Press Room

Posted on: Thu, 11/03/2022 - 05:00

(Ontario, California – November 3, 2022) – Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) continues to turn heads in the aviation industry, winning international acclaim for its brand and marketing communications.

Airports Council International-North America, which represents some 300 airports operating in the United States and Canada, recognized ONT in two categories during its 2022 Excellence in Airport Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Awards program.

The Inland Empire airport, which is experiencing a faster pandemic recovery than most U.S. airports, won the sole recognition for Brand Identity communications. According to ACI, Ontario International “best demonstrates the visible elements of an airport’s brand that together identify and distinguish the brand in the minds of airport passengers.”

Ontario also earned the top honor for Marketing Programs among medium-size airports, which ACI says “help define an airport’s product or service and create a strategy for communicating the message that will produce growth.”

“The ONT leadership and staff are dedicated to creating a dynamic international aviation gateway for Southern California and delivering a customer service experience that is second to none in the marketplace,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA).

Ontario International has surpassed pre-pandemic passenger volumes in seven months this year and is on pace to welcome nearly six million air travelers in 2022, the most since 2008.

Ontario International is one of just three California airports to earn ACI-NA honors. Long Beach Airport and Oakland International Airport won in the Digital Advertising and Newsletter categories, respectively.

“It is a tremendous honor to be singled out among hundreds of airports in North America for our tireless efforts to develop an identity that appeals to airline passengers and serves as the linchpin in our multi-faceted initiatives to promote growth in a highly competitive aviation environment,” said Eren Cello, ONT’s director of marketing and communications.

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About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to more than two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario Mayor Pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).