Athens Airport Honors Airlines for Top Performance in 2023

Representatives of airlines that were honored at during AIA’s 2.3 Airline Marketing Workshop.

Airlines that achieved the most successful development path last year at Athens International Airport (AIA) were recently honored during a ceremony in Athens.

The awards, given by AIA, recognize the significant growth rates and highest increases in passenger volumes of airlines on their scheduled flights to and from Athens.

The award ceremony took place during AIA’s 23rd Airline Marketing Workshop, this year dubbed “2.3” and under the title “Let’s make the right move”, held at the Zappeion Megaron in Athens.

Airlines with top performance at Athens Airport in 2023

Following are the airlines that stood out for their successful significant performance at AIA in 2023:

✈ AEGEAN was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the domestic market. SKY express was highly commended.
✈ ITA Airways was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the Western Europe market. SKY express was highly commended.
✈ Wizz Air was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the Eastern Europe market. Air Serbia was highly commended.
✈ Wizz Air was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the Middle East market. Qatar Airways was highly commended.
✈ AEGEAN was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the Africa market. EGYPTAIR was highly commended.
✈ Scoot (GSA in Greece: Asian Aviation) was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the Asia market. Air China was highly commended.
✈ Emirates was awarded as the fastest growing airline in the America market.

Fastest Growing Airline Seasonal Route – Europe
✈ Jet2 received the award for fastest growing airline – seasonal route in the Europe market. Norwegian was highly commended.

Fastest Growing Airline Seasonal Route – America
✈ Delta Air Lines received the award for fastest growing airline – seasonal route in the America market. Air Canada was highly commended.

“Best of the Top 10 Airlines” award for 2023
✈ Wizz Air was honored as the top airline among the top 10 at Athens International Airport in 2023.

Overall traffic performance in 2023 – Volumes
✈ AEGEAN was honored for recording the highest passenger traffic volume rates at Athens International Airport in 2023. SKY express was highly commended.

Speaking during the award ceremony, AIA Director of Communications & Marketing Ioanna Papadopoulou highlighted that the airport’s efficient relations with airline partners is powered by excellent cooperation.

“Looking towards the day ahead, we once again express our thanks to our airline partners and remain true to the principles of meaningful cooperation and support,” she said.

Special award: ‘You’re an AΘenian, too!’

AIA’s Marypola Kotsi (left) and Ioanna Papadopoulou with GBR Consulting’s Stefan Merkenhof.

The “You’re An AΘenian, Too!” Award was given to Stefan Merkenhof, managing consultant at GBR Consulting, for the many years he has dedicated in researching the satisfaction of the Greek capital’s visitors.

The name of the specific award has its origins in Athens International Airport’s successful “ΑΘenian” trilogy, an international campaign that promoted Athens to the traveling public worldwide, inviting them to visit the city and feel like citizens of Athens! The campaign included letters of the Greek alphabet mixed with English words.

2.3 Airline Marketing Workshop

AIA’s communication & marketing department team with Garry Kasparov, Former World Chess Champion and public speaker.

AIA’s airline marketing workshop this year focused on the strategy of thinking ahead for the “players” of the “big chessboard” of the wider area of aviation and tourism. The event saw trends, opportunities and challenges discussed and explored.

Attended by over 200 attendees and under the title “Let’s make the right move”, the 2.3 conference “transported” industry professionals, including experts from the fields of aviation, tourism, economy and technology, to a game of strategy – chess – inviting members of the Athens airport community to continue making… “the right move” towards sustainable development.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE.

Among others, speakers at the workshop included Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE; Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General, Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO); Bjørn Tore Larsen, CEO, Norse Atlantic Airways; Dr. Jan Siewert, Senior Manager Digital Transformation, AviAlliance; Marko Halla, CEO/Airport Manager, Enontekiö Airport, Finland; and Garry Kasparov, Former World Chess Champion/Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation; Author and Public Speaker.

Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General, Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).

Speaking during the event, Athens International Airport CEO Yiannis Paraschis highlighted the exemplary cooperation that governs the entire airport community and commented on last year’s excellent results which exceed pre-pandemic levels.

Referring to international challenges, including geopolitical volatility and digital transformation, Paraschis once again made special mention to the environment, highlighting that sustainability is the main priority of Athens Airport.