DFW Airport Gives Top Teachers Travel Break For Spring Break

DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas (March 5, 2003) – Students daydream of a week of fun and frolic in March; however, no one deserves a break more than the teachers who turn students into scholars and classrooms into labs of learning.

So DFW Airport is treating the top teachers at the ten biggest districts in the Metroplex with complimentary Express Parking during their spring break travels, or any trip they take before December 31. The teachers will also have the opportunity to bring their class to the Airport for a tour before the end of the current school year.

And when they return from their travels, teachers will grade a real report card for the Airport's Express Parking service, which will include such critical subjects as speed of service, friendliness of van driver, luggage assistance, cleanliness, safe driving, amenities and overall expedience.

"We thought this would be a fun way to honor our great teachers, give them a well-deserved break in their travels and ask these educators for their opinions to make our Express Parking service even better," says Joe Lopano, executive vice president of marketing at DFW. "This Airport is serious about being a supporter of the community in many ways, appreciating our teachers for their commitment to our children and shaping the future of the Dallas-Fort Worth area is another small way we can send a big thank you to those who make our region great." 

DFW is contacting the top ten school districts in the area, by student population, to get in touch with their teachers of the year. Those districts include:

Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Garland, Plano, Lewisville, Richardson, Mesquite, Irving, and Carrollton-Farmers Branch

Top teachers will enjoy complimentary Express Parking, up to one week, through December 31.

Natalie Picquet was one of the first top teachers to take advantage of DFW's offer. Ms. Picquet is Travis Middle School's Teacher of the Year, Irving Independent School District's Secondary Teacher of the Year, and Region 10 Secondary Teacher of the Year. She's traveling to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her husband and another couple for a welldeserved one-week vacation. "We are all friends and while our husbands golf and fish, we plan to shop, walk on the beach, read or do nothing!" says Ms. Picquet.

Since opening in November 2002, DFW's new Express Parking service has been extremely well received. The Airport has been proactively using new business models in the 17 months after September 11 to enhance customer service, reduce hassle factors and improve DFW's bottom line, all without raising parking prices.

At Express Parking, guests are picked up at their car, and provided luggage assistance. An Express shuttle van picks up guests and takes them directly to their gate. Complimentary newspaper and bottled water is also provided. More than 90 percent of mystery shoppers and Airport parkers polled say they will use the service again.

"That's a terrific number and we will continue to push to make this the best airport parking experience in America," says Lopano.

Located halfway between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW International Airport is the world's third busiest, offering nearly 2,000 flights per day and serving 55 million passengers a year. DFW International Airport provides non-stop service to 132 domestic and 31 international destinations worldwide. 

Editor's Notes: This release, and past news releases issued by DFW International Airport, are available online at www.dfwairport.com in the “MediaSite” section.

For the latest news, real-time flight information, parking availability or further details regarding the many services provided at DFW International Airport, log on to www.dfwairport.com. To arrange interviews contact DFW Public Affairs at 972 574 NEWS (6397) or Ken Capps, APR, Vice President Public Affairs, kcapps@dfwairport.com