Air Cargo Symposium to Focus on the Security Environment; Developing Trends and Strategies for Managing Cargo Also Highlight Agenda.

News Editors/Travel Writers

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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 25, 2003

Beginning Monday, July 28, more than 170 representatives from North American airports, airlines, freight forwarders and government security agencies are scheduled to attend the 2003 Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Air Cargo Symposium on "Air Cargo Opportunities in Today's Economy and the New Security Environment." Hosted by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the conference will run through Wednesday, July 30, at The Beverly Hilton, 9876 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills.

The three-day conference is unique in that it will focus on cargo from the perspective of airport management and will provide operators access to key Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs decision-makers at a critical juncture in cargo security plan development.

"Even faster than passenger traffic, air cargo will rebound and will grow faster than passenger traffic over the next 12 years. This will have a tremendous effect on the way airports do business, from marketing objectives and facilities development to operational effectiveness," said ACI-NA President David Z. Plavin. "This expectation, coupled with impending security regulations, makes it imperative that we explore and discuss the impact on airport operators and our tenants. These twin themes of cargo development and security constitute the foundation of this year's symposium," he added.

The symposium is divided into two days of panels plus a half-day case study. Opening day will focus on air cargo industry trends; tenant relations with airlines, forwarders, trucking companies and other allied services; and cargo facilities development. While airlines, forwarders and other allied services will be prominent on the panels, their presentations will focus on how their industries interact with airport operations.

The second day will be dedicated to the developing air cargo security programs and their ramifications for North American airports. Attendees will learn which federal agencies are responsible for implementation and enforcement; how security mandates could affect airport operations, facilities and infrastructure; and how airport operators, airlines, forwarders and allied services can cooperate to ensure that the new programs actually enhance security.

The final half-day will comprise an intensive case study pertaining to the multi-airport Southern California air cargo market, including LAWA's strategies for managing cargo at two of its airports, Los Angeles International and Ontario International, which rank third and 15th, respectively, among North American airports in terms of annual cargo volumes.

"LAWA is enthusiastic in its support of this event and is proud to work with other sponsors to bring this important symposium to the industry," said Los Angeles World Airports Chief Operating Officer Paul Green. "We especially think the case study about 'Southern California Global Gateways and Secondary Airports' will bring into focus the key air transportation issues that face our region as well as North America," he added.

ACI-NA represents local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 98 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Over 370 aviation-related businesses are also members of the association, which is the largest of the six worldwide regions of Airports Council International.