Welcome toWilliam P. Hobby Airport

When Mayor John Whitmire and the Houston City Council approved a $2.3 million investment in Ford Lightnings and E-Transit vans on August 20, the move wasn’t about what passengers would see at the curb. It was about what they wouldn’t: the fumes, fuel costs and vulnerabilities. By replacing 35 gas-powered vehicles with all-electric work trucks and vans, Houston Airports is cutting emissions, strengthening resiliency and accelerating toward its goal of carbon-neutral facilities by 2030.In the coming months the keys for the 35 new electric vehicles will be handed over and Houston Airports will have 55 electric vehicles in its fleet—a sharp climb from zero in less than two years. Another 48 are already in the pipeline through a federal grant request. The transition is no longer a test—it’s the plan.Houston Airports has pledged carbon-neutral facilities by 2030. Each new EV helps accelerate that goal. And the economics are compelling. A 2021 EVolve Houston study found that electrifying just over 1,300 city vehicles could save nearly $7 million in fuel and maintenance, while cutting 5,700 metric tons of carbon annually—the equivalent of taking the electricity use of 1,176 homes off the grid.“Fleet electrification isn’t just good for the environment, it’s a smart investment,” said Terrance N. York, division manager of fleet service contracts for Houston Airports. “These vehicles save money over time, and Houston benefits immediately from quieter, cleaner operations. That matters for an airport system serving more than 60 million travelers a year.”Other sustainability upgrades are already visible. LED airfield lighting glows brighter and uses less energy. At IAH, a modernized central utility plant will power terminals with greater efficiency and reliability during Houston’s peak heat. At HOU, a solar panel array harnesses clean, renewable power to offset terminal energy use, reduce reliance on the grid and demonstrate how airports can generate electricity on-site.“We’re not electrifying for appearances—we’re doing it because it makes our system more resilient,” said Scott Hill, deputy director of infrastructure for Houston Airports. “Every EV added, every LED bulb replaced, every system modernized is another step toward a cleaner, more reliable airport. Passengers don’t have to think about power failures or air quality. They simply get a smoother journey.”In just three years, Houston’s airports have moved from no accreditation to Level 3 in Airports Council International’s global carbon program—one of the fastest climbs of any airport system. A large hub, a medium hub and a spaceport achieved Level 3 together, underscoring that sustainability for Houston Airports is not a side project. It’s the strategy.Hurricane Beryl struck in July 2024. Houston Airports discovered a new role for its EV fleet: emergency power grid. Initially purchased for sustainability, Ford Lightnings became mobile generators that powered traffic signals and fueled machinery for emergency repairs. That real-world test transformed the EV fleet from a green statement into an essential resilience tool. For Houston Airports, electric vehicles are reducing emissions and keeping the airport system ready for whatever comes next.

Two Houston Airports facilities — Ellington Airport (EFD) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) — received zero discrepancies during their annual Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 139 inspections earlier this month, reaffirming the airport system’s commitment to the highest standards of safety, efficiency and operational readiness.FAA Part 139 certification inspections are comprehensive, multi-day reviews that evaluate everything from runway conditions and airfield lighting to safety area compliance, wildlife hazard management, emergency response plans and documentation. A zero-discrepancy inspection is a rare achievement that reflects year-round vigilance by airport operations, maintenance teams and partner agencies.Ellington Airport, home to the Houston Spaceport and multiple military, NASA and general aviation operations, has achieved a perfect inspection record for 20 consecutive years.“EFD’s continued record of zero discrepancies reflects the professionalism and dedication of every team member and partner who keeps this airfield safe and mission-ready,” said Arturo Machuca, director of Ellington Airport and the Houston Spaceport. “As we expand our footprint to support both aerospace innovation and military readiness, this milestone underscores that growth will never come at the expense of safety.”Hobby Airport, North America’s first 5-Star Skytrax-rated airport, also maintained a perfect record in 2025.“The FAA 139 inspection is our version of a stress test,” said Michael Powers, assistant director of operations at Hobby Airport. “It’s a chance to prove — not just say — that our airfield meets the highest standards in the country. This year’s clean report reflects the hard work and pride our operations and maintenance teams put in 365 days a year.”

Houston’s airport director is rewriting leadership one step at a time.Airports are often run from boardrooms, not baggage claims. But in Houston, Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak prefers a different vantage point. Several times a week, he trades conference calls for concourses, walking the terminals of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to talk directly with passengers and employees. It’s leadership in motion—face-to-face, unscripted and designed to catch problems before they become headlines.“It’s about staying connected to the operation and to the people,” Szczesniak said. “Houston Airports welcomed a whopping 63.1 million passengers in 2024. We inject $40.6 billion into the region’s economy, and our airports are ranked among the best in the world.”The ritual isn’t new. “This approach started while leading the team at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska,” he said. “I made walking the terminals to engage with staff a priority then, and I’ve carried it with me to Houston. It’s important to be out in the field when leading a large, complex operation like this with more than 1,200 employees.”He times the walks deliberately. “I typically walk HOU and IAH on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons,” Szczesniak said. “Those are busy travel periods, and the walks give me a solid bookend to the week. I’ve blocked time on my calendar to make sure it happens. It helps me stay connected to airport operations, spot issues early and thank employees for a job well done.”The feedback has been immediate and personal. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially from employees,” he said. “Whether it’s terminal staff, maintenance crews or airfield operations, people appreciate that leadership is present and listening.”On Valentine's Day, Szczesaniak shared chocolates with passengers. In December 2025, he joined a high school choir as they serenaded passengers with holiday carols.In 2024, Houston Airports rolled out bright orange polo shirts for all employees who interact with passengers. “Orange means we can help,” Szczesniak said. “When I wear our signature orange polo, passengers often stop me with questions or concerns. That’s valuable. It helps me understand where the pain points are so I can work with the team to remove them.”Most staff recognize him, but passengers rarely do. “I’ve had travelers ask who I am, and when I say, ‘I’m Jim Szczesniak, Houston Airports Director,’ they’re surprised,” he said. “They don’t expect to see it in the fourth-largest city in the U.S., but that’s the point. I want people to see leadership out in the terminal, answering questions, offering help and being part of the experience—that’s Texas hospitality.”The greatest value, Szczesniak says, comes from hearing repeated concerns. “The biggest value is hearing directly from passengers about what’s not working,” he said. “As airport professionals, we don’t always see the friction points passengers experience. But when you get asked the same question over and over, that’s a signal that something needs fixing. These terminal walks help me identify those blind spots and work with the team to find solutions.”His message to other airport directors is simple: get out from behind the desk. “You’re doing it wrong if you’re not out in the terminal regularly,” he said. “You can’t lead an airport from behind a desk. Being out in the field—talking with travelers, listening to staff—that’s how you know what kind of experience you’re actually delivering. It’s how you spot problems early and build a strong, motivated team. Face-to-face interaction is critical if you’re serious about running a world-class airport.”For Szczesniak, the orange shirt isn’t a uniform. It’s a statement: that billion-dollar airports are built not just on concrete and steel, but on conversations in crowded terminals and trust earned one question at a time.