Categories
March 2009 Articles
-
March, 2009Small and regional is beautiful (and very challenging)
The extraordinarily pessimistic times currently befalling the global economy have seen many comparing the current situation with the infamous great depression of the 1930s. For aviation and airports in particular, the analogy fails to deliver any direct relevance.
-
March, 2009SMAG - giving voice to Europe’s Small and Regional airports
In 2006, ACI EUROPE established the Small and Medium Size Airports Action Group (SMAG) with an agenda purely focusing on issues of topical interest to Small and Regional airports; its membership now totals 136 airports and five national airport associations. Ross Falconer sat down with Olle Sundin, Managing Director Regional Airports Division, LFV and incoming SMAG Chairman; Marcel Buelens, CEO, Brussels South Charleroi Airport; and Paolo Stradi, Managing Director, Trieste International Airport, ahead of the 2nd ACI EUROPE SMAG Conference & Exhibition in Linz.
-
March, 2009EU Directive on Airport Charges - a workable compromise
Final adoption of the EU Directive on Airport Charges by the Council of Ministers took place on 19 February. It is the culmination of a process that began in January 2007 when the European Commission initially proposed the Directive – a process during which ACI EUROPE has participated actively in discussions with all the EU institutions involved. Entry into force in EU Member States will take place by early 2011. Ross Falconer reports.
-
March, 2009Ryanair/Charleroi ruling positive for Small and Regional airports
In December last year, the European Court of First Instance annulled the European Commission’s decision on advantages granted by Belgium’s Walloon Region and Charleroi Airport to low-cost carrier, Ryanair. The case has thrust the issue of state aid back into the spotlight and the decision has potentially positive consequences for SMAG members (Small & Medium Sized airports Action Group). Ross Falconer reports.
-
March, 2009Nice - a consultative environmental approach
Environmental considerations are high on the agenda of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport; its strategic plan highlights three key environmental commitments – reducing and controlling pollution, acting in full transparency and consultation with external stakeholders, and developing management that integrates this environmental philosophy. Ross Falconer spoke with Isabelle Vandrot, sustainable development manager.
-
March, 2009Planning for future growth essential despite economic uncertainty
The inaugural ACI Airport Economics and Finance Conference was held in London on 10-11 February. The challenges being faced by airports, with global traffic forecast to drop by 4-5% in 2009 and the economic crisis affecting the financial sector that is so vital to the capital intensive airport industry, meant that the event, jointly organised by ACI EUROPE and ACI WORLD, could not have been more timely. Ross Falconer reports.
-
March, 2009ACI EUROPE board meets the European parliament
On the occasion of their first meeting of 2009, the Board of ACI EUROPE was invited by Paolo Costa MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee, in collaboration with Dr Yiannis Paraschis, President of ACI EUROPE and Director General, Olivier Jankovec, to dinner at the European Parliament.
-
March, 2009TAV joins ACI EUROPE
TAV Airports Holding, which recently joined ACI EUROPE, operates three international airports in Turkey (Istanbul Ataturk, Ankara Esenboga, Izmir Adnan Menderes), two in the Republic of Georgia (Tbilisi and Batumi) and one in Tunisia (Monastir Habib Bourguiba). Olivier Jankovec, ACI EUROPE Director General, visited TAV in January to welcome them into ACI EUROPE and to strengthen relations. He also met with Turkish authorities to discuss capacity, ATM and slots issues.
-
March, 2009East Line’s strategy to grow cargo and international traffic at DME
Domodedovo’s passenger throughput reached 20.4 million last year – a 9% increase over 2007 levels. With a stable market share of 40% in the Moscow aviation hub, East Line Group’s vision for Domodedovo is centred on driving its international traffic and cargo operations, through a major, phased project to provide a new terminal and cargo village. Daniel Burkard, director of business development, spoke with Louise Driscoll.
-
March, 2009Sheremetyevo’s vision to be a leading transfer hub and gateway to Russia
A major terminal reshuffle will lead to the grand opening of Aeroflot’s Terminal 3 and of Terminal 2A later this year – designed to position Sheremetyevo as a preferred transfer hub for Moscow and Russia. Master planners Scott Wilson are also in the final stages of a new master plan to 2030. Markus Klaushofer, Sheremetyevo’s business development director and Rob Rushmer, Scott Wilson’s head of aviation gave Louise Driscoll an update on how the phased expansion project is moving forward.
-
March, 2009Vnukovo’s vision to become ‘highly competitive’ hub
Vnukovo’s share of traffic among the three Moscow airports has been growing steadily over the last eight years, with forecasts of further growth in the market share from 18% to 25%. The government of Moscow, which has the controlling stake in the airport, is investing in the new Terminal A under a ‘Strategic Development Plan’ to 2015. Louise Driscoll reports on the ongoing projects and Vnukovo’s vision to become a highly competitive international hub.
-
March, 2009Pulkovo vies to become international hub by 2025
St Petersburg-Pulkovo has begun construction of a new 200,000sqm terminal, scheduled for completion in 2012. Grimshaw won the international architectural competition in 2007 to work on the structural engineering for the terminal design, with Arup and NACO acting as independent engineering consultants. Louise Driscoll reports on how the terminal design pays homage to the City and Pulkovo’s vision to be an international hub by 2025.
-
March, 2009Making RFID work - the most effective solution to lost baggage?
The missing bag is still a familiar scenario at airports worldwide. According to SITA’S 2008 baggage report, 42 million items of bags disappeared off the radar at airports in 2007. RFID (radio frequency identification) has not yet lived up to its expectations in delivering a pan-industry solution to lost baggage. Louise Driscoll examines RFID’s setbacks and the latest RFID initiatives designed to improve performance.
-
March, 2009Europe’s airports see route reductions of around 7% in 2009
Analysis of airport traffic data from over 220 European airports in 2008 shows that total annual traffic was virtually unchanged last year. This, however, disguises the fact that most airports saw growth during the first half of the year followed by a drop in passenger numbers during the second part of the year as the economic environment across Europe deteriorated.
-
March, 2009Automated IT solutions - a growing trend at airports
Advances in IT are leading to innovative processing solutions that are not only maximising the efficiency of passenger services, but also increasing revenue gains for airports. Louise Driscoll examines the growing presence of new technology in the provision of automated parking systems and check-in services and their role in transforming the end-to-end passenger experience.
-
March, 2009Airport Plaza opening completes New Hamburg Airport
The Airport Plaza links Hamburg Airport’s two terminals and is home to the central security checkpoint with 16 aviation security control stations. It also marks completion of the 1350 million HAM 21 Expansion Programme, which began in 2001. “With the Airport Plaza and the S-Bahn (suburban railway network) station, the New Hamburg Airport is complete,” Michael Eggenschwiler, CEO, Hamburg Airport, told Ross Falconer.
More content uploaded every day
As we work to upload the full Airport Business archive, more articles will appear here shortly. Please check back soon for more content from the Leading Airport Magazine.
From the latest issue
