Matt Cornelius
Age: 39
Vice President, Air Policy
Airports Council International – North America
- Alma Mater: Villanova University (undergrad); University of Colorado at Boulder (MBA)
- Something people may not know about me: I was an FM radio DJ in college
- Favorite book: Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates
- Favorite TV show: The Sopranos
- Favorite movie: Lost in Translation
- Favorite hobby(s): Downhill skiing, traveling, tennis or golf
We all have heard the phrase “if you’ve seen one airport, you’ve seen one airport.” And Matt Cornelius embodies this phrase in his work for Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA).
“I get to work with airports all over the country on a variety of issues. I have a strong background in the industry in different places and roles, and I’ve loved everything I’ve done,” said Cornelius.
The great thing about working at ACI-NA is having a broad portfolio that allows for getting involved in many different things, said Cornelius. “This position is an amalgamation of all the jobs I’ve done in the past. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day and enjoy what you do,” he said. “I’m entertained and challenged every day, which I think is the key to being happy and successful.”
He credits a key mentor for his airports career. “I got started on the right foot by being hired by [the late] Bill DeCota [aviation director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He gave me a lot of guidance and was very helpful to me in understanding the business and being exposed to experiences and unique opportunities that the Port Authority affords,” he said. “Bill recognized something in me and gave me the opportunity to be part of the Port Authority organization and learn so much.”
If he were in charge of all airport policy, Cornelius said he would emphasize the financial autonomy of airports. “If you go around the world, you can see airports that are run privately or as true businesses. But in our country, we’re stuck with lot of federal regulation that prohibit us from being truly self-sufficient,” he said. “That holds us back on what we can offer airlines and passengers. We need to modernize the [Passenger Facility Charge] and allow airports to be more entrepreneurial.”
The number one best thing about being in the aviation industry is the people, said Cornelius. “It’s the people like the avgeeks, where it’s a profession and also a hobby
