The National Alliance for the Advancement of NextGen (NAANG) has surpassed 1,000 members, signaling an “unprecedented support for improvements in air traffic systems among travel and tourism industry and business leaders,” according to alliance officials.
In announcements across the country, officials highlighted that the benefits of NextGen are already being realized, adding there is a need to “press forward the implementation of NextGen to ensure the nation’s busiest commercial airports can continue to serve air passengers and air cargo users without suffering gridlock in the sky.”
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce had the distinction of being the alliance’s 1,000th member. As of Aug. 16, membership was up to 1,038 members.
NAANG was formed in 2009 by organizations concerned about the congestion at the nation’s airports in order to press for an expedited FAA timeline for delivering NextGen technologies and benefits.
In recent weeks, NAANG membership has grown to include companies and organizations from across the country, and from all sectors of the economy, not just those involved day to day in the travel and tourism sector. NAANG’s newest members include: In California: First Century Bank, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, The Bay Area Council, LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce, Kindel Gagan, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, Maquire Aviation Group, Mercury Air Group, Premier Partnerships; in Colorado: the Metro Denver Aviation Coalition; in Illinois: Hon. Michael Zalewski, Chairman, Aviation Committee of the Chicago City Council, the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association; in Ohio: The Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Cleveland Partnership; in New York: Loews Hotels; Nomia Design; in Virginia: Spider Management Company; and in Wyoming: Sagebrush Capital. Additionally, official government proclamations on the importance of Next Gen were issued in recent weeks in the Texas cities of Dallas, Euless, Coppell, Grapevine and Fort Worth.
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group has joined the alliance’s ranks. The group, founded in 1978 by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, represents more than 375 of Silicon Valley’s employers on issues, programs and campaigns that affect the economic health and quality of life in Silicon Valley, including energy, transportation, education, housing, health care, tax policies, economic vitality and the environment. Leadership Group members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute more than $3 trillion to the worldwide economy.
NAANG also continues to draw new members from within the travel sector, and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and all 28 members of the Regional Airline Association have joined. So have airports across the country, including: Baltimore Washington International, San Francisco International Airport, Thurgood Marshall Airport, Long Island MacArthur Airport, Los Angeles World Airport, Oakland International Airport, Memphis-Shelby County Airport, Mineta San Jose International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Westchester County Airport. Additionally the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport issued an official proclamation on the importance of NextGen.
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