For Immediate Release

Media Contact:
Anthony Barnes
Airport Minority Advisory Council
abarnes@amac-org.com
703.414.2622 x 102






AMAC Announces Results of First Coronavirus Impact Survey
Over two-thirds of minority owned airport businesses have either experienced a drop of 75-100% in revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Revenue losses could lead to hundreds of minority businesses going under and thousands of job losses.


Washington, DC (May 29, 2020) - The Airport Minority Advisory Council’s (AMAC’s) first survey of its minority and women owned airport businesses has revealed stark conclusions: 68.3% of responding members have experienced a 75-100% drop in revenue, with a further 11.7% experiencing a drop of over 50% because of the Coronavirus pandemic. AMAC member businesses employ thousands of individuals in key airports across the United States in restaurant and retail concessions that keep America moving.  

"The startling numbers represent a real threat to minority and women-owned businesses who employ thousands of workers in airports across the nation." – John Clark, AMAC Board Chair

Other key findings include:

  • When asked how the respondent would gauge the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on their business to date, 76.7% of respondents indicated that the impact was “severe” while 21.7% indicated that the impact was “moderate” to severe.
 
  • 41.7% of respondents indicated that they had been forced to close temporarily, while 55% are still trading, but at a “diminished capacity.”

  • 18.3% of respondents feel as though their business will be closed by the end of 2020 and a further 10% see their business as closing within the next 2-4 months.

  • Over 60% of respondents have had to furlough staff and 46.7% have had to permanently lay-off employees.
 
  • Less than one-third of respondents found the support their business has received by Government (federal, state or city) as being “helpful” or “very helpful,” while 46.7% of respondents found the Government “somewhat helpful” and 25% found the Government “not at all helpful.”

AMAC is joining with others in the airport industry to urge Congress to provide $5 billion in targeted aid for airport concessionaires. AMAC’s mission is to advocate for diversity and inclusion in the airport and aviation industry. The majority of AMAC members are small, minority and women-owned businesses that provide food and beverages, news, gift and specialty retail products, spa and shoeshine facilities, as well as ground mobility services to travelers—referred to as airport concessionaires – a combination of small and medium sized businesses (who also often partner with larger firms). For more information, visit www.savethetravelexperience.com/.

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About the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC)
The Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) is the only national, non-profit trade association dedicated to advance the full participation of minorities and women in employment and contracting opportunities throughout the aviation and aerospace industries. Since 1984, AMAC has been at the forefront of nearly every national policy initiative impacting the participation of disadvantaged businesses in airport contracting. AMAC works consistently with Congress, the Federal government, aviation trade associations and others as a resource for information, education and guidance on business and employment matters. For more information, visit  www.amac-org.com .