Latest news with #OlivierJankovec
Irish Independent
14 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Cork Airport named best in Europe for the third time
The airport won the 'under 5 million passengers' category, and it marked the third time that Ireland's fastest growing airport won the accolade. It was previously awarded the honour in 2017 and 2019. The award celebrates and acknowledges Cork Airport's continued excellence in passenger experience, operational efficiency, route development, sustainability and innovation. Olivier Jankovec, ACI europe director general, said the airport thoroughly deserved the recognition. 'The airport team has worked tirelessly to enhance operational efficiency, offer exceptional passenger experience, and deliver on ambitious environmental and sustainability goals,' he said. Commenting, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said it is clear the airport is going from 'strength to strength.' 'It is clear that Cork Airport is going from strength-to-strength every year and this award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of Niall MacCarthy and all his team there,' Mr Martin said. 'I know there are plans to further develop the airport and I look forward to seeing Cork Airport continue to flourish as Ireland's fastest growing airport.' In 2024, Cork Airport welcomed 3.2 million passengers representing 10% growth compared to 2023 figures. This year, the airport is expected to see 3.4 million passengers. ADVERTISEMENT Niall MacCarthy, Cork Airport's managing director, said the ACI award is a 'fantastic endorsement' of the incredible people who make Cork Airport what it is. 'It's also a reflection of the strong partnerships we've built with all our stakeholders, and the loyalty of our passengers who continue to choose Cork Airport,' Mr MacCarthy said. 'We're immensely proud to win this award for the third time and we're committed to continuing to grow our contribution to the south of Ireland.' In May this year, a €200 million investment by daa Group in the development of Cork Airport was announced. The Capital Development Plan includes a new mezzanine floor for an expanded security area, larger duty-free shop, bigger executive lounge, additional car park spaces, more boarding gates, new aircraft stands, and a new pier – all designed to facilitate growth up to and beyond 5 million passengers. Kenny Jacobs, daa CEO, said his organisation was thrilled to see Cork Airport named Europe's best regional airport again. "It's a huge recognition of the brilliant team on the ground who deliver for passengers every single day,' he said. 'This award's not just for the airport - it's for Cork, for Munster, and for Ireland. We have big plans for Cork, and this is a great boost.'
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Cork Airport crowned best regional airport in Europe
The fastest-growing airport in Ireland was named the best airport in Europe that serves under five million passengers at the Airport Council International (ACI) Europe Best Airport Awards. It previously won the award in the 2017 and 2019, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin describing the accolade as a 'prestigious honour'. 'This recognition is thoroughly deserved. The airport team has worked tirelessly to enhance operational efficiency, offer exceptional passenger experience, and deliver on ambitious environmental and sustainability goals,' said ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec. "Their success is clearly reflected in increased air connectivity and passenger numbers which means a growing contribution from the airport to the regional economy, tourism and competitiveness." The airport recently added four new routes to Corfu, Izmir, Bilbao and Bordeaux, with passenger numbers on track to reach beyond 3.4 million passengers this year. It welcomed 3.2 million passengers last year, a 10pc growth year-on-year. A €200 million investment by the DAA Group in the development of infrastructure at the airport plans to include a new mezzanine floor for an expanded security area, a larger duty-free shop, a bigger executive lounge, additional car park spaces, more boarding gates, new aircraft stands, and a new pier. Cork Airport's Managing Director Niall MacCarthy said the award is 'a fantastic endorsement of the incredible people who make Cork Airport what it is—from our frontline teams to those behind-the-scenes, and everyone in between'. "It's also a reflection of the strong partnerships we've built with all our stakeholders, and the loyalty of our passengers who continue to choose Cork Airport. We're immensely proud to win this award for the third time and we're committed to continuing to grow our contribution to the south of Ireland.' Meanwhile, Kenny Jacobs, the CEO of DAA, said the award is 'a huge recognition of the brilliant team on the ground who deliver for passengers every single day'. "This award's not just for the airport - it's for Cork, for Munster, and for Ireland. We have big plans for Cork, and this is a great boost.'
