Committee on Aviation meeting, October 30, 2023
- When: Mon, Oct 30, 2023, 10:30 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: Room 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Aviation
- Video: https://vimeo.com/879442256
- Transcript: full text (7,009 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Aviation held its first in-person meeting in more than 43 months, with a quorum of 12 members and no public commenters. The committee approved monthly Rule 45 reports and accepted a substitute ordinance extending and amending the COVID-19 economic relief agreements for concessionaires at O'Hare and Midway, which the Commissioner of Aviation said would allow two-year extensions at O'Hare and a three-year extension with a one-year option at Midway. Members asked about passenger recovery, the number of affected concessionaires, the single-operator concession model, whether the extension gives businesses enough time, and an upcoming concessions symposium. The committee also recommended a five-year extension of the license agreement with Chicago Concourse Development Group (Boingo) for airport Wi-Fi and cellular systems. Both ordinances were recommended for passage by voice vote and set to be reported to the City Council on November 1, 2023.
Topics: airport concessions, COVID-19 relief, O'Hare, Midway, ACDBE participation, airport Wi-Fi, terminal area plan
Agenda items discussed
- 14:10 Approval of monthly Rule 45 reports: passed
- 14:43 Extension and amendment of concessionaire COVID-19 economic relief agreements at O'Hare and Midway (substitute ordinance): passed
- 41:55 Second amendment to license agreement with Chicago Concourse Development Group for wireless communication systems at O'Hare and Midway (O2023-0004942): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Matthew J. O'Shea (chair): Described how the pandemic affected airport concessionaires and said the ordinance would allow limited renewals at O'Hare and a three-year extension at Midway. (15:40); Said the Boingo extension would bring new Wi-Fi investment and give the department time to study taking ownership of airport Wi-Fi systems. (42:18)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Asked how annual passenger counts are recovering compared with 2019. (22:52)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked how many concessionaires would benefit, including month-to-month tenants at Midway and those in O'Hare Terminals 1 and 3. (24:28); Asked whether concessionaires in upcoming bids would be covered by the agreement. (25:29); Asked whether Boingo has an office in Chicago. (51:35)
- Felix Cardona Jr. (alderperson): Raised concerns about the single prime operator model and asked whether concessions could be broken into smaller packages for local and minority businesses. (27:17); Asked about the Terminal 5 concession lease and whether its spaces are already bid out. (29:53)
- Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Said she supports the ordinance but was concerned a three-year extension may not give concessionaires enough time to recover financially. (30:40); Asked the department to build in a way for concessionaires to say whether four years is enough. (32:02)
- Derrick G. Curtis (alderperson): Asked how many concessionaires there are in total and what the department's participation goal is. (32:29)
- Anthony V. Napolitano (alderperson): Asked whether the performance of existing concessionaires is considered when contracts are negotiated or rebid. (34:17)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Asked how long concessionaires have operated on month-to-month leases. (36:07); Asked what certification resources will be available to minority and women-owned businesses at the concessions symposium. (37:21); Asked how much new concession space the O'Hare global terminal and satellites will add. (39:31)