PDK WATCH NEWSLETTER                       February 2000

PDK Watch’s purpose is to protect and assure the future of our established residential neighborhoods and quality of life in the area affected by PDK Airport.

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What is Going on at PDK?

Recently an Internet website advertised that Delta Staffing Services had Airline-Customer Service positions available at PDK Airport.  The ad stated “Any individual with 5 or more years experience with Crew Scheduling, Airline Customer Service, Ticket Counter Experience or CRT experience this is the job for you.  A new start up airline operating here in Atlanta is looking for 3 Crew Scheduling and 10 Customer Service people.”

A phone call to PDK Airport brought a denial of a commercial airline operating at the airport.  Next a phone call to Delta led to the contact person at Delta Staffing Services.  When the contact person was informed that the airport had denied any knowledge of the new airline, the reply was that it was secretive and that any applicant would have to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to an interview.  Also, that a planned press conference had been canceled due to loss of power during the ice storm, but one was being rescheduled to ensure TV coverage.

Commissioner Gale Walldorff said she was told that Delta Staffing Services, a subsidiary of Delta,  also contracts to companies other than Delta.  This ad was for a company, not Delta, offering an on-call charter service.  However, she could not define on-call charter service.

Airport Director Lee Remmel said a private firm will have small aircraft with 6 to 8 seats that are privately chartered, and it is not scheduled service, but on-call charter only.

The next phone call made to Delta Staffing Services revealed that eleven people had been hired and the ad removed.  A few days later another phone call was made to Delta Staffing Services.  This time the contact person said jobs at PDK had never been advertised; it was just a rumor.

The questions are: What is going on?  Why the secrecy?  What is on-call charter?     

Airport Expansion Needs to Be Addressed

DeKalb County’s commitment to no further expansion of DeKalb-Peachtree Airport seems to apply only to the area or perimeter of the airport, not to airport operations.  In response to specific questions about airport expansion from one citizen, CEO Liane Levetan replied in a letter:

“There are a number of problems associated with the term airport expansion.  I can tell you that we want to operate a safe airport.  We do not have any plans to expand the existing boundaries of PDK to my knowledge.”