vol. XIX no. 2 Page 1 2 3 4 As part of its development program, Hartsfield-Jackson also has made improvements in the central passenger terminal complex, including new flooring, artwork, and other renovations designed to maximize efficiency, functionality, and customer services. The airport is budgeting $476 million between 2000 and 2009 to upgrade curbside services, ticket counters, and interior finishes, and to expand the concourses. Another big-ticket item – some $479 million, to be exact – on DeCosta’s to-do list is completion of a Consolidated Rental Car Facility. Located south of Camp Creek Parkway and west of I-85, this facility will place all rental car agencies in one convenient location, accessible by an Automated People Mover system from the main terminal. The facility, which initially will house 8,700 car spaces and 10 rental car companies, is slated to open in 2009. Out of all the multiple initiatives he is overseeing on any given day, DeCosta comes full circle back to customer service when asked about his priorities for the airport. “People often think only of travelers when they talk about our customers,” he says. “For us, it goes much father than that when you factor in our carriers and the surrounding communities. They are our customers also.” Finally, DeCosta points to local partnerships as key to the airport’s future. “Without partnerships with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Brand Atlanta, we cannot move ahead and be successful,” he says. “They are key.” Continued on next page Previous Page | Top | Next Page

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