
AVIATION AUTHORITY WILL DISCUSS
THE CHALLENGES THE AIRPORT HAS
OVERCOME AND WHAT THEY‘RE DOING
TO KEEP TRAVELERS SAFE.
>>> WHAT IS THE LAST 3 OR 4
MONTHS LOOKED LIKE?
HOW HAS IT BEEN?
WHAT‘S BEEN THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE?
>> THERE‘S BEEN A NUMBER OF
CHALLENGES, BUT I THINK THE
PROBABLY THE BASE OF
OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT TRYING TO
GIVE FOLKS WORKING REMOTELY
AND TO THEIR CREDIT PEOPLE HAVE
PICKED UP QUICKLY AND BEEN ABLE
TO MANAGE IT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER
TRACKING NOW AND WE STARTED THE
PICK UP SOME WHERE WE‘RE
OUTBOUND AND HOVERING AROUND
20,000 A DAY GOING OUT.
IN FEBRUARY WE WERE LOOKING AT
75-80,000 A DAY SO WE‘RE ABOUT
70% OFF.
BUT AT ONE POINT WERE DOWN TO
1500 A DAY AND 96-97% REDUCTION.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE EERIE
WATCHING THE LACK OF INACTIVITY.
>> ANCHOR: OBVIOUSLY THE BOTTOM
LINE TAKES A MASSIVE HIT.
WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR THE
FUTURE OF THE AIRPORT AND THE
ONGOING PROJECTS?
>> WELL THE PROJECTS, THE SOUTH
TERMINAL, WE‘RE CONTINUE OG, WE
HAVE RECOMMENDED SOME REVISIONS
TO THE BOARD.
WE‘RE WORKING ON THE PLAN THAT
WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
AND WHICH WOULD REDUCE THE
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT OF
SIMPLISTICALLY FROM 19 GATES TO
15 GATES.
WE‘RE CONTINUING TO BUILD.
WE THINK THAT‘S -- WE ACQUIRED
MOST OF THE STEAL AND GLASS AND
COMMODITIES BECAUSE WE WERE
TRYING TO BE AHEAD OF THE
POTENTIAL INCREASE IN TARRIVES.
AND SO WE FINANCE MOST OF IT.
WE HAVE A SMALL PORTION FOR
NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT IS ONGOING WITH THE
MAJOR REVENUE SESSIONS.
THIS IS WITH THE RENTAL CAR AND
REVENUE AND 72% WITH THE 2019
CAME FROM RENTAL CARS, PARKING
AND CONCESSIONS AND THOSE AT
MINIMAL LEVELS.
>> AND WITH GETTING BACK TO
WHERE IT WAS AND AT LEAST
RELATIVELY CLOSE AND WHAT DOES
THAT LOOK LIKE AS YOU TRY TO
FORECAST.
>> ONE THING ABOUT THE FORECAST
IS IT WILL BE WRONG.
WE HAVE TAKEN A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT FORECASTS AND THIS IS
WITH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR
WITH SEPTEMBER 30TH AND ABOUT
27 MILLION ANNUAL PASSENGERS
WHICH WILL BE THE 35-40% AND
THAT IS THE FISCAL YEAR
BEGINSING WITH THE FISCAL YEAR
AND EXPECT TO HAVE LESS TRAFFIC
AT THE END OF 2020 AND ONCE
THROUGH SEPTEMBER THIRD.
WE‘RE ESTIMATING 20-25 MILLION
AND IT ALL DEPENDS.
THE CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT IS
DRIVEN IN LARGE PART BY THE
THEME PARKS.
AND STARTING TO SEE THEM OPEN
BACK UP AND IT IS WITH DISNEY
AND OPENING AT LESS THAN FULL
CAPACITY.
LESS THAN HALF CAPACITY.
SO WHAT THAT AWHILE BEFORE WE
HAVE THE TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT
BECAUSE THE FOCUS IS ON THE
DRIVE-IN TRAFFIC FOR THE MOST
PART AND PEOPLE DON‘T HAVE TO
MAKE THE DECISION.
