Airport Security Report Names Boston Logan and San Francisco Winners of Exceptional Performance in Airport Security Award


(HOUSTON – Sept. 21, 2004) Airport Security Report has selected Boston Logan International Airport the winner of the first annual Exceptional Performance in Airport Security Award, recognizing the airport's significant advances in security and management, strong leadership and its ability to maintain public confidence in air travel. San Francisco International received the honorable mention award, and both were honored here today at the annual conference of the Airports Council International-North America.

The two airports were selected after an intensive judging process by airport security experts and staff of Airport Security Report. In choosing Boston Logan as the winner, one judge emphasized that "in a matter of weeks after 9/11 – when Washington as well as the rest of the country was exercising a great deal of confusion – Logan was engaged in a focused effort to create high security standards, many of which were later adopted at the national level." Three years after 9/11, the airport continues to exceed other airports with its security initiatives.

Airport Security Report, a bi-weekly newsletter with exclusive coverage of business, regulation, technology and operations surrounding airport security, introduced the awards program earlier this year in response to the security challenges facing airports nationwide and the need to provide an updated benchmark for outstanding airport security.

"Despite political, budgetary and marketplace obstacles, both Boston Logan and San Francisco airports underscore how determination and will, and teamwork and innovative security practices have led to two of the most secure airports in the nation, if not the world," said Diane Schwartz, VP and Publisher of Airport Security Report.

In recognizing San Francisco Airport, Eric Grasser, editor of Airport Security Report, wrote in the Sept. 22 special awards issue that SFO willfully initiates security programs that are above federal regulations. "Its groundbreaking decision to install a biometric access control system more than 10 years ago," wrote Grasser, "combined with its decision to screen all passenger checked baggage on international flights starting in December 2000, put it ahead of the curve when new regulations were imposed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The awards are exclusively sponsored by Smiths Detection (www.smithsdetection.com), which offers security solutions through trace detection equipment and X-ray systems. Winners are being honored at the Airport Council International-North America 13 th Annual Conference and Exhibition September 19-22 in Houston. Their profiles appear in the Airport Security Report Special Awards Issue of Sept. 22.

To read the special awards issue, or for information about Airport Security Report, go to www.aviationtoday.com or contact clientservices@accessintel.com.

Airport Security Report is the leading publication covering airport security and is published by Access Intelligence, LLC, formerly PBI Media, LLC. Headquartered near Washington, DC, Access Intelligence is a b-to-b media and information company serving the aviation, satellite, cable, telecommunications, media, defense and chemical markets. Leading brands include Via Satellite, Defense Daily, PR NEWS, CableFAX Daily, TelecomWeb and the Chemical Economics Handbook and Process Economics Handbook research databases. Access Intelligence also produces the leading tradeshow for satellite executives and conferences for the chemicals market.

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