PHL CEO steps down to lead another airport across the country
Atif Saeed has led Philadelphia's Department of Aviation since 2022. The city will seek his replacement in a national search.
Philadelphia International Airport CEO Atif Saeed is stepping down, just as Philadelphia prepares for an expected influx of tourists this year.
Saeed has led the city’s Department of Aviation, which also includes the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, since 2022, and plans to step down Feb. 27. He is heading west to be president and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority.
“Under his direction, our airports emerged stronger from the pandemic, advanced critical modernization efforts, and positioned Philadelphia to welcome the world in 2026 and beyond,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement Thursday.
“We are grateful for his contributions and wish him continued success in this next chapter,” Parker said.
The city plans to hire a new CEO following a national search. Tracy Borda, PHL’s chief financial officer, will be interim CEO.
Saeed’s departure comes as Philadelphia expects to be inundated with visitors this year for the United States’ 250th anniversary, the MLB All-Star Game, and the FIFA World Cup games.
“I will always look back at my time at PHL and PNE fondly,” Saeed said in a statement Thursday. “I am confident that our airports are ready to welcome the world for the events of 2026 and beyond.”
Saeed came to PHL from the Metropolitan Airport Commission of Minnesota, where he was chief financial officer. The airport was still working to return to pre-pandemic-level travel, and it was continuing to cope with a growing number of people experiencing homelessness and seeking refuge at the airport.
“From the start, by addressing the unhoused situation at PHL with a caring, multiagency approach, this team was committed to ensuring that through strategic investments and thoughtful planning, PHL and PNE are in a position of strength to continue to enhance airport operations for an even brighter future,” Saeed said Thursday.
In 2022, Philadelphians voted to create a stand-alone aviation department within city government, which before that had operated under the Department of Commerce.
During Saeed’s time at PHL, the airport has been updating its master plan, which identified the need for additional gates. The airport has also been positioning itself to capture more cargo activity and has been rolling out a renovation of bathroom facilities.
Still, PHL continued to rank last in a national survey on traveler satisfaction among similarly sized airports. The airport is over 80 years old and its aging infrastructure has held it back, Saeed has said. In 2025, addressing the last-place result again, Saeed noted: “Admittedly in some places, we look our age.”