HOUSTON, Feb. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a Texas-sized welcome, the Houston Airport System (HAS) served the needs of hundreds of Carnival Cruise Line passengers who flew into George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on chartered flights operated by Delta Air Lines. The flight operations were managed by a team of aviation professionals who created a plan on February 14 to offer a warm and seamless arrival to ease the processing.

"The Houston Airport System is happy to assist out partner Delta Air Lines with a smooth transition of the many passengers making their way home from the Carnival Triumph," said Lance Lyttle, Houston Airport System Chief Operating Officer. "We provided water, refreshments, comfort stations and coloring books with crayons to children. They boarded buses while here at Intercontinental and either continued on to Galveston at the port to retrieve their vehicles or were greeted by family in the baggage claim area."

With dozens of HAS employees on site on the cargo tarmac, curb side of Terminal A and working behind the scenes to ensure seamless arrival as passengers claimed bags, reconnected with loved ones and continued to their final journey home.

The Houston Airport System assigned a large team of employees who devoted their entire day to the details to facilitate a smooth operation for the cruise travelers to expedite their movement into IAH. The plan handled an average of one jet every hour between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The inbound flights deplaned on a cargo ramp and the passengers boarded buses to transport them to the terminal.

About Houston Airport System
The Houston Airport System served 50 million passengers in 2012. Houston's three airports, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Ellington Airport (EFD) contribute over $27 billion to the regional economy.

Visit fly2houston.com and follow us @HobbyAirport and @IAH.

SOURCE Houston Airport System