Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has officially launched PHL WORKS — a program designed to inspire service excellence among its 16,800+ badged employees. PHL WORKS is an initiative of PHL’s Guest Experience (GX) Stakeholder Council, uniting representatives from the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation, federal agencies, airlines, merchants, service providers, and other tenants.

The program kicked off with two parades through the terminals, culminating in an Employee Pep Rally, Celebration, and Awards. The event was led by GX Stakeholder Council Co-Chairs, Atif Saeed, PHL’s CEO, and Lakshman Amaranayaka, American Airlines Vice President of Philadelphia Hub Operations, along with Guest Experience Director Leah Douglas.

“Every badged employee is an ambassador of the airport and plays a crucial role in shaping our guests’ experiences,” said Saeed. “With PHL WORKS, we unite everyone under a shared vision of service excellence standards. As we prepare for the significant increase in travellers and major events coming in 2026, it’s vital that each employee delivers an exceptional welcome and experience throughout the passenger journey.”

“Caring for people is at the core of everything we do at American,” said Amaranayaka. “As Philadelphia’s Hometown Airline, we are dedicated to upholding the PHL WORKS mission to enhance the airport experience for both our customers and team members.”

The new PHL WORKS service vision includes standards of behaviour that will be part of an airport-wide customer service training program. Each letter in WORKS represents a key behaviour that employees should uphold:

Welcoming: I create PHL-friendly experiences by welcoming everyone with eye contact and positive body language.
Ownership: I am responsible for my actions and follow through. If I see something that needs to be addressed, I will act. If I can’t fix it, I will elevate the issue.
Respectful: I put people first in everything I do. I appreciate everyone’s uniqueness.
Knowledgeable: I take pride in knowing my airport. I connect people with knowledge and resources.
Seeks to Connect: I create meaningful relationships. I am a resource to everyone, helping them succeed and fostering meaningful connections.
The PHL WORKS training will be incorporated into the mandatory new hire training for all employees to receive their security badge. Additionally, managers will be provided with videos, tools, and resources to reinforce the program in daily interactions with their teams.

“Our vision is to elevate the airport experience, offering meaningful interactions that make each guest feel welcomed, valued, and appreciated,” said Douglas.

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