Speakers review progress of Houston Airport System

SPEAKERS at the Airport Festival Luncheon included Houston Mayor Bill White

Hundreds of well-wishers packed the ballroom of the Wyndham Hotel Greenspoint last Thursday, to honor the recipients of the Airport Festival Scholarships, and to hear leaders of the community talk about the progress that the Airport System has made over the years, and the importance it has to the region’s economy.
Pilot Capt. A. J. High recounted how he was the first official plane to land at the new Intercontinental Airport in 1969, flying for Texas International.
Mayor Bill White extolled HAS for being the best air system in the world, and noted that Intercontinental airport now has risen to have the second most flights in North America. He noted that Houston has historically invested in public transportation, which has fostered the growth in the region.
Continental’s Larry Kellner noted that his airline now land 750 flights a day at IAH, the fastest growing airport in the nation. He thanked those who supported Proposition G in the last election, necessary to support the airport.
Rick Vacar, Director of HAS, announced that money had been appropriated for a new master plan for IAH, and the airport will continue to grow, with two new runways planned.