Global ACI-ICAO AMPAP

IAP Ken Buchanan Elected as AMPAP Community Representative on Programme Steering Committee

Mirna Kragulj — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:58:48 +0000

After several weeks of nominations and voting among the global AMPAP Community, Mr. Ken Buchanan, Executive Vice President of Revenue Management at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and graduate of AMPAP, was newly elected as the AMPAP Community Representative on the Programme Steering Committee, following Mr. Robert Kennedy’s completion of his two year term in the role.

Mr. Buchanan will also remain in the role for a single term of two years, alongside Mr. David Ioan Ciceo, Managing Director of Cluj Napoca International Airport, who will be representing AMPAP for “airports with less than 10 million passenger traffic per annum” for one more year. As the AMPAP Community Representative, Mr. Buchanan’s mandate will be to serve on the AMPAP Steering Committee “in an advisory capacity for a two-year term with the view to provide input regarding the strategic orientation of the Programme as well as its continued educational quality and professional relevance”.

The newly elected Representative joined AMPAP in the first year of the programme’s existence in 2007, and graduated shortly after, earning the coveted International Airport Professional (IAP) accreditation in Bermuda in 2010.

Through his professional career, Mr. Buchanan has acquired more than 20 years of industry experience in revenue management, sales, merchandising technology, sales planning, and marketing. He is currently responsible for the overall strategic direction of DFW International Airport to maximize non‑aviation revenues and increase customer satisfaction. Prior to joining the Airport, Mr. Buchanan served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Sales Planning for Coors, Inc. He has also held executive-level positions at Kmart Corp. and Kroger Corp.

Taiwan ATS wraps up with participants from five different countries joining the programme

Mirna Kragulj — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:40:22 +0000

The current ATS course is concluding in Taiwan where participants from Taiwan, Macau, Korea, Russia, and India were exposed to the systemic nature of the industry.

Mr. Kuo Tsai Wen came to meet with the group and emphasized how important AMPAP is for the development of the managerial skills of Taoyuan Airport managers. The class also had a presentation on the challenges faced by the airport and some of the projects entertained by TPE.

Oslo Marks the 45th AMPAP ATS Gateway Course delivery

Mirna Kragulj — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:58:00 +0000

The 45th ATS course is wrapping up in Oslo, Norway, with course instructors Pierre Coutu, Robert Kennedy, Ruwantissa Abeyratne and Lorenzo Belicchi, graciously hosted by Avinor AS.

In attendance and pictured below are: Ruwantissa Abeyratne (Instructor), John Bennett (Avinor Advisor- Observer), Lene Johansen, Inger-Hilde Tobiassen, John Hughes, Stephane Chennec, Ole Pettersen, Massimo Galavotti, Knut Egner, Louise Ouellet, Robert Kennedy (Instructor), Hanne Beate Laugerud,Torgeir Slotte, Margrethe Snekkerbakken (Avinor Executive Vice President – Observer), Ivan Damjanovic, Pierre Coutu (Course Leader).

20 New Participants Join AMPAP in Nashville, USA

Mirna Kragulj — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:38:26 +0000

The 44th ATS course was held in Nashville, Tennessee, with course instructors Jean-Marc Trottier, Robert Kennedy and Wasim Zaidi.

The 20 participants came from Cayman Islands, Atlantic City, Nassau, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, Pittsburgh, Dallas, San Francisco and Brazil. AMPAP now counts over 650 participants from 84 countries.

We welcome the new members of the AMPAP community.

AMPAP Delivers 43rd ATS Course in Accra, Ghana

Mirna Kragulj — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:11:08 +0000

Jean-Marc Trottier, course leader, shared a few thoughts with Mrs. Doreen Owusu Fianko, Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Ltd. (GACL) who came to address the participants on the vision and strategic direction of the Company.

The 18 participants came from Ghana, Niger, Liberia, Nigeria, and Mozambique. The exchange with the managers from GACL was quite dynamic and has allowed each to broaden their perspective and share some of the best practices in the industry. Wasim Zaidi, our legal expert, after discussing the legal aspects of our industry invited the group to keep in mind the legal and liability aspects that make our industry a challenging and unique one.

Ismael (Izzy) Bonilla of Fort Lauderdale, a graduate of the program, recognized that the program was now truly an international one bringing together managers from various regions and fields of expertise who all shared in common a passion for service, improvement, and excellence. AMPAP now counts over 600 participants from 84 countries. We welcome the new members to the AMPAP Community.

AMPAP ATS Gateway Course Held for the 4th time in Abu Dhabi

Kristina Schneider — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:53:39 +0000

The 42^nd ATS course is currently winding down in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with course instructors Jean-Marc Trottier and Mohammed Aziz.

The instructors would like to thank the Gulf Centre of Aviation Studies for their hospitality and continued support.

Finishing off the Year with ATS Las Vegas

Kristina Schneider — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:27:16 +0000

Course instructors Jean-Marc Trottier and Robert Kennedy, IAP, assisted by Mauricio Siciliano of ICAO, administered the 41^st ATS course in Las Vegas, Nevada. They were joined by participants from 12 airports, representing the USA, Canada, Cayman Islands, Portugal and Mali.

