LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS DISABILITY COMMITTEE RECOGNIZES AERO PORT SERVICES AS FIRST SAM OVERTON HUMANITARIAN AWARD RECIPIENT
(Los Angeles, California – October 19, 2017) Los Angeles World Airports’ (LAWA) Disability Access and Accommodation Advisory Committee (DAAAC) presented the first annual “Sam Overton Humanitarian Award of Excellence” to Aero Port Services, Inc. (APS) at its monthly Committee meeting yesterday. Named for Samuel Overton, who served as DAAAC Chairperson from its first meeting in January 2007 until his untimely death in June 2017, the award recognizes leadership of individuals and companies in the airport community to expand access to those in the disabled community. APS provides on-demand wheelchair service to guests traveling with the 44 airlines operating in LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal.
“Sam’s lifetime dedication to ensuring and promoting access to services is an inspiration to all of us,” said Larry Rolon, LAWA’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator. “Even in the face of rising demand for wheelchairs at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, Aero Port Services carries on Sam’s work by helping our guests get to and from their flights safely, conveniently, and respectfully. The DAAAC congratulates them on this achievement.”
In presenting the Award, DAAAC Chairperson Myrna Cabanban said, “Aero Port Services, Inc., epitomizes the spirit of corporate citizenship by selflessly volunteering resources in support of airport programs and activities that benefit persons with disabilities.”
In 2016, APS assisted over 314,900 passengers with wheelchair requests. As the first recipient of the Sam Overton Humanitarian Award, APS management and employees were recognized for providing extraordinary customer service while helping travelers with disabilities prepare for world travel; for implementing proactive solutions to unusual situations; and their effort to provide the highest quality experience to its customers.
Throughout his life, Mr. Overton was a strong advocate for disability rights. He advised several California Attorney Generals on civil rights issues for persons with disabilities. Sam retired in 2012, after 36 years as a deputy attorney general for the State of California. He served on the City of Los Angeles Commission on Disability from September 2002, until May 2014, and was Chairperson for several of those years.
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the fourth busiest airport in the world, second in the United States, and was named one of Skytrax’ 2017 Top 10 Most Improved Airports. LAX served more than 80.9 million passengers in 2016. LAX offers 737 daily nonstop flights to 100 cities in the U.S. and 1,386 weekly nonstop flights to 88 cities in 44 countries on 73 commercial air carriers. LAX ranks 14th in the world and fifth in the U.S. in air cargo tonnage processed, with more than 2.2 million tons of air cargo valued at over $101.4 billion. LAX handled 697,138 operations (landings and takeoffs) in 2016.
An economic study based on 2014 operations reported LAX generated 620,600 jobs in Southern California with labor income of $37.3 billion and economic output (business revenues) of more than $126.6 billion. This activity added $6.2 billion to local and state revenues and $8.7 billion in federal tax revenues. The study also reported that LAX’s ongoing capital-improvement program creates an additional 121,640 annual jobs with labor income of $7.6 billion and economic output of $20.3 billion, $966 million in state and local taxes, and $1.6 billion in federal tax revenues.
LAX is also the second most popular airport in the world to appear on Instagram according to wego.com. LAX is part of a system of two Southern California airports – along with Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles that receives no funding from the City’s general fund.
For more information about LAX, follow on Twitter @flyLAXAirport , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport, and on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/laxairport1 . Information about LAX’s ongoing multi-billion-dollar LAX Modernization Program, as well as tips and shortcuts to help navigate LAX during construction,
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
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