The Metropolitan Airports Commission’s board recently approved the addition of Juneteenth, which is celebrated each year on June 19, as a MAC holiday.

The new holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. and the triumphs, culture and achievements of African Americans in Minnesota and across the nation. The addition of the holiday was endorsed by the MAC’s Employee Equity Advisory Committee as a sign of the MAC’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 -- more than two months after the northern U.S. states defeated the south in the Civil War -- that Black people living in Galveston, Texas were told they were free. The Emancipation Proclamation had been signed more than two years earlier, on Jan. 1, 1863.

Approval of the new holiday was the latest in a string of recent DEI improvements at the MAC. In October, the MAC board unanimously approved a resolution to cancel and condemn discriminatory covenants in deeds of properties purchased by the organization. Also this fall, the MAC launched the Airport Equity Advisory Committee, with representatives from a variety of businesses throughout the MSP community. The committee will advise the MAC on ways to promote equity in the organization’s programs, policies, regulations and activities.

Atlantic Aviation is the newest name at Anoka County-Blaine Airport (ANE), as it recently became the fixed-base operator at the airport.

Earlier this month, Atlantic announced its acquisition of Lynx FBO Network, the former service provider at ANE. Atlantic is a leading network of FBOs with operations in 30 states. The firm provides aircraft ground handling and corporate flight support services, including fueling and line services, hangar space for local tenants and transient traffic, coordination of ground transportation and offers catering and deicing services.

“We’re excited to have Atlantic Aviation at ANE, and we look forward to working with their team to continue providing top-level service to our customers,” said Joe Harris, the director of Reliever Airports for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which operates ANE.

Atlantic’s newly expanded network now includes dozens of airports from coast to coast. The firm’s operations at ANE are detailed on this web page.

Atlantic’s latest acquisitions also included Lynx locations at Morristown Airport in New Jersey, Destin and Ft. Lauderdale in Florida, Little Rock Ark., Napa Valley, Calif., Portland, Ore., Providence R.I. and Pittsburgh.

As we move closer to the New Year, you may be thinking of a winter-getaway in 2022, or taking a long-delayed trip to see friends or relatives.

Whatever the purpose, the winter air travel season is moving toward its busy period when Upper Midwest residents frequently start booking trips.

MSP Airport continues to solicit input from prospective travelers via a survey that gauges attitudes about and interest in air travel. The answers help shape the MSP travel experience as the COVID-19 era becomes more manageable.

Even if you’ve already taken the survey, please consider taking it again, as your thoughts and answers may have changed over time.

Survey takers have shown interest in MSP's safety initiatives, such as the increased presence of hand sanitizer dispensers, the face mask requirement and the airport’s efforts to increase physical distancing. All of those efforts are part of the airport's Travel Confidently program.

We appreciate your continued interest in helping us make air travel as safe and comfortable as possible.