Message from the President & CEO In 2006, HSIA served almost 3.4 million passengers, a <strong>new</strong> record. A study conducted in 2006 concluded that the airport community injected $1.15 billion into the provincial economy in 2005. 4
P 2006 will be remembered as a watershed year in the evolution of HIAA. It’s difficult to overstate the milestones we achieved during those 12 months. It was an energetic year: we introduced <strong>new</strong> technology and services, completed a $90 million infrastructure expansion that opened <strong>new</strong> growth opportunities, and solidified our long-term financing. The upshot: six years after taking over operation of Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA), HIAA has truly arrived. Now we’re ready to move in a <strong>bold</strong> <strong>new</strong> direction and show the world what the airport of the 21st century can be. In so many ways, 2006 was an historic one for HIAA. On October 4, our <strong>new</strong> U.S. preclearance facility – the first such facility launched in North America since 9/11 – opened after years of intensive work and negotiations. Halifax has now joined an elite group of major airports: non-stop U.S.-bound passengers can check in, be cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, then board a plane and arrive at their U.S. destination as domestic passengers. That makes for easier connections and gives passengers access to more U.S. airports. Our connections with the world improved in other ways too: our established carriers added flights and <strong>new</strong> carriers came on board. Clearly CanJet Airlines’ decision to end scheduled air service was unforeseen, but we quickly regained our balance. In 2006, HSIA served almost 3.4 million passengers, a <strong>new</strong> record. A study conducted in 2006 concluded that the airport community injected $1.15 billion into the provincial economy in 2005. HIAA’s inaugural bond issue – which gave us $150 million to pursue our capital plans over the next several years – is another sign of our fiscal strength. Having a solid financial foundation is a critical building block for any corporate entity. So, I’m happy to say that in 2006 HIAA reported an excess of revenues over expenses of $10.5 million. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chose to visit Halifax and made a special stop at the airport to personally thank our people and our partners for their remarkable outpouring of help and hope, on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. We strengthened the core of our corporate culture: we’re in the service business; our ultimate goal is to make every moment passengers spend within our building fresh and engaging. We already do a good job in this regard, receiving two first-place awards in the 2006 Airport Service Quality survey, a global customer service ranking program that rates 90 of the world’s airports. Awards like these confirm we’re on the right track. Yet, we’re determined to do even more to provide passengers with exceptional service. That’s why we introduced a broad range of technological improvements to make life easier for travellers and help the airport run even more smoothly. In 2006, we started designing a proposed 2300-space parking facility and moved forward in the planning for a potential 175-room hotel. We also commissioned a study to ask passengers, employees, our tenants, and local residents what <strong>new</strong> services they’d like to see. That process demonstrates something else about HIAA: our commitment to listen to and work with our partners – whether tenants, airlines, stakeholders, different levels of government, or the neighbouring community. I encourage you to have a look at the names on the inside front cover of this report; they’re the people of HIAA – vibrant and committed. I want to thank every one of them for their efforts in 2006. It takes a lot of people working together to chart the <strong>bold</strong> <strong>new</strong> course we have set for ourselves. As far as we’re concerned, the question is no longer: what is an airport? We believe it is: what can an airport be? We’re confident we have created a solid foundation for the future, as we work to build the best airport in the world. Eleanor Humphries president & ceo H A L I F A X I N T E R N A T I O N A L A I R P O R T A U T H O R I T Y 2 0 0 6 A N N U A L R E P O R T 5
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