Philadelphia Airport System Website Gains in Popularity
The Philadelphia Airport System website, www.phl.org, received a record 1.1 billion hits in the past 18 months. The site, which debuted in 1997 and was re-designed in 2003, now averages more than 63 million web hits per month. A hit represents information that has been downloaded from a website.
"Philadelphia is proud to be on the cutting edge of the information technology industry, and Philadelphia International Airport plays a leading role in the City’s plans to stay there," said Mayor John F. Street.
phl.org, which was the first airport website in the country to provide live video of the airfield, has proved to be a vital resource for travelers in their search for information regarding the Philadelphia Airport System. The System is composed of Philadelphia International (PHL) and Northeast Philadelphia (PNE) airports. Both Airports are owned and operated by the City of Philadelphia.
"phl.org is a constant work in progress, and we continue to revise and upgrade it based on comments from our passengers," said Charles J. Isdell, the City’s Director of Aviation. "Our website has become an integral part of the passenger’s trip planning process."
In 2004, the website received nearly 667 million hits. Combined with the first six months of 2005, phl.org registered a whopping total of more than 1.1 billion hits. The highest single-day total of 11.4 million hits occurred on January 23, 2005 during a major snowstorm.
Among the website’s many features is the Flight Information Display System (FIDS), which enables visitors to check the status of arriving and departing flights. This popular feature, which records the most hits, reflects the same real-time information shown on the flight monitors at the Airport. PHL was one of the first airports in the world to offer real-time flight information on-line.
The website also offers a real-time flight tracker, travel tips and traffic reports and provides detailed information on a variety of Airport programs, services and parking, helpful terminal maps, and links to airlines and other aviation and transportation sites. The site also enables visitors to submit comments and questions. In the past 18 months, nearly 10,000 e-mails have been received through the website.
In addition, phl.org contains sections on Northeast Airport, PHL’s general aviation reliever airport, and cargo activity. Visitors can find answers to frequently asked questions; learn about PHL’s history, airline competition plan, accessibility and environmental stewardship endeavors; keep up to date on Airport news; and view and request brochures. The site also contains a "Kid’s Corner" area designed to appeal to young visitors, who can download games and puzzles and learn about the exciting world of aviation.
The Philadelphia Airport System is owned and operated by the City of Philadelphia and is composed of Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The Airport System is a self-sustaining entity that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $8.3 billion in spending to the regional economy and employing a workforce of nearly 28,000.
Visit the official Philadelphia International Airport website at www.phl.org