The Airport Facilities Council (AFC) of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) recently announced the winners of the 2008 Airport Facilities Management Excellence Award. The GTAA is pleased to announce that it was awarded second place in the size category of 30 million passengers served or greater.

The AFC Award for Airport Facilities Management Excellence is designed to recognize and advance excellence in the field of airport facilities. The award for Airport Facilities Management Excellence is the AFC’s highest honour and provides airport maintenance departments the opportunity for national and international recognition for their outstanding achievements in facilities management. First place went to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport—first place recipients for the second year in a row.

Airport facility personnel work behind the scenes to improve passenger comfort by ensuring that everyday activities—such as airfield operation and airport renovation and maintenance—progress smoothly and efficiently. In an effort to recognize their hard work and encourage excellence in airport facilities across the globe, the council sought to highlight worthy facility management teams.

“The people at these airports work every day to make sure the travel and working experiences of others are the best they can possibly be. Their contributions often go unnoticed, unless something goes wrong,“ said Wayne S. Harvey, CFM, LEED-AP, president of the AFC. “The intent of these awards is to recognize them for all the times things go right.”

A panel of judges selected the award winners using a point system in categories based on the airport’s number of annual passengers. Award submissions were evaluated using five criteria: leadership, innovation, sustainability, customer service and operational efficiency.

“We take great pride in being a world-class airport, so it’s an honour for us to be recognized on an international level by our peers,” said Pat Neville, GTAA Vice President of Facilities. “The contributions made by all employees in making Toronto Pearson run effectively to serve travellers are a testament to our commitment to excellence and we appreciate the recognition.”