The news that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is to raise the wages of its handlers, security staff, PRM agents, cleaners and other workers has been met with enthusiasm. This award is the result of a long battle that actually began in 2012, with a campaign that was waged under the banner of Fight for US$15. That fight has taken almost six years to bear fruit but finally, the New Jersey airport staff will gain wage parity with their colleagues in New York. The first increment is due this September and this will see Newark Liberty’s workers being paid US$12.45 per hour, a US$2 gain. Further salary increments will follow in due course.

The downside to the salary breakthrough, though, is the fact that the full hourly benefit, that of US$19, won’t be achieved until 2023 – that’s another five years away.

Taking into account inflation and the continual rising cost of living, one is left wondering about the monetary value of this increase. Airport staff are notoriously poorly paid – so will this financial incentive make a real difference to their lives?

Building on a 20 year relationship, Las Vegas McCarran International has renewed its passenger processing solutions with Rockwell Collins, adopting new passenger technologies that should advance its technological position well into the future.

“Our team is constantly evaluating the airport’s infrastructure and operations seeking ways to enhance customer service, maximise efficiencies and increase flexibility,” affirmed Samuel Ingalls, assistant Director of Aviation over Information Systems for McCarran. “Over the past two decades we have had great success in managing our soaring passenger volume through the implementation of common use processes and other cutting-edge technologies such as those provided by Rockwell Collins.”

With this contract renewal, Rockwell Collins will refresh 176 common-use self-service kiosks with new units to support the upgrade of Terminal 1, helping McCarran to maintain its position as one of the leading airports in North America.

Also included in the renewal is continued support for additional Rockwell supplied airport systems. These include ARINC’s MUSE; a local, standalone departure control system; ARINC’s BagLink and radio frequency identification bag tag support. Also in the package will be the specialist’s self-boarding gate solution that allows passengers to scan a boarding pass and board the aircraft through an automated gate.

In a recent initiative, Global Ground Support partnered with Newrest Catering North America to supply catering trucks to two new kitchen locations that Newrest is opening. The new sites are in Salt Lake City, Utah and Raleigh Durham, North Carolina.
Global has been awarded an order for 43 catering trucks to supply these two locations. The first trucks began arriving at the locations in February this year and the remainder of the units should be delivered by April 2.