Irish Examiner
18 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cork Airport named best in Europe for third time
Cork Airport was named the best airport in Europe, under five million passengers, at the Airport Council International (ACI) Europe Best Airport Awards held in Athens on Thursday night. It is the third time Cork Airport has won the award, having won it previously in 2017 and 2019. The award acknowledges Cork's excellence in passenger experience, operational efficiency, route development, sustainability and innovation. "This recognition is thoroughly deserved," Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe director general, said. "The airport team has worked tirelessly to enhance operational efficiency, offer exceptional passenger experience, and deliver on ambitious environmental and sustainability goals. Their success is clearly reflected in increased air connectivity and passenger numbers, which means a growing contribution from the airport to the regional economy, tourism and competitiveness. Last year, Cork Airport saw 10% passenger growth to 3.2 million passengers, forecast to rise this year to 3.4 million passengers. In May, it announced a €200m investment by Dublin Airport Authority in the development of new infrastructure, including an extended mezzanine floor, larger duty-free shop, bigger executive lounge, additional car park spaces, more boarding gates, new aircraft stands, and a new pier to facilitate growth up to five million passengers. Taoiseach Micheál Martin congratulated Cork Airport. "It is clear that Cork Airport is going from strength to strength every year and this award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of Niall MacCarthy and all his team there." Niall MacCarthy, Cork Airport's managing director, said: 'This award is a fantastic endorsement of the incredible people who make Cork Airport what it is — from our frontline teams to those behind the scenes, and everyone in between. It's also a reflection of the strong partnerships we've built with all our stakeholders, and the loyalty of our passengers who continue to choose Cork Airport.' Dublin Airport Authority chief executive Kenny Jacobs said the award was a huge recognition of the brilliant team on the ground. "This award's not just for the airport — it's for Cork, for Munster, and for Ireland. We have big plans for Cork, and this is a great boost," he said. Read More Rory Gallagher Avenue unveiled at Cork Airport to honour legendary guitarist's enduring legacy
Travel Daily News
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Air connectivity at the heart of Europe's growth strategy, says ACI Europe Director General in Athens
Olivier Jankovec of ACI Europe highlights air connectivity's economic and social impact in a press briefing ahead of ACI Europe's 2025 Congress & General Assembly in Athens, Greece. Air connectivity plays a vital role in Europe's economic resilience, social cohesion, and sustainable development, according to Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe. Speaking during a dedicated press conference for Greek media on 17 June 2025, ahead of ACI Europe's Annual Congress & General Assembly (18–20 June), Jankovec offered a preview of the key findings and strategic messages that will shape the upcoming deliberations in Athens. Addressing the media at the start of one of the industry's most influential gatherings, Jankovec underscored how air connectivity remains underestimated in regulatory and policy frameworks, despite being a major driver of prosperity across the continent. 'We often overlook the true value of air connectivity,' said Jankovec. 'Yet it is what physically unites Europeans, directly enabling GDP growth, employment, and access to global opportunities.' Air connectivity's economic multiplier effect Jankovec presented highlights from ACI Europe's forthcoming Airport Industry Connectivity Report 2025, a data-driven analysis of direct, indirect, and hub connectivity trends across Europe's airport network. Although passenger traffic has almost fully rebounded from the pandemic, air connectivity remains approximately 9% below 2019 levels. The report quantifies the link between increased air connectivity and economic growth: a 10% rise in direct connectivity translates to a 0.5% increase in GDP per capita and a 1.6% increase in employment—a compelling argument for policymakers to prioritize aviation infrastructure and route development strategies. The broader aviation sector contributes around 5% to Europe's GDP, equating to approximately €551 billion, and supports 6% of the continent's workforce. However, Jankovec warned that these figures could stagnate or decline without concerted efforts to restore and expand air connectivity post-COVID. A bridge to sustainable development Jankovec also shared findings from ACI Europe's joint economic and social impact study with the European Commission, released in Brussels in October 2024. The research demonstrates a significant correlation between air connectivity and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including: Poverty reduction Quality education Gender equality Innovation and research Life satisfaction and wellbeing 'People today are shifting from material to experiential consumption,' Jankovec noted. 