NATA Group Conducts First 'Capitol Hill Morning'

The NATA Airline Services Council (ASC) met last week in Washington, D.C. to conduct one of its regular meetings as well as carry out its first annual "Capitol Hill Morning." More than 15 company executives attended the meeting that included appearances by Stewart Verdery Jr., Assistant Secretary for Border and Transportation Security Policy and Planning at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Congressman John Duncan, Jr., senior member of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. ASC members also visited with two-dozen key members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. 
 
"In-person meetings are always invaluable when educating Members of Congress and their staff about your priorities," NATA president James K. Coyne stated. "We made great headway on a number of issues and look forward to continuing to foster existing as well as new relationships with key Congressional legislators."

During the regular meeting, preceding the Capitol Hill Morning, John Willis, chairman of the UK-based Independent Airline Handling Agents (IAHA), provided an international perspective to the ASC members. A significant number of ASC-member companies do business internationally; several member companies are based offshore. Of particular interest to the ASC were the international regulatory and security-related issues addressed by Willis. One of the key issues addressed by the Council was unified employee-badging requirements. In order for an employee to work at an airport in secured areas, the individual must be approved by up to three separate entities and processes. This is not only costly; it can cause delays in getting an employee approved to work.
 
Council members elected Jim Enright, senior vice president of human resources for World Wide Flight Services, to the position of chairman. He succeeds Tinamarie "TM" Legouffe of WSA Group, who becomes the Council's Ex-Officio and remains a member of the Steering Committee. Council members also distributed a new ASC brochure to increase the awareness levels of Congress to the supporting tiers of the aviation industry. 

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