THE QUESTION IS DO WE GET ON
WITH THOSE OR DO I GET IN THE
FAMILY CAR AND DRIVE WITH THAT
UPTICK AND NOT SEEING THE KINDS
OF INCREASES THAT WE SAW IN
FEBRUARY OR JANUARY OF THE PAST
YEAR.
>> AND WITH THE GETTING BACK ON
THE AIRLINE, WHAT DO YOU THINK
IS IT GOING TO TAKE?
IS IT THE VACCINE?
IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU
LOOK FORWARD?
IS THAT WHAT YOU‘RE HOLDING ON
TO?
A VACCINE WITH THE FUTURE TO
REGAIN THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE?
A VACCINE WITH THE FUTURE TO
REGAIN THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE?
>> I DON‘T THINK YOU‘LL SEE A VACCINE THAT IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED BECAUSE THERE ARE
SOME -- YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY
THE VACCINE, PUT IT IN
PRODUCTION SO THAT CAN BE
ANYWHERE FROM 18-24 TO 36
MONTHS DEPENDING ON WHEN IT
HAPPENS.
I THINK WHAT WE‘RE TRYING TO
WORK ON IS MAKE SURE EVERYTHING
AT THE AIRPORT IS CLEAN.
ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE
ADHERING TO CDC GUIDELINES AND
PROVEN NOW TRAGICALLY IN SOME
INSTANCES IF YOU DON‘T WEAR A
MASK IT SPREADS THE VIRUS MORE
QUICKLY.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE
PEOPLE WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE
FRONT DOORS OF THE AIRPORT THAT
THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT AND
WEAR TO GO AND THEY CAN
TRANSACT ANY BUSINESS THEY HAVE
AS CONTACTLESS AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE‘RE TRYING TO OFFER THOSE
OPTIONS AND WHEN THEY DO HAVE
TO TOUCH ANYTHING, THEY KNOW
IT‘S BEEN CLEANED.
SO ALL THAT HAS TO GO AND THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS WE DO
NOW.
WE‘VE BEEN PROBUSTLY CLEANING
ON THE HEAVY SCHEDULE.
AND WE‘LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, SERVE WEARING MASKS.
WE HAVE VENDING MACHINES AND
THEY‘LL SELL THEM IN THE
CONCESSIONS AND WE HAVE AN
INVENTORY OF MASKS THAT ARE
EMPLOYEES AND THEY DON‘T HAVE
AN ALTERNATIVE AND WE‘LL BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE A MASK TO THEM
WHEN NEEDED AND THAT THEY‘RE
GOING TO BE SAFE AND SECURE.
>> ANCHOR: >> ANCHOR: MANY
AISHT AIRPORTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY ARE TAKING IT
>> ANCHOR: WELCOME BACK. I‘M JUSTIN WARMOTH. THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED
SEVERAL BUSINESSES ASK A WORLD
CLASS TOURIST DESTINATION AND
THAT WON‘T BE THE CASE IN 2020.
NOT EVEN CLOSE AND IT IS HAVING
A PROO FOUND EFFECT ON ORLANDO
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THE C.E.O. OF THE GREATER
AVIATION AUTHORITY IS BACK TO
EXPLAIN THE EFFECTS AND WHETHER
HE BELIEVES IT IS SAFE TO FLY.
>> A MASK IS REQUIRED WHEN YOU
ARE INSIDE THE AIRPLANE,
CORRECT?
>> THAT‘S CORRECT.
>> ANCHOR: DO YOU SEE DOING
TEMPERATURE CHECKS AS PEOPLE
WALK IN OR IS THAT NOT DOABLE?
>> THE ACTUAL MECHANICS OF A
TEMPERATURE CHECK ARE PRETTY
STRAIGHT FORWARD.
BUT WHAT IS NOT STRAIGHT
FORWARD, BECAUSE THERE IS A
VOID IN OFF AUTHORITY IF YOU
WILL IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU
EXCEED THE LIMIT.
SO MY EXAMPLE IS THE FAMILY OF
4, THEY‘VE BEEN DOWN HERE FROM
NEW YORK.
DAD HAS TO GO BACK THE NEXT
MORNING.
