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Media Guide

The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) Media Guide is designed to help members of the media more effectively contact the airport and our airline partners. Our objective is to assist the media as much as possible without compromising the safety and efficiency of airport operations. All media inquiries directed to Aviation Department personnel will be forwarded to the Public Relations Division.

 

Media Inquiries

If the information you are looking for is not available on this site, don't hesitate to get in touch with the on-duty public information officer (PIO) by emailing skyharborpio@phoenix.gov any time or by calling (602) 683-3654 during regular office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

After hours and in emergency situations, please email skyharborpio@phoenix.gov. Queries are returned in the order they are received. Our standard is to respond within 10 minutes.

Airport Communications Center personnel respond to general inquiries after hours and page the on-duty PIO in emergency situations. Heather Shelbrack is the lead contact for the City of Phoenix Aviation Department.

View our Media Contacts here. This link is a password-protected link. If you are a reporter and need the password to access our detailed list of media contacts, email us at skyharborpio@phoenix.gov.

 

Covering Emergencies

It is the policy of the Phoenix Aviation Department to cooperate with the media whenever possible. Our primary responsibility, however, is safe and orderly airport operations. When emergency situations occur, the media will be contacted via email. Media should also follow Phoenix Sky Harbor’s social media sites.* Media covering emergencies will be directed to a specific meeting area. The on-duty PIO or an airport representative will conduct a preliminary briefing in this area and provide whatever information is available at that time. Briefings will continue as appropriate.

Please note the following:

  • The media must not restrict the public's access to gates, ticket counters, baggage areas, or other areas in terminals. The ticket counters are leased by the individual airlines and access to these areas is at the discretion of the tenant/airline. Due to federal security regulations, only those with tickets are allowed past the security screening areas. This restriction also applies to members of the media.

  • In the event of an airside emergency, members of recognized media organizations with appropriate credentials may be escorted onto the airfield (AOA), or transported to the scene of the emergency at the discretion of Sky Harbor officials.

  • All media representatives at the scene of an emergency will immediately comply with any order, direction, or signal by airport fire-fighting, security forces, or authorized airport representatives.

 

Media Parking

All news media vehicles, except "live" broadcast trucks, must park in the airport's parking garages. Up to five free parking cards are available per media outlet by written request submitted to the Public Information Office. Parking cards are for use by media covering a story at Sky Harbor. They may not be used for overnight parking.

"Live" broadcast truck parking is permitted next to Terminal 4 on the west side of the terminal. To get to this area, if you are entering the airport heading eastbound, drive past Terminal 4 and take the turnaround in order to head westbound. If you are entering the airport from the east, continue heading westbound. Stay in the inner curb lane heading westbound until you pass Terminal 4. Continue to stay to the right as you pass under the terminal building. You will pass the Terminal parking exit booths on your right. Look for a sign that says Media Parking in red. Turn right into the lot. The parking spaces are in the northwest corner of the lot.

Three designated media parking spots are now available on the west side of the airport in the Special Events Lot. The Special Events Lot is located across the narrow street east of the West Cell Phone Lot. Media parking at the Special Events Lot will be available for media at all times except during any special events.

See a map of our designated media parking areas.

Media representatives should contact the Sky Harbor Public Information Office before arriving at the airport by emailing skyharborpio@phoenix.gov for assistance in obtaining access to public areas of the airport and gathering the information necessary to complete their stories. Please include a call-back number.

 

Media Kits

Here are some useful media kits and guides:

 

Phoenix Sky Harbor’s Social Media Channels

 

*Follow us on X (formerly Twitter.) We provide updates during airport events and emergencies.

Airport Facts & Statistics

See our Economic Impact

If you are not a member of the media and have an airport-related question, call the 24-hour airport switchboard at (602) 273-3300. You may also email skyharbor@phoenix.gov to ask a question or make a comment.