HARTSFIELD ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

World's busiest airport looks to Latin America for more passenger and cargo taraffic

Taking center stage in the burgeoning theater of global trade, Atlanta's famed international airport is sharpening its commitment to serve Latin America.

Already, the push to add more service and routes to Latin American destinations is showing dramatic results. "Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport launched the largest air service route incursion into Latin America in aviation history in 1998, with new service to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, Guatemala and Venezuela," says Mario Diaz, deputy general manager of the airport. "Trade with the U.S. and Latin America is the fastest-growing trading bloc, superseding the growth rate of the Pacific Rim countries. We are very excited about the future."

Miguel Southwell, aviation marketing and public relations manager of Hartsfield, agrees. "We intend to establish Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport as the gateway to Latin America," Southwell says. "For passengers connecting to Latin America, Atlanta is the best airport option available. We have 2,400 flights a day in and out of Atlanta, serving 185 cities in 32 countries. That gives the traveling public more options, without the need to make many connections. And for cargo, shippers can eliminate at least one day's transportation of their goods by ground, saving them time and money."

That's because Atlanta is blessed by its location in the heart of the Southeastern United States. Historically a crossroads for trade and commerce, Atlanta lies at the centerpoint of 12 states, with easy air and intermodal connections to the Northeastern United States, the Midwest, the Southwest and points closer. The airport also has been a traditional hub for connecting flights from all over the United States -- Atlanta is within two hours of flying time to 80% of the U.S. population.

"Considering the size of the market and the opportunities to reach this market, Georgia is a very strategic place from which to do business in the Southeast," says Carlos Martel, deputy commissioner for international trade at the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism. "We encourage Latin American business executives to think about Georgia and Atlanta as a logical gateway to the United States and as a transfer point to Europe and Asia."

Georgia's economic success in the international arena can be seen by the growth in its exports, from US$7.2 billion in 1990 to more than double that in 1998, reaching $14.98 billion. Principal exports are transportation equipment and services, industrial machinery, pulp and paper, chemicals, electronics and electrical equipment.

INTERNATIONAL CITY

At the same time, Atlanta's cultural and business links to international markets has been expanding. Nearly 500,000 local residents are native Spanish speakers. In addition, 19 countries have full-time consulates in Atlanta, and 27 countries have trade and tourism offices. More than 33 foreign chambers of commerce and 31 honorary Consuls call Atlanta home.

Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport has been making investments in infrastructure to support Atlanta's global expansion and prominence. For example, the Department of Aviation has committed nearly US$5 million over the next two years to make the airport completely bilingual, with Spanish-language signs and translation services at the Immigration and Customs areas.

A new International Terminal can handle as many as 6,000 passengers per hour. The $300 million six-level concourse is the largest in the United States, with 2.4 million square feet. It can accommodate 18 Boeing 747-400s at one time.

Last year was a record-breaking year for passenger traffic, aircraft operations and cargo. Hartsfield surpassed Chicago's top-ranked O'Hare airport in overall passenger traffic, handling 73.5 million passengers. Meanwhile, international traffic was up 22.5% over 1997.

In 1998, Delta Airlines began service from Atlanta to eight Latin American destinations. That spurred a dramatic increase in the number of passengers traveling to and from Latin America. "We expect not only an increase in Delta's international flights to Latin America, but also to see Latin American carriers serving Atlanta," Southwell said.

CARGO OPERATIONS

Cargo service is also undergoing significant expansion, and the role of geography cannot be underemphasized. "We can help shippers do away with a day's transportation, by truck and rail, to and from traditional gateway cities in the South and provide quicker delivery and faster turn-around," says Robert Kennedy, cargo development manager. "We also have significant direct lift to Asia and Europe, making Atlanta the ideal transshipment point to and from Latin America."

The airport's new 50-acre South Cargo Complex is nearly complete, offering one-half million square feet of office and warehouse space. The ramp area is 1.1 million square feet, accommodating nine Boeing 747-400s simultaneously.

A 42,000-square-foot perishables facility has two airside parking spaces so that aircraft can offload materials straight into the climate-controlled building.

"You can come into Atlanta with flowers or other perishable goods and distribute directly throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, effectively adding a day and a half of shelf life," notes HollyBeth Anderson, vice president of international affairs for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber and related international committees are actively marketing the airport to air cargo carriers and logistics companies, as well as to South American floral consortiums and aviation ministers.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Another less tangible advantage is Atlanta's well-known Southern hospitality. "Atlanta is one of the few cities in the United States, where you get onto an elevator and everybody says good morning or goodbye," said Southwell. "We are friendly and very Southern, but also multinational."

FACTS AND DISTINCTIONS

OFFICIAL NAME: The William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport.

AIRPORT CODE: ATL.

WORLDS BUSIEST AIRPORT: 73.5 million passengers (1998).

WEEKLY FLIGHTS: To Caracas: 7. To Guatemala City: 7. To Lima: 7. To Mexico City: 14. To Monterrey: 21. To Panama City: 7. To Rio de Janeiro: 14. To San Jose: 7. To San Salvador: 7. To San Juan: 21.

DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN ATLANTA: 10 miles.

AIRPORT AREA: 3,750 acres (1,518 hectares).

TERMINAL COMPLEX: 130 acres (52.6 hectares) or 5.7 million square feet, including the Terminal Buildings, Concourses T, A, B, C, D and the new International Concourse. Within these concourses are 24 international and 146 domestic gates, all connected by a 3.5-miles underground people mover transit system.

AIRPORT EMPLOYEES: 33,000.

PASSENGER CARRIERS SERVING LATIN AMERICA: Aeromexlco, Delta.

CARGO CARRIERS SERVING LATIN AMERICA: Martinair.

CARGO HANDLING SPACE: 2 million square feet (135,000 square meters).

MAJOR CORPORATIONS BASED IN

ATLANTA: BellSouth, Coca-Cola, CNN, Delta Airlines, Equifax, Georgia Pacific, Holiday Inn, Southern Company, Turner Broadcasting, and UPS, plus 1,800 others.

IMPACT OF THE AIRPORT ON THE ECONOMY OF ATLANTA: US$15 billion.