OVERVIEW OF TOPICS

You know how the old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Last year, 2017, was a year of change for San Diego International Airport (SAN).

We launched new nonstop flights to Frankfurt and Zurich. We saw the number of international passengers continue to climb, and we broke ground on a new international arrivals facility to enhance the customer experience for those passengers.

We also started construction of a new Parking Plaza next to Terminal 2 – all those new passengers have to park somewhere – and managed the changing ground transportation landscape that has been redefined by ridesharing companies. All of that, while welcoming a new President/CEO.

So, yes, there’s been a lot of change. But at the heart of everything we do are three ideals: We are business-driven, passenger-centered and community-minded. Those ideals set the vision for our organization and inform our everyday work – and they haven’t changed. They also help ensure that the Airport Authority is an enduring and resilient enterprise.

Sustainability is the glue that holds those core ideals together. This Sustainability Report documents the Airport Authority’s collective sustainability strategy that is focused on a single goal: Optimize the use of our 661-acre footprint for decades to come. That strategy takes on even more importance as we move into 2018 and beyond, with plans for the proposed replacement of Terminal 1 taking shape.

Speaking of 2018, this year marks the airport’s 90th anniversary. Back in 1928, SAN was a small, muddy airfield by San Diego Bay. There was not much of a runway by today’s standards. But the hardy souls who climbed into aircraft were thrilled at the opportunity to turn what used to be days-long overland trips into flights of just a few hours.

We’re still small today – relatively speaking – for a major commercial airport. We still make do with a single runway (albeit one that’s longer, wider and of course, paved). And we continue to make the world just a little bit smaller with each new nonstop flight we add to exciting and exotic destinations.

Because the more things change, the more they stay the same.