The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) held its annual “Airports and the Rental Car Industry Workshop” Nov. 2-4 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

The meeting was attended by more than 100 airport directors and managers, developers, architects, consultants, government officials and representatives from the car rental industry.

The workshops and panel discussions focused primarily on the funding, planning, building and maintenance of consolidated rental car facilities in airports across the United States. Seminars included “Developing RFP Specifications and Operating Space Allocation and Reallocation Methodologies in the Era of ‘Family Branding,’” “New Issues for the Funding of RAC Programs – Bond Financings, Uses of the CFC and the Pledge of RAC Revenues” and “green” considerations at airports.

Areas of discussion included:

- ConRAC delivery models: Finding the right balance of participation and oversight from airport operators, RACs, government entities and private development.

- Funding: How to use CFCs, loans, TIFIA funds, RAC rents, etc. to pay for the facility.

- RAC space allocation and reallocation in light of brand consolidation and market share shifts.

- Facility design: Incorporating customer service needs with space and financial considerations.

- Meeting the new environmental initiative at San Francisco Int’l Airport.

- New technologies and engineering challenges for multi-story facilities.

Representatives from San Jose Int’l Airport (construction), Phoenix Sky Harbor Int’l Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul Int’l Airport (both completed) and Santa Barbara Airport (planning) and affiliated parties discussed their specific financing and design challenges for each of their conRACs.

AAAE is the largest professional organization for airport executives in the world, representing thousands of airport management personnel at public use airports nationwide.