SAN FRANCISCO – A seven-member delegation from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco led by Consul General Neil Ferrer undertook a tour of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and met airport officials last May 29.
During the tour, the Consulate delegation met with several officials from the SFO Commission sharing relevant information on SFO’s operations covering air service development and marketing, guest services, concessions, and capital planning and sustainability.
Ivar Satero, SFO Airport Director, said that SFO is in the process of construction and renovation as it looks towards investing for the future given the return of passengers after the pandemic.
It was noted that the number of travelers from Asia has already returned to pre-pandemic levels with SFO ranking fourth among airports in the US based on passenger traffic. Filipinos are ranked seventh based on travelers’ nationality utilizing SFO. The number of travelers is expected to increase in the next few years especially in 2026 due to upcoming events such as Super Bowl LX and the Soccer World Cup.
During the meeting, Consul General Ferrer said, “We look forward to sharing with Philippine authorities the best systems and practices employed by SFO as the Philippines expands its infrastructure by developing new airports and upgrading existing ones.” He also emphasized the important role of SFO in the growing exchanges between the Philippines and the United States. Having new direct flights between San Francisco and Manila facilitates the increased travel by Filipinos including high-ranking officials to and from the Philippines.
The delegation from the Consulate was also given updates and information on the ongoing renovations at the Harvey Milk Terminal 1, which will open to the public by mid-June 2024. With the opening of the other side of Terminal 1, it will bring post-security interconnectivity between the terminals of SFO.
Sustainability projects in SFO, which aim for zero energy, zero carbon, and zero waste, were also highlighted during the tour. SFO’s Terminal 1 uses only one-third of energy as compared to other terminal buildings. Plastic bottles and plastic food containers have been banned from their concessionaires. The terminal’s windows have dynamic glazing to regulate heat and cooling, and there are also touch-free, sensor-operated bottled water refilling stations, with three different temperatures, after the security checks.
