This week's meeting opened with Manon Mitchell's violin rendition of Leaving on a Jet Plane, which was selected in honour of our speaker Bob Sartor, CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority.

 

President Tim Heaton's call to order acknowledged that our meetings take place on the Treaty 7 lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuut'ina First Nation, Stoney Nakota First Nations, and the Metis Nation of Alberta.

 

Manon and Michael then led us in singing O Canada, while Bob Taylor delivered the invocation.

 

Thanks also go out to our front entrance volunteers Larry Martin, Bev Blair and Bruce Millar.

 

Proving that great minds think alike, President Tim also selected Leaving on a Jet Plane for this week's sing song to honour Bob Sartor. The song, written by John Denver in 1966, was the final (and biggest) hit for Peter, Paul and Mary.

 

Club secretary Kurt Kowalchuk welcomed our visitors and guests, and announced club member birthdays that are being celebrated this week.

 

Catherine Brownlee introduced our newest member Lisa van Hemert. Welcome to the club Lisa!

 

The District 5360 Conference, Building Comm-Unity will be held in Olds from May 3^rd to the 5^th.

 

Barbara Young, representing the World Community Service Committee, presented the club with a clock received from a school in Guatemala that participates in our WCS literacy project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terry McMahon introduced speaker Bob Sartor, President & CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority. Mr. Sartor began his presentation by describing how the world's great airports reflect their cities. He expanded on this point by saying the airport authority is working to instill the idea that it is in the hospitality industry, and that air travellers should be made to feel like guests in its "house".

 

Mr. Sartor went on to say that when he took over as head of the airport authority he found that relationships with key airline partners had been badly frayed, chiefly owing to a number of problems arising during the development of the new international terminal. Since assuming the reins of the airport authority, he has worked to restore the trust of its partners. As a result of these efforts, WestJet chose Calgary as the location for a massive new hangar to serve as the primary home of its 787 Dreamliner fleet.

 

Mr. Sartor told the club that 2018 was a record year for the Calgary Airport Authority, which in addition to the Calgary International Airport, also operates the Springbank Airport. Many people do not know that the airport authority operates as a not-for-profit that returns revenues to the city. Its mandate is defined by Alberta's Regional Airports Authorities Act, which requires it to operate the two airports safely and efficiently, and advance economic and community development through a vibrant and expanding aviation industry.

 

The airport authority is one of the largest revenue generators for the city, and contributes significantly to the local economy. The numbers tell the story.

Airlines are responding to the airport's focus on the guest experience with their own expansion plans. WestJet has announced the following new services.