Welcome toGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport

Every October 15, White Cane Day recognizes the independence and achievements of people who are blind or have low vision. The white cane represents both freedom and safety—a tool that enables navigation and a symbol that calls for greater public awareness and inclusion.At George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), Houston Airports works every day to ensure that passengers who are blind or have low vision can travel confidently and independently. A series of assistive technologies and programs are in place across both airports to provide meaningful support from curb to gate.AIRA assistanceThrough a partnership with AIRA, travelers who are blind or have low vision can access immediate video navigation assistance directly from their cell phones. AIRA connects users to trained agents who help them navigate the terminal environment in real time. The service is provided at no cost within all terminals at IAH and HOU.Accessible websitesHouston Airports’ websites feature two assistive technologies—ReciteMe and AccessiBe—that make digital navigation accessible and intuitive.• ReciteMe enables screen reading, page summarization, magnification, and dictionary tools. It also provides a screen mask for focus and closed-caption reading for videos.• AccessiBe ensures that all web content meets color and contrast standards for low-vision users and includes audio descriptions for images and videos. Its Vision Impaired and Blind User Profiles offer customized adjustments for individuals with tunnel vision, glaucoma, cataracts, or degraded eyesight.TTY and service supportTTY phone assistance is available for travelers at both airports through the Airport Operations Center. Blind or low-vision passengers can request help at any information desk or from roving customer service representatives wearing orange shirts.Service animal relief areas are located in every terminal to support passengers traveling with guide dogs or other service animals. Houston Airports also offers airport familiarization tours for blind and low-vision passengers—an opportunity to experience terminal layouts and amenities before the day of travel.Identification and trainingAs part of Houston Airports’ Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Program, passengers who are blind or have low vision can choose to wear a sunflower lanyard. The lanyard signals to airport staff that the traveler may need additional time or assistance.White Cane Day reminds us that accessibility is not a feature, it’s a standard. Houston Airports remains committed to building an inclusive, world-class travel experience for every passenger.

At Houston’s airports, kindness travels faster than any flight. It moves through restrooms and roadways, across ticket counters and terminal floors. It’s a kindness rooted in Houston-friendly hospitality, the kind passengers remember long after they leave the terminal.In September, 25 passengers took time to write in, not to complain, but to say thank you. They thanked the people who helped them feel seen in the middle of a busy travel day.One traveler wrote about Etta, who maintains the restroom at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) with the efficiency of an air traffic controller and the warmth of an old friend. “Etta was amazing, blessing everyone with a kind word and bright smile,” she said. Another passenger wrote, “Miss Etta always gets us in and out of the restroom with a smile.”They wrote about Leon at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Leon is part of the Terminal Operations team that keeps curbs clear, traffic steady and patience intact. “Leon went out of his way to help me find my phone,” one note read. “He was so patient with the Uber drivers and helped everyone get where they needed to go.”And they wrote about Susie, a Customer Service professional at Hobby. “I would like to thank and commend Ms. Susie. She was so helpful and kind, a true professional who represents Houston well.”Together, these stories form a portrait of something rare in modern travel: genuine connection.To most people, these moments are small. To the people who run Houston Airports, they’re everything. As the City of Houston’s Department of Aviation, Houston Airports employs more than 1,200 city workers who keep one of the nation’s busiest airport systems moving while delivering best-in-class service. Custodial teams, often called the “frontline,” maintain terminals that rank among the cleanest in North America. Terminal Operations manages the controlled chaos that happens before a passenger even steps through a door. And Customer Service Representatives — those steady voices at the gates and checkpoints — turn confusion into calm.One traveler said it best: “Tembo didn’t just point me in the right direction; he walked with me.”That spirit of going farther than required is what defines Houston’s airport culture. “Every compliment we receive is a reflection of who we are,” said Kelly Woodward, chief operating officer of Houston Airports. “It means our people are living our values. They’re choosing kindness, patience and respect even in the busiest moments. Delivering Houston-friendly hospitality is more than a tagline; it’s a promise to treat every traveler like a guest in our city.”In September alone, passengers submitted 13 compliments for employees at HOU and 12 compliments for employees at IAH. The words that came up again and again were thank, kind, helpful, positive and great. Many of the compliments focused on lost-and-found recoveries, traffic assistance and restroom cleanliness — the quiet details that make the difference between travel and experience.“We always talk about big projects: terminals, infrastructure, billion-dollar investments,” Woodward said. “But what makes those projects matter is the human connection happening inside them. The fact that passengers take time to tell us ‘thank you’ proves that people make the ultimate difference.”As the summer travel season gave way to fall, those compliments felt like a pause; a reminder that progress isn’t just measured in expansion and efficiency. It’s found in the way people treat one another.And at Houston Airports, how we make people feel matters.Share Your Experience at Bush Airport With UsShare Your Experience at Hobby Airport With Us

