SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RECEIVES
AIRPORT SAFETY MARK OF DISTINCTION
FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 18, 2008) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented Southwest Florida International Airport with the Airport Safety Mark of Distinction Award for work related to its Runway 6/24 Rehabilitation project. This award recognizes airports that demonstrate exemplary initiative in the area of airport safety.
Southwest Florida International Airport staff and contractors worked with the FAA and Florida Department of Transportation to develop a plan to rehabilitate the airport's single runway while maintaining normal operations during a six-month period of record-breaking passenger traffic. The project team took the innovative approach of converting a taxiway into a runway that would be used temporarily while work took place. This major project, completed in March 2007, required intense planning and coordination with airlines and the Air Traffic Control Tower to make sure the airport maintained safe operations.
"This project was essential for the safety of air carriers and it was accomplished without interruption to our flight schedules or inconvenience to the traveling public," said Robert M. Ball, A.A.E., executive director of the Lee County Port Authority. "This award showcases the professionalism and commitment to safety that our staff assumed during the planning and implementation of the project."
Southwest Florida International Airport served more than 7.6 million passengers in 2006 and ranks among the 50 busiest U.S. airports.
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PR 08-04 Contact: Victoria B. Moreland Department Director/Public Relations (239) 590-4504
