San Francisco International Airport… indeed, the world of travel in general…
the new normal. Where do we go from here? It didn’t’ start like this. In fiscal year
2020, SFO realized several long-term goals and was on pace to break all-time passenger
and revenue records. But, seemingly overnight… that all changed. In March of 2020,
the COVID-19 pandemic led to global shutdowns of schools and most businesses,
drastically altering the landscape in which we all live and work.
The Airport’s successes were soon overshadowed by concerns for public safety in the face of
a highly contagious virus. As flights cancelled, businesses closed, and masks and physical
distancing became the norm, we had to ask ourselves – where do we go from here?
For SFO, the answer is Onward and Upward. And what began as the greatest challenge
we have ever had to face, ultimately revealed our greatest strengths – the resilience, the
resourcefulness, and the commitment of our employees. These are the things that, for me,
shine through the most in these times. And these are the things that, I believe,
are going to lead us forward. But before I get into that, let’s look back
at the year before the Coronavirus changed everything.
March 2020. COVID-19 put the brakes on air travel.
We went from 80 to 90,000 passengers a day down to between 1 to 2,000. A decrease of 95%.
International carriers decreased from 44 to 4. Concessions closed. Checkpoints closed.
And it was at that moment, when things seemed at their darkest, that the character and
strength of our team lifted us up, and revealed how we were going to move forward.
Following the advice of the CDC, we immediately made it a requirement for
everyone to wear a face-covering while on Airport premises.
Our Custodial staff implemented new cleaning protocols throughout the Airport,
disinfecting high-touch surface areas to ensure a safe, sanitary environment for
passengers and employees. This includes the implementation of new equipment and
technologies,… such as an electrostatic sprayer to sanitize surface and
escalators that utilize ultraviolet light to sterilize handrails.
To protect staff, our Carpentry Shop responded
by building and installing plexiglass barriers throughout the Airport almost overnight.
When the need arose to put additional hand sanitizers up throughout the Airport,
our Sheet Metal shop got creative and built stands for the dispensers, as well
as cases to house them. Our Motivating Volunteer Participation
Committee got busy making masks for employees and healthcare workers. To
date, they’ve sewn 2,200 masks and 1,800 Ear Savers.
We increased our communications and established a bi-weekly livestream
broadcast so that I could speak directly to our employees providing updates and
addressing their concerns. Charles give Ivar a thumbs up – you’re live!
Camera circles around to face Ivar more directly. IVAR breaks VO hear to address camera directly.
And then there’s our Disaster Service Workers, or DSWs.
Through June, SFO has had 151 employees answer the call to perform vital city
services, such as providing communications
to other city workers, providing meals to the city’s needy, and working at
San Francisco’s COVID-19 Testing sites and homeless shelter sites.
They’ve also been deployed as Travel Well Ambassadors, who help keep our
Airport safe by ensuring that everyone wears a mask and maintains a safe distance.
There is so much that we’ve done to adapt to this changing world, and
so much more that needs to be done to get us back to where we once were.
It would be easy to get discouraged.
But when I look at the things our team has done, and continues to do every day, I
don’t feel discouraged. I feel hopeful. I feel energized. I feel strong.
This is a team of empathy. This is a team of passion. This team is our strength.
This is the right team, at the right moment, and this is how we will move forward.
This is how we move Onward and Upward.
Pardon me sir, for the safety of everyone, please wear a mask while in the Airport.
Onward and Upward.