The airport company
Corporate Profile
Athens International Airport S.A. (AIA or the Airport Company) was established in 1996, under the form of a société anonyme (Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία) operating according to the rules of the private economy, as a pioneer public-private partnership with a concession agreement, the Airport Development Agreement (ADA or Concession Agreement), ratified by Law 2338/95, as further amended and in force.
Pursuant to the Concession Agreement, AIA has been granted with a total of fifty (50) years’ term and with the exclusive right for the design, financing, construction, completion, commissioning, maintenance, operation, management and development of the airport, including any required expansion. As from 7.2.2024, AIA is a listed company at the Athens Exchange.
AIA is a highly resilient, efficient, value-creating and responsible Airport Operator.
AIA’s operations commenced on March 29, 2001, offering services of high quality, focusing on passengers and the airport users’ convenience, creating significant value and employment for the national, regional & local economy, while enhancing the country’s connectivity and promoting Athens as a year-round sustainable destination.
The Company’s route development and airline marketing strategy is acknowledged as one of the most innovative ones worldwide, being instrumental in the continuous enhancement of the airport’s connectivity and traffic development; incentive schemes along with a full set of data and market survey findings support airlines’ commercial decisions and they form part of the company’s aeronautical strategy.
Robust air traffic is bonded inseparably with a high-quality portfolio of consumer-related products, at the airport terminals and car parking facilities. Furthermore, significant real estate developments have taken place in the airport’s land allocated for commercial use. Information Technology is enhancing all airport’s activities whilst the company’s pioneering know-how in this field and in many other airport business areas is provided to aviation partners around the world.
AIA is a recognized leader in ESG, with a clear vision to achieve net zero emissions by 2025, positioning itself as a low-carbon frontrunner in both the aviation sector and among Greek companies. The company is equally committed to enhancing its role in social welfare and continuously strengthening its governance practices to ensure sustainability is embedded at every level of decision-making.
Since becoming Greece's first carbon-neutral airport in 2016, AIA has consistently set new standards in ESG, prioritizing environmental responsibility and social impact while staying ahead of regulatory requirements.
Improving passenger experience is a constant target of the Airport Company, ranging from service quality enhancement to aesthetic, functional and operational upgrading of infrastructure and processes. Furthermore, an Airport Expansion Plan is under implementation in order to increase our capacity and address emerging and upcoming traffic needs.
The Company has been honored by its customer airlines and the industry’s international institutions with several international awards and distinctions for its route development and airline marketing strategy, its service quality and customer-oriented strategy and in other areas of aviation business. These recognitions along with the orderly operations of more than 400 business entities at the airport, employing approximately 17,000 people, make Athens International Airport a reputable organization amongst the largest business and employment entities in the country and one of the most important engines of economic growth.
Some key characteristics of the Airport:
- Operates 24-hour 365 days,
- Two (2) independent runways of sufficient length for operations by any aircraft type,
- Terminal capacity and operational processes to effectively address traffic peaks,
- Long tested resilience standards, in safety, security and business continuity,
- Lean and effective design for fast transferring while offering a seamless and pleasant experience,
- Retail services and high-quality product portfolio for passengers by renowned Greek and international providers,
- Ample capacity in air-cargo facilities operating on a 24-hour basis,
- Information technology and AI systems and applications at the service of customers,
- Effective route development and airline marketing as well as extended market surveys and research at the service of airlines,
- Attractive risk-sharing, targeted and developmental incentive schemes for the airlines
Accountability
Effectiveness
Customer Focus
Respect
Team Spirit
Mission
Vision
Facts & Figures
Search and view
The curbside access and traffic control project at Athens Airport’s departures and arrivals
Improving the drop-off and pick-up experience
The improved set up of the curbside access and traffic control system was implemented in June 2023. The project was designed with a key focus on safety, and on the orderly, environmentally and socially responsible use of the road sections exclusively intended for passenger pick-up/drop-off at the Arrivals and Departures levels.
With the aim of avoiding congestion and illegal parking, the project was carried out to ensure the optimum level of service for travellers and drivers, at the main entrance and exit gateway to and from Athens and Greece.
In addition, the system’s interventions were a significant and necessary improvement of airport curbside operations, taking into consideration the capacity needs and the airport’s passenger traffic.
South Wing Extension project
The design and construction by mid-2019 of the 5-level, 15,000m2, South Wing Extension (SWE) of the Main Terminal Building (MTB) covered a critical increase in Extra Schengen’s (ES) operational needs due to a new European Security Regulatory Framework (EU 2017/458) enforced in 2019. The design has been awarded to the collaborating firms “A. N. Tombazis and Associates” and “AVW Architecture via an international design and management services competition, on a very tight design and construction schedule.
The South Wing Expansion was the first project where the Main Terminal Building extended beyond its original envelope. The project at its completion provided a re-assessment of the terminal façade and morphology and provided an architectural design that enhanced the character of the entire terminal area. The aim was to produce a building that is in context to the immediate surroundings but also to set a new architectural discourse, which will inform future extensions.
The project was nominated for the Mies Van Der Rohe Awards 2022.
