Massport Executive Director and CEO Virginia Buckingham today announced an initiative to enhance customer service at Logan by providing cots, snacks and bottled water to travelers stranded at Logan International Airport. The program is one of many new initiatives aimed at improving the travel experience and finding new ways to meets traveler's needs at Logan.

"During times when travelers are unexpectedly forced to spend extended periods of time at the airport, it is important that we find ways to meet their immediate needs, for food, water and a comfortable place to rest," said Buckingham. "As we move forward with projects to make Logan more efficient in the long term, we will remain focused on customer service and look for new ways to help the 27 million people a year who pass through Logan."

Massport has purchased 500 cots to be distributed within the terminals for passengers forced to remain overnight. In addition, Massport has purchased bottled water, snack kits, baby supplies and children's entertainment packs. The children's packs will include crayons and a Logan Airport coloring book.

The program may be activated at the request of an airline and by a Massport airport manager. The baseline for determining when to activate the program is more than ten passengers delayed longer than four hours.

The program is designed to supplement airline services in the event of an unusual situation, like a major storm impacting an airline's hub airport. The airlines will still meet their obligations to their customers to provide food and beverages and hotel accommodations when the situation requires it. The Massport services are intended to supplement these programs when the cause of the delay is not the responsibility of the carrier or an unusual situation prevents the carrier from being able to accommodate passenger needs.

Massport joins at least ten other major U.S. airports in offering passengers some accommodation for overnight delays. Unlike most of the other airports, Logan is not a hub airport with the majority of passengers connecting to flights and unable to return home in the event of weather or other delays. Logan is an origin and destination airport with approximately 90% of the passengers living in this area.

Logan is currently ranked the 8th most delayed airport in the country. Massport has proposed Runway 14/32, a new 5,000-foot runway with all arrivals and departures occurring over water. The runway would reduce delays up to 90% on northwest wind days, 45-55% in good weather, and 30% annually.

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