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FEATURE: BUSINESS TRAVEL C


hamber patron Birmingham Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport


have become sister airports to formalise a working relationship and commit to the development of new opportunities; particularly the reinstatement of direct flights between the two cities. At a meeting in Chicago, members of the executive management teams from


Birmingham Airport and the Chicago Department of Aviation – operator of Chicago O’Hare International – signed a Memorandum of Understanding, agreeing to work collaboratively in order to strengthen trade, tourism and cultural links between the two cities.


Birmingham Airport is the third


largest airport outside of London, has a core catchment of ten million people and handles nine million passengers a year. Chicago O’Hare International Airport is the largest airport in the State of Illinois and the Midwest region, and one of the busiest airports in the world, handling nearly 67 million passengers in 2011. Paul Kehoe, Birmingham


Airport’s CEO, said: “Birmingham enjoys a special relationship with Chicago as the two cities have been twinned since 1993. Over 350 North American companies, including Microsoft, Motorola and Kraft Foods – which is headquartered in Chicago – provide employment for 60,000 people in the area. This formal partnership will show industry that we’re committed to strengthening links further and pushing for the reinstatement of direct flights between the two cities, which ceased to operate 11 years ago in the wake of 9/11.” Chicago Department of Aviation


Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino, added: “On behalf of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the City of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Aviation, we are very pleased to establish this new partnership with Birmingham Airport. This signing reflects our genuine intent to work together, maintain an effective working relationship and develop mutually advantageous opportunities to benefit both airports as well as the cities of Birmingham and Chicago. Through promotion, we will enhance business, commerce, trade, tourism and cultural relations between the two cities, and share information and best practices relating to operations, construction, planning, customer service and cost management.” Both airports have capital improvement programmes


34 CHAMBERLINK OCTOBER 2012 Blue sky


thinking


Birmingham Airport strengthens links with Chicago O’Hare International Airport


L-R: Michael Boland, First Deputy Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA); Jo Lloyd, Marketing Director, Birmingham Airport; Paul Kehoe, CEO, Birmingham Airport; Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner, CDA; Andrew Spinelli, Protocol Officer, Mayor's Office, International Relations and Protocol; Jonathan Daniel, Vice Consul, British Consulate-General Chicago; and Matthew Danaher, Director of Airline Relations, CDA


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