The Airport Group is the policy and development arm of UNITE HERE, the union for airport food and retail employees.
The Airport Group works with airport staff, elected officials, concessions companies, workers, and community groups to create airport food and retail programs that foster productive labor relations and promote a positive image of the airport for all of its stakeholders.
We rely on our extensive industry research, relationships, and vast industry presence to maintain expertise of the airport concessions and catering industries, including knowledge of the various players and industry trends. We closely track lease expirations and RFPs, and have assisted many airports with the drafting and implementation of development policies.
While much of our concessions-related work is focused on airports with upcoming or current procurement/development, we maintain presence at most major North American airports.
Politics & Government
At most major cities, UNITE HERE affiliates maintain important political relationships on state, county, and municipal levels. We communicate with and educate elected officials about the concessions and catering industries and about redevelopment processes when they happen. The Airport Group also helps make important connections between government officials and other industry players.
Concessions Industry Tracking
The Airport Group closely tracks the airport concessions industry, with a particular focus on markets with upcoming or current procurement/development. We gather vast amounts of data, including lease information and sales and rent figures for concessions operations at airports across North America. Our broad knowledge of the industry comes from the hard work of our research team, as well as from our critical industry relationships with companies and airport decision makers.