“A move of this magnitude can be compared to picking up a small city and moving it to a different location.”
This is how Kevin Dolliole, the director of aviation at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, explained the scope of the work involved in the construction of the new North Terminal in a letter to community partners he sent out this past November 14 — just over a week after the airport opened its doors following over four years of construction.
Since joining the airport on June 26, 2017, Dolliole’s over 40 years of experience in the aviation industry has been put to the test. Dolliole oversees a management board of seven and over 200 airport employees, but if you add in airline employees, parking, concessions, ground transportation, police, etc., that number balloons to over 4,000 people serving approximately 40,000 travelers every single day.
Added to the challenge of moving this “small city” is the fact that projects of this nature, especially one in which an airport is not just renovated on an existing site but moved to a different location, are very few and far between. “It’s not like I could just call up a colleague and ask how they did something,” he said.
With so many moving parts, there were bound to be issues, and they included problems with sewer lines before the opening and long security and baggage problems in those first opening days.
“That second day was a tough day,” he said. “There was no way we could have simulated the stress that tens of thousands of moving bags could create on our new system, but we identified and corrected the problem and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how we got through the Thanksgiving holidays, which include the two heaviest travel days of the year.
With the new airport up and running, Dolliole said his attention is now turning to the creation of a new master plan, a project he anticipates will take between 18-24 months but will plan for MSY’s next 20 years.
His management style: “It’s participatory; I see myself as being more a leader than a boss. I hire good people and we set goals and expectations and then allow people to make choices. You have to be willing to listen and willing to take some hits, but I believe in the talent we’ve brought onboard.”
How he handles problems: “Upfront and head on. I don’t let issues linger and I don’t sugar coat them. It’s always better to confront things on the front end so something doesn’t become a problem rather than a challenge.”
How he decompresses: “I work out four nights a week. Nights work best for me and it gives me the boost to get back on my laptop at night. I also try to golf every weekend. Those four hours with a close group of guys can be therapeutic — if I’m not stinking up the course too bad.”
His tip for travelers: “I don’t know if everyone knows, but we’ve introduced economy parking in the old long-term parking garage where you can pull up to the curb, check in and check your bags and then jump on a shuttle free of baggage — all at no charge.”
