Chattanooga Airport Helps Make A Wish Come True
May 16th, 2012

Imagine how you would feel if you were just eight years old and had been fighting a life-threatening bleeding disorder all of your life. You get the good news that the folks at Make-A-Wish are sending you and your family to Disney World, but the trip will require you to fly in an airplane for the very first time – a scary thought for a boy who has already faced down a lifetime of scary thoughts in his eight years.   

Meet Korbin, an awesome kid from Sequatchie County, who wished for a trip to Disney World. 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee recently told him he was getting his wish but he had never flown before and was a little nervous about his flight to Florida, courtesy of the Chattanooga Airport. We strongly believe that education and information build confidence, so we gave Korbin and his baseball buddies a crash course in aviation.

Last Saturday, we threw a Disney-themed pizza party at the Wilson Air Center, and Crystal Air brought out one of their planes for Korbin and his family and friends to tour. They got to crawl inside the plane and Brian Schussler gave Korbin his first flying lesson…from the safety of the tarmac, of course!

Then the Airport's Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting team gave the group a tour of the unique green airport fire trucks. Korbin learned all about the training and safety focus involved in the firefighters' jobs. And he got to shoot the water hose!

The little Super Star even made it onto the local news.  

We are so proud of Korbin's fighting spirit and it was an honor for us to meet his family, who fight alongside him every day. We hope you all have an awesome time at Disney and tell Mickey we said "hi!"

Did you know that most of the wishes the Make-A-Wish Foundation receive involve air travel and that you can donate your unused frequent flyer miles to the Foundation? To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee and how you or your organization can get involved visit them at http://wishetn.wish.org/.

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Chattanooga Airport Dedicates LEED Certified Facilities and Solar Farm
March 22nd, 2012

In late February we celebrated a monumental accomplishment for our airport.  The new energy-efficient corporate flight center managed by Wilson Air Center was recently awarded platinum LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which is the highest level of certification a building can receive. Additionally, this facility is the only one of its kind in the world to achieve platinum certification.

If you are not familiar with LEED certification, it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally recognized green building rating system which provides building owners and operators a standard for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient and high-performing facilities. There are four levels of certification a building can receive and they are LEED certified, LEED silver, LEED gold and LEED platinum. Some of the criteria that led to our platinum achievement included:

• Almost 4,000 solar panels were installed just south of the terminal, generating more than one megawatt of clean power every year
• 95 percent of all construction waste was recycled
• Furniture in the facility was provided by regional suppliers which limited the pollution required to transport the materials
• Alternative transportation is encouraged and easily accessible with direct access to CARTA, bike storage and changing rooms, and reserved parking for low emissions and fuel efficient vehicles
• Landscaping throughout the campus is comprised of indigenous plants requiring very little water for hydration

The new hangar located beside the terminal achieved gold certification which was an amazing achievement for us in our efforts to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.

We made this announcement and dedicated our new solar farm with a special event inside the flight center.  We were honored to have the Acting Administrator for the FAA, Michael Huerta, as a special guest and speaker, as well as Judith Webb, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the USGBC, also a speaker at our event.  Additionally we had many regional businesspeople in attendance that support sustainability initiatives, which was a great reminder that the Chattanooga community has truly become a leader in the green movement.

Read more about our sustainability efforts here.

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Tips to Make Your Holiday Travel Brighter
December 14th, 2011

The holidays are finally here and you may already be stressing over everything you have to do in the upcoming weeks.   Well go ahead and take a deep breath and relax about your travel plans because we have you covered with some tips to make your travel easier and a little brighter this holiday season! 

If you haven’t booked your flight yet then now is the time to start looking, either through a travel agent or an online airfare search engine such as Travelocity.com.  Make sure you check all of the airlines to find the best deal, especially right now when they are competing for your business, and if you have any flexibility in your travel plans, try using a flexible date search to find the lowest fares possible.  

While you’re online don’t forget to register for our free traveler rewards program, Thanks Again, if you haven’t already. The Chattanooga Airport, in partnership with Republic Parking and Thanks Again, wants to say thank you for your business so every time you park, shop or dine at the airport you receive miles to your preferred airline rewards program. And for the whole month of December, when you use your registered credit or debit card at the airport you will be rewarded with double miles.  You can enroll in the program and review full terms and conditions through www.thanksagain.com/cha.  You can also ‘like’ Thanks Again on Facebook for additional opportunities to win miles throughout the year.

Next, when you are ready to start packing your bags, make sure you refer to the TSA’s website, www.tsa.gov to find out the latest rules and regulations regarding what you pack in your checked luggage, and what is acceptable to carry on. Remember that the 3-1-1 rule regarding liquids is still in effect so you should be extra careful how you pack your shampoos and perfumes. If you are planning to take a pet with you make sure you review your airline’s pet policy, which can be found on their website, to ensure you have Fido packed correctly as well. 

Plan to arrive a little earlier for your flight than normal. The holidays are a busy travel time and arriving early will ensure you get through the security checkpoint in a timely manner so you can relax at the gate while you wait for your plane. And pay close attention to your departure time so you don’t miss the deadline for checking in for your flight. Keep in mind that many of the airlines close their ticket counters 30 minutes prior to departure in order to greet the incoming plane, so you want to be checked in before that time.  

Finally, no matter what your plans include, take time to enjoy this holiday season and all of the sights, sounds and festivities with your loved ones. Happy holidays from CHA! 

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Chattanooga Airport CEO Mike Landguth Accepts Position in Raleigh-Durham
October 10th, 2011

Executive departs airport after 12 years in leadership
Mike Landguth, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority (CMAA), has accepted the position as Airport Director of the Raleigh-Durham Airport. He has submitted his resignation to the airport’s board of commissioners, effective November 4. Landguth has served as President and CEO since July of 2004, and Vice President of Operations at the Chattanooga Airport since 1999.

"During my time at the airport, I have worked with a talented team of people and we have been able to accomplish a great deal for the community, including more air service options and lower fares for our passengers, as well as securing over $70 million in grant funding for infrastructure development and diversifying our revenue stream so that the airport is not as dependent on the financial fluctuations of the airline industry," said Landguth. "Although I am eager to tackle the new opportunities in Raleigh-Durham, I have loved living and working in Chattanooga and my family and I will always feel at home in this town."

Dan Jacobson, the Chairman of the CMAA, said, "Mike Landguth brought a unique combination of strategic vision and old-fashioned work ethic to our leadership team. Together we have worked through countless challenges within the aviation industry. His passion and vision and love for aviation and this city will be missed. He has left our airport and our community stronger than he found it."

Jacobson said the CMAA will immediately begin searching for Landguth’s successor.

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A Fall Color Cruise in the Sky
September 29th, 2011

We are blessed to live in a beautiful part of the country, and this is never as apparent as during the fall color season. The elevated ridges and rolling valleys surrounding our community are a perfect canvas for the blazing colors of autumn. If you are looking for a new perspective on this glorious season, look no further than the Chattanooga Airport.

Crystal Air, a scheduled charter airline, offers passengers an aerial tour of the Chattanooga region, giving you an amazing vantage point on the season. Every weekend in October Crystal Air will take passengers for an air tour of the Chattanooga region, including the Tennessee River Gorge and Raccoon Mountain. Each Saturday and Sunday flights will start at 7:30 a.m. from Wilson Air Center and continue through the day as demand dictates. The cost of the flight is $50 per person and reservations can be made by phone at (423) 236-5100 or through email to info@CrystalAirOnline.com. Go to www.CrystalAirOnline.com for more information about these special flights.  

PS: Don’t forget your camera!

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