THE 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER COMES
IN WITH A 101° TEMPERATURE AND
THEY TAKE THE TEMPERATURE AND
THEN WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT?
WE AS THE AIRPORT DON‘T HAVE
ANY AUTHORITY TO TAKE
TEMPERATURES AND IN FACT WE‘RE
PRECLUDED FROM FEDERAL
REGULATION FROM SPENDING OUR
RESOURCES ON HEALTH SCREENINGS.
THERE IS NO CLEAR AUTHORITY
FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS TO
WHO CAN TAKE TEMPERATURES AND
WHAT THEY DO WITH THEM.
THERE IS THE AIR CARRIERS CAN
REFUSE TO FLY SOMEONE.
WE DON‘T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
BY THE TIME YOU GET SOMEONE TO
THE GATE WHO HAS A TEMPERATURE
IT‘S TOO LATE.
IF THEY ARE SYMPTOMATIC,
THEY‘VE BEEN SHEDDING THE VIRUS
THROUGHOUT THE TERMINAL.
SOTHERE IS A LOT OF DEBATE
GOING ON NOW ABOUT TEMPERATURES
TAKING AND, AGAIN, TEMPERATURE
TAKING WILL NOT IDENTIFY THOSE
PEOPLE THAT ARE ASYMPTOMATIC.
THAT ARE CARRYING THE VIRUS BUT
DON‘T PRESENT THE SYMPTOMS BUT
IT IS AN INDICATOR AND CAN BE
HELPFUL.
THAT WHOLE DEBATE IS ONGOING
AND WHAT WE HOPE DO IS GET
CLARITY AND HAVE A PROCESS
AVAILABLE FOR PASSENGERS THAT
THEY CAN SEEMLESSLY MOVE
THROUGH SO IT‘S NOT A BIG
DETRIMENT.
SO THERE IS SOME TECHNOLOGY OUT
THERE THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
AT WITH AT THIS JUNCTURE WE
REALLY DON‘T HAVE A CLEAR
AUTHORITY AND THAT IS A
DIFFERENT SCENARIO THAN US
TRYING TO FORCE SOMETHING ON
THE PUBLIC.
>> WITH THIS RAMPING UP IN
MARCH AND TESTING POSITIVE AT
NCO.
HOW HAS THEIR PROTOCOL SORT OF
CHANGED AND IN PREVENTING THAT
FROM SPIKING AGAIN?
>> NOW THEY‘RE ALL WEARING
MASKS AND WHEN THEY PRESENT,
THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY SENT HOME
AND THEN ANYBODY THAT THEY COME
IN CONTACT WITH, THEY WERE IN
ISOLATION AS WELL.
AND IF THAT‘S THE CASE WITH ANY
OF THE INSTANCES AT THE AIRPORT
IN TERMS OF FIRST THAT WORK
HERE.
I THINK THEY BECOME VERY AWARE
OF THAT AND ONCE THEY
IDENTIFIED IT AND WHERE WE WORK
AND DO THE ROBUST CLEANING AND
WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND SO
IT WAS A MATTER OF GETTING THE
OFFICERS IN ISOLATION FOR 14
DAYS AND SOME WERE ASYMPTOMATIC
AND OTHERS NOT SO MUCH, BUT
IT‘S SOMETHING WE WATCH VERY
CAREFULLY AND MANY SEEM TO BE
FROM ORIGINATING THE AT AIRPORT.
BUT CLEARLY PEOPLE WERE COMING
THROUGH THE TERMINAL AND WITH
AIRLINE, STAFF AND AIR CARRIER
STAFF AND WE HAVE MAINTENANCE
AND THAT SITUATION WHERE THERE
IS SOMEONE AFFECTED OUTSIDE THE
JOB AND CAME TO WORK
UNKNOWINGLY AND WE HAD A COUPLE
OF FOLKS THAT WERE DOING
MAINTENANCE THAT HAD TO SIT OUT
FOR 14 DAYS.
>> I‘M CURIOUS ABOUT AIRPORTS
AND THE COLLABORATION THAT YOU
TRY TO HAVE MAYBE WITH OTHER
AIRPORTS IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA OR ELSEWHERE IN THE
COUNTRY.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU DO
DIFFERENTLY ESPECIALLY?