'Travel—and by extension, air connectivity—delivers life satisfaction, equity in opportunity, and access to culture and education.' Greece leads Europe in air connectivity recovery While many European countries are still below 2019 air connectivity benchmarks, Greece has emerged as a frontrunner. The country leads ACI Europe's rankings for recovery, with air connectivity now 35% above pre-pandemic levels. This performance is closely tied to Greece's robust tourism rebound and proactive route development strategies. Athens International Airport has played a key role, achieving: +33% growth in total air connectivity compared to 2019 +24% growth in direct connectivity A 92% increase in hub connectivity, one of the strongest in Europe These figures elevate Athens Airport's status from 20th to 10th in direct connectivity and from 22nd to 12th in hub connectivity among European airports. 'This success is the result of strategic engagement,' said Jankovec. 'Airports today must actively market their destinations and compete for airline capacity. It's a constant battle for visibility and investment.' Market trends and future challenges Jankovec also addressed the structural shift in Europe's airline industry. Since the pandemic, low-cost carriers (LCCs) have expanded their presence, whereas full-service carriers (FSCs) have retrenched, with some—like the Lufthansa Group—still operating below 2019 capacity levels. This trend has implications for indirect connectivity, often delivered via FSC hub networks. The decline in hub capacity contributes to the lag in total connectivity recovery, particularly in secondary and regional airports. ACI Europe's report uses KPIs developed by Amsterdam Economics to track four types of connectivity: Direct connectivity Indirect connectivity Hub connectivity Total connectivity (a combination of the above) 'Indirect connectivity is as crucial as direct routes,' added Jankovec. 'A reduction in hub networks limits access to long-haul destinations and weakens the competitiveness of Europe's airports.' Strategic positioning ahead of the future As the ACI Europe Congress begins in Athens, the central message is clear: air connectivity must be treated as a strategic asset for Europe's future. With Greece exemplifying best practices, the industry must collaborate across borders and sectors to ensure that aviation remains a catalyst for progress, not just a facilitator of tourism. ACI Europe is urging regulators, governments, and industry stakeholders to view aviation beyond environmental concerns, acknowledging its integral role in enabling mobility, cohesion, and opportunity across the European continent. Jankovec concluded his briefing by inviting delegates and media to engage with ACI's upcoming reports and discussions during the Congress, which will feature sessions on investment, sustainability, technology, and route development.
Travel Daily News
06-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
European passenger traffic grows in Q1 2025, momentum slows down
European airport passenger traffic rose 4.3% in Q1 2025, driven by international demand, but growth slowed compared to previous years. BRUSSELS – Europe's passenger traffic maintained positive momentum during the first quarter of 2025 (Q1) – although growth has slowed down compared to previous years, signalling post‑Covid traffic recovery consolidation. The latest traffic report released by ACI Europe reveals that passenger traffic across the European airport network increased by +4.3% during Q1 2025 over the same period last year. This compares to a growth of +10.2% in Q1 2024 vs. Q1 2023. When compared to pre‑pandemic (Q1 2019) levels, passenger traffic stood at +3.2%. The growth in passenger volumes in Q1 2025 was entirely driven by international traffic (+5.7%) as domestic traffic remained flat (0%) when compared to the same period last year. When compared to pre‑pandemic (Q1 2019) levels, international passenger traffic in Q1 2025 stood at +8.9% while domestic passenger traffic remained at ‑12.8%. The year‑on‑year monthly growth decelerated in Q1 2025 – from +6.9% in January through +3.4% in February and +3% in March, with the latter reflecting Easter falling in April this year. Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI Europe said: 'Our Q1 data shows that the post‑pandemic travel boom is fading as we are moving towards 'normalised' growth rates in passenger volumes, with demand generally remaining resilient so far. This reflects consumers prioritising experiences despite an increasingly challenging economic environment, along with the dynamism of aviation markets in the Eastern and Southern parts of our continent and Central Asia.' He added: 'While transatlantic demand is weakening, we expect the European part of that to shift to other markets, and remain confident about the Summer season. The big question is what happens as of next Winter given the unprecedented macro‑economic uncertainty we are now facing as a result of the Trump administration's attack on the global multilateral trading system. This means that in addition to geopolitics and the current supply pressures coming from aircraft delivery and maintenance delays, as well as infrastructure capacity constraints, and airlines focusing on yields rather than capacity expansion, we could see downward demand pressures becoming a reality.' Non‑EU+ market outperforming Airports outside the EU+ market1 outperformed the European average in Q1 2025, with their passenger traffic increasing by +5.7% compared to the same period last year. This was driven by the recovery of airports in Israel (+60.4%) as well as the impressive results in the fast‑growing markets of Moldova (+56%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (+41.7%), Kosovo (+15.6%), Uzbekistan (+15.5%), Albania (+9.1%) and Georgia (+8.5%). Meanwhile, passenger traffic remained flat at airports in Türkiye (0%) and kept decreasing in Russia. Passenger traffic expanded by +4.1% in the EU+ market2, where divergences in performances amongst national markets remained significant. Airports in Slovakia (+15.9%), Poland (+15.4%), Hungary (+14.7%), Malta (+13.9%) and Lithuania (+13%) posted the best results, along with those in Croatia (+9.6%), Romania (+9.2%) and Greece (+8.8%). Conversely, passenger traffic decreased in Iceland (‑2.5%), Sweden (‑2.2%) and Ireland (‑0.5%) and remained lacklustre in Germany and Austria (both at +1.1%) as well as in Switzerland (+1.6%) and the UK (+1.7%). Amongst the other larger EU+ markets, Italy (+6.6%) came on top, followed by Spain (+4.5%) and France (+4.2%). Performance gaps and airport market segments There were also significant performance gaps in Q1 2025 passenger traffic across the different segments of the airport industry when compared to the same period last year. These reflect increased competitive pressures on the back of post‑pandemic structural changes in the aviation market. This is further illustrated by the fact that passenger traffic remained below pre‑pandemic (Q1 2019) levels at 44% of Europe's airports. The Majors (over 40m passengers) grew at a slower pace in Q1 2025 at +3%. Amongst the Majors, the best results came from Rome‑Fiumicino (+9.4%) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokçen (+9.0%). While remaining the busiest European airports, London‑Heathrow (‑1.5%) was affected by a massive power outage in March. Istanbul (+1.6%) came in the second position, followed by Paris‑CDG (+5.6%) and Madrid (+4.5%) – with the latter replacing Amsterdam‑Schiphol (+3%) in the fourth position. Meanwhile, passenger traffic declined at Frankfurt (‑0.9%), resulting in the German hub maintaining its 6th position. Small airports (less than 1m passengers) posted the best results, with their passenger traffic increasing by an impressive +13.4%. However, they remained a worrying ‑34.5% below their pre‑pandemic (Q1 2019) volumes — as both Low Cost Carriers and Full Service Carriers kept prioritising larger and more affluent markets. Large airports (10‑25m passengers) posted the second best results at +6.1%, with Tel Aviv (+60.4%), Krakow (+21.9%), Budapest (+15.5%), Alicante (+14.6%) and Valencia (+14.3%) leading. Aircraft movements in Q1 2025 rose by +3.7% compared to the same period last year but still remained ‑5.3% below pre‑pandemic levels. Data by airport groups In Q1 2025, airports welcoming more than 40 million passengers (Majors), airports welcoming between 25 and 40 million passengers (Mega), airports welcoming between 10 and 25 million passengers (Large), airports welcoming between 1 and 10 million passengers (Medium) and airports welcoming less than 1 million passengers (Small) reported an average increase of +3.0%, +3.9%, +6.1%, +3.6% and +13.4% as compared to the preceding year. The airports that reported the most dynamic growth in passenger traffic versus Q1 2024 are as follows: Majors: Rome FCO ( +9.4 %), Istanbul SAW (+ 9.0 %), Paris CDG (+ 5.6 %) , Madrid MAD (+ 4.5 %), Barcelona BCN (+ 3.2 %) , %), Istanbul SAW (+ %), Paris CDG (+ %) Madrid MAD (+ %), (+ %) Mega airports: Milan MXP (+12.4%), Athens ATH (+11.4%), Copenhagen CPH (+6.5%), Manchester MAN (+6.2%), Málaga AGP (+6.0%). Large airports: Tel‑Aviv TLV (+60.4%), Krakow KRK (+21.9%), Budapest BUD (+15.5%), Alicante ALC (+14.6%), Valencia VLC (+14.3%). Medium airports: Chișinău RMO (+56.0%), Sarajevo SJJ (+41.7%), Trieste TRS (+41.7%), Kaunas KUN (+34.6%), Poznan POZ (+28.4%). Small airports: Bucharest BBU (+1348.6%), Antakya HTY (+272.8%), Ostend OST (+221.6%), Rodez RDZ (+190.8%), Salamanca SLM (+175.6%). 1 Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. 2 EU, EEA, Switzerland and the UK.
