Philadelphia Set for Chaotic Summer Season as Airport Chief Departs
In a surprise move, Atif Saeed, the CEO of the city's Department of Aviation, has announced his resignation ahead of the busiest tourism season in years. The news comes just over three years into his tenure, where he oversaw significant capital improvement projects and expanded the airport workforce.
Saeed will take on the role of CEO at San Diego International Airport, replacing his predecessor who is now leading a local Chamber of Commerce organization. A national search has been launched to find Saeed's replacement, with Philadelphia International Airport interim CFO Tracy Borda serving in an acting capacity until a permanent successor is appointed.
Saeed's departure raises concerns about the city's preparedness for the influx of visitors expected this summer. The airport will host numerous high-profile events, including the FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star Game, and PGA Championship, which are projected to draw over 1 million tourists. With these festivities comes a significant strain on local resources.
In a statement, Mayor Cherelle Parker expressed her gratitude towards Saeed for his service, praising him for spearheading capital improvement projects that strengthened the city's airports. Under Saeed's leadership, the airports emerged stronger from the pandemic and positioned Philadelphia to welcome international visitors in 2026 and beyond.
Saeed himself has expressed confidence that the airport is ready for the influx of visitors, stating he will always fondly look back on his time at the helm of the city's aviation department.
In a surprise move, Atif Saeed, the CEO of the city's Department of Aviation, has announced his resignation ahead of the busiest tourism season in years. The news comes just over three years into his tenure, where he oversaw significant capital improvement projects and expanded the airport workforce.
Saeed will take on the role of CEO at San Diego International Airport, replacing his predecessor who is now leading a local Chamber of Commerce organization. A national search has been launched to find Saeed's replacement, with Philadelphia International Airport interim CFO Tracy Borda serving in an acting capacity until a permanent successor is appointed.
Saeed's departure raises concerns about the city's preparedness for the influx of visitors expected this summer. The airport will host numerous high-profile events, including the FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star Game, and PGA Championship, which are projected to draw over 1 million tourists. With these festivities comes a significant strain on local resources.
In a statement, Mayor Cherelle Parker expressed her gratitude towards Saeed for his service, praising him for spearheading capital improvement projects that strengthened the city's airports. Under Saeed's leadership, the airports emerged stronger from the pandemic and positioned Philadelphia to welcome international visitors in 2026 and beyond.
Saeed himself has expressed confidence that the airport is ready for the influx of visitors, stating he will always fondly look back on his time at the helm of the city's aviation department.
a chaotic summer season ahead! On a serious note though, I wonder how they're gonna manage with all those tourists coming in? Maybe they should've hired more airport staff before Atif Saeed left? 
Now it's like, "Oh no, he's gone and we don't know who to blame" 
.
. The Philly airport is gonna be a total mess this summer 
with all those big events coming up. I mean, 1 million tourists is a lot to handle, especially after a pandemic 
. What if the airport can't keep up? We need some serious updates and expansions ASAP 
. Hopefully Tracy Borda's acting in charge will help us out until they find someone new 
. But seriously, Atif Saeed was doing a great job before he left, so I'm gonna miss him 
. Let's hope everything goes smoothly this summer... but just in case, I'll be keeping an eye on the airport's social media for updates 
. And Tracy Borda seems legit, I guess? 
. Saeed did some great stuff for the airport and all that jazz 
. And it's not like the city is gonna be totally unprepared or anything 
... they've got a plan, right? 
. Like, who knows what kind of magic this new person is gonna bring to the table 
? 
️ just days before summer madness hits! 
With Atif Saeed gone, I worry about how airport ops will handle record crowds & major events like FIFA World Cup 
️ and PGA Championship 
. 
Will Tracy Borda be able to keep everything running smoothly? 
I hope Philly is ready for the chaos! 
! I have a family vacation planned to Philly this summer and I'm already getting anxious thinking about how we're gonna get there and deal with all the tourists. I mean, one million people is a lot! 
How are they gonna handle the traffic and parking? And what about the airport itself? Saeed's departure has me worried that things might not run smoothly.