>> WE‘VE BEEN DOING IT.
WE TALK A LOT.
TALK TO ALL THE AIRPORT
DIRECTORS AND THE LARGER
AIRPORTS IN FLORIDA ON A FAIRLY
REGULAR BASIS.
WE TALK TO -- WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AT THE
AIRPORT AND DIRECTORS AND OTHER
PERSONNEL TO INCLUDE TO.
THEN IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO
TALK TO THEM AND IT IS ALWAYS A
BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS AND IT
IS HELPFUL TO TALK TO FOLKS IN
SEATTLE OR LOS ANGELES OR
DALLAS OR ATLANTA TO SEE WHAT
THEY‘RE DOING.
BECAUSE WE‘RE ALL -- WE‘VE ALL
PRETTY MUCH BEEN IN THE SAME
LEVEL.
TRAFFIC NATIONWIDE IS AT THE
ALL TIME LOWS AND IT IS AGAIN
STARTING TO CREEP UP WITH THAT
90% REDUCTION AND WE‘RE
TRACKING ABOUT A 70% REDUCTION
NOW.
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO
GO TO GET BACK TO THE LEVEL
WHERE WE WERE IN FEBRUARY.
AND WE‘RE GOING TO HAVE SOME
FINANCIAL CHALLENGES ALONG THE
WAY BECAUSE OUR BUSINESS MODEL
IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD
DEPEND OG PASSENGERS COMING
THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND
SPENDING MON OR BUYING SERVICES
AND WE WOULD GET A PERCENTAGE
OF THAT.
WE DID HAVE PAYMENTS FROM THE
AIRLINES BUT THE AIRLINES ARE
NOT FLYING AS MUCH AND IF
THEY‘RE NOT THE SAME LOW
FACTORS THEY‘VE BEEN IN, THOSE
ARE STARTING TO COME UP.
BUT THEN THE CHALLENGE IS THAT
WHEN YOU GET A FULL AIRCRAFT,
THAT IS ALWAYS THE RECIPE FOR
TRANSMISSION IF YOU DON‘T HAVE
THINGS SQUARED AWAY AND I KNOW
THE AIRLINES ARE WORKING HARD
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEEP
CLEANING WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND
THAT THEIR MASK, SERVE WEARING
A MASCOTT AIRCRAFT AND THAT
THEY HAVE HAND SANITIZER
AVAILABLE.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN YOU‘RE SITTING
IN A FULL AIRCRAFT, IT CAN BE
POTENTIALLY UNCOMFORTABLE AND
THE CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING
YOU‘LL BE PROTECTED OR ARE
PROTECTED IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
>> ANCHOR: IF YOU‘RE JUST AN
AVERAGE FAMILY LOOKING TO GET
AWAY AND GO SOMEWHERE, WOULD
YOU RECOMMEND, IS IT SAFE TO
FLY AND GO THROUGH THE AIRPORT
AND GO ON THE FAMILY VACATION
RIGHT NOW?
>> THAT IS GOING TO BE A
PERSONAL DECISION.
IF GIVEN THE CHOICE, YEAH, I
WOULD FLY.
AND I‘M, I‘M WELL PAST 65 SO
I‘M AT RISK.
BUT I‘M ALSO GOING TO BE SMART
ABOUT IT TO THE EXTENT THAT I
CAN, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE
DISTANCE ON THE AIRCRAFT.
THAT IS WHAT I‘M GOING TO TRY
TO OPT FOR.
I‘LL HAVE MY HAND SANITIZER AND
WEARING A FACE MASK AS I AM NOW.
IT MAY BE A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE
BUT THE FACT IS THE VIRUS IS
OUT THERE AND UNLESS YOU TAKE
PRECAUTIONS ACCIDENT YOU‘RE AT
RISK WANT>> ANCHOR: AND MY
THANKS TO PHIL BROWN FOR THE
TIME THIS WEEK.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
MEASURES THE AIRPORT IS TAKING
AMID THE PANDEMIC, HEAD TO