Athens, Winner of the ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards 2021 in the 25-40 mio pax category

A highly significant and prestigious top European distinction

Athens International Airport is winner of the ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards 2021 in the 25-40 mio pax category, an annual event organized to recognise excellence and outstanding achievement across the entire portfolio of airport activities.

The Best Airport Awards winners were announced on the sidelines of the 31st ACI Europe Annual Congress and General Assembly that took place in Geneva on October 26. This year’s 17th edition of the celebrated accolades was held with a particular focus on the many ways in which airports are not only responding but innovating during the Covid-19 pandemic, while focusing on the airport industry’s sustainability goals.

Athens International Airport, the busiest airport in Greece, won the judges over by producing a plan for recovery that focuses on improving customer and passenger experience through the implementation of the Greek concept of philoxenia / hospitality, by the way Athens Airport embraces AI and virtual reality (such as measuring passengers’ emotional engagement, offering a virtual assistant and 3D virtual airport tours) in its bid to bring passenger experience to the next level.

The judging panel (this year consisting EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky, DG Eurocontrol Eamonn Brennan, and Henrik Hololei, DG European Commission DG MOVE), also highlighted Athens continued carbon management progress, with Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 3+ upheld in spite of the ongoing crisis. Furthermore, Athens Airport is not only committed to achieve Net Zero CO2 emissions by 2025, but also to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals. In particular, the airport’s efforts to increase the use of renewable energy at the airport were praised.

The award also sealed the effort that AIA is constantly making, helping to address the global challenge of the pandemic.

It is noteworthy that, in this context, since the beginning of June 2020, Athens International Airport has responded to the call of EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, acting as a pilot airport for the implementation and evaluation of new health and safety measures and procedures, with a view to shaping European best practices and a framework that allows the gradual restoration of connectivity and travellers’ trust in air-travel.

Athens International Airport, Communication and Marketing Director, Ioanna Papadopoulou stated : “Honored and thrilled with this distinction! This Award “belongs” to all our passengers and to our airline-partners, our source of inspiration and driving force that motivate us to continue improving and becoming better!”