IAAE News
August 2025
The International Association of Airport Executives (IAAE), in partnership with the Polish Association of Regional Airports, organized a comprehensive U.S. airport study tour, August 2-11, 2025, for a delegation of 26 senior airport and industry executives from Poland. The program provided an in-depth look at airport operations, cargo development, passenger experience, and infrastructure across several major U.S. aviation hubs.
The delegation traveled to Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, before departing from Chicago, engaging directly with airport leaders, federal officials, and private sector partners. The study tour was designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and strengthen professional ties between U.S. and Polish aviation stakeholders.
At Miami International Airport, participants received briefings from Miami-Dade Aviation Department leadership on innovation initiatives, energy resilience, aviation planning, and cargo development, followed by a tour of Amerijet’s cargo facilities, including specialized handling for perishable goods.
In Atlanta, the group met with officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where discussions focused on airport management, commercial strategy, security operations, and cargo growth. Delegates also participated in airside tours and sessions on emergency preparedness, sustainability, and military-civilian coordination. A highlight of the Atlanta visit was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic control operations, offering rare insight into the systems and coordination required to manage one of the world’s busiest airports.
The program continued in Boston with briefings from Massport on aviation operations, safety, security, and community relations, including noise abatement strategies, followed by airfield and terminal tours. In Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, the delegation explored one of the fastest-growing cargo hubs in the United States, with presentations on logistics development, innovation, and the airport’s Global Logistics Park, as well as a behind-the-scenes tour of DHL’s operations.
Throughout the visit, the delegation examined a range of topics including infrastructure planning, public safety, air service development, and emerging technologies shaping airport operations. The program also provided opportunities for informal networking and relationship-building between Polish and U.S. aviation professionals.
IAAE organizes customized study tours for international airport delegations visiting the United States, as well as U.S. delegations traveling abroad. These programs are tailored to each group’s objectives and include domestic air travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodations, and curated programming such as executive briefings, site visits, and technical tours with host airports and industry partners. For more information or to plan a study tour, contact Heba Gouda at heba.gouda@aaae.org.
