Why I Love High Tide

The capacity to evolve that our industry demonstrates never ceases to amaze me. From shoehorning in extra security equipment after 9/11 to devising safe passenger processing strategies during the current pandemic, airports continually refine their facilities. And typically, they’re happy to share what they’ve learned with colleagues at other airports. As a result, we consistently have an overabundance of projects to cover in this magazine. The sentiment about rising tides lifting all boats almost always applies.

That’s why we were surprised when a large airport authority did not want us to publish an article about improvements made at one of its airports. To be clear, there was no question about the accuracy of the information or the article itself. Moreover, the project or topic wasn’t at all controversial. In fact, the airport was making a rather mundane update to keep the facility running smoothly after years of changes and incredible growth.

Even so, the media department didn’t want the airport to acknowledge that it was ever in need of updates and wasn’t always on the cutting edge operationally.

Is this realistic? No. Are there airports out there without any to-do lists? Of course not! If there were, there would be a long line of consultants at the unemployment office; and your job as airport directors would be easy,
if not dull.

When it comes to homes or airports, we’re constantly improving our facilities. That’s just the way it is. 

So why am I telling you this? To encourage you to be candid with your peers—over the phone or email, at conferences, and on the pages of Airport Improvement magazine. Don’t let the fear of appearing anything but 100% perfect stop you from sharing your experiences with other airports. They’ll be very appreciative, and it’s a safe bet you’ll learn something valuable in return.

We all prosper and grow through interaction and communication. Let’s raise all the boats. 

Cheers,