PRESS RELEASES
18 FEBRUARY 2013
AIA’s 13th Airline Marketing Workshop: Athens International Airport awards airlines for their development in 2012

Athens International Airport S.A. awarded the airlines that recorded the highest passenger development in 2012, during the Airline Marketing Workshop organised by the airport company on an annual basis.

AIA’s 13th Airline Marketing Workshop was held on February 14th, at the Athens International Airport. This year’s workshop presented topics such as the adverse 2012 market overview, the developmental and targeted incentives policy for the sustainability and the enhancement of the overall Athens traffic, as well as the modern aesthetics and new airport services project aiming at enhancing passengers’ experience.

The assessment of the impact of the economic turmoil and the Eurozone crisis on Airlines and the tourism industry was discussed in a panel discussion with airline representatives. Participants were Mr Kresimir Mlinar, Director Network & Revenue Management from Croatia Airlines, Mr Christopher Shern, General Manager Italy & Eastern Mediterranean from SAS and Mr Javier Suarez, Senior Manager, Network Planning from Vueling Airlines.

Additionally, in a panel discussion for the aviation and tourism developments, participants were Mr Christopher Kaparounakis, Vice President of GNTO and Mr George Drakopoulos, General Manager of SETE.

Moreover, special emphasis was placed with the e-Travel evolution developments, which were presented by Mr George Baliouskas, Commercial Director of airtickets.com and Mr Nikos Goulis, Managing Director of e-Travel.

Finally, as every year, Athens International Airport presented its annual awards to the airlines that demonstrated the fastest development and succeeded in recording the highest increases in passenger numbers in their scheduled services during 2012.

The airline awards, as per respective category, were the following:

A. Best Performing New Airline Award

  • Transavia.com was awarded for recording in 2012 the highest passenger traffic numbers, among all newcomers that launched scheduled operations in 2011. In the same category Air China was highly commended.

Β. Best of the TOP-10 Airlines Award

  • Cyprus Airways was awarded as the overall fastest growing airline operating at AIA in 2012, among the 10 airlines that recorded the highest passenger traffic volumes, while Turkish Airlines and Air France were highly commended.

C. Fastest Growing Airline in a Thin Route Award

  • Royal Jordanian received the award for achieving the highest percentage annual passenger growth in 2012.

D. Fastest Growing Airline / Seasonal Routes Award

  • Transaero received the award for achieving the highest percentage passenger growth in the summer period of 2012.

E. Highest Ranking European Destination

  • British Airways received the award for the highest contribution in making London the top European destination out of Athens Aegean Airlines and easyJet received the highly commended distinction in this category.

F. Highest Ranking non-European Destination

  • Qatar Airways received the award for the highest contribution in making Doha the top non-European destination out of Athens.

G. Fastest Growing Airline Award per geographical region (Highest percentage passenger growth, 2011 - 2012)

  • SAS Scandinavian Airlines was awarded as the fastest growing airline for Western Europe, while Turkish Airlines and Air France were highly commended.
  • Aeroflot was awarded as the fastest growing airline for Eastern Europe.
  • Etihad Airways was awarded as the fastest growing airline for the Middle East. In the same category, Qatar Airways and Middle East Airlines also received the highly commended distinction.
  • Egypt Air was awarded as the fastest growing airline for the Africa region.

H. Most New Destinations

  • Air France was awarded as the airline with the most new destinations at Athens International Airport in 2012.
 
  • Egypt Air was awarded for presenting the highest passenger volumes increase at Athens International Airport in 2012. SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Aeroflot were also highly commended.
 

Special Award:

  • Aegean Airlines was awarded as the favourite airline for 2012 among the European passengers using the Athens airport (source: AIA official annual survey).
  • Emirates was awarded as the favourite airline for 2012 among the non-European passengers using the Athens airport (source: AIA official annual survey).


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