Mr. Randall Walker, Director of Aviation at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, was a featured speaker. His presentation was most interesting, as it addressed some of the challenges that lie ahead but also some of the innovations introduced by LAS in the past few years.

Concentrating on the Putnam Integration Exercise, the participants have not had much time to try their luck at the casinos yet. Maybe that’s a good thing? However, after their recommendations have been received by Queen Matilah, they may be able to enjoy the true Nevada hospitality.

The 40th AMPAP Air Transport System Course: BEIJING!

Kristina Schneider — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:15:59 +0000

AMPAP just finished its 40^th delivery of the ATS course and where better than Beijing, in the heart of the fastest growing region, could this have been held.

The participants and instructors of ATS Beijing: The 40th AMPAP Gateway Course

Participants from seven countries contributed to a great interactive course. Greeted by Ms. Li Xiaomei, Secretary of the Party – Beijing Capital International Airport, the group mingled on Sunday at Bei Hai Park. A beautiful evening in astonishing surroundings. During the week, Mr. Kong Yue, Director, Commercial services, came and introduced the class to some of the challenges and future developments of Beijing Capital International Airport. The group was graciously hosted to a tour of the recently opened (2008) Terminal 3 and met with managers at the Terminal Control Centre.

The whole week, as all other 39 occurrences, has been greatly appreciated by all. Course instructors Jean-Marc Trottier and Robert Kennedy and the legal expert Wasim Zaidi have also benefitted much from the interaction with the new AMPAP participants. We now look forward to seeing them soon on one of the online courses

Record Number of AMPAP Graduates Honoured In Marrakech

Kristina Schneider — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:52:43 +0000

In all, 71 airport executives received their International Airport Professional (IAP) diplomas in 2011, bringing the total to over 160 since the programme’s inception. In addition, seven others earned the AMPAP Associate diploma, which is reserved for industry stakeholders. The IAP diploma is earned through successful achievement of stringent requirements that ICAO and ACI established for the programme’s six-course curriculum.

AMPAP 2012 Graduates accompanied by Ms. Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI and Mr. Mohamed Elamiri, Deputy Director, Safety Management and Monitoring, ICAO

AMPAP Executive, Pierre Coutu, commented on this year’s developments:

The graduation is always an annual highlight of our programme and we were delighted to see so many graduates make the trip to Marrakech to participate in the ceremony. AMPAP is now enjoying firm recognition, evidenced by a steady to high-growth mode, and we look forward to another large group of IAPs earning their accreditation in 2012.

On November 1, during the ACI World Annual General Assembly in Marrakech, 32 graduates were present to receive their diplomas and were part of AMPAP’s largest graduating class.

Mr. Patrick Chonde. AMPAP 2012 Valedictorian and Ms. Catherine Mayer of SITA, AMPAP Premier Sponsor

Patrick Chonde of the Kenya Airports Authority was elected class valedictorian. On behalf of the graduates, his speech, which is excerpted below, touched on several key, recurring themes in regard to the IAP accreditation:

The growth of AMPAP has been remarkable over the years: from the initial number of 17 participants in June 2007 when it started to the current figure of over 600 participants. Today in this room, a total of 32 graduates are present from 19 different countries representing all five ACI regions, will receive their certificates and diplomas and the coveted International Airport Professional (IAP) accreditation.

Personally, AMPAP has been an awesome experience. It has helped me sharpen my career skills. I gained from AMPAP not only analytical tools and intellectual confidence, but more importantly awareness of best practices, a strategic approach to my job, and a fantastic network of peers from diverse backgrounds and cultures from around the globe”

I wish to quote ACI Director General, Angela Gittens, in her remarks during the graduation in Bermuda last year: ‘This is the beginning of the search of knowledge and not an end. The graduation is a one-off event, the hard work starts now.’

I believe the AMPAP graduates are better equipped to be more efficient and effective by disseminating their newfound reservoir of knowledge within their own organizations, especially among their colleagues.Please join me in a big round of applause for the graduates who have tirelessly worked to attain this coveted recognition and for making history by celebrating it for the first time in this great continent of Africa, in the beautiful city of Marrakech, in the Kingdom of Morocco.”

Dr. Pierre Coutu, AMPAP Programme Executive, Ms. Catherine Mayer of SITA, AMPAP Premier Sponsor and the 2012 Graduating Class

Air Transport System, Kuala Lumpur

Kristina Schneider — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:02:55 +0000

For the second time, Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) was a gracious and welcoming host to the newest group of AMPAP participants who gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the 39th ATS course delivery. Participants from five airports in Malaysia, and also from Malé, Indonesia, Dubai, Shanghai and Oman formed this class led by Dr. Pierre Coutu, Programme Executive.

Co-instructors, Mr. Rodolfo Echeverria and Mr. Jeremy Bennett, both of whom have earned the IAP designation, were pleased to beba part of the team for this course.

Air Transport System, Kuala Lumpur