14th ACI Europe RACE 2023: “Inexperienced” transition, digitization, and collaborations are the primary priorities for European regional airports


Now, 207 smaller and regional airports all through Europe are licensed for managing and decreasing CO2 emissions beneath the Airport Carbon Accreditation – the globally acknowledged institutional commonplace – in comparison with 146 a 12 months in the past.

The widespread priorities and challenges for European regional airports and the broader aviation business have been highlighted at ACI Europe’s 14th Regional Airports Convention & Exhibition, RACE 2023, hosted for the primary time in Greece, by Fraport Greece. The assembly came about on the finish of April 2023, in Chania, Crete, with the participation of over 150 high executives from the airport business and their wider stakeholder group.

On the high of their priorities is the “inexperienced transition” to the operation of airports utilizing energy-efficient and sustainable practices. This can be a widespread purpose that clearly impacts your entire enterprise group, societies and their economies, and in the direction of which European regional airports are already implementing practices to scale back their power footprint. Now, 207 smaller and regional airports all through Europe are licensed for managing and decreasing CO2 emissions beneath the Airport Carbon Accreditation – the globally acknowledged institutional commonplace – in comparison with 146 a 12 months in the past.

Mr. Alexander Zinell, CEO of Fraport Greece, identified that: “The Fraport group is dedicated to zero CO2 emissions in any respect airports worldwide beneath its administration by 2045, with an interim goal of decreasing carbon dioxide emissions by 75,000 tons by 2030. Furthermore, at Chania “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” Airport, we profit from a contemporary constructing administration system (BMS) aimed toward optimizing power consumption. On the identical time, we’re engaged on photovoltaic techniques at lots of our airports. “

On this context, the adoption of contemporary applied sciences and the digitization of processes are a core aspect of regional airports’ technique. This was explored in a bespoke workshop on Digital Innovation, one in all three deep-dive strategic periods held in the course of the Convention, alongside Route Growth and Worker Engagement and Retention.

One salient instance of the digitization of processes is the initiation of the pilot section of the self-baggage drop-off service at Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport, beneath the administration of Fraport Greece. Utilizing this function, vacationers can full the method of delivering their baggage by means of a totally automated course of with out the presence of airline employees.

One other essential side of the convention was the continual growth of partnerships, with a specific concentrate on native airport communities. It was generally acknowledged that strengthening the connection between airports and native communities has vital significance and mutually helpful results for all members of society. Final however not least, the convention attendees addressed the passenger visitors of regional airports, which has on common recovered to 93% of the pre-pandemic (2019) passenger quantity.

Fraport Greece introduced the event of passenger visitors on the 14 regional airports beneath its administration, which for the primary quarter of 2023 amounted to 1,886,041 passengers, in comparison with 1,314,980 passengers for a similar interval in 2022, displaying a rise of 43.4%. Following this lead, Chania’s “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” Airport has additionally seen passenger visitors rise to 184,843 passengers, a rise of 46.9% in comparison with 2022.

Mr. Olivier Jankovec, Director Common of ACI Europe, said: “The indications for this 12 months’s summer time season are significantly optimistic for regional airports as a complete, with indicative will increase in airline seat reservations in comparison with pre-pandemic ranges. Demand continues to defy inflationary pressures and particularly air fare will increase. On the identical time, the dangers of destabilization all through the aviation ecosystem have receded, with the recruitment disaster largely overcome and an emphasis on co-ordinated planning. Shifting forwards the main focus is funding in sustainability, digitization, and capability as we transition to energy-sustainable practices while endeavoring to construct resilience into our companies.”

The occasion concluded with a handover ceremony from Fraport Greece to the subsequent ACI EUROPE Regional Airport Convention and Exhibition which can happen in 2024, in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Tatiana Rokou

Tatiana is the information coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Community (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her function consists of monitoring the lots of of stories sources of TravelDailyNews Media Community and skimming crucial in response to our technique.

She holds a Bachelor’s diploma in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion College of Political & Social Research of Athens and he or she has been editor and editor-in-chief in varied financial magazines and newspapers.



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