Brussels Airport best European Airport
Brussels Airport has received the ACI Europe ‘Best Airport Awards’ in the category 10 to 25 million passengers. Last year, Brussels Airport was runner-up in the same category. Additionally, Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company, received the 'Leader of the Year' award at the ACI Europe congress in Athens for his approach and leadership following the attacks of 22 March 2016.
The ACI Europe ‘Best Airport Awards’ evaluate airports in terms of their achievements and performance according to various parameters, including customer service, the retail offer and the environment.
This year, the award in the category 10 to 25 million passengers went to Brussels Airport thanks to the significant investment in the 'Connector' building, with the world's first large-scale remote screening platform for hand luggage. This made a considerable improvement to passenger comfort, with a shorter walking distance, clearer directions, and reduced waiting times. The airport was also praised for its successful network development and improvements to public transport and parking facilities.
“This award is very important to us as it recognises the efforts and the energy we have invested for several years in our airport product, in services to our clients, the airlines and passengers, and in the further development of our European and intercontinental network. I’d like to thank all the teams that have made this possible”, said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company.
ACI Europe created a special and unique award this year: Leader of the Year. Feist received the award for his extraordinary leadership and courage together with his remarkable decisiveness and wisdom in managing the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 22 March 2016. The award was presented to Arnaud Feist by Augustin de Romanet, President of ACI EUROPE and President & CEO of Groupe ADP.
Feist dedicated the award to the 20,000 airport employees. “I thank ACI Europe for this prize. It is very precious to me as it is awarded by my peers in the airport industry. My first thoughts go out to the victims of the cowardly attacks, and especially to those who are still in the hospital three months after the attacks. Life goes on, life must go on. But we will never forget them, they have a place in our hearts forever. I would like to share this award with all teams of Brussels Airport who worked day and night to first rescue the victims and then to restart airport operations in a safe and secure manner".
ACI Europe is the European Air transport Association defending the interests of the European Airport industry. The organisation represents 500 airports in 45 European countries, good for 1.8 billion travellers, 90% of all commercial air traffic in Europe, 18.4 million tonnes of cargo and 22.1 million movements.