Back in March as the COVID-19 pandemic was rapidly spreading along with government-mandated shutdowns and restrictions that, among other things, turned airports into virtual ghost towns, Allan Moore recalls the strange sense of walking through Philadelphia International Airport’s deserted complex.

-What is your current position at PHL and how long have you worked here? 

I started at PHL in 2006 as a Custodial Worker 1,  I worked my way up through the ranks and I’m now a Custodial Supervisor 2. I coordinate cleaning activities at the airport and oversee custodial workers assigned to cleaning the terminals for passengers.  

In March, when Pennsylvania limited restaurants to to-go service and retail merchants to those selling essential goods only, and stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions resulted in a 90 percent decrease in passenger volume, PHL Food & Shops right-sized its terminal offerings. With restrictions now easing and passenger activity on the rise, merchants that have been closed for almost three months are beginning to resume ope

The public is getting ready to fly again. To accommodate the recent upturn in passenger demand, American Airlines will increase its average PHL daily departures in July to 187 flights — 99 percent more than its daily average in June.  From July 7 to August 17—American’s peak summer schedule—the airline will average 207 daily departures from PHL.  

Boarding pass? Check.

ID? Check.

Face covering and PPE?  

Frontier Airlines has announced a summer and fall schedule that will place a strong focus on Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), adding or increasing seven routes from the City of Brotherly Love with an eye for continued expansion. The additions bring Frontier's presence at PHL to 27 nonstop destinations. 

Since mid-March, when COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, the Capital Development team has continued to assess the scope, schedule, and budget of every project to determine if it moves forward or stays paused.

The Fuel Facility Reconstruction is one project that is advancing in order to support critical airport infrastructure. The existing fuel facility, located in the southeast airfield area, was constructed in 1973 and needed upgrades that could not wait. After a 2017 design review, construction on the facility began in late 2019 and is still underway.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the term “essential employees” has become part of the vernacular. The nearly 1,000 member City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation workforce includes hundreds of employees who are considered essential. Chief among these are those who work in the Facilities and Maintenance Department, whose members perform many mission-critical jobs around the clock that enable Philadelphia International Airport to remain open, operational and safe.

Marc Bofinger, the recently appointed Deputy Chief, Airport Operations Division of the Philadelphia Fire Department’s Engine 78, is no stranger to Philadelphia International Airport and its specialized Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer— and the kick-off of the summer vacation season. But with some travel restrictions still in place and many people tentative about flying, what will summer 2020 look like at PHL?  

“Recent developments from our airline partners have made us cautiously optimistic as we move into June,” said Stephanie Wear, PHL’s Director of Air Service Development and Cargo.