Schiphol presents its aviation awards to business partners

Executive Vice President & COO of Schiphol Group, announced the six winners of the 2012 Schiphol Aviation Awards. Each year, Schiphol presents its aviation awards to business partners who have distinguished themselves over the previous year in terms of their innovative business management or positive performance.

Airline of the Year Award: Europe

The award in this category went to Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline. Flybe realised growth of no less than 12% in passenger numbers at Schiphol over the past year. Flybe made a flying start last year by introducing two new routes connecting Birmingham and East Midlands with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. With a total of five routes, Flybe now operates 58 weekly flights to Schiphol.

Airline of the Year Award: North & South America

The award in this category went to ArkeFly for its successful service to existing destinations in North and South America, and for introducing flights to two new destinations: Las Vegas and San Francisco Oakland. The number of passengers boarding ArkeFly to destinations in North or South America rose last year by an impressive 20%, reaching nearly 450,000.

Airline of the Year Award: Asia

China Southern Airlines expanded further last year, now running two daily flights from Schiphol to Beijing and Guangzhou, earning it the Airline of the Year Award for Asia. Schiphol also commended China Southern Airlines on the positive developments in its air cargo business, which generated ten new weekly flights to Amsterdam.

Airline of the Year Award: Africa & Middle East

This year’s Airline of the Year Award for Africa & the Middle East went to KLM, which received it for expansion activities and excellent performance in the region. KLM added three new destinations to its network (Luanda, Lusaka and Harare), started collaborating with Etihad Airways and successfully solidified its partnership with Kenya Airways.

Passenger Ground Handling Award 

Aviapartner was awarded the this year’s Passenger Ground Handling award for its effective operational performance, customer-friendly attitude and outstanding cooperation with other parties in the network.

Cargo Award 

The E-Freight@NL project received the Cargo Award for the major progress it has achieved in the area of paperless air cargo. By issuing this award, Schiphol wishes to emphasise the importance of e-freight and encourage the entire airline supply chain to eliminate as much paper as possible. E-Freight@NL is an initiative of ACN, AF-KL Cargo, Schiphol Group, Cargonaut, EVO Nyenrode Business University and 25 air cargo shipping and forwarding companies.

The Schiphol Aviation Awards are awarded in various categories based on geographical segmentation, with an emphasis on the quality and diversity of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s global network of airlines and destinations. Category winners are selected based on punctuality, growth, innovation and marketing effort.