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AirportImprovement.com      October 2026
OPERATIONS 
IAH
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Fortunately, the airport and its design team carefully considered 
what comforts, conveniences and necessities to include in the 
new facility. “Together, we evaluated the full implications of not 
just running a 24/7 center, but also thought about how to handle 
prolonged emergencies,” says Yee. “We increased the scope 
slightly to include four showers in case employees needed to be 
there for an extended time, and lockers for staff to keep personal 
items and clothing.”
The ICC is also equipped with ergonomic chairs and stand-
up desks along with a sleep pod and space for cots. The team, 
including Director Szczesniak himself, has already used some of 
these features. 
“I’ve spent time in the ICC emergency complex for hurricanes, 
aircraft incidents, storms, and more,” he says. “It helps to have a 
place to stay.” 
What’s in a Name?
Several other major airports operate similar facilities, and they are 
known by various names. 
San Francisco International Airport calls its centralized hub the 
Airport Integrated Operations Center, as does Dallas-Fort Worth 
International Airport. Los Angeles International Airport has an 
Airport Response Coordination Center. 
Assistant General Manager Steve Runge 
notes that IAH leaders deliberated about the 
official name for its new nerve center, and 
Integrated Coordination Center seems to 
say it all. For starters, the facility integrates 
previously decentralized departments and 
also includes key external partners. 
“Our design uniquely fits our needs,” Runge 
says. “The TSA, for instance, was eager to 
participate in our center while at other airports that may not be 
the case. Together, we were able to look at the pros and cons 
of hosting it on-airport or off-airport. Bringing it to the ICC made 
sense for us.”
Leaders also felt coordination was important to include in the 
name because that was a primary objective of the $7.3 million 
project: improving collaboration and communication among key 
departments to improve situational awareness and response time 
when action is needed. 
STEVE RUNGE

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