At 3 a.m., while most of Houston sleeps, Kelly Woodward sometimes does too, until her phone buzzes with a weather alert or an incident on the airfield. Cargo flights push through the night, storms shift across the Gulf, and the system she runs never really pauses. As chief operating officer of Houston Airports—and the first woman to hold the job—it’s her responsibility to keep the fourth-largest U.S. city connected to the world.Kelly Woodward tours a construction site at Bush Airport in 2024In March 2024, Woodward made history when she was appointed chief operating officer of Houston Airports. The role puts her in charge of George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), William P. Hobby (HOU), Ellington Airport (EFD) and the Houston Spaceport — together a city within a city, with 1,200 employees, 63 million passengers a year and more than 180 nonstop destinations. “It’s exciting. It’s fun. A desk job would be boring,” she said with a grin. “I’m responsible for 1,200 employees and just trying to do right by them. That’s my biggest focus.”Woodward talks with employees during an appreciation lunch in 2024. Her dream, though, started far from Houston. Growing up in New Jersey, Woodward was the kid who stopped to watch the rumble of planes overhead. “I was always fascinated by astronauts and space travel,” she said. That curiosity propelled her to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in aeronautical science, a commercial pilot’s license and a flight instructor certificate.By her early 20s, she was teaching others to fly, certain the cockpit was her launchpad. Then came 9/11. “I was a flight instructor in Florida when the terrorist attacks happened, and the training schools shut down,” she said. “Airlines weren’t hiring. Training programs froze. I thought I might eventually return to flying, but opportunities opened up in Houston instead.”She moved to Texas on the recommendation of friends. Two decades later, she has built a career defined not by smooth takeoffs, but by turbulence, persistence and a steady refusal to accept “no” as the final answer.Woodward joined Houston Airports in 2002 as an operations coordinator. She climbed steadily, serving as an airside operations supervisor, division manager of custodial services, interim general manager of Bush Airport and assistant director of operational readiness. She later stepped into the private sector as managing director with AvAirPros, overseeing terminal systems integration and baggage handling for the IAH Terminal B Transformation.“I’ve done enough jobs out here to understand what my employees need and what they go through to really relate to them,” she said.Woodward welcomes new employees to Houston Airports in 2025. She describes her management as rooted in empathy, visibility and accountability. “Whether it be the airside or the operational side, my job is to be out there checking everything out,” she said. “I’m out there ensuring everyone has the tools to succeed in their jobs.”Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said she was the clear choice. “Kelly’s wealth of experience and leadership skills make her the perfect COO,” he said. “We have full confidence in her ability to drive our strategic initiatives forward.”Woodward joins Aviation Director Jim Szczesniak along a new Arrivals Curb at IAH in 2024.Her appointment is more than a personal milestone; it’s a message. Aviation remains stubbornly male at the top. Woodward’s presence signals a shift. “The challenge is making sure everyone enjoys coming to work, feels valued and feels they have a focus and know they can come to me,” she said.Woodward talks to employees during an appreciation lunch in 2024.That philosophy was evident when she hosted a group of young women at Bush Airport through the Camp Counselor Career Catalyst program. Many were from underserved communities. Before sitting down with Woodward, they toured everything from runway inspections to emergency management. “We were thrilled to host these young women and to show them the range of careers available within the Houston Airport System,” she said. “It was inspiring to see their enthusiasm and to hear the thoughtful questions they asked.” Some left with a new sense of possibility. “By providing young women with opportunities to explore different career paths, this visit was more than just a field trip,” she said. “It was an opportunity for them to envision a future in aviation.”Girls in Aviation Day, which falls on Saturday, Sept. 20, will spotlight leaders like Woodward. She’s scheduled to speak to girls between 8 and 17 at Chennault Aviation Academy in Houston.For all her professional responsibility, Woodward doesn’t hesitate when asked about her most important title. “My number one job is mom,” she said. “Your job is your job, but at the end of the day, my kids need me.”Her husband, a cargo pilot, helps her manage a busy household with three children, two dogs and two cats. She credits her mother, who was a newspaper executive, with showing her how to balance ambition and family. “My mom taught me to do right by people,” she said.Woodward celebrates a new route served by Volaris in 2025. The grit of her Jersey roots has never left her. “My motto is: don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something. You miss 100 percent of the chances you don’t take,” she said. But Houston has shaped her, too. “Houston’s diversity, great food and culture have grown on me. Texas is a little different. I love it here.”Woodward launches a monthly talk show for employees in 2024, Catch up with Kelly.Woodward has taken on every role, faced every setback and turned each “no” into momentum. Today, she leads with the same grit that carried her from a grounded flight instructor to the first woman COO of Houston Airports. The titles may have changed, but her compass has not: do right by people and prove that the skies really are wide enough for anyone determined to rise.